After dropping a letter in the mailbox or clicking on the send button to send off an email have you ever wondered if you would have to write a second letter to explain yourself? I wonder if Paul after writing his first letter to the Thessalonians wondered the same thing.
In his first letter we read into the references about the believers who have died and the day of the coming of the Lord. There would have been some confusion and questions, as Paul may not have had the proper amount of time among the people to explain the details and circumstances around these topics. After receiving word that the Thessalonians were concerned regarding the coming of the Lord in their own lifetime, Paul writes this second letter to help clarify his previous statements.
In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul continues to encourage and pray for them as they grow in their understanding of their new life in Christ. Paul had to reassure the Thessalonian people that even though they were experiencing troubles they were not the troubles that signaled the end times. Paul continues to be a strong voice in teaching them to stand strong and hold on to the teachings he had given them. Verses 16 and 17 offered a powerful encouragement to the Thessalonians and is still a timeless passage for us today to be encouraged and strengthened.
15 “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word”.
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