God Thought: God desires our sanctification, which includes fleeing sexual immorality and impurity and pursuing sexual holiness by knowing God and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Main Text: Finally, then, brothers,[a] 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:[b] that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body[c] 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.
9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Sermon Outline:
- Paul transitions to this section of the letter with the word “finally” indicating he is going to give some important final instructions. Previous themes in the letter include:
- Paul is thankful for the God’s work in the lives of the Thessalonians and considers them to be a faithful example to other believers
- Paul defends his ministry among the Thessalonians
- Paul has a strong desire to exhort the Thessalonians to continue their faithful walk in Christ
- Paul’s desire is that the Thessalonians please God by walking as they ought. This includes pursuing sexual holiness; demonstrating love for one another; and living quiet, productive lives.
- Defining terms:
- Hagiasmos – Sanctification, holiness, santification in life or heart
- Porneia – All illicit sexual activity including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and sex between close relatives
- Why is sexual immorality important?
- Sexual sin is against the body (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
- Sex is more than just a physical act but creates a one-flesh union (1 Corinthians 6:15-17)
- Sex has vertical and horizontal consequences (1 Thessalonians 4:6-7
- Sexual sin – like all sin – separates us from God. However, sexual sin is warned against more strongly than other sins.
- “It’s hard to find a sin more frequently, more uniformly, and more strenuously condemned than sexual sin.” – Kevin DeYoung, Serious Sins
- Chesterton’s fence – The fence of Christian sexual ethics was torn down through the sexual revolution. The societal consequences have been damaging to men, women and children.
- Disregarding God’s standards for sexual morality disregards not man but God (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)
- The Bible clearly considers homosexual behavior a sin, and whether it is stated three times or 3,000 is beside the point…I freely grant all that.” – Walter Wink, Homosexuality and the Bible
- Possible resource: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality by Kevin DeYoung
- Good news about God’s plan for sex and marriage
- We can pursue sexual holiness by knowing God (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, Matthew 5:8)
- The Holy Spirit empowers us to fight sinful sexual desires (1 Thessalonians 4:8)
- God’s plan for sex and marriage is good and beautiful
- The unity within diversity of husband and wife (Genesis 2:24) is an image of the unity within diversity of the triune God (Deuteronomy 6:4) – The same Hebrew word (echad) is used for “one” in each verse
- God’s plan for sex and marriage is:
- Rooted in creation (Genesis 1 and 2)
- Reiterated throughout scripture (ex: Honor your father and mother)
- Repeated by Jesus (Mattew 19:3-9)
- Reflective of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:21-33)
- Representative of the gospel (Revelation 19:7-9)
- God’s plan for sex and marriage bears good fruit
- Brotherly love (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10)
- Thessalonians are encouraged to continue to love (agape) one another more and more
- Live quiet lives, mind own affairs, be dependent on no one
- Quiet can mean “silent” but also “restful”
- Context of these instructions are that some in the church are falling into being idle busybodies as they think the return of Christ is imminent. It is not an instruction to be “silent” on cultural issues
- Our normal, everyday lives should be proper before outsiders
- Final encouragement
- God demonstrated his love for us in this: Christ died for our sins. There is no sin or wound that is beyond the forgiveness and restoration of Christ.
- There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- We have a high priest who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
- Therefore, he was able to be the perfect, one-time sacrifice for our sin and to continually intercede for us before God.
- There is great hope for those who have been scarred by past sexual sin and struggle with present sexual temptation.