Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. - 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 (ESV)

In this representative passage for First Thessalonians, we see Paul’s desire to visit the Thessalonians. In the meantime, he blesses them with a prayer that their love might continue to grow. He affirms his love for them and his desire that they would be blamelessly holy before God at Jesus’s appearing. 

The Big Idea of 1 Thessalonians

I have taught the Big Idea of First Thessalonians as the following: We Want to Come Encourage Your Holiness. This idea sums up what Paul is doing in the letter. It is about his affectionate desire to see them and to continue to build them up in their living for God through Christ.

Paul writes in the middle of his missionary travels as he seeks to find out how the Thessalonians are doing. Paul writes about his strong desire to see the Thessalonians after having tried and failed to visit them. In the meantime, he writes of his affection for them and gives some instructions about the pursuit of holiness together and the coming of Jesus at the end.

Paul is concerned to encourage the Thessalonians in their faith and to reassure them of his desire to visit. He is also concerned to give them instructions to help them live in a way that pleases God. We can learn a lot from Paul's example of affection in leadership and also apply the same instructions about holiness to ourselves. 

An Outline of 1 Thessalonians

1:1-10: We Thank God for You and Your Example

Paul expresses gratitude for the Thessalonians in the beginning of the letter. Paul is grateful for the clear fruit in their lives and the evidence of God’s work in them through the preaching of the gospel. They also did well in following and imitating Paul, and now their reputation precedes them, since they are known for their faith by people in other parts of the world.

2:1-20: Our Good Desires to Visit Have Been Thwarted

In chapter two, Paul describes how his desires to see the Thessalonians in person have been thwarted. He has tried to visit them, but was prevented from succeeding. Paul reminds them of his integrity among them and how he had been faithful to them as an apostle, displaying more humility than necessary as he sought not to make unnecessary demands on them. As hard as Paul worked and suffered for them, they responded beautifully, not only believing but also obeying and suffering for the gospel in turn. 

3:1-13: We Are Grateful You Are Doing Well

In chapter three, Paul expresses his gratitude that the Thessalonians are doing as well as they are. Paul describes how they suffered, as was expected, and eventually were so thirsty for good news that they sent to hear how the Thessalonians were doing. Paul seemed to be in need of encouragement. Paul still desires to see them in person, but he speaks so strongly as to say that he finds life in them standing fast in the Lord.

4:1-18: Keep Living for God

In chapter four, Paul’s focus is to encourage the Thessalonians to keep living for God. He turns to remind them of their instruction to them to live so as to please God first, then describes how living for God means holiness rather than impurity and brotherly affection and being a good neighbor. Paul finishes this section of his letter clarifying for them that those who have already died have not missed the return of Christ but will be resurrected and meet him first.

5:1-28: Keep Growing Together

The thrust of the last chapter of First Thessalonians is that Paul wants them to keep growing together. He admonishes them to continue encouraging and building up one another. He also reminds them of various other principles for their lives together, ranging from their treatment of their leaders to their interpersonal relationships to their personal purity. The letter ends with a blessing on the Thessalonians around the same themes and a final command to have the letter read to other churches.

Benefits of 1 Thessalonians

First Thessalonians is a particularly encouraging letter. This church is doing uncharacteristically well compared to other recipients of Paul’s letters. They are loving one another well and have a well-earned good reputation with Paul and others. Would that more churches could be so well-thought-of by our Lord! The Thessalonians are models in many ways for modern believers. 

The apostle Paul consistently communicates emotion in his letters, but this letter is particularly charged with an affection and warmth that is instructive for all of us. Believers can learn from Paul to invest brotherly love in fellow brothers and sisters, not fearing to express love in Christ. We can speak openly with one another, making our positive regard and desires for others’ wellbeing plainly known.

Paul’s love for the Thessalonians is intimately connected to his desire for their holiness. Paul wants the best for the Thessalonians, which means setting aside sin and pursuing their life for God with their whole heart. As we consider our love for people, it must be more than mere sentimentalism; it must be a holy love that desires and encourages holiness in the other. 

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a model for how to encourage one another. To encourage one another does not mean that we never address anything that is negative, nor does it mean that we have to fabricate positive things to say. Our encouragement should be about what is true and should come from hearts that desire to do good to fellow believers. Christian encouragement is not insincere or saccharine (artificially sweet). It is genuine and true affection focused on our shared hope in Christ and the life to which He has called us in the meantime.