1Thessalonians 4:1-8

Holy and Honored Bodies

All Christians are commanded to live pleasing God.

Apostolic commands are commands from the Lord himself.

Luke 10:16 "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

The Lord often repeats commands to us because we are more inclined to please ourselves than to please God.

John 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."

1Thessalonians 2:4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

1Thessalonians 4:1 just as you received from us how you ought to walk to please God.

The will of God is "your sanctification."

Hebrews 14 12:Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

1Cor 1:30 (of Christ) "who became for us wisdom from God -- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption --

All Christians are commanded to abstain from sexual immorality.

This commandment comes with the full force of God's authority, so as to leave each of us without excuse.

Acts 15:20

1Cor 6:13

Eph 5:3

Col 3:5

Sexual immorality is a problem that arises from within the heart, and quickly defiles and dishonors the body.

Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications (sexual immoralities) thefts, false witness, blasphemies."

Galatians 5:19

Matthew 5:28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

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.

Sexual immorality is a sin that affects others, taking advantage of them and defrauding them.

1Thess 4:6

Sexual immorality is for those who do not know God; it should have no place in the Christian life.

Acts 17:23

Romans 1:24 "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves., who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

1Thess 4:4-5

This is the will of God: your sanctification...

God willed your salvation, 1Thess 1:9-10

God assures your sanctification, 1Thess 4:3.

1Thess 1:3; 3:6; 3:8; 3:12-13

Westminster Shorter Catechism Q. 36 What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? "The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are , assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end." (John 4:16; Rom 5:1-2; Rom 15:13; Phil 1:6)

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

God calls you to sanctification, 1Thess 4:2. How will you respond?

Acts 24:16 "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

1Corinthians 7:2 "Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband."

Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

1Corinthians 7:8-9 "But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry that to burn."

1Cor 7:32 "But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord -- how he may please the Lord."