A Call to Holy Living

I Thessalonians 4:1-12

Our study of Thessalonians moves from words of encouragement to continue in the faith to the matter of the conduct of holiness in our living. It is clear the Scriptures call the followers of Jesus to live differently than the non-believer lives. Paul reminds us in I Thessalonians 4.

• A call (I Thessalonians 4:1-3a)
  • A request and exhortation
    • He asks them
    • He urges them
  • A reminder
    • This was not something new
      • They had received his words
      • They were walking in them
  • A recollection (I Thessalonians 4:2)
    • Recall what he said
    • Recall the source of his instruction
  • A reconstruction (I Thessalonians 4:3)
    • For sanctification
      • Sanctification can be a statement of fact
      • From a practical perspective, it is a process of development
        • Cease to do evil
        • Learn to do well
• A case in point (I Thessalonians 4:3b-8)
  • Two things are used to illustrate the matter of sanctification
    • Fornication (I Thessalonians 4:3b-5)
      • The Greek word is “pornia” from which we get the word pornography
      • The call – keep your body under control and act honorably
    • Fraud (I Thessalonians 4:6-8)   
      • The word “wrong” is also “defraud”
        • To take advantage of a situation to make a gain at the expense of another
      • God will punish such action
• A challenge (I Thessalonians 4:9-12)
  • We are challenged to a higher calling – love
    • It wasn’t that they hadn’t been practicing this, he calls them to excel
    • Agape – God’s love for us
    • Phileo – great affection for family and friends
  • We have a holy challenge (I Thessalonians 4:11)
    • Quiet life – without contentiousness
    • Be industrious
    • Be respectable

As Christians, we should never be satisfied to come to the place of salvation only, but we need to press on in the development of maturity.