1 Thessalonians & the Return of Jesus

In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes through each and every verse of the Apostle Paul's Letter to the Thessalonians. He also gives background on the history of Thessaloniki. He notes that Paul's epistle starts out with what could be considered to be a binitarian formula. He mentioned that Paul wrote that Christians were called and predestined and states that people are not predestined to be lost. He mentions Romans 11 and the late Herbert W. Armstrong's position on the fullness of Gentiles coming in. Dr. Thiel mentions that the converted Gentiles will be kings and priests on the earth during the millennium. Scriptures related to the first resurrection, at the seventh and last trump, and the return of Jesus are read--including the fact that the Apostle Paul refers to the return several times. Dr. Thiel goes over some of the events Jesus said to watch for related to His return, and the fact that the return is after, not before, the Great Tribulation according to what Jesus said and Paul wrote. Times and seasons were mentioned as well as when some may falsely proclaim "peace and safety." Dr. Thiel mentioned that everything God does He does out of love, we are to increase in Philadelphian love, and that our hope in God and Jesus' return is real. Persecutions are also referred to. Dr. Thiel reads what Paul wrote "good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" as well as what the Psalmist said it was good to do. The importance of aspects of hierarchical church government, via quotes from the Apostle Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong, were discussed. Warnings from the Apostle Paul to not quench the Spirit or despise prophecies were read.
A written article of related interest is available titled 'Comments on 1 Thessalonians' URL: www.cogwriter....