Concerning Brotherly Love
Notes
Transcript
1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 (ESV) — 1 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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 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. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
1 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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 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. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
I. THE GOSPEL DIRECTS OUR STEPS
I. THE GOSPEL DIRECTS OUR STEPS
A. 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2 (ESV) — 1 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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
1 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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
B. As in most of Paul’s letters there comes a point where he directs the recipients to live in the light of what has been accomplished for them in the gospel.
C. He has shared with the Thessalonians his thankfulness before God for their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in Jesus (1:3).
D. True faith will yield the fruit of new behavior that reflects the character of Christ.
E. Paul had given these new believers instruction on how they ought to walk and please God.
F. This is an important part of being in Christ.
G. Colossians 1:9–11 (ESV) — 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
H. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and so we know we must live by faith in his working in and through us.
I. “Pleasing” does not refer to an attempt to win salvation from God by our actions (Rom. 8:8), but it does indicate that, as those saved by grace, our proper response is to live in Spirit-empowered sanctification, which is pleasant (1 Thess. 4:1) to the God who has redeemed us.[1]
J. “Spirit-empowered sanctification”.
K. Paul is asking and urging them (vs. 1) in the Lord Jesus. This is coming from the Lord, with his authority.
L. They received instruction (vs. 2) about how they ought to walk (live) and to please God (vs. 1).
M. Paul is calling the Thessalonians to continue growing. They haven’t arrived. Their lives can continue to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus (vs. 1).
N. We are to grow in God pleasing obedience.
II. SANCTIFICATION IS GOD’S WILL
II. SANCTIFICATION IS GOD’S WILL
A. 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8 (ESV) — 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 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. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 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. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
B. Paul is now moves to a specific application. This may be the result of the report from Timothy of possibly leaders in the church sent a letter asking Paul for direction concerning an issue in the church.
C. The area of sanctification or conformity to Christ that is addressed is sexual purity.
D. Abstain from sexual immorality. The word used is ‘porneias’ which covers the full gamut of sexual behavior outside the marriage of a man and a woman.
E. “Ancient Roman literature contains numerous stories of adulterous males, and in some tales even married women would pursue lovers. Homosexuality was widely practiced, especially among the Greeks, including forms of pederasty. Cities were famous for their prostitutes, especially cities on major trade routes (such as Thessalonica). Amid such widespread licentiousness, the church’s pagan neighbors likely thought these Christians strange to refuse such behavior. Indeed, some members of the church, having participated in such Roman sensuality prior to coming to Christ, likely still felt the addictive pull of such temptations.”[2]
(pe/da/rasty)
F. Vs. 4 - We are called to control our bodies in holiness and honor versus the passion of lust like the Gentiles who don’t know God. The Thessalonians should behave differently than the unbelieving Gentiles.
G. To violate this results in transgressing against and wronging a brother.
H. Vs. 6 - In other words adultery hurts others. (Spouses, children, the church community)
I. God is the avenger when it comes to these violations. They had been told and warned.
J. This is so because God did not call us for impurity, but in holiness (vs. 7).
K. This is God’s message and to disregard it is to disregard God, the one who gave his Holy Spirit to us.
L. 1 Corinthians 6:15–20 (ESV) — 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
M. Paul’s words to the Corinthians apply to the Thessalonians and to you and me.
N. We are to glorify God in our bodies.
O. I don’t need to speak to the ills of the culture, but only show that God values your body and how it is used. We are either honoring him or dishonoring him. We cannot give in to our culture or our former manner of life. May we delight in him and pursue sanctification.
[1]Chapman, D. W. (2018). 1 Thessalonians. In I. M. Duguid, J. M. Hamilton Jr., & J. Sklar (Eds.), Ephesians–Philemon(Vol. XI, p. 291). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
[2]Chapman, D. W. (2018). 1 Thessalonians. In I. M. Duguid, J. M. Hamilton Jr., & J. Sklar (Eds.), Ephesians–Philemon(Vol. XI, p. 292). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.