1 Fi na n ll l y l, y brothers others we we instructed instruct sanctified: ed: that that yo u should you u ho ho w to to liv li e v e in in or der

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1 1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 1

2 11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. Matthew 5:13, You are the SALT of the earth! But, IF the salt has LOST IT S SALTINESS it s NOT GOOD for ANYTHING, but to be CAST OUT and TRODDEN UNDER the feet of men! PAGANS are going to ACT like PAGANS! But, what is DISTURBING is that there are SO MANY PEOPLE who PEOPLE, h CLAIM to be CHRISTIAN, who ACT no different!! 2

3 TWO ASPECTS TO CHRISTIANITY: There are BELIEFS There is BEHAVIOR 1 Thessalonians 4:1, Finally, brothers, we instructed you HOW TO LIVE in order to PLEASE GOD! 1 Thessalonians 4:3, It is GOD S WILL that you be SANCTIFIED! an AREA an ATTITUDE an ARENA 1.) The AREA AREA of DISTINCTIVENESS is SEXUAL PURITY. 1 Thessalonians 4:5, The HEATHEN live in PASSIONATE LUST! 3

4 Romans 1:21 1:21 22, As their THINKING became FUTILE their FOOLISH HEARTS were DARKENED DARKENED.. Although they CLAIMED to be WISE, they became FOOLS! FOOLS! 1 Thessalonians 4:3a, It is GOD GOD S S WILL It that you should be SANCTIFIED. 1 Thessalonians 4:8, He who REJECTS this INSTRUCTION does NOT reject MAN, but GOD, Who gave you THE HOLY SPIRIT. 4

5 Leviticus 18:20 26, 26, Do NOT have SEXUAL RELATIONS with your NEIGHBOR S WIFE, and DEFILE YOURSELF with her. Do NOT LIE with a MAN, as one LIES with a WOMAN. That is DETESTABLE! Do NOT have SEXUAL RELATIONS with an ANIMAL. That is PERVERSION! Do NOT defile YOURSELF in ANY of these WAYS, because THIS is HOW the NATIONS that I am going to DRIVE OUT before you, BECAME defiled! Even the LAND was DEFILED, so I PUNISHED IT for it s SIN, and the land VOMITED OUT it s inhabitants! But, YOU must KEEP My DECREES and My LAWS! 1 Thessalonians 4:4, Each of YOU should LEARN to CONTROL HIS OWN BODY, in a WAY that is HOLY and HONORABLE. There is NOTHING SO ABSURD, but if you REPEAT IT OFTEN ENOUGH people WILL BELIEVE IT! William James, The Father Of Modern Psychology 5

6 Ephesians 5:18, DON T GET DRUNK! DON T Proverbs 23:21, DRUNKARDS AND GLUTTONS BECOME POOR! Ephesians 4:31, GET RID OF ALL OUTBURSTS OF RAGE RAGE, AND ANGER! 6

7 1 Corinthians 6:9 6:9 10, DO NOT BE DECEIVED DECEIVED,, NEITHER THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL, NOR ADULTERERS ADULTERERS, NOR MALE PROSTITUTES, NOR HOMOSEXUAL OFFENDERS, WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD! 1 Thessalonians 4:6, In THIS MATTER, no one should WRONG HIS BROTHER, or TAKE ADVANTAGE of him. Exodus 15:26, If you LISTEN CAREFULLY to The Lord your GOD, and do WHAT is RIGHT in HIS eyes; if you PAY ATTENTION to His COMMANDS, and KEEP all His DECREES, I will NOT bring ON you any of the DISEASES I brought on the EGYPTIANS. For, I am THE LORD Who HEALS you! 1 Corinthians 6:10, These people will NOT INHERIT The Kingdom Of God MALE PROSTITUTES, ADULTERERS, SEXUALLY IMMORAL, NOR HOMOSEXUAL OFFENDERS. 7

8 1 Corinthians 6:11, But, THAT is WHAT some of you WERE WERE,, but you were WASHED, you were SANCTIFIED, you were JUSTIFIED, in the NAME of The LORD JESUS CHRIST! 1.) The AREA AREA of DISTINCTIVENESS is SEXUAL PURITY. PURITY. 2.) The ATTITUDE ATTITUDE of DISTINCTIVENESS is LOVE LOVE.. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 4:9 10, Now, about BROTHERLY LOVE, we DON T need to WRITE to you, for YOU YOURSELVES have been TAUGHT BY GOD GOD,, to LOVE each other! John 15:18 15:18 19, If the WORLD HATES YOU YOU,, keep in mind that IT HATED ME ME,, FIRST! If you BELONGED TO THE WORLD, it would LOVE YOU AS IT S OWN. But, as it is, you DON T BELONG TO THE WORLD, because I have CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD, and THAT is WHY the world HATES YOU. 8

9 John 3:19, THIS is the VERDICT VERDICT.. LIGHT has COME INTO THE WORLD, but men LOVED DARKNESS instead of LIGHT, because THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL EVIL.. Men PREFERRED the EVIL of DARKNESS, and when the ON,, they re LIGHT is TURNED ON VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. John 13:35, By THIS shall they KNOW KNOW,, that you are MY DISCIPLES, that you HAVE LOVE one for another. Matthew 5:44, I tell you, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES ENEMIES.. Pray for THOSE who PERSECUTE you, that you may be SONS OF YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN! If you LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOU YOU,, what REWARD do you GET? Even the TAX COLLECTORS DO THAT! 9

10 1.) The AREA AREA of DISTINCTIVENESS is SEXUAL PURITY PURITY.. 2.) The ATTITUDE ATTITUDE of DISTINCTIVENESS is LOVE LOVE.. 3.) The ARENA ARENA of DISTINCTION is the WORKPLACE WORKPLACE.. 1 Thessalonians 4:11 4:11 12, Make it your AMBITION to LEAD a QUIET LIFE, MIND your OWN BUSINESS WORK with BUSINESS, i h YOUR HANDS, so that YOUR DAILY LIFE may WIN THE RESPECT of OUTSIDERS. NO GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD IS BIG ENOUGH TO MAKE PEOPLE DO WHAT IS RIGHT.. OUR CONSTITUTION IS RIGHT MADE FOR A MORAL AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. WITHOUT WORK.. THAT IT WON T WORK John Adams, President 10

11 Paul says, DON T be TOO PROUD to WORK with your HANDS! You GET IN THERE, THERE and d EARN RESPECT RESPECT,, so that WHEN you TALK about THE UP,, by GOSPEL, it will be BACKED UP your BEHAVIOR. TWO THINGS IN CLOSING: 1.) God is JUST, and He IS IS going to HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. 1 Thessalonians 4:6, The Lord will PUNISH MEN for ALL SUCH SINS, as we ve ALREADY TOLD YOU YOU,, and WARNED YOU. Jesus said, HEAVEN and EARTH are going to PASS AWAY, but b MY WORD will NEVER PASS AWAY! 11

12 TWO THINGS IN CLOSING: 1.) God is JUST, and He IS IS going to HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. 2.) God is LOVE, and He WANTS to FORGIVE YOU, now! Isaiah 1:18, THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, HE CAN MAKE THEM WHITE AS SNOW! 12