1 THESSALONIANS 4:1-12 The Goal of a Christian Life: The 2 nd Coming of Christ is a Purifying Hope

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1 1 THESSALONIANS 4:1-12 The Goal of a Christian Life: The 2 nd Coming of Christ is a Purifying Hope IN this chapter the Apostle Paul continues his dialog concerning traits of a Christian life. Namely, a genuine Christian life will be characterized by holiness a life set-apart and dedicated in worship and service for the LORD. This is summarized in verse 4:12:.that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. Starting in this chapter with Finally then.., Paul transitions his letter to some very practical exhortation. Knowing God is supposed to make a dramatic difference in the sexual behavior of a person as compared with a non-believer. v. 1-2 CHRISTIAN IMPERATIVE: LIFE BY FAITH TO PLEASE GOD [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 to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.] Thessalonica was a seaport town which meant it had a history of promoting and nurturing immoral practices as a way of entertainment and financial gain. Paul now addresses that issue in regards to their moral behavior as Christians. Paul begins this section of his letter with the phrase Finally then... In the first three chapters he commends the Thessalonians on their faithfulness and identifies with their suffering. He reminds them of the care and concern he had for them and the pride he had in them as fine examples of Christian love and service. But now he will exhort them in some very practical matters. The Christian life is a growing process. The words urge (ask) and exhort (encourage) are in the active present tense, that is, we keep on urging and exhorting you to excel more and more don t remain static and grow stale in one s Christian walk. The word exhort also entails the idea of coming alongside of in the sense of identifying personally with believers. Paul is not reprimanding here but is showing the love and concern he has for the believer s welfare. As genuine followers of Jesus Christ, we are to live our lives in a manner that pleases God. In effect, we are to continually live a live of faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without Faith it is impossible to please God: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We do that by living out the commandments that the LORD Jesus Christ gave us. One of these is to love your brother as yourself by that all men will know that we are true disciples of Jesus Christ. But more than that, we are to live our lives separated from the corrupting attitudes and behaviors that characterize an unbelieving world. This is what sanctification means in its essence. DISCUSSION QUESTION: How frequently do you think about the Biblical truth that your behavior either pleases God of it doesn t? How can a Christian know what pleases God? 1

2 v. 3-8 BELIEVERS NEED TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY HOLINESS: SEXUAL PURITY [3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. ] In this passage Paul is stressing that sanctification primarily entails living a life that is not engaged in sexual immorality, the sexual sins of adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, prostitution and pornography. As Christians, each one of us should protect, guard and make decisions that will not pollute our body or mind. We are not to behave like unbelievers who check their inhibitions at the door. In verse 3 the primary focus of sanctification is given: Abstain from sexual immorality : In verse 4 Paul states the issue positively: to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. In verse 5 Paul states the issue negatively: not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God. Note carefully: Paul is not saying that sexual desires are evil, only that there is a wrong way and right way to express them. God has made sexual relations to be enjoyed and lead to the procreation of the human race. But anything perverted or taken out of the context in which God intended it is sin. As husband and wife it is important to have passion in a marriage (refer to the Song of Solomon). But unbridled sexual desire [e.g.; rape, incest, adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexuality and prostitution] that is outside the boundaries that God has defined is to be controlled in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the way that those who do not know God behave (i.e., the Gentiles ) but immoral sexual behavior has absolutely no place in a Christian s life because they are supposed to know God {v. 5b}. How can we know God? It turns out that when we repent and trust in the LORD it is more about the fact that we are known by God as one of His own and we automatically know God. It is an issue of ignoring the God we know. Galatians 4:8-9 tells us: But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? Furthermore, we are told in 1 Corinthians 2:9-16; Rom. 12:1-2; Phil 2:5-7. DISCUSSION QUESTION: Can one accurately conclude that those living in open sexual immorality don t know God? Why? 2

3 APPLICATION: God has called us to holiness. The Bible tells us that those who seek to follow after the LORD need to..gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." --1 Pet 1:13-16 {v. 6a} Paul is also making a plea here in the context of not taken advantage over another human being through sexual immorality. An example of this would be to commit adultery with another person s husband or wife. There is also the practical aspect of this since those who do not control their sexual desire will be taken advantage of by those who exploit this for monetary gain [pornography, prostitution, etc.]. {v. 6b} Paul reminds us here that God Himself will take vengeance and judge such a person as the Bible warns. {e.g.; Prov. 5:15-23; 6:20-35}. {v. 7} God has not called to live an unclean life but one separated and dedicated to Him. APPLICATION: God is no prude when it comes to sex and neither is He a killjoy as some would believe. We need to remember that it was God who created sex and He is the expert in how it is to be used. Therefore, it would be advantageous for a person to listen to the One who gives clear guidelines and rules on the wrong and right ways of enjoying this wonderful gift! For example see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; 7:1-5; 1 Timothy 4:1-5. The rejection of the moral standards described here is serious. Any person who disregards this Biblical teaching concerning sexual purity is not merely rejecting man-made standards but God s who has given us His Holy Spirit. APPLICATION: There are two primary, but opposite, ways that cause a Christian to reject the standards God has for holiness in his/her life: Lack of self-control/lack of discipline Legalism A Christian needs to guard against falling into the trap of either of these. Since Paul is saying that we have the Holy Spirit to help us live in a manner of sexual purity, a Christian is without excuse for not knowing this or and without excuse for living an immoral lifestyle! DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do Christians have the freedom to live as they want since they cannot lose their salvation? Why? How should a Christian deal with one who has sinned in this area? What hope does the Word of God give to those individuals who have sinned in the area of sexual immorality? 3

4 v. 9-10a CHRISTIANS ARE TO MODEL A CHRIST-LIKE LOVE [9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10a and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.] Brotherly love is the word philadelphia and refers to the affection, care and protection shown among siblings in a family. Paul lists two reasons that he did not really need to write the Thessalonians regarding this. First, they had already been taught by God to love one another. However, this is a different word for love; agape, which is the highest form of love. It is full of grace and selfless and has a servant-like attitude. Jesus said that it will be this kind of love that will be the greatest mark of a real disciple of Christ one born of the Spirit {John 13:35}. The indwelling Holy Spirit causes a Christian to love the brethren his/her brothers and sisters in the faith. It is something that needs to be practiced Second, the Thessalonians didn't really need a written instruction about love. He had firsthand knowledge that they already were doing this toward all the brothers. In the previous study Timothy and Silas had come from Macedonia with a report of the churches there {Acts 18:5; 1 Thess. 3:6}. So based on this news {1 Thess. 1:7-9} Paul knew that the Christians at Thessolonica were practicing Christ-like love towards one another from the same report. v. 10b-12 A GENUINE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY [10b But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.] {vv. 10b-11} These instructions wrap up Paul's thoughts before he moved on to a new topic in verse 13. Here he covers several important practical areas of day-to-day living. In verse 1, Paul had used the terms we encourage and brothers to begin the practical section of the letter. Here, he repeated them like a closing parenthesis, signaling he was about to move on. The FOUR BRIEF COMMANDS concern areas which, if neglected, could cause trouble in a church. 1. INSTRUCTION AGAINST APATHY. To do so even more refers back to active deeds of love (v. 9). Believers can never coast in our dealings with brothers and sisters in God's family. To think we have arrived and have no room for improvement in our dealings within the family here is dangerous. Been there and done that reflects indifference, for which the cure is to keep on growing in love. APPLICATION: The church at Ephesus had been warned by Christ that she had lost her first love. Christians are to guard against the sin of apathy by maintaining a vibrant, active and practical faith and testimony. 4

5 2. INSTRUCTION AGAINST DISCONTENTMENT [The STUDY GUIDE refers to this as RESTLESSNESS ]. To seek to lead a quiet life refers to a stable, balanced life that is resting in God s Word. Paul recognized that achieving a quiet kind of life isn't automatic. Christians are purposefully to seek such a lifestyle. Being a Christian is not necessarily a high-stress, always-on-the-go matter and does not always involve highly charged issues. On the other hand, Paul was not advising Christians to tone down their witness concerning the gospel. 3. INSTRUCTION AGAINST MEDDLING. To mind your own business means keeping your nose out of other people's affairs. Certainly any number of believers have disregarded Paul's advice and found themselves embroiled in unnecessary controversy. 4. INSTRUCTION AGAINST LAZINESS. To work with your own hands could be paraphrased to have a job so you can support yourself and others (see 2 Thess. 3:11-12). Paul's reference to hands can be understood in the first-century setting where almost everyone made a living though manual labor. Paul was not saying manual labor is the only way to make a living. On the other hand, manual labor is never something Christians should look down on. Both Jesus the carpenter and Paul the tent-maker had jobs involving sweat and getting dirt under their fingernails. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What is a Christian lifestyle? [World view shaped by God s word]. How are the traits of honesty, a good reputation and being a productive member of society related to the testimony of a Christian? Apathy, instability, meddling and laziness are great dangers to modeling a genuine Christian lifestyle. Which one of these areas poses the biggest challenge to your personal Christian life? {v. 12} The apostle concluded by giving two results of following his instructions to continue to live a genuine Christian life. FIRST, Christians will live responsibly and faithfully in the presence of outsiders. Non- Christians notice it when believers are apathetic, restless, meddlesome, or lazy. It hurts the testimony of a congregation when its members do not contribute as productive members of a society. The church is not trying to win a popularity contest, nor is it ever necessary to give up Christian moral distinctives (as we have already seen in Paul's appeal to purity, vv. 3-8). Yet if Christians are to be persecuted or slandered, let it be because outsiders reject the gospel message, not because the Christians they know are apathetic, restless, meddlesome, lazy persons. SECONDLY, believers will lack nothing [for they will be accountable for themselves]. This means Christians are to be financially responsible and as independent as possible. Believers are to seek not to be an economic burden, although there are times when one believer may need to accept help from others. (See 2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Tim. 5:16.) A Christian leaves a fragrance wherever he/she goes {2 Cor. 2:15-17; Eph. 5:1-4} and it is the disciple s responsibility to make sure they do not become odious to those around us that the testimony of Jesus Christ should suffer {e.g., 2 Sam. 12:13-14}. 5

6 CONCLUSIONS: We are to have the goal of pleasing God in our behavior & lifestyle We please God when our behavior is characterized by moral purity. We please God when our love for believers shows the kind of love He has for us. We please God when our lifestyles demonstrate to those outside the church that we are honest and productive members of society. Bibliography (1) New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (2) Thru the Bible With J. Vernon McGee, 1 Corinthians-Revelation, Vol.5; The Book of 1 Thessalonians, J. Vernon McGee, pp , copyright 1982 (3) Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament, Cook Communications Ministries; Copyright 1983, (5) Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Copyright (6) Jon Courson s Application Commentary, New Testament, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tenn., Copyright (7) Biblical Illustrator, LifeWay Publishers, Winter , Vol. 35, No. 2. 6