Imperatives of the Faith
Grammatically imperatives are like marching orders; they are must-do’s, no argument, do not ask why—do it!
I Thessalonians, chapter 5, has at least 15 imperatives. Paul considered these musts for congregational life.
1. Live in peace with one another. Absence of peace opens the door to disharmony, confusion, and enmity. A body cannot function properly without peace. (v 13)
2. Admonish the unruly. Disrupters must be corrected. (v 14)
3. Encourage the faint hearted. Those tempted to abandon the faith need to be encouraged to “hang in there.” (v 14)
4. Help the weak. Those who are weak need the helping hand. (v 14)
5. be patient with everyone. We all progress on the path to maturity at a different pace. Be patient with those who are not as far along as we are, just as others are patient with us. (v 14)
6. See that no one repays another with evil for evil. That would break the Golden Rule advocated by Jesus: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. (v 15)
7. Always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. The contrast point to #6. (v 15)
8. Rejoice always. Do I truly believe God is in control of all my circumstances? There is always something for which I can rejoice. (v 16)
9. Pray without ceasing. Obviously we must be actively doing other things than praying. However, our lives should always to prayerfully offered in the spirit of Roman 12:1—the offering of our whole being as a continual sacrifice. (v 17)
10. In everything give thanks. Remember, all circumstances, all events, are part of God’s plan to mature us into the people He wants us to be. (v 18)
11. Do not quench the Spirit. Whether this is the Holy Spirit or one’s own spirit may be debated. However, in either case, there is an application: we are not to interfere with the work of God’s Spirit, nor are we to dampen or discourage our own or the spirit of others. (v 19)
12. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Most frequently New Testament prophecy is teaching the truth of God’s word. We are to always listen, apply where appropriate, and never be critical of truth. (v 20)
13. Examine everything. Christians should never be gullible. Teachers are not always right. Every believer needs to be a student of God’s word so he can examine and compare the teaching he hears with the objective truth of the Bible. (v 21)
14. Hold fast to that which is good. That is, be able to discern true teaching and godly behavior. (v 21)
15. Abstain from every form of evil. That also requires knowing and understanding God’s word and being willing to conform to it. (v 21)
Paul’s advice to the Thessalonians is appropriate for us today.
