2022_04_18 Insight Post- Kim Feld

I’m writing this on Good Friday and looking toward Easter’s celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. It is thought that the first Easter morning occurred 20 – 21 years before Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. It seems understandable that the Thessalonian believers would be afraid that they had somehow missed Jesus’ return. In chapters 2 – 3 of 2 Thessalonians, Paul assures them that this is not the case and elaborates on some events that will take place before that event occurs. Much has been written in an attempt to interpret Paul’s words, but I’d like to focus our attention on 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT) for a few moments:

¹⁵ “With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.”

These words are as applicable to us today as they were to the Thessalonians. We are to stand firm and keep a strong grip on God’s Word. There are many parts of the Bible that I don’t understand or that seem unclear. There are also passages of scripture that are the source of much theological debate between scholars who are much more learned than I. But there’s also a wealth of instruction within the Bible that is clear and meant to be adhered to and followed.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Deuteronomy 29:29. In this passage, Moses is talking with the people of Israel, outlining the terms of a covenant God was making with them. Verse 29 (NIV) says this:

^{29 “}The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”

We have been given some things to look for that will signal Jesus’ return, but many of those are events we have seen at different points in history, e.g., “wars and rumors of wars” (See Matthew 24). There are things that God chooses to remain as a mystery, belonging just to Him, like the day and time of Jesus’ return. But there’s plenty that He has revealed to us and those things we are supposed to own and live within. Here are just a few:

• Jesus was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life. His death and resurrection paid the price for my sins.
• My sin separates me from a holy God, but if I choose to accept Jesus’ gift of paying my debt with His life, I can be reconciled to God.
• Jesus’ substitutionary death is the only way to be reconciled to God. It is a gift of grace and not something I can earn.
• The way I live my life is to be an offering of thanksgiving to God, modeled after Jesus’ life, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
• As a Christ-follower, I am now part of God’s family. I am called to partner with Him to redeem His lost creation by the way I live and love.

Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach