Always seek what is good for one another and for all people.

1 Thessalonians 5:4-28 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; ⁶ so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. ¹¹ Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.

¹² But we ask you, brothers and sisters, to recognize those who diligently labor among you and are in leadership over you in the Lord, and give you instruction, ¹³ and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. ¹⁴ We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit, ²⁰ do not utterly reject prophecies, ²¹ but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, ²² abstain from every form of evil.

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it. ²⁵ Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

²⁶ Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. ²⁷ I put you under oath by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

²⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Today’s text says: You, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, so that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk, get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.   In John 9:4-5 Jesus says: “We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”  While Jesus was in the world, He was the Light of the world. In Matthew 5:4-16 Jesus says: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  We are to continue to shine the light of Christ in the world and to carry out the works of the Father to the world. There is a darkness that is coming over the world, but we are to be alert and sober having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

The text says we are to: Live in peace with one another. To admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek what is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit, do not utterly reject prophecies, but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, abstain from every form of evil.  How are we to examine everything, whether prophecies, ideology or instruction? We examine it by comparing it to God’s written word.  Psalm 119:160 says: The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.  In John 17:17, when Jesus prayed for us in the garden He said: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”  We compare everything to the standard of truth, the word of God. We hold firmly to what is good and abstain from every form of evil. Anything and everything that contradicts the word of God is a form of evil. In Isaiah 5:20 God says: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

If we are to always seek what is good for others, it follows then that we would not want what is evil for them. If we love others, we need to be honest with them and tell them the truth. We are to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  2 Timothy 3:16 says: All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness.  Scripture, the truth, the word of God is the foundation of what we do for and say to others. It is the foundation of our prayers. If we pray God’s word, we pray according to His will. We can be those who not only pray the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray, but also those who are part of the fulfillment of His prayer, that: Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen.