最后嘱咐
帖撒罗尼迦前书五章12至28节
12弟兄们，我们劝你们敬重那在你们中间劳苦的人，就是在主里面治理你们、劝戒你们的。
13又因他们所做的工，用爱心格外尊重他们。你们也要彼此和睦。
14我们又劝弟兄们，要警戒不守规矩的人，勉励灰心的人，扶助软弱的人，也要向众人忍耐。
15你们要谨慎，无论是谁都不可以恶报恶；或是彼此相待，或是待众人，常要追求良善。
16要常常喜乐，
17不住地祷告，
18凡事谢恩，因为这是神在基督耶稣里向你们所定的旨意。
19不要消灭圣灵的感动，
20不要藐视先知的讲论；
21但要凡事察验，善美的要持守，
22各样的恶事要禁戒不做。
23愿赐平安的神亲自使你们全然成圣。又愿你们的灵与魂与身子得蒙保守，在我主耶稣基督降临的时候，完全无可指摘。
24那召你们的本是信实的，他必成就这事。
25请弟兄们为我们祷告。
26与众弟兄亲嘴问安，务要圣洁。
27我指着主嘱咐你们，要把这信念给众弟兄听。
28愿我主耶稣基督的恩常与你们同在。
信息分享
来到书信的最后部份，保罗同样给帖撒罗尼迦的信徒留下叮嘱。这二十多句话包含了多方面的嘱咐，由「不要亏待你们的牧者」，到「记得为我们祷告」。保罗对于自己教过的真理，总是不忘在实际生活中应用出来。
让我们以第23节为例：「愿神亲自使你们全然成圣……完全无可指责。」这句祝愿在日常生活中究竟意味着甚么呢？
我们若将救恩视为一个过去、现在和将来的过程，那么，我们此刻就活在「现在」的时段中。我们的过去已蒙神的赦免，我们仍在期盼将来在天上的日子。但此刻，神要我们在各方面变得更像祂的儿子耶稣基督。留意第23节的「全然」和「完全」，都是指我们要彻底像主。
「成圣」的第一步，就是要分别出来，被神使用。我们若要被神使用，就必须洁净自己，和不住保持洁净。有人指出，成圣一词包含三重意思：分别出来、奉献主用和不断更新。分别出来就是不与世俗为伍，并分别出来归向神。奉献就是将自己完完全全交给神去管理。不断更新就是要让圣灵每天在我们心中工作，改变我们。
我们只要每天遵从神的话语而行，神就会做祂的工作。因此，我们需要用心读祂的话语，明白它对我们的意义。我们只要做好自己的本份，神就会成就祂的工作。
我们要紧记今天所读的一节经文：「那召你们的本是信实的，他必成就这事」。神的信实不变，祂绝不会失信于我们。但愿我们懂得倚靠神的信实，来过每天的生活。
LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS
1 Thessalonians 5: 12-28
12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 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.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy[a] brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Message
This final section is just like that. It contains at least twenty short phrases covering everything from "Don't forget to pay the pastor" to "Don't forget to pray for us". Paul always had a practical application to whatever truth he taught.
For example look at verse 23, "May you be sanctified and kept blameless." What does that mean in daily living?
Do you realize that we are in the present tense of our salvation? The past has been forgiven and the future in heaven is yet to come. Right now in the present, God wants to work in our lives to make us more like his Son in every part of our lives. Notice the words "wholly" or "through and through" in verse 23.
To be sanctified is firstly to be set apart to God for His use. For God to use us, we need to be made clean and kept clean. Someone has said that three words sum up the meaning of sanctification: Separation, Dedication, and Transformation. Separation is from the world and also separation unto God. Dedication is giving us to Him. Transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives day by day.
God does His part as we live daily in obedience to His Word. Therefore we need to read His Word and study what it means for ourselves. If we do our part, God will do His.
A VERSE FOR TODAY AND EVERYDAY: “The One who calls you is faithful and He will DO IT.” You cannot exhaust the faithfulness of God. It is unchanging. It never fails. Quietly count on His faithfulness today and every day.