Thursday, February 2, 2017, 5:34 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Follow Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to
my heart. I read 1 Thessalonians 4
(NASB).
How to Walk
(vv. 1-2)
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in
the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to
walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.
For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
The Bible has much to say
about our spiritual walks. First of all, to walk is to live, i.e. it has to do
with our lifestyles; with how we conduct our lives day in and day out, 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. In Romans 6 we read that, as believers in Jesus Christ,
we have died to sin, so how can we possibly live in it any longer? We read that
our old self was crucified with Christ so that the body of sin might be done
away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has
died has been freed from sin. And, we read that we should, thus, count
ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus, and that we are to no
longer let sin reign in our mortal bodies so that we obey its evil desires, such
as we did before we met Christ.
We also read in scripture
that Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; that we
might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (1
Pet. 2:24; 2 Co. 5:15). We read in Romans 8 where Paul said that Jesus died that
the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk, not
according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. In fact, he said that if
we walk (in lifestyle) according to the flesh, we will die in our sins, without
Christ, and without the hope of heaven. But, if by the Spirit we are putting to
death the deeds of the flesh, we will live with Christ for eternity (See: Ro.
8:1-14; cf. Lu. 9:23-25; Gal. 2:20). And, then we read that God’s grace, which
brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,
and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s
return (See: Tit. 2:11-14).
In other words, regardless of
what many are teaching today about our salvation, we are not saved from our
sins just so we can escape hell and go to heaven when we die. Jesus died to
eradicate our old lives of sin and to give us new lives in himself, “created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (See: Eph. 4:17-24).
We are called to be holy, and
to be holy means to be set apart (unlike, different) from this sinful world
because we are daily being conformed (made) into Christ’s likeness. And, we are
called to righteous living, and to purity, and to love – love for God, and love
for our fellow humans. And, to love God means to obey Christ’s commands. As
well, we are to present ourselves (our bodies) to God as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to him, which is our reasonable and acceptable worship of
him; no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but transformed of
the Spirit of God in the renewing of our minds (See: Ro. 12:1-2). So, if Jesus
is truly our LORD, then he is our OWNER-MASTER, i.e. he is the boss, and we are
his servants.
Not for Impurity (vv. 3-8)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that
is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to
possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion,
like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud
his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things,
just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called
us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this
is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.
When God/Jesus called Saul
(later called Paul) to the ministry, he gave him the charge to open spiritually
blinded eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan
to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who
are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ (See: Acts 26:16-18). This is the
essence of the gospel of our salvation. And, to be sanctified means to be made
holy and to be purified, i.e. cleansed of our sins. Yet, the cleansing is not
just so we can escape hell and go to heaven when we die. In other words, Jesus
cleansing us is not him just forgiving us so that our sins are no longer
charged to our account. His cleansing has to do with eradicating (putting to
death) sin in our lives so that we might be free to now walk in Christ’s
righteousness and holiness.
What this means, in all
practicality, is that we should live lives now, in the power of the Spirit of
God within us, free from slavery to sin. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are
to abstain (refrain) from sexual sin, such as viewing pornography, or watching
or listening to TV shows, movies or music which contain sexual or sensual content,
or which promote or glorify sexual immorality. We should not allow ourselves to
think lustful thoughts about those with whom we are not married, and we should
not participate in satisfying our sexual urges via masturbation
(self-gratification).
As well, we should not flirt
with others, or make suggestive remarks to anyone, or listen to or repeat crude
or suggestive jokes, nor should we be involved in sexual activity with those
with whom we are not married or with those of the same sex. And, I would also
caution against watching romantic movies or TV shows or reading Romance novels,
for they also may lead our minds astray. Also, I would caution against what we
might consider casual relationships with people of the opposite sex or of same
sex attraction, because these can often lead to romantic or sexual affairs,
especially if we are involved in private and personal conversations with them
to which our spouses do not have access.
This list of possible sin opportunities
I have written here may seem petty or excessive to some people, but I know of
what I speak. We now live in a sex-craved society, especially here in America,
where pornography addiction is exceedingly high, and where adulteries and
extra-marital affairs are rampant, as well as where children are being handed
internet devices and being left on their own to discover whatever they can
discover without parental supervision and guidance, and that is very scary to
me! I pray that somehow our children would be delivered from all that, i.e.
that God would rescue them so that they don’t get trapped by the devil and see
things they should not see and go places they should not go.
Love One Another (vv. 9-12)
Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need
for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one
another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all
Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your
ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with
your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward
outsiders and not be in any need.
If we are involved in sexual
sin, that is the opposite of love. If we are involved in gossip, betrayal,
lies, adultery, slander, hatred, unforgiveness, and the like, that, as well, is
the opposite of love. If we tell people we love them, but we cheat, lie,
gossip, betray, and the like, our words mean nothing! So, if we want to love
others with god-like love, we must be free of the control sin has over our
lives, which is why Jesus died – to set us free! So, why is it that so many
professing Christians don’t live like they are free? Why is it so many pastors
are addicted to pornography, as well, or are involved in extra-marital affairs?
Where is holiness in all this? Where is godliness? Have they been forgotten?
Why is it that Christians, for the most part, don’t seem much different from
non-Christians? Aren’t we called to be set apart from the world, and to come
out from her and be separate?
Do we truly know what it
means to love like God loves? Jesus gave his life up for us so we could go
free. That is love! In fact, he who knew no sin became sin for us so that we
might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). Now, that is love! Jesus put
his life on the line day in and day out for our salvation, our sanctification,
our healing, and our spiritual wellness when he walked this earth, often
risking his own life and reputation in order to tell us the truth that would
set us free. Yes, He is love, and He is kind, and He is gracious, compassionate
and forgiving, but they didn’t kill him because he was “Mr. Nice Guy.” They
killed him because he told them the truth, and they didn’t like the truth. And,
they will kill many of us for the same reason.
Love is not a feeling or an
emotion or words we say to one another, nor is it feel-good messages meant to
make one another feel good about ourselves, even in our sins. True love meets
legitimate needs, not wants, and it does not give way to the flesh. True love
also does not lie to people to make them feel good so they will like us. Lies
are never kind. And, they are not loving, no matter what anyone tells you. If
we want to love others with god-like love, we need to follow the example of
Jesus Christ. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and comforted the sorrowful,
but he also spoke the truth in love, ministered to real needs, knew what was in
the best interest of the people, acted accordingly, and confronted sin in
sinful humans, called for repentance and faith in himself, warned of unbelief
and the coming judgment, but also promised much hope and healing for the
repentant. May we, who are his followers, do likewise.
Follow Him /
An Original Work / February 21, 2013
Based off Luke 9:22-25
Jesus, Son of God,
Died for us on a cross.
Anyone who would come to Him
Must deny himself and follow.
He must take up his cross
daily;
Die to sin and self each day.
Father, God above,
Loved us so: gave His Son.
If you want to save your old
life;
Keep on sinning, follow your
ways,
You will lose your life
forever;
Hope of heaven gone away.
Spirit of our God
Gives us life in God’s Son.
Nonetheless, if you die to
self;
Forsake your sin; follow
Jesus,
You will live with God in
heaven,
And forever praise His name!
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