Paul urges the Thessalonian church to be friendly. It was customary in the culture of Paul's time for friends to greet each other with a kiss. Men would greet other men this way, and women would greet other women in similar fashion. Today, believers should extend a warm verbal greeting and a firm handshake to one another, which are the modern-day equivalents to the "holy kiss" of that era. This matters for our welcoming of non-believers, as well. Nothing freezes the spiritual interest of a church visitor as quickly as a cold congregation.

Within the church, this verse cuts to the idea of fellowship. Fellowship means more than simply gathering for a church potluck, it is the sharing of genuine love for one another as we partner in the work of the gospel. If believers greet one another and ask, "How are you?" but really don't care what the answer will be, they are hypocrites not friends. If they tell one another, "I will pray for you," but fail to pray, they are hypocrites, not friends. If a church practices bias, giving preferential treatment to the rich or famous, it is not a friendly church, and falls under the censure of James 2:3–4. Rather, we ought to greet each other in a holy, selfless, and sincere way.

First Thessalonians 5:23–28 concludes Paul's initial letter to the Thessalonians. He pronounces a benediction of peace and prays that God will make the Thessalonians completely holy. He prays that this holiness would extend to their spirit, soul, and body and that they would be preserved free of every legitimate accusation at the rapture. He expresses confidence that God would make this happen. Paul's final instructions include a request for the Thessalonians to pray for him, a command to greet one another cordially, and a command to read aloud this very letter to the entire church. Finally, he invokes God's grace to be with his readers.

First Thessalonians chapter 5 reiterates that the rapture will occur quickly, catching the unbelieving world unprepared. In contrast, Paul presents faithful Christians as those who are aware and ready for this event. This passage uses the contrast of day versus night to highlight those differences. Paul also completes his letter by offering various practical instructions. These include the need to be peaceful, hardworking, and forgiving. He also commends constant prayer and an attitude of joyfulness, before closing his letter with a command for this letter to be read aloud.

The end of chapter 4 discussed the nature of the rapture: a sudden, physical ''taking away'' of believers from the earth. Here, Paul continues to refer to this event's sudden and dramatic nature. A key analogy used in this passage is that of daytime versus darkness, and the concept of being awake and alert. As with many of Paul's letters, practical instructions make up the bulk of his closing statements. In particular, Paul adds a command that this letter be read aloud among all of the people of the Thessalonian church.

The apostle Paul's second missionary journey included a visit to the prominent Greek city of Thessalonica. This stood alongside a major land route and boasted a busy seaport. A number of individuals believed Paul's message (Acts 17:1–4), but an angry mob forced Paul to leave the city after his brief stay. Later, while in Athens, Paul received a glowing report: the believers at Thessalonica were growing spiritually and serving God fervently. However, they had questions about the Lord's return, including what happens to a believer who dies before that day. And, as all churches do, they had some areas in which they were falling short. In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, written about AD 51, he addresses these developments. Paul expresses gratitude for the Thessalonian believers' spiritual progress, and frequently makes references to Christ's impending return.

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