And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another, and to all, just as we do to you, (3) so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (4:1)  Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and please God; (2) for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

The Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians.  Paul successfully established the church there on his second missionary journey.  As he would do, Paul first attended the synagogue there and preached the gospel, using the Old Testament – familiar to the Jews – to show that Jesus was the Messiah. He achieved some success as after three sabbaths  was denied  the synagogue to preach. I believe that he remained in Thessalonica for some time after, teaching in another location – eventually he was driven from that city. 

Paul went to Athens but, thwarted in his attempt to return, he sent his disciple, Timothy, to the Christians in Thessalonica to establish and encourage them – and Timothy reported that the church there remained strong. At this point Paul wrote this first letter directed to the Thessalonians, and also as a prayer to God, that they remain strong Christians – that their faith in the gospel would grow and that they increase in love for one another and to all.  Paul is praying that they will grow in knowledge and discernment and that they remain steadfast in the grace of God whatever the future holds

The new commandment of Christ and the mark of a Christian was to love one another. This love Paul speaks of is not a mindless sentimentality but a result of the will to  love.  The heart must be made holy first – the Holy Spirit will work in the faithful when the Word is established.  The heart is considered to be the place of knowledge and understanding in the New Testament.

Every chapter in this letter ends with reference to the return of Jesus Christ and this certain hope is used to motivate daily living – an encouragement, comfort and Stimuli. Paul wanted to put that teaching in the context of daily living and conduct.