1 Thessalonians 4:2-The Thessalonians Were Well Aware of the Commands Paul, Silvanus and Timothy Gave Them by the Authority of the Lord Jesus

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. (NET)

1 Thessalonians 4:2 presents the reason for the previous request in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 that each one of the Thessalonians make it their habit of excelling more and more in living their lives in a manner which pleases God.

The latter also asserts that the basis for this request was the Lord Jesus’ commands.

It also asserts that the Thessalonians were to fulfill this request as they received instruction from Paul, Silvanus and Timothy as to how they were obligated to make it their habit to live in a manner so as to please God.

Now, here in verse 2, Paul asserts that the Thessalonians were well aware of what commands that he, Silvanus and Timothy gave them by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Therefore, Paul is asserting that the Thessalonians were to make it their habit of excelling more and more in living their lives in a manner which pleases God “because” they were well aware of what commands that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy gave them by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

These commands are a reference to the various commands and prohibitions which were communicated to the Thessalonians by Paul, Silvanus and Timothy with regards to experiencing their sanctification.

This is indicated by the content of the statements recorded in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4:4 that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, 4:5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 4:6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. 4:7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. (NET)

“Sanctification” is a technical theological term for the believer who has been set apart through the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of conversion in order to serve God exclusively and is accomplished in three stages: (1) Positional (2) Experiential (3) Perfective.

All three stages of sanctification refer to the process of conforming the believer into the image of Jesus Christ, which is the Father’s plan from eternity past (Romans 8:28-30).

Sanctification is all about the believer experiencing the holiness or perfect character of God in his life through his thoughts, words and actions.

By positional, I mean that God views the believer as crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ since at the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit placed the believer in union with Christ, identifying him with Christ’s crucifixion (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20), His death (Romans 6:2, 7-8; Colossians 2:20; 3:3), His burial (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12), His resurrection (Romans 6:5; Ephesians 2:6; Philippians 3:10-11; Colossians 2:12; 3:1) and His session (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1).

“Positional sanctification” is the believer’s “entrance” into the plan of God for the church age resulting in eternal security as well as two categories of positional truth (1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ephesians 5:26-27; Hebrews 2:11; 10:10; Acts 20:32; 26:18; Romans 6:3, 8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

“Retroactive” positional truth is the church age believer’s identification with Christ in His death and burial (Romans 6:3-11; Colossians 2:12).

In other words, when Christ, died God considers the believer to have died with Him.

“Current” positional truth is the church age believer’s identification with Christ in His resurrection, ascension and session (See Ephesians 2:4-6; Colossians 3:1-4). In other words, when Christ was raised and seated at the right hand of the Father, the Father considers the believer to have been raised and seated with Christ as well.

“Positional sanctification”: (1) What God has done for the church age believer. (2) His viewpoint of the church age believer. (3) Sets up the potential to experience sanctification in time. (4) Provides the believer with the guarantee of receiving a resurrection body.

“Experiential sanctification” is the function of the church age believer’s spiritual life in time through obedience to the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Spirit through the communication of the Word of God (John 17:17; Romans 6:19, 22; 2 Timothy 2:21; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 7; 1 Timothy 2:15).

“Perfective sanctification” is the perfection of the church age believer’s spiritual life at the rapture, i.e. resurrection of the church, which is the completion of the plan of God for the church age believer (1 Corinthians 15:53-54; Galatians 6:8; 1 Peter 5:10; John 6:40).

It is the guarantee of a resurrection body and will be experienced by every believer regardless of their response in time to what God has done for them at salvation.

Notice, that in 1 Thessalonians 4:2, the apostle Paul asserts that he, Silvanus and Timothy communicated to the Thessalonian Christian community various commands and prohibitions which would enable them to experience their sanctification “by the authority of” the Lord Jesus.

This indicates that the authority of the Lord Jesus was the means by which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy communicated the various prohibitions and commands which would enable the Thessalonians to experience sanctification.

The prepositional phrase dia tou kyriou Iēsou (διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ), “through the Lord Jesus” in 1 Thessalonians 4:2 parallels the prepositional phrase en kyriō Iēsou (ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ), “in the Lord Jesus” in 1 Thessalonians 4:1.

The latter is expressing the idea that Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were requesting, yes authoritatively, earnestly encouraging each of the Thessalonians “on the basis of the Lord Jesus’s commands” to continue to live in a manner more and more that pleases God just as they had received instruction from them to do so.

In other words, the Lord Jesus was the source of the commands the Thessalonians received from Paul, Silvanus and Timothy.

These commands were the basis for which Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were urgently, authoritatively encouraging them to continue to live in a manner more and more that pleases God just as they had received instruction from them to do so.

Authority is the power or right to enforce obedience and is the right to control, command or determine.

God has instituted authority in order to: (1) Protect free will (volition) (2) Protect the human race from self-destruction (3) Give order to life (4) Maintain peace (5) Allow the Gospel to spread and influence people. (6) To support the believer’s witness by their authority orientation in the devil’s world.

God has absolute authority which He expresses through both the written Word and in the living Word.

God's authority establishes freedom, freedom requires responsibility, and responsibility protects freedom and restrains authority.

There is authority in every aspect of life.

There is even authority within the Trinity even though each member is co-equal, co-infinite and co-eternal with each other.

God the Father grants authority to the Son and directs the Holy Spirit.

God the Father has granted all authority in both heaven and on earth to His Son Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18; John 5:26-27; 1 Cor. 15:25-28).

God the Father also directs the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit receives His authority from both the Father and the Son.

The resurrection, ascension, triumphal procession and session points to the fact that the incarnate Son of God has been promoted by God the Father as Sovereign Ruler over the following: (1) Creation (Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:15-17; 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22). (2) Church (1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14; 19:16). (3) Israel (Matt. 1:1; 20:30; Mark 10:47-48; Luke 1:32; 2 Tim. 2:8; Rev. 3:7; 5:5; 22:16). (4) Angels (Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:15-17; 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22).

Categories of Authority: (1) Christ’s Authority (Phlp. 2:8; Jn. 5:26-27; Col. 1:15-17; 2:10; Eph. 1:22) (2) Biblical Authority (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). (3) Angelic Authority (Eph. 6:12; Col. 1:16). (4) Apostolic Authority (Luke 9:1; 2 Cor. 10:8). (5) Pastoral Authority (Pet. 5:1-3; Heb. 13:17). (6) Spousal Authority (Eph. 5:22; Col. 3:18). (7) Parental Authority (Deut. 21:18-21; Prov. 1:7-9; Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20). (8) Governmental Authority (Rm. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

The Lord Jesus Christ exercises authority in 3 categories: (1) Creation (2) Israel (3) Church.

He has authority over the angels and human beings.

Jesus Christ has been granted by God the Father ultimate authority in both heaven and on earth (John 5:26-27; Colossians 2:10).

When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, God the Father put the whole universe and everything in it under the rule of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22).

Everything in the universe exists because of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:15-17).

Jesus Christ's obedience to His Father in heaven is an example to all of us to obey authority.

God the Father said this about his Son, Jesus Christ, to the apostles, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him” (Matt. 17:5).

God the Father rewarded his Son for His obedience to his will (Philippians 2:5-11).