Original Meaning

A Closing Prayer (5:23–24).

THE PRAYER IN 5:23 essentially echoes the thought (and even some of the words) of the prayer in 3:13. The phrase “God of peace” (cf. Rom. 15:33; 16:20; Phil. 4:9; cf. also 2 Thess. 3:16) identifies God as the source of peace, which for Paul is not merely the absence of conflict but, more positively, a state of wholeness and well-being characterized by reconciled relationships (cf. Rom. 5:1–11); as such, it is virtually a synonym for “salvation.” The verb “sanctify” (hagiazo) is the verbal form of the noun translated as “holiness” (hagiasmos) in 4:3. The expression “sanctify you through and through” restates in different words the idea of “blameless in holiness” from 3:13 (see the discussion there). Like the noun “holiness,” the verb “sanctify” indicates a process rather than a state, whose goal is associated (as in 3:13) with “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The second part of 5:23 stands (in the Greek word order) in a chiastic parallel relationship with the first part:

(May God himself, the God of peace)

sanctify

you

through and through (holoteleis);

may your whole (holokleron)

spirit, soul and body

(blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ)

be kept.

The structure of the verse makes it clear that the phrase “spirit, soul and body” is essentially a synonym for “you,” in much the same way that “heart” (kardia) was in 3:13. Coming as it does after the emphatic “whole,” the phrase is Paul’s way of stressing the comprehensive nature of salvation, which encompasses a person in her or his entirety, including in particular the body, which significant elements of Greek culture tended to deprecate. In Greek thought the body was a tomb or prison from which the soul sought escape, while for Paul there is no existence apart from the body.

Verse 24 takes the form of a solemn affirmation, in which Paul grounds his prayer and with which he probably hoped to reassure any who might still be concerned about their fate at the Parousia of Jesus. Two points come through strongly. (1) In the phrase “the one who calls” (which picks up a theme running throughout the letter; cf. 1:4; 2:12; 4:7), “the present tense … stresses that God does not merely call Christians once and then leave them on their own. Instead God continues to call the followers of Christ to salvation.”4

(2) The “one who calls” is also “faithful,” that is, will not reject them or go back on his word to them. This is a point Paul will share with the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor. 1:8–9) and develop more fully in Romans (cf. Rom. 8:30, 38–39; esp. 11:29). Thus with respect to their salvation, Paul confidently affirms that God “will [indeed] do it,” that is (as he says in Phil. 1:6), “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (italics added).

Bridging Contexts

IN THIS SECTION verses 23–24, with respect to both form and content, duplicate or summarize earlier portions of the letter (for details see the discussion in the Original Meaning section). Appropriately for a letter closing, Paul does not introduce new material but rather alludes once more to the topics and themes he has already discussed. In addition, in 5:23 Paul does for the Thessalonians what he asks them to do for him and his companions in 5:25.

Paul’s prayer. Paul’s prayer in 5:23 that we might “be kept” blameless, which stands parallel to the phrase “may God … sanctify you,” reminds us that sanctification is a gift as well as a goal. It is a gift given in grace, in that at conversion believers have already passed from death to life (Col. 2:13), so that we are new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), in whom we stand before God blamelessly. Yet it is also a goal (cf. 1 Thess. 3:13), in that we are called to live it out in our lives. This means that “discipleship is life between the times, for God has not yet finished what he began.” But it is important to note that “the life of faith is not a striving for more; it is living more fully in what has already been given, knowing that even efforts to live more appropriately as ‘saints’ (4:1–3) depend upon God who sanctifies.”8

The holy kiss. The “holy kiss” (5:26) apparently at first was a social custom. But early on it became (and continues to be in some traditions) part of the church’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper. It signified mutual reconciliation between believers before they took communion together as fellow Christians. In its Pauline context the key aspect is not the greeting’s form but its function as a sign of unity and mutual affection within the congregation. Any culturally acceptable form of greeting, whether a kiss on each cheek, a hug, a hearty handshake, or whatever, that conveys warmth and symbolizes unity would likely be acceptable to Paul.

On instruction. At first glance the command in 5:27 about reading the letter to everyone seems so tied to its first-century setting that it may appear to be of no relevance today in a culture where literacy is more widespread. But the result of Paul’s command—that the entire church be instructed in what he had to say—is no less relevant now. Christian discipleship is not a matter of developing our own individual spiritual intuitions, but of following after Jesus, in accordance with what he modeled and taught, both in person and through the writings of the New Testament. Thus instruction—learning (and remembering) the good news about what God through Jesus has done on our behalf, and about its implications for how we live—is a central element of discipleship for everyone.

The definition of instruction given in the previous sentence is shaped in light of what Paul has done in this letter. In the first three chapters, Paul basically tells the story of (i.e., he “remembers”) not only how God brought the gospel to the Thessalonians, but also all that God has done in their midst since then. Moreover, he does not present this as “new” material, but basically asks them to remember and think about what they already know (cf. “you know,” 1:5; 2:1, 2, 5, 11; 3:3, 4; 4:2; 5:2; “you remember,” 2:9; “you are witnesses,” 2:10; see also 4:9). Then in the last two chapters, when he finally deals with their specific issues and questions about the present and future, he consistently does so in light of what God has already done in the past (see 4:1, 7, 9, 14; 5:9, 10, 24; also 4:2; 5:2).

Thus, by insisting that the letter be read to everyone in the congregation, Paul ensures not only that they will hear the answers he gives to their questions and problems, but also that they will hear and recall the narrative of what God has done among them that provides the basis for those answers. Whatever their current difficulties, he does not want them to forget what God has already done in their midst.

A caution. Some interpreters find in 5:23 (with its reference to “spirit, soul and body”) a basis for developing a “tripartite” view of human nature (the view that we consist of body, soul, and spirit). But the fact that only here in the entire New Testament does this phrase occur ought to make us cautious in building any major conclusions about the human personality on this verse. Moreover, as we noted above, Paul’s emphasis is on the wholeness of human beings rather than on constituent elements. In addition, Paul tends to use terms like these rather broadly and somewhat interchangeably; as a consequence it is difficult to find any consistent distinctions between them in his letters.9

We can no more take his words here to mean that our nature is threefold than we can take some of his words elsewhere to indicate that we are twofold (body and spirit, 1 Cor. 7:34), or those of Jesus in Mark 12:30 to show that we are fourfold (heart, soul, mind, and strength).10

In short, it does not appear that Paul is here offering any kind of anthropological definition.

Contemporary Significance

THESE CLOSING VERSES of the letter offer an opportunity to reflect on a theme that has been running beneath the surface throughout the letter and to reprise a theme that has been explicit since the opening verse. The theme for reflection is the importance of remembering what God has done, and the theme to reprise is the centrality of God for the life of the church.

The importance of remembering what God has done. This theme was touched on briefly in discussing Paul’s thanksgiving prayer in 3:9–13, where I suggested in passing that remembering and telling the story of God’s faithfulness is important for at least two reasons. (1) When things go well, it reminds us why they are going well (it is due to God’s grace and goodness, not our own efforts; cf. Deut. 6:10–13; 8:10–18; 9:4–6). (2) When things are not going well, it gives us hope to remember that the God who has been faithful in the past will be faithful in the future. This second point is the one I will focus on at the moment because of the way that Paul throughout his letter so consistently models it for the Thessalonians.

As we noticed in the Bridging Contexts section, Paul repeatedly deals with the present and future in light of the past. Why, for example, is Paul not worried about the fate of those who have died before Jesus returns? Because God raised Jesus from the dead and will therefore raise those who are in Jesus (4:13, 16). Why is he unconcerned about the coming judgment? Because Jesus, who “died for us so that … we may live together with him” (5:10), will deliver us from the coming wrath (1:10). How can Paul (and we) be so utterly confident that “the one who calls [us] is faithful and he will do it” (5:24)? We are confident that in the future God will do for us what he has promised because of the faithfulness to his promises that he has already demonstrated in the past.

It is on the basis of these foundational facts about God that we are able, no matter how difficult our circumstances, to encourage and comfort one another in the present as we look forward to the future with confident hope. Remembering what God has done in the past—not as dead history but as the living and ongoing narrative of a faithful and powerful God in his relationship with his people—provides the basis for life in the present and hope for the future.

Psalm 13 exemplifies vividly this kind of approach to life. The first four verses are David’s lament, an angry accusation that God has forgotten and abandoned him to his enemies. But then in verses 5–6 he says: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.” In the midst of his despair and sorrow, he remembers what God has done and that God is faithful, and this gives him hope regarding the future. Indeed, the only reason he bothers crying out to a God who apparently has abandoned him (an ironic waste of time, if it were true) is because he remembers God’s faithfulness in the past. Psalm 77 strikes a similar theme. The answer to the hard questions (v. 8, “Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?”) involves remembering what God has done (vv. 11–12):

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

I will meditate on all your works

and consider all your mighty deeds.

For us today, remembering what God has done includes not only remembering the scriptural narrative of God’s faithfulness, love, and power, but also what God through Jesus has accomplished during all the time since the close of the book of Acts, as well as what he continues to accomplish today. This has always been one of the strengths of “testimony time” at church, when believers share their testimonies about what God has done in their lives. Not only does it forcefully remind us that God is still active and powerful, but listening to the testimony of others often prompts us to recall our own memories of what God has done in our lives. Remembering and sharing God’s faithfulness in the past can become a powerful means of encouraging and strengthening one another in the present.11

It is also important, I think, to observe that remembering who God is and what God has done provides not only the basis for confidence in the future, but also a basis for discerning how we should live in the present. The God who has called us, for example, has demonstrated in Christ Jesus his love for us and has given us the Holy Spirit; in light of this, we should not be surprised that God’s will for us (4:3) includes living a holy life (4:7) and loving others (4:9).

In this respect the current popularity of WWJD bracelets is an encouraging development. The letters WWJD represent the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” When confronted by a problematic situation, the bracelet is supposed to remind the wearer to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” in these circumstances. The bracelet thus becomes a means of encouraging believers to live their lives in light of the teaching and deeds of Jesus.

It is just here, however, that we encounter a significant weakness of contemporary Christianity: its lack of knowledge of the Bible. In order to answer the WWJD question, obviously knowledge of the Gospel narratives about Jesus is necessary. But as various polls by Gallup and Barna have revealed, the level of Bible literacy in America is abysmal. Details of the polls’ findings have been widely reported: Only half of the Christians polled identified correctly Jesus as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount; barely three of five could recall the names of the first four books of the New Testament. When asked to quote a Bible verse, the most frequent response was “God helps those who help themselves”—a line written by Benjamin Franklin.

It seems rather pointless to wear a WWJD bracelet if one has never read a Gospel, nor does it do much good to ask “What would Jesus do?” if we have no idea of what Jesus did. Nor can we discern how to live in the present or look forward in hope if we do not learn and remember what God has done in the past.

The centrality of God for the life of the church. In echoing in these closing verses the key ideas of his opening verse, Paul closes the letter as it began: with the spotlight, focus, and emphasis squarely on God and Jesus Christ. In the course of his letter Paul has talked a fair amount about both himself and the Thessalonians, but at the end the last word is not about themselves but about God. The final thing he wants on our minds is God, the one who has called and saved us through Jesus Christ, who gives us the Holy Spirit in power and holiness, and who will bring us into his kingdom and glory when Jesus returns. In this respect the two theological affirmations in 5:24—virtually a one-sentence summary of the last half of Romans 8—deserve emphasis: “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” That is, not only is God able to do all that he has promised, but because he is trustworthy and reliable, he will in fact do it.

Our future, in other words, rests entirely in the power and faithfulness of God. Paul implied as much by the way he linked together in 1:1 phrases like “grace,” “peace,” “in God the Father,” and “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here he makes it explicit: Our future as believers rests entirely on the power and faithfulness of God as revealed through Jesus the Messiah. If that is a good place to begin, it is an even better place to end, as we anticipate “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:23).

Original Meaning

Closing Requests and Benediction (5:25–28)

EVEN AS PAUL on more than one occasion in the letter prayed for the Thessalonians (cf. 1:2–3; 3:10; 5:23), so he in turn requests (in 5:25) their prayers for him and his companions (cf. 2 Thess. 3:1–2; also Rom. 15:30–32; 2 Cor. 1:11; Col. 4:3–4). Despite the difference in spiritual maturity between Paul, Silas, and Timothy, on the one hand, and the Thessalonians on the other, Paul implicitly acknowledges, by his request for prayer, their fundamental equality before God.

The instruction to greet one another “with a holy kiss” occurs in four of Paul’s letters (here; Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; cf. 1 Peter 5:14). A customary greeting in the ancient world in both Greco-Roman and Jewish cultures, the kiss was a sign of affection between family and friends and of honor towards superiors. There is some evidence (cf. 1 Cor. 16:20; Justin Martyr, First Apology, 65.2) that the “kiss of peace” may have been part of the ritual that preceded the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.5 Its use likely picked up on the “family” metaphors so common in early Christianity (including the repeated use of adelphoi, “brothers and sisters,” throughout the letter) and served as a sign of unity and of mutual affection.

The probable explanation of the abrupt switch in verse 27 from the plural to the singular pronoun (“I”) is that Paul took the pen from the scribe (Silas?) and wrote the last two sentences himself (cf. 2 Thess. 3:17; also Gal. 6:11; 1 Cor. 16:21).6 In a culture in which only a small percentage of the population was literate, Paul took it for granted that the letter would be read aloud (cf. Rev. 1:3) during a gathering of the community (cf. Col. 4:16). The force and solemnity of his order is surprising and unusual, as is the triple occurrence of adelphoi, “brothers and sisters” (see comments on 1 Thess. 1:4), and the repeated “all” in 5:25–27. The reason is probably related to his purpose in writing: there is in the letter

something for everyone, something which troubled, doubtful, working, and attentive members need to hear and to repeat to one another as exhortation (4:18)…. Public reading of the letter in the presence of every brother and sister assures that each member of the community is either admonished, encouraged, or assisted with patience, love, and concord (5:12–14).7

Just as in the prescript (1:1) Paul replaced the usual brief word of greeting with a phrase, so here in 5:28 for the customary “farewell” (see Acts 15:29) Paul substitutes, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (cf. 2 Thess. 3:18; also 1 Cor. 16:23; Gal. 6:18; Phil. 4:23; Col. 4:18). The content of Paul’s opening greeting (“grace and peace”) finds its echo in 5:23 (“God of peace”) and here (“grace”), forming an inclusio that unifies the letter. For the significance of this last term and of the phrase “Lord Jesus Christ,” see the comments on 1:1 above.

Bridging Contexts

IN THIS SECTION verses 23–24, with respect to both form and content, duplicate or summarize earlier portions of the letter (for details see the discussion in the Original Meaning section). Appropriately for a letter closing, Paul does not introduce new material but rather alludes once more to the topics and themes he has already discussed. In addition, in 5:23 Paul does for the Thessalonians what he asks them to do for him and his companions in 5:25.

Paul’s prayer. Paul’s prayer in 5:23 that we might “be kept” blameless, which stands parallel to the phrase “may God … sanctify you,” reminds us that sanctification is a gift as well as a goal. It is a gift given in grace, in that at conversion believers have already passed from death to life (Col. 2:13), so that we are new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), in whom we stand before God blamelessly. Yet it is also a goal (cf. 1 Thess. 3:13), in that we are called to live it out in our lives. This means that “discipleship is life between the times, for God has not yet finished what he began.” But it is important to note that “the life of faith is not a striving for more; it is living more fully in what has already been given, knowing that even efforts to live more appropriately as ‘saints’ (4:1–3) depend upon God who sanctifies.”8

The holy kiss. The “holy kiss” (5:26) apparently at first was a social custom. But early on it became (and continues to be in some traditions) part of the church’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper. It signified mutual reconciliation between believers before they took communion together as fellow Christians. In its Pauline context the key aspect is not the greeting’s form but its function as a sign of unity and mutual affection within the congregation. Any culturally acceptable form of greeting, whether a kiss on each cheek, a hug, a hearty handshake, or whatever, that conveys warmth and symbolizes unity would likely be acceptable to Paul.

On instruction. At first glance the command in 5:27 about reading the letter to everyone seems so tied to its first-century setting that it may appear to be of no relevance today in a culture where literacy is more widespread. But the result of Paul’s command—that the entire church be instructed in what he had to say—is no less relevant now. Christian discipleship is not a matter of developing our own individual spiritual intuitions, but of following after Jesus, in accordance with what he modeled and taught, both in person and through the writings of the New Testament. Thus instruction—learning (and remembering) the good news about what God through Jesus has done on our behalf, and about its implications for how we live—is a central element of discipleship for everyone.

The definition of instruction given in the previous sentence is shaped in light of what Paul has done in this letter. In the first three chapters, Paul basically tells the story of (i.e., he “remembers”) not only how God brought the gospel to the Thessalonians, but also all that God has done in their midst since then. Moreover, he does not present this as “new” material, but basically asks them to remember and think about what they already know (cf. “you know,” 1:5; 2:1, 2, 5, 11; 3:3, 4; 4:2; 5:2; “you remember,” 2:9; “you are witnesses,” 2:10; see also 4:9). Then in the last two chapters, when he finally deals with their specific issues and questions about the present and future, he consistently does so in light of what God has already done in the past (see 4:1, 7, 9, 14; 5:9, 10, 24; also 4:2; 5:2).

Thus, by insisting that the letter be read to everyone in the congregation, Paul ensures not only that they will hear the answers he gives to their questions and problems, but also that they will hear and recall the narrative of what God has done among them that provides the basis for those answers. Whatever their current difficulties, he does not want them to forget what God has already done in their midst.

A caution. Some interpreters find in 5:23 (with its reference to “spirit, soul and body”) a basis for developing a “tripartite” view of human nature (the view that we consist of body, soul, and spirit). But the fact that only here in the entire New Testament does this phrase occur ought to make us cautious in building any major conclusions about the human personality on this verse. Moreover, as we noted above, Paul’s emphasis is on the wholeness of human beings rather than on constituent elements. In addition, Paul tends to use terms like these rather broadly and somewhat interchangeably; as a consequence it is difficult to find any consistent distinctions between them in his letters.9

We can no more take his words here to mean that our nature is threefold than we can take some of his words elsewhere to indicate that we are twofold (body and spirit, 1 Cor. 7:34), or those of Jesus in Mark 12:30 to show that we are fourfold (heart, soul, mind, and strength).10

In short, it does not appear that Paul is here offering any kind of anthropological definition.

Contemporary Significance

THESE CLOSING VERSES of the letter offer an opportunity to reflect on a theme that has been running beneath the surface throughout the letter and to reprise a theme that has been explicit since the opening verse. The theme for reflection is the importance of remembering what God has done, and the theme to reprise is the centrality of God for the life of the church.

The importance of remembering what God has done. This theme was touched on briefly in discussing Paul’s thanksgiving prayer in 3:9–13, where I suggested in passing that remembering and telling the story of God’s faithfulness is important for at least two reasons. (1) When things go well, it reminds us why they are going well (it is due to God’s grace and goodness, not our own efforts; cf. Deut. 6:10–13; 8:10–18; 9:4–6). (2) When things are not going well, it gives us hope to remember that the God who has been faithful in the past will be faithful in the future. This second point is the one I will focus on at the moment because of the way that Paul throughout his letter so consistently models it for the Thessalonians.

As we noticed in the Bridging Contexts section, Paul repeatedly deals with the present and future in light of the past. Why, for example, is Paul not worried about the fate of those who have died before Jesus returns? Because God raised Jesus from the dead and will therefore raise those who are in Jesus (4:13, 16). Why is he unconcerned about the coming judgment? Because Jesus, who “died for us so that … we may live together with him” (5:10), will deliver us from the coming wrath (1:10). How can Paul (and we) be so utterly confident that “the one who calls [us] is faithful and he will do it” (5:24)? We are confident that in the future God will do for us what he has promised because of the faithfulness to his promises that he has already demonstrated in the past.

It is on the basis of these foundational facts about God that we are able, no matter how difficult our circumstances, to encourage and comfort one another in the present as we look forward to the future with confident hope. Remembering what God has done in the past—not as dead history but as the living and ongoing narrative of a faithful and powerful God in his relationship with his people—provides the basis for life in the present and hope for the future.

Psalm 13 exemplifies vividly this kind of approach to life. The first four verses are David’s lament, an angry accusation that God has forgotten and abandoned him to his enemies. But then in verses 5–6 he says: “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.” In the midst of his despair and sorrow, he remembers what God has done and that God is faithful, and this gives him hope regarding the future. Indeed, the only reason he bothers crying out to a God who apparently has abandoned him (an ironic waste of time, if it were true) is because he remembers God’s faithfulness in the past. Psalm 77 strikes a similar theme. The answer to the hard questions (v. 8, “Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?”) involves remembering what God has done (vv. 11–12):

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

I will meditate on all your works

and consider all your mighty deeds.

For us today, remembering what God has done includes not only remembering the scriptural narrative of God’s faithfulness, love, and power, but also what God through Jesus has accomplished during all the time since the close of the book of Acts, as well as what he continues to accomplish today. This has always been one of the strengths of “testimony time” at church, when believers share their testimonies about what God has done in their lives. Not only does it forcefully remind us that God is still active and powerful, but listening to the testimony of others often prompts us to recall our own memories of what God has done in our lives. Remembering and sharing God’s faithfulness in the past can become a powerful means of encouraging and strengthening one another in the present.11

It is also important, I think, to observe that remembering who God is and what God has done provides not only the basis for confidence in the future, but also a basis for discerning how we should live in the present. The God who has called us, for example, has demonstrated in Christ Jesus his love for us and has given us the Holy Spirit; in light of this, we should not be surprised that God’s will for us (4:3) includes living a holy life (4:7) and loving others (4:9).

In this respect the current popularity of WWJD bracelets is an encouraging development. The letters WWJD represent the question, “What Would Jesus Do?” When confronted by a problematic situation, the bracelet is supposed to remind the wearer to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” in these circumstances. The bracelet thus becomes a means of encouraging believers to live their lives in light of the teaching and deeds of Jesus.

It is just here, however, that we encounter a significant weakness of contemporary Christianity: its lack of knowledge of the Bible. In order to answer the WWJD question, obviously knowledge of the Gospel narratives about Jesus is necessary. But as various polls by Gallup and Barna have revealed, the level of Bible literacy in America is abysmal. Details of the polls’ findings have been widely reported: Only half of the Christians polled identified correctly Jesus as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount; barely three of five could recall the names of the first four books of the New Testament. When asked to quote a Bible verse, the most frequent response was “God helps those who help themselves”—a line written by Benjamin Franklin.

It seems rather pointless to wear a WWJD bracelet if one has never read a Gospel, nor does it do much good to ask “What would Jesus do?” if we have no idea of what Jesus did. Nor can we discern how to live in the present or look forward in hope if we do not learn and remember what God has done in the past.

The centrality of God for the life of the church. In echoing in these closing verses the key ideas of his opening verse, Paul closes the letter as it began: with the spotlight, focus, and emphasis squarely on God and Jesus Christ. In the course of his letter Paul has talked a fair amount about both himself and the Thessalonians, but at the end the last word is not about themselves but about God. The final thing he wants on our minds is God, the one who has called and saved us through Jesus Christ, who gives us the Holy Spirit in power and holiness, and who will bring us into his kingdom and glory when Jesus returns. In this respect the two theological affirmations in 5:24—virtually a one-sentence summary of the last half of Romans 8—deserve emphasis: “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” That is, not only is God able to do all that he has promised, but because he is trustworthy and reliable, he will in fact do it.

Our future, in other words, rests entirely in the power and faithfulness of God. Paul implied as much by the way he linked together in 1:1 phrases like “grace,” “peace,” “in God the Father,” and “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here he makes it explicit: Our future as believers rests entirely on the power and faithfulness of God as revealed through Jesus the Messiah. If that is a good place to begin, it is an even better place to end, as we anticipate “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:23).