Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

In First Thessalonians chapter one Paul talks about the brethren in Thessalonica who have a great work of faith through times of tribulation and that they are a sound board for the word to those in Macedonia and Achaia. They turned from idol worship to be obedient to the Lord, being steadfast and setting that good example to those they come in contact with, receiving the word for what it really is, not as if from men, but from the living God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

These brethren endured suffering at the hands of their own countrymen because of their faith
(1 Thessalonians 2:4). Paul was fearful that the affliction they received could make their faith waiver, but Timothy brought him good news of them standing fast in the faith (1 Thessalonians 3:1-6).

For the answer to our question we turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter three to see Paul encouraging the brethren to follow their example of keeping busy. Paul was a tent maker by trade (Acts 18:3) and practiced his trade to care for himself and not be a burden on the church at times although he had every right to receive wages for the work in the Lord (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9). Paul exhorts the men of the church, "if anyone will not work, neither let him eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The Lord expects us to work for a living and not be a busybody. We are "to lead a quiet life and to attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). There is no doubt that people at that time are no different than the people living today, and some were just lazy and refused to work and were living off the ones that did work with their hands.

But there is another reason they may have quit work. Some were teaching that only those who were alive on the earth would have opportunity for heaven with the Lord. So, for those that recently died the loved ones would be grieving since they would have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). This would mean that those teaching this would be thinking that the Lord would come during their lifetimes, or very soon. The question that would come to mind would be, "If Jesus is coming so soon, why work?" It would be easier to coast along and if you run out of food, just borrow from you neighbor until heaven arrives. So there we have our answers to our question. Some, no doubt, were just lazy or slothful, while others felt that since the Lord would come so soon, why busy ourselves with the activity of work!

Paul explains that not only will the dead be raised, but they will be raised before those that remain alive upon the earth,

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and

remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself

will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trumpet of God; and the

dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in

the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one

another with these words.

Paul does encourage us to be ready, since the Lord will come as a theif in the night and the thief will not call us at two-thirty in the morning and tell us he's on the way, but will come when we least expect him. For when men cry out "peace and safety!" then their destruction shall come, so as sons of light we are to put on the full armor of God to our final day (1 Thessalonians 5:3-11).