Within 1 Thessalonians, Paul writes a letter to the Christian community in Thessalonica in Macedonia in northern Greece. According to 1:9, the religious background of the people included them worshiping idols before they were saved by God. This means that they were previously Gentiles. These people originated from Macedonia and Achaia, the two Roman provinces in Greece.
Since Paul had left Thessalonica, the Thessalonians had spread the good news of the gospel to many other places. As 1:8 says, “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it.” In addition, they had become role models for others and had become imitators of Paul, Silvanus, Timothy, and of the Lord. They had turned from worshiping idols and “suffered the same things from [their] own compatriots as they did from the Jews…” (2:14)
Within his letter, Paul includes many instructions and advice about how to live in the world all throughout the book. He strongly encourages them to lead a life worthy of God and to stand firm in the Lord. In chapter four, he reminds them the instructions he gave them to abstain from fornication, control and keep their bodies holy, and to continue loving their brothers and sisters more each day. In the last verse of that chapter, he says to “aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands…so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.”
In terms of Christian commitment, Paul tells them “…may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (5:23) Paul also says to pray without ceasing, to rejoice always, and to give thanks in all circumstances. Clearly Paul is making a point that they should continue to live a Christian life until they die. The final word he gives them shows how important and necessary all of these instructions are and that they should be passed on to everyone, when he says “I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.” (5:27)