Series: Action [#54]
A LETTER OF ENCOURAGMENT- FOLLOW GOD’S WILL
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Introduction:
There are many forms of exercise; but probably the most popular form of exercise is walking. Now, that obviously is not a form of exercise that I prescribe to; but it is something that most people can do whenever they choose. The Christian life has been compared to walking many times. This morning, our text is going to tell us how to walk in step with God and follow God’s will.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
To follow God’s will, walk in…
1. Holiness.
The moral climate in the Roman Empire was not healthy and immorality was a way of life. The idea of holy living was a new concept to them. Paul knew that these new Christians were facing many temptations; and he was teaching them why they should live a holy life and abstain from sensual lusts. This passage of Scripture really applies to the way things are in our Country.
You live a holy life in order to…
* Please God.
Everybody lives to please somebody. Many people live to please themselves. They have no concern for others. Christians cannot go through life trying to please only themselves. We must also be careful when it comes to pleasing others. It is possible to both please others and honor God, but it is also possible to dishonor God. Pleasing God means much more than simply doing God’s will. It is possible to obey God and yet not please Him. Jonah obeyed God and did what he was commanded, but his heart was not in it. Jonah sat outside the city of Nineveh angry with everybody, including God.
You live a holy life in order to…
* Obey God.
When he ministered in Thessalonica, Paul gave the believers the commandments of God regarding personal purity. Paul reminded these new believers that sexual immorality did not please God.
You live a holy life in order to…
* Glorify God.
This is the positive side of God’s commandment. Christians are supposed to be different from the unsaved. The unsaved do not know God; therefore, they live ungodly lives; but we know God, and we are obligated to glorify Him in this world. Our bodies are the vessels of God. The Christian who commits sexual sin is sinning against his own body, and he is robbing God of the glory He should receive through a believer’s way of life.
You live a holy life in order to…
* Escape the judgment of God.
God is no respecter of persons; He must deal with His children when they sin. While it is true that the Christian is not under condemnation, it is also true that there is consequences to sin.
God forgave David for committing adultery, but David still reaped what he sowed. Do not use the fact that you are a Christian as your ticket to sin. A holy walk involves a right relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that makes our body the temple of God. Furthermore, it is by walking in the Spirit that we get victory over the lusts of the flesh.
How does the Spirit of God help us live a clean life, free from sexual impurity? To begin with, He creates holy desires within us so that we have an appetite for God’s pure Word and not the polluted garbage of the flesh. Also, He teaches us the Word and helps us to recall God’s promises in time of temptation. As we yield to the Spirit, He empowers us to walk in holiness and not be detoured into the lusts of the world and the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit overcomes the works of the flesh.
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
To follow God’s will, walk in…
2. Harmony.
The transition from holiness to love is not a difficult one. Just as God’s love is a holy love, so our love for God and for one another ought to motivate us to holy living. The more we live like God, the more we will love one another. If a Christian really loves his brother, he will not sin against him.
There are 4 basic words for “love” in the Greek language. Eros: Physical love. Storge: Family love, the love parents have for their children. Philia: Love between brothers and sisters. Agape: A sacrificial love. Love is the “circulatory system” of the body of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
To follow God’s will, walk in…
3. Honesty.
The emphasis is on the believer’s witness to those who are outside the Christian fellowship. We are told in verse 11 to lead a quiet life, a life of inner peace. We should not be busy bodies but mind our own business. Usually when we are busy, we do not have time to look into what others are doing.
As Christians we must always remember that how we live is seen by many non-Christians each day. Let us walk in ways that will reflect the light of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
The Christian walk is practical. The obedient Christian will have a holy life by abstaining from sexual sin; a harmonious life by loving the brethren; and an honest life by working with his hands and not meddling in the affairs of others. When unsaved people see Christ magnified in this kind of a life, they will either oppose it with envy or desire to have it for themselves. Either way, God is glorified.
