Life as a Christian

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

Jesus paid for our salvation with his life and offers salvation freely - as a gift - but receiving that gift has a cost. It should result in some change in our lives.

As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, in our study of 1 Thessalonians that Paul has been grateful and complimentary of the Thessalonians for their genuine faith. He can see elements of authenticity and real change. But as we briefly discussed last week, Paul also noted some areas where he needs to correct some things in their thinking and practice. Today, as we look at the first part of chapter 4, we’ll begin to some some of the correction that Paul wants to make regarding “Christian Behavior” (Stott).

As we walk through this passage, I want to do so by asking two questions:

What is God’s will for me?

How can I live out God’s will?

What is God’s will for me?

This is a question that lot’s a people ask. Often, when we ask this, we’re looking at big things - career, whom to marry, where to go. Scripture, however, seems to delineate God’s will in several different ways.

Giving thanks in all circumstances is the will of God (1 Thess. 5:18.

1 Peter 2:15 “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”

1 Peter 4:1-2 - suffering in the flesh in the battle against sin

But here in his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul answers that question very simply:

Sanctification (1-3)

1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;”

This begs another question - what is sanctification?

the idea that something is set apart for God - set a part as holy unto the Lord.

OT -

God sanctified the 7th day as “sacred”.

God sanctified the people of Israel and called them continually to holiness.

Sanctification is not just a designation - but an identification and association

Designation - is a declaration that something is. God declared the Sabbath to be holy - it’s the one day each week that is set apart for him. God designated the people of Israel to be holy and even certain people to be even more holy.

I might refer to a cup (Red Yeti). I may or may not have purchased it. But generally, it is designated as mine. That’s not to say that others can’t use it, but generally, if I want to use it, it should be available.

Sanctification implies a designation, which in this case is done by God. But there is another element of sanctification - that is...

Identification - God not only designated us or declared something to be sanctified, now others identify it as such. In the OT, people all around the Israelites would have known that this day of the week was sacred to the people of Israel. It could be identified that way.

just as my cup has my germs on it - when something is designated to be sanctified, there are certain things that identify it as such. My name is not on this, but it’s a general fact that when people see this cup around the house or in the cabinet - they know it’s mine.

It seems however, there is another element of sanctification and that is...

Association - When something is sanctified, it is assumed that certain things would be associated with that sanctification status.

Sabbath - there would be no vocational work, worship would happen

My cup - you would expect that it would be somehow associated with me - when you see it in my hand it’s appropriate - when it’s seen in someone else’s hand or approaching someone else’s lips - it may seem odd to others who know it’s status because the association is different.

When it comes to our lives, the justification work that Jesus did for us on the cross essentially sanctified - declared us righteous and designated us as holy. Our job is then to allow the Holy Spirit to do His sanctifying work in our lives - making it so that people identify us more and more as holy unto God and especially as we associate more and more with things of God.

So, this then challenges us to ask the next question in this text...

How can I live out God’s will?

Or in other words - how can I be more sanctified?

There are a lot of areas that we can think through. Paul, in teaching the Thessalonians addresses an issue that was particularly impactful for their area. He tells them that sanctification will come...

With sexual purity (3-8)

In their culture the things that we might call sexual immorality were central. There was sexual activity related to the worship of deities. While fidelity within the family was generally seen as wise, infidelity was commonplace. Once a man and a woman were married, it was expected that a woman remain faithful - in order to ensure that there was a clear lineage. Men, however, while not condoned, were generally free to have adulterous relationships with people outside of the marriage.

So Paul, here, in calling the people to sexual purity is going against everything that they had grown up with.

1 Thessalonians 4:3–8 ESV

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

He encourages them to abstain from sexual immorality - that is anything outside of the covenant of marriage - sex before marriage, outside of marriage, etc.

But notice what his motivation is - holiness and honor. He is not telling them to do this because it’s the Jewish or even Christian tradition. He’s not telling them to do this because it’s wise. He’s telling them to do this because it’s a means of controlling one’s “body in holiness and honor.”

Holiness - after all - we have been saved - not just our souls, but our entire beings. As we’ve already discussed, Jesus declared/designated us as holy when he justified us for our sins, we began to be identified as holy as we receive his free gift by faith. Now Paul is calling them to be associated as holy by their actions. This cup, the vessel of our bodies, now belongs to God.

Honor - Sexual purity not only honors or shows respect for our own bodies, but is a way of honoring the other person’s body, and more importantly honoring God.

I can only imagine how radical this teaching might have been for some people in Thessalonica - where sexual promiscuity would have been not just tolerated but practically expected. Paul is calling them to a radical change.

As we think about this in our culture - what are our cultural norms?

Before marriage

sexual activity with other partners is practically expected -

pornography is normalized - even celebrated as art

Within Marriage

Fidelity is expected

Open marriage is an option for some

Pornography may be tolerated - possibly even accepted

Adultery is still looked down upon - but also a bit normalized in especially in Hollywood.

So, in this area of sexual purity and our sanctification - we are being called to something more, something better, something counter-cultural. How are we doing?

Students and Singles

let me encourage you to not fall into the sexual trap that our society is laying for you. Reserve yourself for the one that God has appointed for you in marriage.

Our society has limited sex to just our physical beings - it’s a pleasure to be enjoyed or at least experienced. But in making sex a part of our sanctification, God views it as something more. Tim Keller has commented that it’s designed to be a place where a woman and a man can be completely naked together - not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually - fully united. This is God’s beautiful design.

Reserve your eyes, your mind, and your bodies. The trap of pornography is that we assume that it’s only affecting us individually, but it affects how we view others as well - which means it affects them.

Couples

How is your thought life?

What are your eyes viewing?

For all of us

I believe we need to repent where we have fallen into this trap - we can’t blame society because we are culpable, but we do need to repent.

We need to be careful with what we are allowing onto our phones, computers, and televisions and into our eyes and ears - we need to live up to a higher, holier standard.

We need to be praying for each other.

We often think that some forms of sexual promiscuity - especially voyeurism/pornography - is just personal - but Paul seems to communicate that it impacts each other. Look at what it says in verse 6:

1 Thessalonians 4:6 ESV

that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

There is something about this part of our lives that has impacts in our relationships with each other. That other person might not know how you think about them - but God does.

Let us swim feverishly against the currents of our culture and live lives of holiness by reserving our sexual experiences for the spouse that God has called us to covenant with.

In talking about this element of our holiness/sanctification - several commentators noted that Paul seems to have a pattern that follows the Great Commandments:

Matthew 22:37–39 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

He begins by pointing out that our sexuality is a means by which we worship God. It’s this next section that begins to consider our neighbors as Paul challenges us to pursue our sanctification...

With familial love (9-10)

Literally, this is the word “philadelphia” or brotherly love in Greek. This is the love between family members.

1 Thessalonians 4:9–10 ESV

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,

There is something that the Thessalonians were doing could be commended. Their love for each other and for other believers was discussed throughout their region - and so Paul encourages them to keep it up!

Outside of the church, this brotherly or familial love (philadelphia) was really only used in families - among relatives. But in the church, we’ve been united to one another with something stronger than blood relations -the blood of Christ.

This is something that was at the heart of Jesus as well. On the night before he was crucified, Jesus told his disciples:

John 13:35 ESV

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

If our sexual purity is a means of demonstrating a bit of our sanctification/holiness - our love for each other continues to identify us more and more with Christ.

I was so encouraged this week when I spoke with Pete and Jackie. They have been fighting sickness for a couple of weeks and yet communicated that they have been well cared for by their church family - by you! Way to go. We need to keep doing that - serving one another, caring for one another, helping one another.

Finally, Paul seems to be instructing the Thessalonians and us that we can live out God’s will ...

With a consistent walk (11-12)

Paul concludes this section of encouragement and instruction with a discussion on how we should live:

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 ESV

and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

There are times when it can be tempting and enticing to be and do big things for God - to make a big splash for the Kingdom. I believe that some of us will get to do those things. I think Paul was one of those guys.

But for most of us, God’s assignment for us isn’t necessarily big, famous, and impactful things - it’s a life of daily consistency. It’s the ordinary. It’s the mundane.

Zack Eswine has said

“almost anything in life that truly matters will require you to do small, mostly overlooked things, over a long period of time with him.”

Normal and ordinary may seem boring - until we take time to realize the beauty that God has fashioned into the ordinary. I think we should dream and pray for big and extraordinary things - but not if it compromises a consistent life.

I believe God is most pleased when we live faithfully in small things.

So Paul seems to apply this in three different aspects of life.

with a consistent, quiet life - for those of us who are introverts, we might look at this and think “yes, I can just be the way that God called me to be” - yes that’s true. For extroverts, I don’t think God is calling you to be something you’re not, but rather, it seems like this consistent, quiet life is a life that lets actions speak louder than words. It’s a life that doesn’t draw attention. It’s a faithful life. Paul also urges them to live...

with a consistently, content life (minding our own affairs) - In the over-sharing of our social-media saturated culture, it’s easy to be people who want to be up on the latest gossip - discussing the latest trends or happenings in the news. But Paul seems to be urging the Thessalonians and us to be people who live, work and worry within the sphere of influence that God has given us. Ultimately, we have the most influence in our own lives and families - we should be content to mind those affairs. I think this would also extend to each other - as family members in the body of Christ. We should

with a consistent, hardworking life - some were not working - because of the assumption that Jesus was coming any day. Others were not working because of the Greco-Roman patronage system (this may be why Paul urged them to be “dependent on no one”). For some, work was considered beneath them.

Paul provided a motivation for our consistent walk:

walk properly before outsiders - not living to please others -but living to witness to others

independent/self sufficient - I think Paul is speaking more toward the patronage/not working because of the rapture - we do need to work, provide, be diligent/self-sufficient- but we also need to be willing to help each other and be helped by each other.

Illustration: Corrie Ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place - did big things, but not because she wanted to be famous or impactful. She did big things because she did small ordinary, mundane things.

Her dad reading scripture at the opening of the shop each day

Reading scripture each evening before bed

Doing a good, hard days work

Seeing people as God’s beautiful design

Noticing irregularities - the man on the walk who didn’t dogs, the Jewish shop owner who left everything in the middle of the night - taking people in - learning to hide hundreds of people from the injustices outside - some in her home - others in other homes.

Even in the concentration camp - sought to faithfully follow Christ there - her father died within a couple of weeks of their arrest. Her sister died just days before she would have been released. Corrie was freed and continued to follow God faithfully - writing, speaking, teaching, serving.

Closing thoughts:

Beloved God’s will for us is sanctification - growing in holiness.

This involves how growing in knowledge of God’s will but also living that out - in our sexual ethics, familial love, and consistent living.

Friend - if you’re not yet a Christian or are simply checking all of this out - consider the beauty of God’s design - he has made you for more than temporary pleasures and inconsistency. He has made you for His glory and provided a means for you through the cross of Jesus Christ to be in a right relationship with Him. Repent, Receive, walk in newness of life.

Note on the connect card -

talk about salvation

membership

community groups

Benediction

1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Discussion Questions:

What is God’s will for you?

What is sanctification?

What motivation does Paul give for sexual purity? (holiness, honor)

What are some practical ways that we can live out familial love this week?

How does Paul’s challenge “and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” relate to sanctification?

Sources:

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. New York, NY; Macmillan Company, 1968.

Constable, Thomas L. “1 Thessalonians.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

Green, Gene L. The Letters to the Thessalonians. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2002.

Holmes, Michael. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.

Mangum, Doug. “Sanctification.” Edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.

Stott, John R.W. The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Press, 1991.

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