Standing Firm: 1 Thessalonians

Widely considered to be one of his earliest letters, Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians as a follow up to his ministry in the city of Thessalonica, which had been cut short. Paul’s ministry during his  brief visit to the city had aroused such intense opposition from the Jewish leaders (Acts 17:1-9) that he was driven out. Persecution of Paul’s converts and the believers in Thessalonica continued as well. Because of this, Paul wrote to encourage and comfort them, so that they might continue standing firm in the Lord. His letter also provided further instruction on topics such as sexual holiness, the return of Christ, and loving one another in the community so that they might live lives pleasing to the Lord until He returns. As the church today, 1 Thessalonians reminds us to live as an alert, holy, and hope-filled people, even through trials, as we await the return of the Lord.