“WE, THE LIVING, WHO REMAIN”
A. K. Turner
1 Thessalonians 4: 14–17; 5: 6–10; 2 Thessalonians 2: 1
It is interesting that Paul’s ministry goes on to the rapture. We are often comforted by the fact that his ministry particularly bears on our day. We have the second epistle to Timothy and Paul’s ministry bearing on the Lord’s coming, and on the saints as being here just before His coming. So we have this expression twice in the verses read, “We, the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord”, indicating that Paul’s ministry applies right on to the end—a glorious end. We could think of these words as involving not only what is literal, but also what is spiritual. We might say, rightly, that it involves that these persons have not died; but the words themselves are of interest, because Paul’s words are inspired by the Spirit of God, and they are of moment. The apostle uses these words as to those who are living, persons who remain to the coming of the Lord, and they are repeated for
our comfort. The word of God always has its edge, too, so that clearly it is in mind that there is a collective “we”, and they are living and remaining to the coming of the Lord, preserved in the gain and joy of the truth until He comes.
Then the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with an assembling shout. It links with what we had on Lord’s day as to the Lord assembling with His own (Acts 1: 4). This scripture says, “If we believe that Jesus has died and has risen again ...”. After His rising He assembled with His own, but He will come again to the living who remain to His coming. Those who have fallen asleep through Jesus will also be caught up, but I am impressed, beloved brethren, as to what will be here just before the rapture. The Lord will then have what is here for Himself; He will have the “we”, those who are living and remaining.
The moral features that mark them come out in chapter 5. They do not sleep as the rest do; “So then do not let us sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober”. These are moral features that would mark those who are living and remaining to the coming of the Lord. Watchfulness is peculiarly a feature for the last days, watching for our Lover to return with an assembling shout. Also, Paul says, “putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as helmet the hope of salvation”. These spiritual qualities of faith, love, and hope marked the assemblies in Ephesus and Colosse. Faith, love, and hope will no doubt be found when the Lord comes, and we are to be exercised to put them on. Then it says, “Because God has ... set us ... for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has died for us, that whether we may be watching or sleep, we may live together with him”. Again the word ‘watching’ comes in. I think these three features that enter into these scriptures should mark us at the present time because of the imminence of the Lord’s coming—that we are living, and remaining, and watchful.
Then the apostle in the second epistle touches on “our gathering together to him”; that is the final thing. We had on Lord’s day, “Amen; come, Lord Jesus”, Revelation 22: 20. That will be the answer. He says, “Yea, I come quickly”. He makes the move. The time is in the Father’s hands; times and seasons are in the Father’s authority; but then the Lord comes with His own assembling shout, and then there is this final answer, and our gathering together to Him. May we be ready for it, beloved brethren, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Helston
29 June 1976