The Thessalonian Church was a commended church in the Pauline letters receiving only encouragement. And some very good instructions were given for living the Christian life while waiting for the Lord to collect His Church, with the primary one being abstaining from sexual immorality. The pagan religions included communing with their gods through drugs and drunkenness while also participating in sexual immorality through orgies, temple prostitution, homosexuality, adultery… You could argue that this is the main reason humans have chased after other than the one true God throughout history, so they can indulge their carnal desires.
1 Thessalonians 4:3–6
[3] For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; [4] that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, [5] not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; [6] that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. (ESV)
And regarding living within this fallen world there is this wonderful instruction to live quietly and mind your own affairs, to work and provide for yourself being dependent on no one.
1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
[11] and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, [12] so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. (ESV)
But for any Christian, this is the section of the chapter they hold dear, as it is the basis for the Rapture, or the snatching away of the Church from the world. The Thessalonians were taught the Rapture could happen in their lifetime, but were concerned that those who died would miss out, so Paul encourages them that the dead would be caught up first before the living and receive their new bodies. So at the end of the age Christ is going to meet His children in the air with those still alive being caught up and extracted from the world, spared from the coming wrath and final judgement of God on all unbelievers before instituting Christ’s reign for a thousand years on the earth. And His Millennial reign will be filled with those that come to believe within the tribulation period including Israel, as the gospel will be preached and at one point even by an angel flying in the sky. But many will still choose not to believe.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
[13] But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. [14] For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. [15] For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 15:51–53
[51] Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. [53] For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. (ESV)
And worth mentioning, the Church of Christ is the body of believers, and not some church building or denomination, of which many have become so polluted that they teach and affirm heresy, denying our Lord and Savior along with all that He has told us about being reconciled to God. If you don’t have a desire to read the words of our Lord, applying them to how you live a life filled with prayer, talking with God, you are in danger of this rejection by Christ as He has told us plainly.
Matthew 7:21–23
[21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (ESV)
Maranatha!
1 Thessalonians 4
A Life Pleasing to God
[1] Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. [2] For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. [3] For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; [4] that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, [5] not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; [6] that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. [7] For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. [8] Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
[9] Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, [10] for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, [11] and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, [12] so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
The Coming of the Lord
[13] But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. [14] For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. [15] For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words. (ESV)