follow after holiness and brotherly love.

3. Doctrinal (4:13-5:11). The second advent of
Christ. The parts which the dead and living will have
when Christ shall come again. The uncertainty of the
time. The need of constant watchfulness.

4. Practical (5:12-28). Rules for the conduct of the
church, its overseers and members. Exhortation to be
joyful, prayerful, and thankful. Closing prayer that they
may be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Greeting and benediction.

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

+Occasion, Time, and Place of Writing.+--What Paul
wrote about the second coming of Christ, in the First
Epistle, seems to have been misunderstood by the church
at Thessalonica (1:7-3:11). Then too there was
probably a spurious epistle (and this may have occasioned
much of the trouble) in circulation, in which Paul is
evidently made to declare that the day of Christ is close at
hand (2:2). He writes of this false epistle very vigorously
that they be not troubled in spirit by a letter, "as
from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." Evidently
some were neglecting their work, becoming impatient at
the delay in Christ's coming (3:5, 11, 12) and walking
disorderly.

The Epistle opens, with an expression of thanks for the
general condition of the church and that it was enduring
persecutions and tribulations well (1:2-6). Hence it is
evident that some but not all of the church members were
out of accord with an earnest sensible faith in Christ.
This Epistle reflects certain conditions which Paul had
to meet in his work and shows how he sought to check
any defections from right conceptions of true Christian
doctrine and life. In the second chapter Paul shows that
the "day of Christ" may not speedily come, that certain
other things must come to pass before it is revealed
(compare Matthew ch. 24), and that the true Christian way is
to stand fast always in the Lord. In thus standing fast
every believer will grow in faith and grace.

The duties taught are "courage and faith under persecution
and calmness and quiet industry in the presence of
the greatest expectations."

The time of writing was probably, a few months after
that of the First Epistle, in 53 A.D. The place of
writing was Corinth.

+Principal Divisions and Chief Points.+

1. Introduction (1:1-4). Salutation. Thanksgiving
for the growth of faith in the Thessalonian church.

2. Doctrinal (1:5-2: