He is Coming with All His Saints

In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, he writes that when the Lord returns, He will come with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

There are two primary interpretations for His "saints" highlighted above in 1 Thessalonians 3:13. One view is "believers", another interpretation is "angels".  I submit in this blog post that the correct interpretation is that the saints in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 are "angels".

To explain, I draw the remaining text from the writings of Marvin J. Rosenthal first published in Zion's Fire Magazine in July/August, 1997.

The meaning of "saint"

In the New Testament, the Greek word hagios is translated "holy" or "holy ones" more than 160 times. The same Greek word is also translated "saint" more than 70 times. Hagios carries the idea of purity, consecration, and holiness.

The apostle Paul, speaking of the gospel, said: "Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy (hagios) scriptures" (Romans 1:2). And to the Roman believers he wrote: "But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints [hagios]" (Romans 15:25). In the first instance, hagios is translated "holy"; in the second instance, it is translated "saints."

The Roman Catholic Church developed a theological system through which it confers upon selected individuals the designation "saint." Unfortunately, this unbiblical practice has tended to obscure the true biblical meaning of the word.

Every true Christian, whether a babe in Christ or one who has walked with the Lord many years, is a "saint."

Every true Christian, whether living piously or worldly, is a "saint."

The word "saint" describes a status which every believer possesses before God. It is wholly a consequence of being in Christ. In Him we are positionally pure, consecrated, holy - thus we are "holy ones" or "saints," irrespective of how we may be living.

The Bible exhorts those who are saved, and therefore positionally "saints," to experientially live saintly (holy) lives (Romans 12:1; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).

It is conspicuously clear that the New Testament repeatedly uses the Greek word hagios ("saint") as a designation for all true believers (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 16:1; Eph. 1:1).

An Analogy with the Word "Elect"

The Greek word eklektos (elect) means "chosen out, selected, to be chosen as a recipient of special privilege."

The word "elect" is found sixteen times in the New Testament. Add to "elect" the words "elects" and "election," and there are a total of twenty-three usages in the New Testament. It is used once of "elect" (chosen) angels (1 Tim. 5:21). It is used once of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is referred to as "a chief corner stone, elect [chosen], precious" (1 Pet. 2:6). It is used of all believers: "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Lk. 18:7-8). The word "elect" is used in the New Testament of angels, of the Lord Jesus, and of all believers.

In exactly the same way, the Greek word hagios, translated "holy ones" or "saints," is used to refer to angels or the redeemed. Only the context can tell which is in view.

The Context of the Word "Saint" in 1 Thessalonians 3:13

In Paul's epistles, he often breaks out into brief prayers for those to whom he is writing. For the Thessalonians, he prayed: "To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints" (1 Th. 3:13). Since he is praying that believers on the earth will have their hearts established at the Lord's coming, he is clearly distinguishing between believers on earth and the "saints" (holy ones) who will come with the Lord from Heaven. It is impossible for the Church to be in two places at the same time. They can't have their hearts "established" (the idea is firm and unmoved) until Christ comes and at the same time accompany Him at His coming.

It is also significant that in the same epistle Paul writes: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Th. 4:16). The archangel (probably Michael) is specifically said to be with the Lord at His coming. He is a high order of angelic being, but he is an angel. And to the same Church, in his second epistle, the apostle encouraged: "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels" (2 Th. 1:7). Once again, angels are clearly said to be with the Lord in connection with His coming.

The gospel writers add their testimony

Matthew wrote: "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity" (Mt. 13:41).

Mark wrote: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mk. 8:38).

Luke wrote: "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels" (Lk. 9:26).

At the birth of the Son of God, angels were present (Lk. 2:9-10, 13).

At the death of the Son of God, angels were present (Mt. 26:53).

At the resurrection of the Son of God, angels were present (Mt. 28:2).

At the second coming of the Son of God, angels will be present (Mt. 25:31).

First Thessalonians 3:13 cannot be used as a proof text by those who teach that Jesus is going to rapture the Church and then return with the Church (with all His saints) seven years later. The text is clearly speaking of angelic beings.

Jesus is the Lord of Hosts. At His command, a myriad of angelic beings who make up His army instantly goes into action. In that these powerful, holy angels are repeatedly spoken of as being with the Lord at His coming, we are right to understand that they play a very important role in the Church's rapture and in the judgment of the wicked.

Concerning the Rapture, the Lord himself taught, "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Mt. 24:31).

The Scriptures also inform us that it is angels who blow each of the seven trumpets (Rev. 8:6), and pour out each of the seven bowls (Rev. 16:1). These trumpets and bowls are part of God's wrath during what the prophets refer to as the Day of the Lord.

Since these angels are holy, powerful, glorious beings who do our Lord's bidding, it is welcome news to know He is coming with all His "saints."