What world are you living in? It maybe a strange question to ask. We share some things eg greed, immorality, anger, hurt etc. But the ‘world’ we live in with all its temptations and trials varies so much. What you have to face and what I face can be quite different.
I’m not sure how comparable the nation and culture that you live in and that of the Thessalonians is. But for these Christians they had to live in a highly sexualised Roman world where commitment to one man one woman was difficult to see.
So as he does in his other letters Paul writes speaking into their world. What he says to them can certainly be applied to our world.
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honourable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no-one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)
Paul’s lists are set within important truths. If the truths are not brought to the forefront as to the reason why we do or don’t do certain things then all that will happen is we become legalists. We keep rules but we don’t have the correct reason for doing so.
This is why. These are the reasons. This is the higher purpose. This is the kingdom.
- God wants us to be different, v3. Holy and honourable, v4. Jesus took the form of a Jew, so He looked Jewish and yet the image of God the Father was seen in Him. That’s the same for us. Jesus lowered His position so that He came to serve not be served. If we think less of ourselves as Jesus did going to the cross then we move into holiness and cross is seen in us.
- God will punish us if we do not live holy lives, v6. Jesus created a way through His shed blood for us never to be in a place of punishment. Ignore that way and the promise is punishment. We live in times when this is clearly being seen. It’s a strange title for point 2. Some will disagree. But God is not punitive. He is patient with us. However what does He do with sin that is not brought under the blood of Jesus (the above point in 1) nor prevented by being in alignment with the Spirit (in the point below)? There is a way of life (not the Christian sanctified life) that will not remain unpunished by a Holy God.
- God gives you his Holy Spirit, v8. Our kingdom lifestyle, our sanctified life, it isn’t for man. We don’t get a medal. This is for God who pours out His Holy Spirit on our lives and who enables us to live a holy and honourable life.
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Missions Paul 