Living to Please God and Looking Forward to His Return (1 Thessalonians 4:1–18)
Have you ever wondered how to live in a way that pleases God? Or what happens after we die? In 1 Thessalonians 4, the Apostle Paul gives the church in Thessalonica some helpful and hopeful answers to both of those questions.
Let’s walk through it together.
Keep Living to Please God
Paul starts this part of the letter by encouraging the believers to keep growing in their faith. He says:
“We instructed you how to live in order to please God… Now we ask and urge you… to do this more and more.” (v.1)
In simple terms, Paul is saying: You’re doing great—keep going!
Then he gives some specific areas where they (and we) can grow:
Live a Pure Life
Paul reminds them to avoid sexual sin and to honor God with their bodies. He says we should control ourselves and not live like people who don’t know God. Why? Because our lives should reflect the fact that we belong to God.
Treat Others with Love and Respect
Paul encourages them to love one another—and they were already doing that. But again, he says: Do it more and more! Real love shows in how we treat people every day.
Live Quietly and Work Honestly
Paul also tells them to lead peaceful lives, mind their own business, and work hard. This kind of life earns the respect of others and helps believers be independent and helpful.
Hope for the Future
The second half of this chapter gives great comfort, especially to those grieving the loss of loved ones.
Some people in the Thessalonian church were confused and sad. They thought believers who had died would miss out on Jesus’ return. Paul clears that up with a message of hope:
“We do not want you to be uninformed… so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” (v.13)
Here’s the truth Paul shares:
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Jesus died and rose again, and because of that, Christians who die will also be raised.
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When Jesus returns, those who have died in Christ will rise first.
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Then, believers who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord.
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And best of all: “We will be with the Lord forever.” (v.17)
Paul ends by saying:
“Encourage one another with these words.” (v.18)
Final Thoughts
1 Thessalonians 4 gives us a clear picture of how to live and what to hope for:
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Live in a way that pleases God—with purity, love, and respect.
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Keep growing in your faith—more and more each day.
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Look forward to Jesus’ return with hope, not fear.
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And remember: believers who have died are not gone forever—we will be together again with them and with Jesus.
If you’re feeling discouraged, remember this: Jesus is coming back. And when He does, everything will be made right.
So let’s live with purpose, love deeply, and encourage one another with this amazing hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 (WEB)
4:1 Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God, 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; 11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, 17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.