“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. 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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-6 NASB1995)
As those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, we are to be
those who have died with him to sin, and who have been raised with him to walk
in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to
God and to his righteousness. For in Jesus’ death on that cross he put our sins
to death with him so that, by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in him, we
will now die with him to sin and walk (in conduct) in obedience to his
commands.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts
26:18; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal
5:16-24; Eph 4:17-32; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24]
And as those who claim him as our Lord and Savior, and
heaven as our eternal destiny, we are to be those who are living holy lives,
pleasing to God. For it is God’s will and purpose for our lives that we live to
please him in all that we are and do and say. For this is the will of God that
we do what pleases him. And we are taught in the Scriptures what we must do and
not do in order to live lives which are pleasing to the Lord, and not to the
flesh.
[Romans 8:8; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Galatians 6:8; Ephesians
5:10; Colossians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 2 Timothy
2:4; Hebrews 11:6; Hebrews 13:6; 1 John 3:22]
For it is the will of God for us who believe in Jesus Christ
that we live holy lives, pleasing to God, no longer under the control of Satan
and the flesh, but now under the authority and control of God – Father, Son
Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit. For to be sanctified is to be made holy, and to
be holy is to be different, separate, unlike the world because we are being
conformed to the likeness of character of Jesus Christ by the Spirit living
within us.
So, as those who are of genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded
faith in the Lord Jesus, we are to be those who abstain from sexual immorality,
who learn to control our own bodies in a way that is holy and honorable, and
not in lustful passion like those who do not know God, i.e. who are not of
genuine biblical faith in the Lord Jesus, who have not died with him to sin and
been raised with Christ now to walk in ways which are pleasing to God.
But sadly, in the present “Christian” culture at large here
in America today, that is not being taught much at all, especially not as
necessary for us to be of genuine faith and to have salvation from sin and
eternal life with God. So, many professers of faith in Jesus Christ are still deliberately
and habitually engaged in sexual immorality and in doing what is dishonorable,
in practice, and who do not have control over their own bodies, for the flesh
still rules.
And this is largely taking place on the basis of two main
factors, I believe, the first of which is the massive number of people now who
are believing in an altered and diluted gospel message which makes no
requirements of them that they put sin to death in their lives and that they
now walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands as necessary components
of believing faith which saves and which promises eternal life with God.
And they are also not being taught that God is the avenger
(punisher) of such things as this, who will administer just punishment on all
who continue in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord, and who do not
make obedience to God their practice. And this includes that God will punish
all who give lip service to him but who are still walking in sin and not in
obedience to his commands, and they will not inherit eternal life with God.
[Romans 2:6-8; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1
Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians
5:16-24; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 1:21-23; Colossians
3:1-17; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 John
1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,15-17; 1 John 3:4-10]
My Sheep
Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
My sheep hear me.
They know me.
They listen to my
voice and obey.
I call them and lead
them.
They know my voice,
so they follow me.
They will never
follow strangers.
They will run away
from them.
The voice of a
stranger they know not;
They do not follow
him.
So, I tell you the
truth that
I am the gate, so
you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find
forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever
enters
Not by the gate;
other way,
He is the thief and
a robber.
Listen not, the
sheep to him.
Oh, I am the Good
Shepherd,
Who laid his own
life down for the sheep.
I know them. They
know me.
They will live with
me eternally.
The thief only comes
to steal and
Kill and to destroy
the church.
I have come to give
you life that
You may have it to
the full…
They know my voice,
so they follow me.
This is The Will of God
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