Phrase

editing

NT

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

esv

mine

Paul's double address to God and to the Thessalonians

Now may our God

and Father himself,

and our Lord Jesus,

direct

our way

to you,

and may the Lord

Love comes, increases and abounds by God so that. . .

make

you

increase

and abound

in love

for one another

and for all,

as we do

for you,

so that he may establish

...the goal of blameless in holiness may be attained. This is also from God, He establishes this.

your hearts

blameless

in holiness

before our God and Father,

at the coming of our Lord Jesus

with all his saints.

Persons involved in this passage

What Paul appeals to God

for Him to do

About Paul and fellow saints

The qualities

prayed for

The Thessalonians believers

phrasing

Study Notes

See www.desiringgod.org/labs/what-does-it-mean-to-be-holy LAB Tip: define words from context "Principle for Bible Reading Defining Terms in Context Often, we get our definitions of words before we try and understand what a verse or passage means. This is good to do but we can mistakenly shut ourselves off from letting the passage itself help us define what the word means. Words help us understand verses, and verses help us understand words. So as you read take time to ask, “What can I learn about what this word means or entails from the passage?" Study Questions 1. What does holiness mean? How would you define holiness for an unbelieving friend? Holiness is living according to all that our God, our Creator, our Loving Father desires us to. To an unbelieving friend, I would say that this includes in part, what it means to be loving. God who is the ultimate definition of love, is the One by which and to which, I am able to love well. 2. What is the connection between love and holiness in 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 ? Love and holiness are linked and this connection is at in this passage. Strictly speaking, the passage speaks of God increasing and abounding our love, which results in, the purpose of, the aim of, is to be blameless in holiness. To what degree we can say that love is holiness is not as clear here and requires further study across the whole counsel of God, the entire Scripture. 3. What is one thing that should be added and one thing that should be subtracted from your life this week in order to more fully pursue a holy life? One thing that should be added would be to pray more to God the Father that He and our LORD Jesus would increase and abound my love. The one thing that should be subtracted is to lessen the gaze at human events that either gives me false hope or false despair.

notes