1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. God is love. He loved all of creation, but he especially loved mankind. God created angels as well, but the way he loved mankind was completely different to how he loved angels. Angels were created to worship God, but some were changed and they didn’t worship God anymore. Mankind also was created to worship God, but they also changed. The one angel became arrogant because of his own beauty, and he challenged God (Ez. 28:15, Ez. 28:17, Is. 14:12~15). The moment he challenged God he received eternal punishment and became “kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” (Jude 6, 2 Pet 2:4). Since that time the devil and the other fallen angels became God’s enemies, and they have been tempting mankind to commit sin and causing problems for them. At the Last Day they will be judged by God and sent to hell where they will suffer in eternal torment forever and ever. In the Garden of Eden the snake tempted man to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil that God had commended them not to eat. They sinned against God, and as the wages of sin is death, they had to go to hell with the devil where they would suffer forever. In this way both mankind and angels sinned against God, but God didn’t give the fallen angels a second chance. Even though mankind also sinned against God, God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to the world to save them (John 3:8, John 3:16). Those who are saved receive the Holy Spirit and are called the children of God and the bride of Jesus, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. God has blessed man this much. Angels can never receive forgiveness for their sins, and they have to go to the fire in hell and suffer there forever and ever. But we can receive salvation through Jesus Christ, who paid back the wages of our sin instead of us. We should give the greatest thanksgiving, praise and glory to God for what he has done for us (Rev. 4:9~11). But mankind doesn’t know about God’s love and they only listen to the devil. If they live in sin they will go to hell with the devil. But if they repent and believe that Jesus died on the cross for them, shedding his blood, they can become the children of God and the bride of Jesus. It is impossible for anyone to live in the fire of hell, so let’s be the bride of Jesus and live forever with him as God’s children. Let us give thanks, praise and glorify God for paying back the wages of our sin. During the time of our flesh we should live for the time of our souls and for Jesus. Let’s go to heaven and live their forever on the Last Day when Jesus calls us. Let’s give thanks for our entire lives.
