How You Ought to Walk

Introduction:

     Isaiah had predicted the establishment of the Lord’s house, the church, in Isaiah 2:1-2.  He prophesied that those of the house of God would walk in the Lord’s path.  Isaiah 2:3  In our text, Paul used this concept of walking to show that the Christian life must follow a particular course of life. The Christian life is one that is sanctified, both holy and honorable.

 Text:  I Thessalonians 4:1-8

 Theme:  Being sanctified means walking a certain way.

     Just prior to this, in I Thessalonians 3:13, Paul exhorted these Christians to live so as to be found blameless at the second coming of Christ.  In this section, he exhorted them to abound in their walk as much as possible.  To do this, he urged them to remember and respect the commandments, not suggestions, of the Lord.  Pursue excellence, not mediocrity.  God, the Father, wants men to respect the Lordship of His Son.  Philippians 2:9-11  Since Paul desired that these Christians please God, he exhorted them to put into practice what Paul and Silas had taught them.  Principles are lifeless without application.

     God wanted them to be sanctified, set apart for His special service.  We are to be holy, belonging to God, His property.  This included abstaining from sexual immorality as fornication, adultery, prostitution, and homosexuality.  Recall many of these Christians had come out of pagan religions where these practices were very common, the normal way of life.    I Corinthians 6:15-20

     Paul here instructed the Thessalonian Christians (and us) to learn how to keep their bodies under control.  This concept is out of vogue in society today.  Recall self-control is one of the Christian graces.  Without it, one has no hope of reaching the gates of heaven.  The drunkard, the liar, the sexually immoral person must quit his sin and control himself if he wants to inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Galatians 5L19-21  Live in sanctification and honor, a pure life set apart for God.  Colossians 3:5

     Many of these Christians may have been formerly involved in sexually immoral practices associated with pagan, idol worship.  Being sanctified now meant never returning to them.  Note: II Corinthians 6:16, 7:1    Paul instructed Timothy on how to refrain from lust.  II Timothy 2:20-22 

Determine to live a holy and honorable life.  Flee those situations in which you are tempted by your lusts.  Lust is a corruption of something good.  Romans 13:13-14  Involve yourself in activities which develop righteousness, faith and love.  Engage in these good activities with other like-minded Christians. 

     Paul first stressed that coveting and taking a brother’s wife is also sinful because you are defrauding your brother.  ‘Transgress’ means to cross a forbidden boundary.  God will take vengeance upon that person - . . . “but fornicators and adulterers, God will judge.”  Hebrews 13:4

     The Thessalonians were called by God, through the gospel, to live a sanctified life, dedicated, set apart to the Lord’s service. That call has moral implications for a holy life.  Recall that sanctification and holiness come from the same Greek word.  [It doesn’t give you a ‘get-out-of-hell-free’ card!]   I Peter 1:13-16

     The one who rejects this teaching of Paul is actually rejecting God, Himself.  Why?  What Paul spoke and wrote was what the Holy Spirit told him to say and write.

     When the Thessalonians had obeyed the gospel, they had been sanctified, made holy and pure, set apart for the Lord’s service.  One is purified when his sins are washed away in baptism.  Acts 22:16  Then we are to ‘pursue’ a holy life as God’s people.

 Bobby Stafford

June 12, 2011

Church of Christ Sermons
How You Ought To Walk Sexual Purity Text:  I Thessalonians 4:1-8
Christian Living
Bobby Stafford

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