(1 Th 5:12 NKJV) And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
(1 Th 5:13 NKJV) and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
(1 Th 5:14 NKJV) Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
(1 Th 5:15 NKJV) See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
(1 Th 5:16 NKJV) Rejoice always,
(1 Th 5:17 NKJV) pray without ceasing,
(1 Th 5:18 NKJV) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
(1 Th 5:19 NKJV) Do not quench the Spirit.
(1 Th 5:20 NKJV) Do not despise prophecies.
(1 Th 5:21 NKJV) Test all things; hold fast what is good.
(1 Th 5:22 NKJV) Abstain from every form of evil.
(1 Th 5:23 NKJV) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Th 5:24 NKJV) He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
(1 Th 5:25 NKJV) Brethren, pray for us.
(1 Th 5:26 NKJV) Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
(1 Th 5:27 NKJV) I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.
(1 Th 5:28 NKJV) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
In these 17 verses of Scripture, the Apostle Paul is closing his letter by giving various exhortations to the believers in Thessolonica. These exhortations are actually practical instructions that would be fitting for any believer to obey, including you and I.
The verse that I want to home in on is verse 21 which says:
(1 Th 5:21 NKJV) Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Test – dokimazo, dok-im-ad'-zo; to test (lit. or fig.); by impl. to approve:--allow, discern, examine, X like, (ap-) prove, try.
It is used several places in the New Testament:
(Luke 12:56 NKJV) "Hypocrites! You can discern (dokimazo) the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
(Rom 12:2 NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove (dokimazo) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
(1 Cor 3:13 NKJV) each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test (dokimazo) each one's work, of what sort it is.
(1 Cor 11:28 NKJV) But let a man examine (dokimazo) himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
The opposite of dokimazo is adokimos, ad-ok'-ee-mos and means “unapproved,” i.e. rejected; “worthless” In the Scripture it is used to describe one who is a castaway or reprobate.
(1 Cor 9:27 NIV) No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified (adokimo) for the prize.
So, in 1 Thess 5:21, Paul is telling his readers to, “Test all things,” that is, to examine and prove and approve all things.
Is he saying here for his readers to take on the occupation of “testers”? Food testers? Wine testers? Automobile test dummies? Maybe you could become a “bank examiner” and say that your job fell in line with the Word of God. Perhaps you could work at the Aberdeen “Proving” Grounds.
Is this what Paul is telling his Christian readers to do?
Let’s look at verse 21 in context.
(1 Th 5:20 NKJV) Do not despise prophecies.
(1 Th 5:21 NKJV) Test all things; hold fast what is good.
(1 Th 5:22 NKJV) Abstain from every form of evil.
MacArthur writes in his Study Bible that “…the word “prophecies” in verse 20 can refer to a spoken revelation from God (cf. Acts 11:27,28; 1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14), but most often refers to the written word of Scripture (cf. Matt. 13:14; 2 Pet. 1:19–21; Rev. 1:3; 22:7,10,18,19). These “prophecies” are authoritative messages from God through a well-recognized spokesman for God that, because of their divine origin, are not to be treated lightly. When God’s Word is preached or read, it is to be received with great seriousness.”
While I agree with MacArthur, I would lean more toward the word “prophecies” referring to public proclamations of the written Word of God that must be put into practice and not be despised.
Following this exhortation from Paul he balances this command with another which says, “Test all things.” I still think that he is referring to a public proclamation here and is letting his readers know that everything they hear cannot be trusted so it has to be “tested.”
We are living in a time where people examine almost everything. They want to know how many grams of fat are in 2 oz of potato chips and how many calories are in a bottle of soda. Everything the consumer buys has to have a label of ingredients or materials.
But when it comes to issues of morality there is no examination—there is no testing—there is no proving or approving. Most everything is accepted at face value.
Whether it comes from the president or from some of these TV preachers—there is hardly any examination, proving, and approving on the basis of what is written in the Word of God.
Evidently the citizens of the city of Thessalonica had a problem in this area, for in Acts 17:11, Luke compared the fair-minded Bereans with the gullible Thessalonians. When Paul and Silas were ministering to the Bereans, Luke writes that the Bereans “were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”
Paul says, don’t take for granted that what you hear in a sermon is the truth—“test all things.”
Paul goes on in verse 21 and writes, “hold fast what is good.”
Hold fast - katecho, kat-ekh'-o; to hold down (fast), in various applications (lit. or fig.):--have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.
Paul is saying to “possess,” to “seize,” to “hold down” what is good.
Good - kalos, kal-os';. beautiful, but chiefly (fig.) good, i.e. valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, ) better, fair, good (-ly), honest, meet, well, worthy.
The word kalos is used about 96 times in 87 verses and is not found after 1 Peter 4:10.
It is used to describe the character of God. In John 10, Jesus is called the “Good” Shepherd.
In Romans 7:16, the law of God is described as “good.”
In Romans 7:18, Paul testifies that he has a desire to perform what is “good” but through his flesh he cannot carry it our.
The Scripture teaches that there are certain things that are “good”:
Singleness is “good.” 1 Cor. 7:8
It is “good” to be zealous in a “good” thing. Gal. 4:18
There are certain things that aren’t “good”:
Glorying or boasting in ourselves is not “good.” 1 Cor. 5:6
Sexual immorality is not “good.” 1 Cor 7:1
Christians should have characteristics that are “good”:
If you know to do “good” and don’t do it for you it is sin. James 4:17
Paul tells Titus that “those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” (Tit. 3:8)
Christians shouldn’t grow weary of doing “good.” (Gal 6:9)
The elder or pastor must have a “good” testimony. 1 Tim. 2:2-3
Jesus says in Matthew 5:16 that we are to let our light shine that people might see our “good” works and glorify our Father in Heaven.
Peter says that the person who employs his or her spiritual gift is a “good” steward and brings glory to God. 1 Peter 4:10-11
Hopefully these examples give us a better grasp of what the Bible defines as “good” because Paul is telling us in our text to hold fast to that which is “good.”
Now in another place of Scripture Paul says, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”
The word here in Romans 12:9 is agathos, ag-ath-os'; which in its context speaks of an inner goodness or what is inherently good. But our word good used in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 speaks of an outward goodness or something that is outwardly attractive.
Let me say that many of the outward vestiges of Christianity are no longer attractive to people today and it is for this reason they are disappearing from our culture. It is also for his reason we need to hold fast to them.
Let me share with you four good things we need to hold fast to. These things are rapidly becoming less noticeable in our culture because Christians are losing their grip on them.
1.) Hold fast to the Sanctity of Life
(Psa 139:13 NKJV) For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
(Psa 139:14 NKJV) I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
(Psa 139:15 NKJV) My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
(Psa 139:16 NKJV) Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
In this Psalm, David praises God for His omniscience. God knows everything about us. He knows when we sit and He knows when we rise, He knows the very thoughts of our hearts from a distance and He knows the words of our mouth before they even roll off of our tongue.
He even knew us while we were in our mother’s womb. In fact, He formed us! He had a picture of us before the sperm even met the egg!
But today this “good” thing is despised by the world, but even worse, it is despised by Christians. When Christians renege on their calling to be "salt" and "light" the culture around them begins to decay. This is the real reason for the increase in unwed mothers--this is the real reason for the increase in abortions even into the 3rd trimester.
You see, the world is going to do what is by nature of the world. We shouldn't wag our fingers at the world for the evil, it is the world. But we can lay the blame for the world's rapid moral decline at the feet of Christians who refuse to shine as lights in the world.
Life is sacred, it is precious because it is given by God. No one has the right to abort a baby or to take their own life. As abortion was legalized because Christians were asleep, physician-assisted suicide will one day be legalized. I believe that this Kevorkian mentality which is spreading across our nation, even the world, is a result of Christians not sharing the alternative.
People today are in desperate need of an alternative but where can they find it. In Ephesians 2:12, Paul wrote that before Christ, we had no hope and were without God in the world. People today are still in desperate need of hope but who will share Jesus with them. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
We need to hold fast to the sanctity of life. I am not saying that we should spend our time picketing and protesting in front of abortion clinics like some are doing. I'm saying that Christians should be on the front line ministering the love of Christ at Crisis Pregnancy Centers. We should be personally getting involved in the lives of young women who are having children out of wedlock not only discouraging them from getting abortions but offering to find placement for the young mother or the baby even if it means opening up your own home.
More Christians need to visit the nursing home and give the elderly a reason to want to live. For some, not the physical pain, but the pain that comes with loneliness is enough for them to want to take their own life.
We could go on and talk more on how losing our grip on the sanctity of life has impacted our society. Murderers are becoming younger and younger and son on--but I think we got the point.
2.) Hold fast to the significance of marriage and the family.
Another "good" thing that Christians are losing their grip on is the biblical significance of marriage and the family. Listen to how the Bible defines the family.
(Gen 2:18 NKJV) And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
(Gen 2:21 NKJV) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
(Gen 2:22 NKJV) Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
(Gen 2:23 NKJV) And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."
(Gen 2:24 NKJV) Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
(Gen 2:25 NKJV) And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
The Bible defines the family in its most basic unit as a man and a woman who are married. As a result of God's command to the man and woman to be fruitful and multiply, they have children who in turn obey the command to be fruitful and multiply. However God didn't bring the family into existence just for having babies. He had another purpose in mind.
(Psa 127:1 NKJV) Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
(Psa 127:2 NKJV) It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
(Psa 127:3 NKJV) Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
(Psa 127:4 NKJV) Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
(Psa 127:5 NKJV) Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
Verses 3 and 4 give some indication that the family is one of the instruments that God uses to promote His righteousness throughout the world. Ephesians chapter 5 lets us know that if the world observes a godly wife they would learn something about the church and if they observe a godly husband, they would learn something about the love of Christ. No wonder Satan is attacking marriage and the family in our day.
Marriage is no longer the coming together of a man and a woman under God in holy matrimony. In our society marriage can be the union of two men or two women. I've heard but can't document that people were getting married in trios. We are beginning to see more and more adults having relationships with children. Recently a court granted a man permission to marry a twelve-year-old who had his baby because the father of the 12-year-old gave his permission.
A family is no longer Mom, Dad and the kids. It can be "Me and my cat" or a bunch of guys living in a dorm. A family can also be a gang of hoodlums or a group of co-workers on the job who like each other a lot.
We are losing grip on what is good. Society is abandoning many of the social morals that were founded on biblical principles. Again, the world is going to be the world and these things are to be expected. However, much of this is happening because Christians are abandoning ship when it comes to marriage and the family.
Jude says that we should "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (vs. 3)" This means that Christians should earnestly agonize for the body of truth once for all given, that it should not to be added to or subtracted from. This truth includes the definition of marriage and the family.
I've seen so-called Christian marriages where the bride and groom would not allow the pastor to use the traditional wedding vows because they were too confining or restrictive or included that naughty word called "obey."
Folk who call themselves "Christian" are ignorant or are downright rebelling against their God-ordained responsibility to raise their children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. They spend more time chauffeuring their kids back and forth from their school and sport activities and spend very little time and money in training them in the things of Christ and for evangelical ministry.
We are losing our grip on the significance of marriage and the family. More and more Christian families are being headed by women. More and more boy and girls being raised by so-called Christian parents are confused about their own identity and purpose and are falling prey to the homosexual and lesbian lifestyles. They want our children--and because we are not modeling biblical marriage and family life they will get them.
We are losing our grip on what is good in marriage and family. Paul says to "hold fast to that which is good."
3.) Hold fast to the segregation of the Church.
(2 Cor 6:14 NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
(2 Cor 6:15 NKJV) And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
(2 Cor 6:16 NKJV) And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."
(2 Cor 6:17 NKJV) Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."
(2 Cor 6:18 NKJV) "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
(2 Cor 7:1 NKJV) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
One reason why the early church was persecuted so often was that they were different. The early church didn't want to be assimilated into the culture of that day. When the world attempted to quiet the church, the apostles and other believers responded, "We ought to obey God than man." (Acts 5:29)
However, today, many so-called Christians would rather obey man than God.
They obey man in the way they dress.
They obey man in the way they talk.
They obey man in the music that they listen to and even compose.
They obey man in what they watch on TV or in the movies.
They obey man by giving more priority to work than to worship
The "me first" mindset that is prevalent in the world can also be found in many homes that claim Christ as Lord and Savior and in many churches. Many Christians are no longer segregated or separated from the world but are assimilated into the culture. As a result, their Christianity is in word only but not in deed.
We are living in a time where there are more Christian books, videos, movies and music coming off the press than ever before. And we are also living in a time where sexual immorality among Christians, especially church leaders is at an all-time high.
Paul wrote Timothy telling him that in the last days this would happen. Listen to his words in 1 Timothy 3:
(2 Tim 3:1 NKJV) But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
(2 Tim 3:2 NKJV) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(2 Tim 3:3 NKJV) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
(2 Tim 3:4 NKJV) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
(2 Tim 3:5 NKJV) having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
(2 Tim 3:6 NKJV) For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
(2 Tim 3:7 NKJV) always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
They are always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth because the stuff they are reading is promoted as "truth" when in reality it is not.
Much of the material filling the shelves in Christian bookstores is nothing but psychobabble. It is the wisdom of man peppered with Bible verses to make it acceptable to the Christian community. Some of it doesn't even refer to the Scripture but to the experiences and insights of men who claim to know God.
Much of the music written by professing Christians today is shallow and designed to move the emotions and the flesh rather than minister to the spirit. It is like candy--sweet to the mouth but void of any nutritional content.
Much of this assimilation into the culture of the world has to do with my fourth and last point.
4.) Hold fast to the Sacredness of Scripture.
We are losing our grip on the segregation of separation of the Church because we are rapidly losing our grasp on the sacredness of Scripture.
Continuing with Paul's prophecy of the last-days apostasy of falling away from the faith Paul writes in verse eight:
(2 Tim 3:8 NKJV) Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
(2 Tim 3:9 NKJV) but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
(2 Tim 3:10 NKJV) But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,
(2 Tim 3:11 NKJV) persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
(2 Tim 3:12 NKJV) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
(2 Tim 3:13 NKJV) But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
(2 Tim 3:14 NKJV) But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
(2 Tim 3:15 NKJV) and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The apostasy is taking place in the last days because our reference point is fading. The Bible speaks of itself as a "lamp to my feet And a light to my path." (Ps. 119:105) You and I can find our way through this dark maze of evil that we live in by following the light of Scripture.
However, the light is fading. It isn't fading because it is growing dim and losing its brightness. It is just as bright as ever. The problem is that we--Christians--are losing our grasp of it and allowing it to be covered over by our own unbelief.
After Paul disclosed to Timothy the conditions that would be prevalent in the last days, he instructed him in what he needed to do to protect himself from these conditions.
(2 Tim 3:13 NKJV) But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
(2 Tim 3:14 NKJV) But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
(2 Tim 3:15 NKJV) and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The solution to deception is getting back to the Scriptures.
The protection against apostasy is the Word of God.
The power to overcome sin can be found in the Word of God.
(2 Tim 3:16 NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
(2 Tim 3:17 NKJV) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Doctrine - What the road is
Reproof - When you get off the road
Correction - How to get back on the road
Instruction in righteousness - How to stay on the road
(2 Tim 4:1 NKJV) I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
(2 Tim 4:2 NKJV) Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
(2 Tim 4:3 NKJV) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
(2 Tim 4:4 NKJV) and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
(2 Tim 4:5 NKJV) But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
