1 Tessalonicenses 5
Matthew Poole · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Tessalonicenses 5:19
Poole - And, by the figure meiosis, he means, cherish the Spirit. The Spirit is compared to fire, Mt 3:11; and he came down upon the apostles in the similitude, of tongues of fire, Acts 2:3; but the Spirit Himself cannot be quenched. ...there are ordinary gifts and operations of the Spirit common to all Christians, as enlightening, quickening, sanctifying, comforting the soul: men by sloth, security, earthy encumbrances, inordinate affections, etc., may abate these operations of the Spirit, which the apostle calls the quenching it: the fire upon the altar was kept always burning by the care of the priests. Fire will go out either by neglecting it, or casting water upon it. By not exercising grace in the duties of religion, or by allowing sin in ourselves, we may quench the Spirit; as appears in David, Ps 51:10-12 (Ed note: In the OT the Spirit did not indwell believers permanently as in the New Covenant). Not that the habits of grace may be totally extinguished in the truly regenerate, yet they may be abated as to degree and lively exercise. Yet those common illuminations and convictions of the Spirit which persons unregenerate, especially such that live under the gospel, do often find, may be totally lost, (Heb 6:4, 5, 6, -see notes He 6:4; 5; 6); and we read of God’s Spirit ceasing to strive with the old world, Ge 6:3, and the scribes and Pharisees resisting the Holy Ghost, Acts 7:51 ("You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did."), which were not persons regenerate. He may sometimes strive with men, but not overcome them. And there is a quenching of the Spirit in others as well as ourselves -- people may quench it in their ministers by discouraging them, and in one another by bad examples, or reproaching the zeal and forwardness that they see in them. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the New Testament) Henry
1 Tessalonicenses 5:24
Poole comments that "Those that are effectually called are brought into God’s covenant, where perfection and perseverance are promised, and God’s faithfulness obliges Him to make good His covenant. It is an act of grace and mercy to call men; but when called, God’s faithfulness is engaged to preserve them, and perfect the work begun: as the apostle tells the Corinthians that God "shall also confirm (guarantee, establish unwaveringly) you to the end, blameless (legally unaccused - implies not merely acquittal, but the absence of even a charge or accusation against a person) in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Cor 1:8) In Romans 8 Paul sounds a similar note that God's calling assures God's completion - "Whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Ro 8:30-note) (Comment: He uses the aorist tense for glorified, which speaks of an action already completed! In other words, the glorified in the aorist tense speaks of God Who sees the end from the beginning and in Whose decree & purpose all future events are comprehended and fixed. And thus our glorification is so certain that it is already an accomplished fact in the mind and purpose of God.) Will bring to pass (4160)(poieo) means God will do it or accomplish it. God's doing will accomplish His calling! And His calling is the pledge of His desire for the sanctification of their "whole man" as they await the return of Christ. He will accomplish what He began in each of His children! Webster says accomplish means to bring to completion or to bring about by effort and in this context it refers to God's "supernatural effort" (an oxymoron). Hiebert sums this section up writing that "As Moore aptly remarks, "Paul never affirms God's oversight in these matters as an excuse for idleness, but as the reason for the convert to have confident hope."" Nor, it may be added, did Paul feel that it rendered "prayer for them superfluous, as human effort and application also have their place in carrying out the purposes of God." (Ibid) R. Fergusson - The sovereign kindness and infinite love of God had already graciously appeared to them in calling them to the saving knowledge of His truth, and the sure faithfulness of God was their security that they would be Divinely helped to persevere to the end. Accordingly, the apostle assures them that God would do what he desired: He would effect what He had Himself promised: He would accomplish all the good pleasure of His goodness toward them. Verily, our fidelity to God depends upon God’s faithfulness to us. John Piper on the certainty of our salvation - The practical impact of this truth is not that we be cavalier about faith and love and holiness. There is necessary vigilance (Hebrews 3:12) and striving (Luke 13:24) and pursuit (Hebrews 12:14) in the Christian life. Rather, the impact is that we rest in the assurance that we are not left to ourselves in this "fight of faith." The God who called you is faithful to "confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 1:8). "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring [your sanctification] to pass" (1 Thessalonians 5:24). He will complete the salvation he began (Philippians 1:6). We are kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:5). Fight we must, for only those who persevere will be saved (Mark 13:13). And fight we will, because God is at work in us to will and to do his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:21). (A Godward Life - Part 2)