1 THESSALONIANS 4.1-8

 

1Th 4:1 Furthermore (in light of the fact that Jesus is coming back at any moment) then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

• Some translations use the word finally in verse 1. Have you heard the latest definition of an optimist? It is someone who believes the preacher is almost finished when he says “finally.”
• To give added weight to the things The Spirit of God is about to say in this part of the epistle, Paul appeals to the fact that he wrote with the authority of Christ Himself. It’s amazing how much Paul was able to teach the Thessalonians in the three weeks he spent with them.
• In 1 Thessalonians 1, he affirms that the Thessalonian believers are positionally chosen (1:4), yet he exhorts them to practically live out this positional truth by walking in obedience (2:12). The Christian life begins with a step of faith, but that step leads to a walk of faith. Christianity is not a sprint; it is a walk of perseverance along the way marked out for us by Jesus Christ.
• Thebasic desire in every Christian’s heart should be to please Jesus Christ. To please Jesus will oftentimes mean that I am going to have to displease myself; and it most certainly means that I will always have to displease my flesh! If I am to be a God pleaser, that I cannot be a man-pleaser, nor flesh-pleasers. To please God requires a life that is yielded to The Holy Spirit and faith.
• Ro 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (living after the flesh does not please God)
• Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
• One of the very basic questions that we need to ask ourselves before we turn on the TV, or click the mouse on the Internet, or think about “chatting” with someone online, or watch this or listen to that is this….is this edifying and does this please God?  Would God be pleased with me doing this? Jesus said, I do always those things that please the Father.  I think that’s a great standard. 

 

2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

• What Paul is writing here is a direct command from The Lord Jesus Christ Himself.This command was not just for this first century church, it was for all the body of Christ. So what we read in these verse this evening saints is the will of God for every single Christian and for every single local church.
• Please underline in your Bible the word commandments. I say that because there are people who ‘scream” legalism any time you mention the words obedience or commandments. Legalism is when you make man made rules or traditions the basis of one’s salvation in addition to the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
• Obedience is not legalism; obedience is my personal surrender to The Lordship of Jesus Christ. Grace doesn’t mean that we are now free to live lawless lives; the grace of God empowers us to live obedient, holy lives. When it came to the topic of moral purity, holiness and sanctification, Jesus Christ made sure that the apostle Paul would tell them and write to you and I what His will was for each and every Christian. The design of the gospel is to teach men not only what they should believe, but also how they ought to live....To talk well without living well will never bring us to heaven.

 

3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification (purification, holiness), that ye should abstain (Gr.to keep as far away from as possible) from fornication:

• All of God’s Word contains God’s will—both affirmations and prohibitions. Specifically, God’s will includes salvation (1 Tim. 2:4), self-sacrifice (Rom. 12:1,2), Spirit filling (Eph. 5:18), submission (1 Pet. 2:13–15), suffering (1 Pet. 3:17), thanksgiving (5:18), patience (Heb. 10:36), and particularly here—sanctification, which literally refers to a state of being set apart from sin to holiness. In this context, it means being set apart from sexual impurity in particular, holding oneself away from immorality by following the instruction in vv. 4–8.
• Some people here tonight may want to know, “What is the will of God for my life?”Here it is in a nutshell....your sanctification. The word sanctify means “to separate.”
• In being set apart for Christ, the believer must also be separated from sinful things. So the basic idea behind the meaning of sanctification is not only a separation from what is evil, but separation unto Jesus Christ and the things that are holy. This particular Greek word was a word that was used especially as regards to the vessel that was used in the worship of God in the tabernacle.  These vessels were to be sanctified, wholly unto God.  That is, they were not to be used for any other purpose.  They were to be used exclusively for God!  They weren’t to be used for any common purpose. 
• Since our bodies have been redeemed by God for His purposes, one of the things that we must do to live a sanctified life is abstain from fornication.The Greek word for fornication is porneia. This is where we get the English word pornography. This broad Greek term covers sins of the mind, body, eyes, ears, and lips. Fornication was an enemy to holiness in Thessalonica and fornication is a enemy to holiness in East Rochester this evening.
• 1 Cor 6.13 Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
• 1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
• 1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
• Note, every man is to have his own wife....not girlfriend that he lives with or sleeps with; and the same is true of every woman. Only the marriage bed is undefiled!

 

We are living in perilous times when many people, even those who profess the name of Christ, are seeking Biblical justification for their sexual sin. (Legalizing of same sex marriages). But what does a clear interpretation of the bible state?

• Ro 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; God says that for a man to be intimate with another man or a woman to be intimate with another woman is not natural...it is vile, unnatural and reprobate
• Le 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
• Le 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination (Heb. morally disgusting; a tragic mistake).
• Do you know what I find so interesting about these justifications for not being able to stop engaging in these kids of forbidden sexual activity? In the most intense heat of the moment, any one of us could bring our passion to a screeching halt. If a police officer walks up to your parked car and knocks on your steamed-over window, I bet you could stop. If an angry husband armed with a shotgun walked in on you with his wife, I would guess you could stop in a hurry. If your accountability partner walked into your house unexpectedly and you were on some web site that you ought not to be on, I bet you would click out of there is a NY second! We can always stop what we are doing…the issue is one of motivation.

 

I would only add here lest I be accused of gay bashing that any kind of sexual activity outside of the heterosexual marriage covenant is an abomination in the sight of God, whether it be adultery, fornication, Internet fantasies, homosexuality or lesbianism, they are sins that anybody who calls themselves a Christian needs to repent of. Why?

• 1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
• God created sex and it is only sinful when it is not according to His Word!.....when taken out of the context of marriage, sex is a forbidden pleasure that must be resisted and repented of....there can be no procreation between two people of the same sex.....that is not an unloving statement, that is a true one!

 

It is worth repeating that this Greek word for fornication describes all uncleanness whatsoever, either in a married or unmarried state. It may be a picture on a web site, a racy romance novel, a television program, a song that causes one to think impurely.

• All that is contrary to purity in the heart, speech, and behavior, is contrary to the command of God and contrary to that holiness which the gospel requires.
• Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

Paul would go on to write a little later that not only are we to abstain from fornication itself, we are even to abstain from even the appearance of it.

• 1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
• Fleshly lusts quench The Spirit of God....they hold us in bondage...if you give your flesh an inch it will rule your life! Ro 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. As we yield our bodily members to the indwelling Holy Spirit, we mortify the deeds of the body from sowing seeds of destruction in our lives, and in doing so, bring forth fruit of holiness unto God.
• What happens when we choose to walk in the Spirit and refuse to satisfy our fleshly lusts? 2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Remember this saints, walking in the Spirit and being a vessel of honor for The Master Jesus Christ to use is a choice, not magic.

 

Sanctification is not merely a work once for all accomplished in the past, but a present progressive work.

• 2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

 

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence (forbidden desire), even as the Gentiles which know not God (You and I are not to live like the world)

• To possess our vessels (bodies) in sanctification and honor means that wemust keep those fleshly lusts in check. This requires discipline and deliberate decisions to yield to the wisdom and counsel of Scripture and cut off anything that will stir up our fleshly desires. Guys our flesh is wicked and cannot be redeemed....if you give your flesh an opportunity, it will seize that opportunity every single time.
• Sexual sin has always been an acceptable thing for the once born sons of Adam...but you and I are the twice born sons of God!  Living together and having a sexual relationship outside of the covenant of marriage may be acceptable for the world, but not for the child of God. 

 

6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter (Beyond the bounds of purity, so as to wrong his brother): because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.(He will punish the adulterer)

• Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge, Heb 13:4...

• Our relationship with our brothers and sisters within the body of Christ is to be pure and holy....there is to be respect for one another...too often the church has become for some people the breeding ground for their lusts instead of the meeting place for holy fellowship.
• 1Ti 5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
• The Christian man or woman is to treat those of the opposite sex with dignity and respect. To take advantage of someone else’s spouse in one sense is no different than stealing someone’s property. We have no more right to have sex with someone’s spouse because they are attractive to us than we have a right to steal their car because it appeals to us.
• Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

• The Christian calling is a call that demands purity of life, whether you are 15 or 50, married or single.
• 1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
• I do believe that this call unto holiness includes sexual purity, but is much more than that. Holiness relates to how we dress, how we talk, how we work, how we spend our money. Regeneration is a change from darkness to light....impurity to purity...uncleaness to holiness.

 

8 He therefore that despiseth (the commandments above), despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

• It has been rightly said that men treat God as they treat the truths of the Bible. Those who disbelieve and reject the clear teaching of The Scriptures, disbelieve and reject Him; and those who love and obey them, love and obey Him. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and thus we are commanded to be holy. To defile the temple, that is our bodies, is to despise God Himself.
• As followers of The Lord Jesus Christ, we arecalled to live sanctified, holy lives.  People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks: 1. They are facing only one direction, 2. They can never turn back, and 3. They no longer have plans of their own. A.W. Tozer

 

In Revelation, chapter four, in the heavenly scene, as the cherubim are worshipping God as they declare His eternal character and nature, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is, which was, which is to come, the outstanding nature of God is the holiness of God.  As they are declaring holy, holy, holy, the twenty-four elders respond and they say, Thou art worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because Thou hast created all things and for your good pleasure they are and were created. 

• You and I were created and redeemed for God’s good pleasure.  And thus the prime concern of our lives should be, am I pleasing God?  Does my life please Him?  Inasmuch as that is my purpose for existence, that should be my primary concern, pleasing God in all things.
• It has been said that Rome was not conquered from without but was destroyed from within because the moral planks became so rotten that the nation just crumbled. This is happening in our nation today...this is happening in our churches....we are rotting from within because of a lack of holiness.  As we prepare for the altar call.....that is exactly what it is, a call to repent and have make a decision to repent of our sin and live an altered by the power of the Holy Ghost....remember, God doesn’t tell us to pray about repenting....or consider repenting....the call is to repent.

 

Practical things that can help us in the war against the flesh.

• Recognize your position in Christ. You are a “saint” who is dead to sin.
• Ask God for grace and mercy. Acknowledge “it” could happen to you. Plead the blood of Jesus.
• Saturate yourself with Scripture. Read God’s Word to shore up your strength.  
• Abstain from anything, anyone or anyplace that would be a cause for your flesh to be aroused or stirred up.
• Pray when you are tempted. Satan flees when we pray.
• Have an accountability partner. Make sure he or she asks you brutal purity questions.