Sermon Tone Analysis

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 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell/ /© 2000

Introduction

 

In the first three chapters Paul reminded the Thessalonians of their commitment to Christ.

He also rehearsed his ministry amongst them.

He has given them a great deal of teaching and instruction, but now he turns to application.

Much of what is now said comes as a result of Timothy's ministry there.

Paul urges and exhorts the believers to further excel in their walk with God.

He urges them to be steadfast in their Christian walk.

The apostle concentrates on three specific areas.

* *

*To **Walk In Holiness, Harmony* *& Honesty*.

I.

Walk in Holiness* * 

 

/a.

To Please God  /

 

*1 Thess 4:1*/ 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; /

 

The */first reason/* we are given for walking in holiness is /that it pleases God/.

Paul urges and exhorts them to excel in their walk with God.

They had received commandments from Paul /on how to please God./

But Paul wanted them to grow, to go even further with the Lord.

This is probably why he exhorts them instead of commanding them.

They were already obeying these commandments, Paul encouraged them to excel more.

The idea is to grow and keep growing.

This is expressed by the phrase /that you should abound more and more.

/The Thessalonians were doing the right things, but Paul wanted them to develop even greater maturity.

To show even more zeal in pleasing God.

Our first priority as Christians should be /to please God/.

/    /

 

/b.

To Obey God  /

 

*1 Thessalonians 4:2*/ for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

/

 

The */second reason/* for living a holy life, is obedience to God's commands.

The Thessalonians knew the commandments that Paul had given them in Christ's name.

In fact they received them and were obeying them.

Christ spoke to the disciples about obedience in *John 15:14*: /"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you./

" The word /commandment/ paraggelia" here means /Christian doctrine relative for right living./

Paul had given them practical teaching on the Christian life.

They were to obey these instructions from the Lord.

The second reason for holiness is that we are required /to obey the Lord./

/c.

To Glorify God   /

/ /

*1 Thess 4:3-4*/ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;/ /that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;/  Paul's */third reason/* for holiness is to glorify God.

Paul now turns to the positive side of God's command.

The phrase /possess his vessel/ probably means control his body.

Believers are to be sanctified, they are to show self control over their own bodies.

This is the second time that the word a&giasmo" is used and it relates to our conduct.

Believers are to glorify God in every aspect of their lives.

We are not to live like unsaved people.

For they live according to their passionate desires and cravings.

They do not show self control but rather give themselves over to all kinds of uncleanness.

So Paul reminded them of their holy calling.

They were to be sanctified, holy.

The Greek word */sanctification/* a&giasmo" is used three times in these first eight verses and means */consecration, purification, sanctification of heart and life./*

It comes from the same Greek word that /saint/ comes from.

Paul says that we are to be /pure, holy, set apart/ /for godliness/.

Then he states this in a negative way, /abstain from sexual immorality./

It doesn't matter how society changes its standards, or what liberal theologians may say, God's standard is unchanging just like His character!

Christians are to have nothing to do with sexual immorality.

This word has a wide range, meaning any sexual relationship outside of marriage.

This includes adultery, incest, homosexuality, bestiality, rape, and anything else outside the marriage relationship.

God created sex and He has authority to govern its use.

*Hebrews 13:4* *says this:* /Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

/The seventh commandment forbids adultery and protects the marriage relationship.

Believers are not to engage themselves in this sin.

Such sin goes against ones own body and brings judgement, much sorrow and grief to all concerned.

/If you have fallen into sexual sin in the past God will forgive you if you confess it.

But then you are to live in all purity and holiness!/

The purity of the Ermine.

In the forests of northern Europe and Asia lives a little animal called the ermine, known for his snow-white fur in winter.

He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that would soil it.

Fur hunters take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine.

They don't set a snare to catch him, but instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree.

They smear the entrance and interior with grime.

Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine.

The frightened animal flees toward home but doesn't enter because of the filth.

Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity.

For the ermine, purity is more precious than life.

God wants us to stay free from impurity at all costs.

We may have to flee from temptation like Joseph did from Potiphar's wife.

He did what was right, regardless of the cost.

/d.

To Escape Judgement from God  /

 

*1 Thessalonians 4:6*:/ 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.

/

 

Believers who deliberately sin

 

The story is told of a church member who criticised her pastor for preaching against sin in the lives of Christians.

After all she said, sin in the life of a believer is different from sin in the lives of unsaved people.

/Yes said the pastor/,/ *its worse.

* / 

The */fourth reason/* to walk in holiness is a warning of God's judgement upon those who reject His standard.

Adultery is taking what belongs to someone else inside marriage, and using it for their own gratification.

The word translated/ *take advantage*/ u&perbainw means /to go beyond the proper limits, to transgress.

/Whilst the word translated */defraud/* pleonektew means /to gain or take an advantage of another.

/So adultery is taking in an improper way something that belongs to another person.

God will avenge such action.

He will punish it and exact the due penalty.

For God has not called us to uncleanness but to holiness.

David and Bathsheba

 

Christians will not lose their salvation because of their sins, but they will bear the consequences of them.

God forgave David for his sin with Bathsheba but he and his family bore the consequences of this sin.

His kingdom was never the same after his sin with Bathsheba.

His own children tried to take the kingdom and kill him.

Israel lost it's place of respect amongst the nations.