ROCK SOLID

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Paul’s Final Advice

12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.


“… upon this rock I will build my church…” – Matt. 16:18.

Paul gives the church final words of encouragement and his advice is rock solid. It is rock solid because it is built on the foundation of God’s Word … on the life of Christ Jesus … on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

There is nothing in this two thousand year old encouragement that does not fit for the believer today.