1
THESSALONIANS 4:1-8 (KJV)
PURITY—PARAMOUNT
PRIORITY
1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore
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. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
Paul gave weight
to his words by reminding the Thessalonians that he spoke under the authority
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had previously taught them the principles of living a
Christ-like life, and he commended them for their pursuit of godly living and
exhorted them to continue. Paul reminded them that his instructions and
directions to the them were given to him by the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this
is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication:
FORNICATE - to have sex with someone who you are
not married to
SANCTIFICA'TION, noun [See Sanctify.]
1. The act of making holy. In an evangelical sense,
the act of God's grace by which the affections of men are purified or alienated
from sin and the world, and exalted to a supreme love to God.
God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. 2
Thessalonians 2:13. 1 Peter 1:2.
2. The act of consecrating or of setting apart for
a sacred purpose; consecration.
It is God’s will
that the Holy Spirit set us apart for His glory, to be made more into the image
of the Son, Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:29). One of the
specific indicators of a life pursuing Christlikeness is avoiding any kind of
sexual impurity, immorality. Fornication
is not only adultery (married persons sleeping with someone other than their
spouse). It is also having a sexual
relationship with someone to whom you are not married, i.e. pre-marital sex.
1 Thessalonians 4:4 That every
one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
Every Christian
should know to exercise self-control over his/her own bodies. We need to yield
ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s control in all areas, and as this passage
instructs, control of our sexual appetites.
1 Corinthians
6:18-21 (NIV) Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are
outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do
you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,
whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a
price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
When a person
sins sexually, they are harming themselves and sinning against their Creator,
God Almighty. Sexual sin can scar a person, both emotionally
and physically. They have defaced the temple of God, their
body. Sexually
transmitted diseases often result from the immorality of one of the
partners. Emotional baggage and guilt
can follow the break-up of an extra-marital or pre-marital affair.
1 Thessalonians 4:5 Not in the
lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
CONCUPISCENCE, noun [Latin , to covet or lust
after, to desire or covet.] Lust; unlawful or irregular desire of sexual
pleasure. In a more general sense, the coveting of carnal things, or an
irregular appetite for worldly good; inclination for unlawful enjoyments.
We know even secret concupiscence to be sin.
Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in
me all manner of concupiscence Romans 7:8.
A modern
translation may help us with this verse:
1 Thessalonians
4:5 (VOICE) Don’t let the swells of
lustful passion run your life as they do the outsiders who don’t know God.
Our sexual
desires should not be in the driver’s seat.
Romans 6:13
(KJV) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:
but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The Holy Spirit
should be the One driving and directing our lives. He will not steer us into immorality!
1 Thessalonians 4:6 That no
man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is
the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
Sexual sin does
not only affect the two parties directly involved. Their sin is not
directed toward their families, but it can shatter them nevertheless. It can break up
a marriage, and leave a spouse abandoned.
It can cause children the torment of being torn between two estranged
parents. Children
are left broken and confused, and often blame themselves. It can bring shame upon the parents who raised the ones behaving
immorally. Ultimately, sexual immorality is a sin against the Lord God who
created our bodies and ordained that the sexual relationship should be between
a husband and wife. Our bodies are the habitation of the Holy Spirit and should
be used for the glory of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God
hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Jesus did not
redeem us so we could continue sinning and acting any way we wanted. He saved us to become a
reflection of the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
1 Thessalonians 4:8 He
therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto
us his holy Spirit.
Rejecting this
way of life—holiness—failure to abstain from sexual immorality, is in effect a
rejection of God Himself. God commands purity.
Those who truly love God, have a desire to keep His commandments.
John 14:21 (KJV)
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he
that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will
manifest myself to him.
Questions:
1. Who or what is our authority
concerning acceptable sexual behavior?
Society or the Word of God?
2.
Who or what do we desire to
please—God or our own sensual desires?
3.
Is purity a priority in your
life?
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