1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Purity/Sexual immorality-the second part, exciting conclusion
The church as it is supposed to be is:
1) a people of encouragement (1:2–10);
2) a people of self-sacrifice (2:1–12);
3) a people of controversy (2:13–16);
4) a people of joy (2:17–3:13);
5) a people of purity (4:1–8);
6) a people of work (4:9–12);
7) a people of clarity (4:13–5:11);
8) a people of unity (5:12–15);
9) a people of growth (5:16–22).
Today we will consider number 5; A people of purity.
Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound 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[a] in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God, 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
Let me review last time.
Along with all the other things the church is to be, it is to be a people of purity. Specifically, we are talking about sexual purity. Verse 3 through 5 says,
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[a] in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God,
So, a sermon about sex, yeah. But the main point that we want to understand is that we are to stand out from the world. Our values and beliefs should be different than the world’s. And since, today, we are looking at part 2, “How do I live up to God’s standard?” there are going to be some very practical things that apply, not only to sexual immorality but to sin in general.
A people of purity
Last time; What is the standard for sexual purity? How do I live up to that standard?
1. The standard
3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,
There are three words or phrases here that we need to understand in order to understand what God’s standard regarding sexual immorality is; sanctification, abstain, and sexual immorality.
Let me summarize these three.
Sanctification-set apart for God’s use- we can soil ourselves so much that we become useless.
Abstain: not participate
Definition of sexual immorality
3 levels; participation, thoughts, danger zones
So, let me get very succinct here with a definition for sexual immorality. Sexual immorality is participating in any sexual activity outside of the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman. It takes in thoughts and desires about sexual activity outside of that between a marriage of one man and one woman. And, it takes in activities or thoughts that might draw you into that sexual activity. : danger zones
3 levels; participation, thoughts, danger zones
The standard is purity in action, thought, and motive.
That’s a high standard; don’t do it, don’t think about it, don’t do anything that makes you think about it. –100 % purity -a people of purity-If someone looked at your list of ingredients, it would say 100% righteousness.
This is the difficult part. Purity is such a high standard. Most of us have learned to live with a much lower standard than purity. We don’t expect it. We go to the grocery store and look at the ingredient list on most of the food we buy. Rarely do we expect to pick up a bag or can, say of peanut butter or grape jelly and look at the ingredients and expect to see “ingredients: peanuts,” or “ingredients: grapes.” And even if we find that product, we know that “pure” doesn’t mean “pure.” For example, peanut butter. We all know that the peanuts originated from a farm where there are bugs, weeds, and vermin.
Brace yourselves I found the FDA standard for peanut butter online.
“Peanut butter is one of the most controlled foods in the FDA list; an average of one or more rodent hairs and 30 (or so) insect fragments are allowed for every 100 grams, which is 3.5 ounces.”
Purity is a high standard.
And if we don’t expect purity in our food, we sure don’t expect it in people, even Christian people, or in ourselves.
So, we determine that we will never be perfect, so why try. Most of us have resigned ourselves to our own level of imperfection, haven’t we? We think, well I can’t make 100 percent, but I can make 99, that is good enough. But it’s not enough. The goal is always 100%. We don’t lower the goal. I read this blurb this week.
What you'd get if 99% were good enough:
No
phone service for 15 minutes each day.
1.7 million pieces of first class mail lost each day.
35,000 newborn babies dropped by doctors or nurses each year
200,000 people getting the wrong drug prescriptions each year
Unsafe drinking water three days a year.
Three misspelled words on the average page of type.
2 million people would die from food poisoning each year.
Unknown.
That’s why our standard is not 80, or 90, or 99%, but 100% purity.
So, that’s our review, we’ve set the standard for purity, but the second part is, how do we uphold it?
2. How to uphold the standard
This is some very practical advice that can be applied, not only to the sin of sexual immorality, but to any sin. We said earlier that the sin of sexual immorality, and all sin, takes place on 3 levels; participation, thoughts, danger zones. Paul says that we need to address our thoughts first. Change your thoughts about a sin, and its danger zones, and the behavior can be changed. If we train ourselves not to wander in the woods, we’re less likely to be eaten by wolves.
In other words, the earlier you nip it, the greater success you will have.
I have an illustration for that. Yesterday I went out into our yard to deal with some small maple trees and spreading vines that had begun to grow. I say, “had begun.” Actually, I had a tree started that was as tall as I am, up through our fence. I had vines growing up through our A.C. unit.
You all know this, probably better than me. When it comes to unwanted plants and weeds, deal with them early and often. I need to make it a practice to cut this stuff every time I mow.
And that’s what Paul is saying, start with your thoughts. Get aggressive in addressing your danger zones.
We need to change our minds.
Thoughts regarding three areas;
yourself, others, and God.
a. Honor in your relationship to yourself (Consider yourself) change your mind about yourself
4 that each one of you know how to control his own body[a] in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God,
i. each of you should know how to control his own body
Many of us have given up. We say, “It is what it is,” “This is me, take it or leave it,” but let me remind you of something, those are not “Christian sayings.”
This is about self-awareness. There’s one thing I’ve learned through my years. Everyone is different. What is a temptation to you, may have not appeal whatsoever to me. There are people who became Christians, and because of their background, they live with homosexual desires, or alcoholism. And others struggle in other areas. So, the first step to avoiding those sins and temptations, is to know yourself. You have to know your strengths and your weaknesses.
4 that each one of you know…your own body-you have to be honest with yourself.
At the levels of both participation and thought, know how to control your own body. Know what things lead you down a path to thoughts about sin, and participation in it. This has to do with not letting your body, and this includes your mind run your life. Paul talked about this with the church at Corinth.
Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body
What is Paul saying here? Well, he is repeating a common phrase used in Corinth to justify involvement in sexual immorality. And it is the same justification people give today. In Corinth, a Christian might say to his brother, “We shouldn’t visit temple prostitutes.” His brother might say, “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food.”
In other words, eating is a biological function; you get hungry, so you should eat. In the same way, sexual desire is a biological function, if you have those desires, you should fulfill them.
That’s the same logic we are presented with today; if I have those desires, those desires should be satiated. We need to prune that thought from our mind.
On the contrary Paul says to the church in Thessalonica, “you should know how to control your own body.”
The thought change; It is possible to have victory. It is possible to think different thoughts. It is possible to stay away from danger zones.
How do you uphold this standard regarding sexual immorality? Consider yourself, consider others-change your thoughts about others
b. Honor in your relationships (Consider others)
6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter;
Think about others. Can you see how Paul is elevating our thoughts at each level? 1st, we think about ourselves. But sometimes we fool ourselves. We tell ourselves that we are in no danger. I can handle the temptation I’m subjecting myself to. But now he says, if it’s not enough to think about the danger for yourself, think about others.
We often say, I’m not hurting anyone else.
Now, what is Paul saying here? How could someone in the church of Thessalonica take advantage of or wrong a brother or sister in the matter of sexual immorality?
Well, my immediate understanding is if someone encourages or entices someone else to get involved in sexual sin. We understand how that can happen. A boy, girl, man, or woman cajoles another person to do things that are sinful with them. Or it could be a friend who encourages someone else to go with them to a sinful place, or a sinful show, or conversation. Taking them to their danger zone.
And what Paul is saying to the Thessalonians is that they should temper their behavior, not only to keep themselves from sexual sin, but also so they won’t drag someone else into it.
Let’s get practical. There may be things in this world that you don’t struggle with. Certain things in movies that don’t have a long-term effect on you. But they may bring up sinful thoughts or actions from your brother or sister in Christ. Don’t drag them somewhere that’s going to lead them to sin. Would you drag a recovering alcoholic to the bar?
What Paul is saying to the church in Thessalonica is that your path to purity involves considering yourself, what tempts you, but also considering how your behavior, or even your thoughts affects others.
We affect others in 3 ways; by our direct actions-involvement, by our indirect actions-example, and by our rendering ourselves useless-influence
Your behavior and thoughts affect your marriage, and family. They affect your relationship to others. Impure thoughts turn others into objects, not people. Others see you.
Well, who else should you consider in regards to sexual immorality?
The third kind of thoughts
Yourself, others, then God.
Paul takes it to another level. If thinking of yourself wasn’t enough to change your behavior, thoughts, danger zones, if thinking of others wasn’t enough…
c. Honor in your relationship to God (Consider God) change how you think about God
because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
There are three points here.
1st: God will judge you if you get involved in sexual immorality. 2nd: God called you to purity. 3rd: This is not a standard made by man, but by God.
1st: God will judge you if you get involved in sexual immorality.
because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified.
Now let’s make a distinction here. We’re not talking about final judgment for the Christian.
Now the first thing that we should talk about is the discipline of the Lord.
Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
What is that saying? It is saying simply that God is your Father, and that if you disobey Him, He will discipline you.
How will He discipline? Like a Father disciplines His children. I don’t know about you. All I can say is that God knows the best way to lead you out of sin, and into righteousness. And just like with our own children, one child you could just give a stern look, and it was enough for them to correct their behavior, another child you had to get a switch. But God knows which you are. And be assured that He intends for you to be on the road to righteousness, and He will discipline in order to keep you on that road.
You say, well that sounds scary. But it doesn’t have to be. Listen to what Paul said to the church in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 11:31-33 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. Paul was writing to them because they had turned the Lord’s table into a circus. Some were coming to the church fellowship meal with the Lord’s Supper and gorging themselves and getting drunk. They weren’t waiting for the poor to arrive. So, Paul writes them to tell them that they need to correct this behavior. But look at what he says in verse 31. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. He’s basically saying, “You guys need to correct what you are doing with the Lord’s table. If you will change your ways, God won’t have to step in and discipline you.” And that’s what Paul tells the church at Thessalonica. Before you get involved in sexual immorality, or as you are tempted to get involved in it, consider that God will discipline you if you do. Now that the general message here. But there’s a more specific message.
6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such,
He is talking specifically to those who have “taken advantage of or defrauded their brothers” or sisters in regard to sexual immorality.
In general, God will discipline His children in order to lead them out of sexual immorality into purity. But specifically, if you are involved in sexual immorality, and you draw a brother or sister in Christ into it along with you, God is not just the disciplinarian, He is the Avenger.
The vengeance of God is not just a disciplinary process. It is God’s anger exacted in punishment. And regarding the Christian it means that He will exact a punishment in this life for the damage you have done to a fellow believer by enticing them to sin.
This is no light thing. It’s one thing to get involved in sin yourself. It’s a far worse thing altogether to drag others down with you. And that includes those you influence.
1st: God will judge. 2nd God called you to purity.
7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
God called us not for uncleanness. That would seem to be something that doesn’t even need to be said. But we are living in a time where those who call themselves the church, almost relish being involved in the filthiness of the world.
We have churches in our town who celebrate having homosexual pastors. We have scandals regarding sexual immorality in churches and denominations that get swept under the rug, a leader caught in sin may just run over to the next county and start in a new church with a new wife.
And it’s not just happening at the leadership level. The people of the church are following their leaders. Our minds are filled with the porn of the world. Our sexual values are fast conforming to those of our culture.
But God did not call us to uncleanness, but to sanctification.
I mentioned before that being sanctified means being “set apart” for a particular use. A clay pot may be put up on a high shelf and only used for drawing spring water. It is put high on that shelf so that no one will mistakenly use it for a planter, or for garbage or refuse. It is “set apart” for the purist of uses. So, it shouldn’t be defiled with dirt, refuse or garbage. And any time that pot does accidentally get soiled, it is scoured and cleaned in order to get it back to its original state of purity.
When we think about sexual immorality, we may think, “Well what’s the harm?” Especially if it’s only in our mind. “Who is it hurting?” And yes, you may not involve another person. And you may not think you are hurting yourself.
But God saved you for a purpose. He has set you aside as a vessel to bring Him honor.
2 Timothy 2:20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
If you continue and cooperate with God in the process of your sanctification two things happen; you bring honor to God, and you make yourself useful to God.
If, on the other hand, you get involved, at any level, in sin, in sexual immorality, you dishonor God, and you undermine your usefulness to God as His vessel. If you get to far involved in it, you may render yourself useless.
3 points
1st: God will judge you if you get involved in sexual immorality. 2nd: God called you to purity. 3rd: This is not a standard made by man, but by God.
3rd: This is not a standard made by man, but by God.
8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who[a] has also given us His Holy Spirit.
It amazes me how people try to weasel their way around these commands regarding sexual immorality. They try to turn it into a man-made thing. When we say, “The Bible says homosexuality is sin” they say, “Well, you’ve interpreted the Bible incorrectly.” If we say, “Paul, explicitly called homosexuality “vile passions” in Romans 1, they say, “Well that was a cultural thing. Paul was simply responding to the expectation of his day.”
In other words, these commands about sexual immorality are just man-made standards.
It would seem that Paul had the same detractors in Thessalonica as we have today, because he closes these verses by saying what I just read,
8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who[a] has also given us His Holy Spirit.
Paul is saying, “I didn’t make this up. This is not my rule to abstain from sexual immorality. It’s God’s rule.”
So, if you disagree, Thessalonians, or Americans, or people of the modern church, you are not arguing with a preacher, or a denomination, or a cultural construct, you are arguing with God.
Well, that’s the practical advice that Paul gives about our thoughts. Now, I wanted to close with some additional advice for finding victory over sin.
3 powerful things you can do.
1. Walk in the Spirit
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
What does “walk in the Spirit” mean? It means daily walking in obedience to, and meditation on the Word of God. Take it one step at a time. Paul calls it in Romans, renewing your mind.
Renewal of the mind
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Ephesians 4:23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Get your brain out of the gutter of this world. Quit filling it with the world’s things, start filling it with God’s things; The Word of God and Prayer
2. Flee temptation
When you have a temptation to sin, or a temptation to enter a danger zone, “run.”
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 Timothy 6:11 (love of money) But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Flee means to run away. Get away from that temptation as far and fast as you can. And it means not only fleeing the sin itself but fleeing from those things that you know lead you to the sin. The more mature Christian knows that, the most mature practice it.
3. Confess
To God
Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
Acts 19:18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To others
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
In her poem, Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, Portia Nelson describes the stages of psychological change with beautiful simplicity.
Chapter I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter V
I walk down another street.
A people of purity
And we in the church have to be careful as well. You know that the old joke is, people leaving the service after Sunday service, and they say out loud, or under their breath, “Preacher has stopped preaching, and has gone to meddling.” That usually means that something struck close to home.
Well, I hope something struck home. It did with me. Even if there is nothing here regarding sexual immorality that convicts you personally, we all sin. And so, I hope that it strengthens your understanding, your knowledge of the Word, and your resolve to stand for purity in your church, your home, and to stand as a light in this dark world.
Let’s pray