Be Holy
1 Thessalonians Series
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 – February 20, 2011
Throughout the book of 1 Thessalonians – up to this point – we’ve seen Paul challenge the church to be strong and continue the work of the ministry of the gospel. We’ve seen Paul challenge believers to be strong in God’s Word, for serving Christ is not in vain. Last week, we witnessed in the Word – how Paul enabled Timothy to be an encourager to the Thessalonicans – and today – we get the toughest challenge yet.
Holiness- Being holy only comes to an individual once they trust Jesus Christ as their Personal Lord and Savior. The definition of “holiness” means to be set apart for use by God Himself.
The challenge today from this passage is simple – Grow in Holiness each day! There will be potholes and trials – keep on trucking! This morning – may we open our eyes to the Word – open our ears to the Word – but most important of all – may we open our hearts to the Word and allow God to change what needs changing and mend what needs mending.
TEXT
I. Believers should live a life that is pleasing to God (4:1-3a)
Could I ask everyone here an important question? Answer the question honestly in your own heart. Be honest with yourself and with the Lord.
Do you really want to live your life for the Lord Jesus Christ? This is the heart of the matter. Do you realize that if you are going to receive the blessings of God you must live by God’s principles? Do you want to live the best life possible and honor our Savior, or are you satisfied and simply want to get by. Are you satisfied with your present life? Do you feel that living a godly Christian life is too strict a life for you?
a. Paul encourages believers to walk and please God
* Walk – our daily life – everything that we do
* Pleasing God – in pleasing God – there is always room for improvement! There is always room for continued growth.
Let’s review doctrinally what happens when a person becomes a believer:
1. The person is justified from their sins
Romans 5:1 – Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ – by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
“Just if I had never sinned” – The blood that stained the Old Rugged Cross served as payment for my sins and for your sins. That’s being justified.
2. The person is being sanctified from their sins
Two Aspects of Sanctification
a. Positional Sanctification – at the moment of salvation, the believer was “positioned in Christ”. The holiness and righteousness of Christ were imputed to the believer, and God views the believer holy because of his position in Christ.
b. Experiential Sanctification – Even though the believer is holy because of his position in Christ, he lives the remainder of his earthly life in a fallen, earthly body which still tends toward sin. The indwelling Holy Spirit can enable the believer to gain control over the flesh and to choose holiness of life, but the believer is still capable of sinning and sometimes does commit sin.
John 14:26- But the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
• We are continually being changed!
3. The person will enter the state of glorification at the point of death on this earth!
b. Paul charges believers with Christ’s commandments
* Not only the Big 10 from God the Father, but the greatest from Christ
Mark 12:28-31 – The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
1. Love God with everything you’ve got
2. Love others as you would want to be loved
So, if you’ve trust Christ – we are to live constantly as if we are in the process of being changed to become more Christ-like.
II. Believers are to abstain from immoral behavior and activity (4:3b-8)
The word abstain means “to keep distance from’. We have often heard the word “flee” or “Get away from or stay away from.”
a. The temptation of immorality is one that we all do face!
NOTE: see the handout in today’s bulletin. Statistics that will open your eyes to issues!
The word fornication is defined as “sexual sin outside of the bonds of marriage”.
Many lives today are being destroyed by the sin of concupiscence. This is the sin of giving in the evil and selfish desires.
It is a sin that has a snowball effect and without the help of God – one cannot get out. It is a trap – that pollutes and corrupts the heart, soul, and mind of an individual.
Paul understood this possible failure saying "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:27)
1. This means we must not debase or pollute it; that is, that we should honour it as a noble work of God to be employed for pure purposes. We are holy unto the Lord. That means separated unto Him for His service. My friend do you see yourself as belonging to God and being wholly dedicated to be used by Him?
2. It is the mark of a lost man that he lives to please himself and to seek sinful gratifications. Why so many divorces? The unsaved, live to gratify themselves. If their spouse does not please them as the want...they go and get another.
However, divorce in our age is the same for Christians as for the lost world we live in. Does that alert us to a problem? Worldliness is defined as sinful gratification. Christians are to flee from worldliness. Many ignore this principle and they suffer greatly from their failure. Self gratification only brings sorry and pain. Sin never satisfies nor ever gives one true gratification.
3. God has not called the Christian out from the world for him to continue to live in sin. Believers are to live clean decent lives. Sex, money and power are the driving forces in our society. Society is obsessed with the homosexuality, gay and lesbian culture. There are even gay and lesbian preachers and pastors in apostate (false/dead) Protestant churches of our day.
Our calling from God does not contain any plan for impurity! Those who commit immorality are rejecting God’s plan for His “holy ones.” They are also rejecting or ignoring the Holy Spirit who enables the believer to do what it right.
You and I have been predestined by God to choose – we either choose Christ and follow Him, or we choose the world and die with the world. The choice is ours.
We are to stay away from anything that takes our eyes and heart off of Christ Jesus!
III. Believers are to grow in self-sacrificing love for brothers and sisters in Christ (4:9-10)
NOTE the Love of Christ to you and I through the words of an old hymn:
I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more; but the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, now safe am I!
When you and I trust Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we receive the Love of God and know that we should love others as Christ has loved us!
Paul is simply saying – love, love, and continue to love more. Let others see the love of Christ is you through your actions. Not only a challenge for the Thessalonicans – but for all believers today. May we increase in our love!
This only comes through Christ Jesus!
IV. Believers should strive to live a productive life (4:11-12)
Having a godly testimony both in and out of one’s church is vital in having a good witness for Christ Jesus.
1. I like what Albert Barnes says in his commentary on this verse. He explains that studying to be quiet and doing your own business this way. "Orderly, peaceful; living in the practice of the calm virtues of life. The duty to which he would exhort them was that of being subordinate to the laws; of avoiding all tumult and disorder; of calmly pursuing their regular avocations, and of keeping themselves from all the assemblages of the idle, the restless, and the dissatisfied."
2. The word "study" means to labor and strive for something. The word "quiet" means to be at peace. "Business" refers to a person's own private business. This would refer to his home, family and work.
3. Believers should be productive and earn their living with their own hands. This statement was made to this church because there were some were lazy and would not work. This mild admonishment did not get the job done and in Paul's second Epistle to them he was more direct. "For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12)
4. Idle hands will produce laziness and being a busy body. A busy body is someone who is always complaining about other people and what they do. Instead of attending to their own lives with its faults and needs...they take it upon themselves to correct others and be gossips. This sin will destroy the person who does it and often others as well.
Christians cannot have an effective and positive testimony for the Lord if they do not conduct their affairs honestly and reputably in the outside world. (v12)
The word "honestly" means more than being fair in our dealings with other, but refers to our general treatment of others.
CONCLUSION
So, what does all of this mean? I believe there is a point to this passage. Are you and I continually growing in Christ? Are we honoring God in all things? Are there areas that need vast improvement? You could be in this boat and asking this question today. Am I in Christ? Have I really ever trusted Jesus to be my Lord and Savior and allowed Him to be my Lord and Savior?
Christianity does not just refer to your church life – it refers to all of your life. If you are not the same person on Monday-Saturday as you are on Sunday, your relationship with God is tainted and it needs to be taken care of. If you claim to be a Christian and your actions speak otherwise, your witness is destroyed to others.
What boat are you in – are you growing and maturing in Christ or are you stagnant and sinking in a world of sin?
The choice for things to get better lies in your hands right now. Only time will tell if you make the right choice.
Grow in Holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit today!
