In the early Church, some Christians frequently thought that the end of the world was not far off: they expected Jesus to return soon to judge the living and the dead. This was partly due to a misunderstanding of Jesus' promises and partly due to a certain spirit of enthusiasm brought about by their new and liberating faith.

Just like Jesus before him, though in different circumstances, Paul had to address the question of the last day, the Day of the Lord, the end of the world and other ideas arising from this question. He had to correct the mistaken notions which some people had - in this case the Thessalonians.

Some people went through a similar phase at the millennium in the year 2000 and periodically there are people who announce the end of the world on some specific date. Yet the truth is that "the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night." Because we are "children of the light and of the day", people for whom Our Lord Jesus Christ died, we can live lives that are pleasing to God and be ready to face death, whenever it comes with tranquility and peace.