The Apostle Paul's deep concern for his converts in Thessalonica is highlighted, emphasizing his desire for their spiritual maturity and steadfastness in faith, even amidst persecution. The sermon details Paul's anxiety when separated from them, his sending of Timothy to check on their well-being, and the subsequent joy upon hearing of their faith and love. It underscores the importance of believers standing firm in the Lord, growing in grace, and living lives pleasing to God, particularly in matters of personal conduct and purity, as a testament to their genuine faith and a source of joy for those who led them to Christ.
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In looking over the missionary experiences that the Apostle Paul recites, in regard to their work for the Lord in that city, it is precious to find the manner in which he and his companions carried out their divine mission. We have noted in First Thessalonians chapter two not only what these servants of God did in the gospel, but more important how they ministered that gospel, in such a manner, the commended them to God, as well as to their converts, through the godly behavior they exhibited. We turn to First Thessalonians chapter two, verses seventeen through twenty, which commences another practical and exemplary pattern for us to follow today.
It is the missionary's desire and their care for their converts. This will take us down through verse thirteen in chapter three as we pursue the subject. But let us read first of all verses seventeen through twenty in the second chapter of verse Thessalonians. Paul writes to say, But we brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your faith with great desire. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once and again, with Satan hindered us.
But what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is coming? For ye are our glory and joy. In order to properly appreciate the Apostle's words, which so strongly declare his great desire to see his convert, we must not forget the historical record of its ministry in that city of Thessalonica, recorded in Acts chapter seventeen. It is stated in Acts seventeen and verse five, that the antagonistic Jews caused a tremendous opposition to arise, and a violent uproar to take place against the preachers and missionaries.
To such a dangerous degree was this, that Paul and his companions left, not merely for their own personal safety, but also for the safety of their convicts. The situation became precarious to such a degree that the converts were left to God's protection without the help of their teachers who had led them to Christ. In the seventeenth verse of chapter two, though bodily separated from the saints, Paul declares that we are not separated in heart from you.
So strong was their heart's desire to be with them. But every effort brought satanic hindrance. They longed to be reunited to those converts, but some way or other Satan manifested himself to prevent it. One convert at Thessalonica was a man whose name is Jason, according to Acts seventeen. And in verses five through nine, We learned that he was brought before the rulers of the city with some of the saints, and the authorities may have made Jason give a pledge and security not to have the apostle return.
And if so, it was evidently an effective weapon used by the adversary, in addition to the wicked Jews who antagonized Paul. But still the hearts of God's servants long to see the faces of their converts again. Why? What were the reasons for this? The words of verse nineteen and twenty tell very plainly to us why they long to see these things. They clearly revealed that there was a possessed relationship that indicated what their converts meant to the servants of God. There are four words that describe what the converts meant to the missionaries.
First he says, you are our hope. Then he says, you are our joy. Third he declares, you are our crown and forth, our glory and joy. How much these believers meant to the apostles? Who can properly measure it? The missionaries came to Thessalonica as perfect strangers. They had never seen, nor known before, these even converts. But when they were brought to God and Christ by the preaching of the gospel, and within such a short space of time, Paul now writes, saying, You belong to us.
You are ours. We possess you. Surely only a work of divine grace and power could bring to pass such a possessive relationship. Telling the convert, you are our hope, our joy, our crowd of rejoicing, our glory and joy. But note carefully when. Not only now did Paul mean that they were his and theirs, but especially in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming. Yes, They were a present possession to the hearts of God's servants, but greater in importance was the future day when they would see these converts in the presence of the Lord when he came.
There is one great fact that we little consider today which dominated the desire of the Apostle Paul toward his converts. He was not only desirous to have them saved now, but he was greatly concerned that his converts would give him joy when they met the Lord at his coming. Paul knew what we forget today. His converts must stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of their lives for the Lord. Paul always kept the end in view. constantly desiring to present his converts at the judgment seat of Christ, perfect.
If you would read the prayer of Paul for the saints at Philippi when he had brought them to Christ, in Philippians chapter one, verses eight through eleven, you will find that he prayed for them to go on for the Lord, so that in the day of the Lord's return, they would stand before him without offense when they would meet the Savior above. If you would also read the words of Paul to the Colossian believers, it indicates that he not only prayed for them, but he would for their perfection to be accomplished.
Quoting in part from Colossians one, verse twenty-eight and twenty-nine, teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect, meaning complete, matured in Christ Jesus, wherefore I also labor. Please may we emphasize, the objective before Paul for every one of his converts was spiritual maturity, going on to maturity and perfection. My beloved fellow believer, Great is the joy to know when we are saved. Yet what will be the joy of those who have brought us to Christ?
When we are presented to Christ that is coming. Will the servants of God who led us to Christ have the joy of knowing? We have gone unfaithfully for the Lord while here below. This is what Paul prayed for. This is what he worked for. in relation to his converts. Even the beloved apostle John, at the close of his second chapter in the first epistle of John, writes to his children to say, And now little children abide in him, that when he shall appear, we, and I believe he means the apostles, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him and his coming.
First John chapter two and verse twenty eight. Yes, it certainly is true that a believer can be ashamed when the Lord appraises his and her life at that day, but it can also be and will bring disappointment to God's servant who has brought us to Christ. I recall the testimony of one of my dear friends in the Lord's who made the statement concerning one of his first converts, his first convert as far as he knew. And he had won many precious souls to Christ, that I well know. But I never will forget the statement that was reported as being said by him.
I wish all my converts had gone on as well as my first convert. Oh, one can certainly search the heart and the conscience. to realize that if the day of the Lord's return, the servants of God who have led us to the Savior would desire to see us, go on for the Lord, so we shall not be ashamed, and neither will they be ashamed at the coming of the Lord Jesus when we are presented to him. How much better for each believer to so live that when God's servant presents us to the Lord At the coming of the Savior we shall truly be their hope, their joy, their crown of rejoicing, their glory and their joy.
Or that we may remember those words of the Apostle John as he wrote them in his third epistle and verse four. When he declared in that letter, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children Walk in the truth. My beloved fellow believers, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon. How we need to trim our lamps, to go out to meet him. Remember the parable the Lord told of the Ten Virgin? And at midnight the cry came, Behold the pride groom cometh, go ye out to meet him. And how we need indeed to get the lamp of our testimony shining brightly in this dark world for the glory of our Savior.
For coming the Lord Jesus is, and how precious it would be, when he comes, as we often sing in the old hymn, when Jesus comes to reward his servant, whether it be noon or night, faithful to him will he find us watching, with our lamps all trimmed and bright, Oh, can we say we are ready, brother? Ready for the soul's bright home. Say, will he find you and me still watching? Waiting? Waiting when the Lord shall come. My beloved fellow-believer, may you and I trim our lamps, letting them brightly shine for him in this dark world so that we shall not be, and neither shall our friends who want us to Christ be ashamed before him at his coming.
But we continue to follow our study in First Thessalonians into Chapter Three. And here we can further consider the faithful care and the concern that Paul, the missionary, together with his companions, showed for the spiritual welfare of their believing converts in Thessalonica. Verses one through five continue to express in detail these facts. Listen to the words. First, let us take careful note and realize the anxiety of the Apostle Paul and Silas by deputizing Timothy to go to Thessalonica to investigate how the saints were doing.
We read verses one and two, and we find Paul writing, Wherefore, when we could no longer forebear, we thought it best to be left at Athens alone, and sent Timotheus our brother and minister of God, our fellow laborer in the Gospel of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith. It is very noteworthy that we should recognize the full confidence which Paul and Silas had in young Timothy. His commendation is wonderfully revealed as they speak of him, as our brother, and servant or minister of God, and also our fellow laborer in the Gospel of Christ.
Again, though younger than Paul and Silas, yet Timothy was no novice, for he too was approved of God, as Paul has written of him in these words. And then second, They entrusted to Timothy a special commission to establish, to firmly build up these Thessalonian saints and to encourage them in their faith so that the competency of Timothy to do this is revealed. And his ministry was to strengthen the persecuted saints and build them up in the faith. Then third, there was a special admonition and a purpose for all this.
It is declared in verse three that no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. In our preceding chapter we learned of the strong persecutions that the converts of Thessalonica were receiving. Paul was extremely anxious that such an experience would never discourage them, and especially in their newfound faith. He reminds them that persecution for Christ's sake was inevitable, and they also knew of this. But furthermore, in verse four of our chapter three, the apostle confirms his ministry when he was with them, by saying, for verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass.
May I pause and reflect again, how important is the necessity of realizing the afflictions of the gospel? Then when Christ comes into the heart and life, and when the soul has been redeemed and the life has been changed, the opposition of the enemy can be definitely expected. And faithfully did Paul mourn his convert to expect the opposition of the adversary? And this is an important truth. which we so often fail today to emphasize to the newly born believers. There is no doubt that in many instances today, the Christian faith is too frequently presented as a glamorous experience.
Unfortunately, to many professing souls, it is a mistake to think that that indeed it is a mistake to think that the moment a person receives Christ as his Savior, that everything before them will be as the path of roses, without any problem, this cannot be. And if not warned, the new believer can be deceived and confused, and many a young Christian have found it so. It is most important to emphasize the dangers that face, the opposition that faces a young believer when newly saved.
Did not the Lord Jesus say, In the world ye shall have tribulation, in John chapter sixteen in verse thirty-three? Very clearly the word of God presents a threefold enemy to every believer. There is the world which is in enmity to God, There is the flesh, and in my flesh dwelleth no good things, said Paul. And there is the devil, for your adversary the devil goes about, seeking whom he may devour. As Peter well wrote, and encouraged at whom we should resist, steadfast in the faith. It is the wisest counsel to advise newborn babes in Christ. And as Paul writes to his Thessalonian converts, in this third verse of our chapter, the believer is appointed to suffer affliction for the sake of the gospel.
Let me personally exhort my young Christian friend to extract tribulation and affliction in trial when you seek to follow the Lord. Paul preached it, he warned of it, and told his new converts it would come. And it is one outstanding proof of salvation that when the devil arouses and stirs up opposition against the believer, Surely he's manifesting his objection to losing that believer from his power, having translated that believer by grace, divine God has put him in the kingdom of his own dear son. Yet the antagonism against the young Thessalonian converts was so great that in verse five we recognize there was great fear in the heart of the Apostle Paul on their behalf.
For this cause, the Apostle writes, When I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your fate, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and thou labor be in vain. The Apostle expresses his personal fear for them. He was fully aware of Satan's power. And if these converts were not genuine, and were led back into sin and unbelief, then their labor would have been in vain. There has been more than one professing convert who, when he or she faced the opposition of Satan, very quickly gave up the profession of their faith.
This, unfortunately, has happened again and again. But let me clearly distinguish the difference between an empty Christian profession Under genuine Christian possession of faith, a profession that produces no evidence of genuine faith is but an empty one. Real faith, genuine possession of Christ will be proved. Is it possible for one to make an empty profession of salvation? Unfortunately, it is. Absolutely so. For outwardly a person may go through the motions of accepting Christ as their savior, without any inward work of conviction and conversion taking place within the soul.
Concerning this I personally am acquainted with, for when the night of my own conversion took place, my only brother with me, was also asked if he would accept Christ. after I had made my confession. He very readily agreed. With his own lips he made virtually the same profession of faith as I did, as he now, supposedly before the Lord to receive the Savior. But it became evident, sad to say, very quickly afterward, a few months. It became evident by his life that he showed not a bit of spiritual interest, not even in the Lord, nor in the Word of God, nor even in Christian fellowship.
For it proved by his interest in the world, though not of any moral character, but the outward enjoyment of this scene, it proved that his profession had been just an empty one. This fact he acknowledged to me personally many years later. Twelve years following his empty profession, he genuinely was born again and received the Lord Jesus as his Savior, going on for the Lord into the day of his death, assured of his salvation, and giving evidence of that.
Praise God for his mercy. But my friend, may I tell you to make sure that you possess eternal life? that light which can only be in Christ alone? Be not an empty professor? What about the Thessalonian converts? Praise God, they were real. Listen to Paul right in verse six and even through verse eight. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us and brought us good things of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you.
Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress, by your faith. For now we live, if ye stand sat in the Lord. Let us carefully review this situation with the beloved Apostle Paul, concerned and anxious about the converts that he had left and had been so quickly taken away because of persecution from their myths in Thessalonica, and wondering if the enemy had sold its seed and taken them away to prove that the seed had never the good seed of the Word of God had not fallen into good ground.
One can imagine the joy the great relief, the pleasure that the apostle with his companions must have had when work came from Timothy as he brought back the good tidings, good tidings concerning the love of these believers, the charity of these believers, the faith of these believers, and their hope. Let us remember the commendation in the opening of our epistle, their work of faith, their labor of love, their patience of hope, and that they had also found remembrance of the beloved servants of God, desiring to see them as the servants of God were desiring to see the converts do.
Thus they were comforted. For what an encouraging report Timothy brought back. The converts were going on well. Praise the Lord. The devil had not been able to move them. The missionaries were assured. Their labor had not been in vain. The sufferings that they endured were worth it all. The afflictions and the distresses meant nothing. Just to know that the converts were standing past in the Lord, that was real life for the servants of God. This was all that life meant to be servants of God, to lead souls to Christ, then to see the genuine result, then to see them go on in spite of all persecution and trial, and to stand past in the Lord, and to grow in the Lord.
Oh, beloved, I think of the dear Apostle Peter, and if you may have noted it, that in his writings, whether in the first epistle as well as in the second epistle, he was concerned about the newborn babes growing. During First Peter II in verse two, he declared, as he wrote to the newborn babes, As newborn babes desire the same milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. At the end of his second epistle, He closes the epistle with these words in chapter three and verse eighteen, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May I quote the words of dear Apostle Paul, whom I believe wrote the Hebrew epistle, and you have the words in chapter six and verse one, as he pleads with those Hebrew believers no longer go in the early church.
Let us go on to perfection. Let us go on to full growth. Let us go on to maturity. Oh, beloved, how important it is, just to go on and stand fast in the Lord and grow. These were the kind of converts that the servants of God possessed in the days of the early church. How many of these kind do we have today? My beloved friend, what about you? Are you a real Christian? Are you standing fast in the Lord? Are you growing daily in the knowledge of the Lord and in his grace? No matter what storms may sweep around you, you and I should keep going on for the Lord.
God grant that some weak-need Christians may let the Lord strengthen them, and some pull off sinner even. Come to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ today, as we realize the great necessity of knowing the Lord and going on for him. My beloved let us ask the question again. One asks it of one's own heart. When one thinks of the many converts that may have been won and made profession of Christ, we might ask the question, how are they going on? My beloved Christian friend, that's the important thing. How are you going on with the Lord? How are you and the Lord getting on? Are you growing in the knowledge of his word?
Are you growing in his grace? And is he greater to you than ever before? These, indeed, were converts at Thessalonica that gave joy. gratitude, made life everything to the servants of God. Nothing else mattered, for this was an eternal work to the glory of God. How precious and spiritually instructive has the ministry of the Apostle Paul been in this first episode of the Thessalonians, as we have covered it to this point. This church of Thessalonica is a blessed example for us to follow, and would to God that the churches or the assemblies of saints would study the Word of God and seek to carry out such examples that glorify God.
In our study, as we continue in the third chapter of Thessalonians, first epistle, from verses nine through thirteen, we find the beloved apostle Paul ring out from his heart thanksgiving and prayer to God on the behalf of his converted saints. First notice thanksgiving in verse nine. For what thanks can we render to God again for you? For all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God? The beloved missionaries were overflowing with rejoicing in their hearts because of the faithfulness of their converts.
The pain, the afflictions, the persecutions, and the trials which they had endured were as nothing, and everything they suffered was worth it all. In contrast to the heavenly joy that was now theirs, the Thessalonian saints gave them great joy. then follows the prayer of intercession to God on the behalf of their convicts. It is expressed in a twofold desire, night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your faith, and that we might perfect, complete that which is lacking in your faith, verse ten.
Note very carefully the twofold desire, which is expressed in an unceasing petition, day and night on the behalf of these believers. First, there was the desire to see them, that we might see your faith. What deep affection is poured out on their behalf, as the longing desire by the apostle is expressed. Satan, by his effective opposition, had separated them. But the bond of love between the missionaries and their converts was stronger than ever. Then note secondly the prayer for their spiritual provision that we might perfect, meaning complete, or supply what is lacking in your faith.
Yes, they were encouraging to the apostles, but still the apostles knew. As newborn babes they were in need of further ministry. Paul desired their spiritual growth and with a discerning heart, he realized there were some things lacking, which he longed to reveal to them. This he certainly does, as we shall learn later on in this epistle. But third, it is also worthy to realize that Paul prayed for guidance on his own behalf and for his fellow missionaries in verse eleven. Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you.
The unsuccessful attempt to see the converts had been thwarted because of Satan's opposition. But God is mightier, and to him the apostle now prays. Incidentally, in this prayer, let me read it again. Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you. In this prayer of verse eleven, the deity of Christ is definitely implied. For the converts were evidently properly taught to know that the Lord Jesus Christ was one with God the Father, co-equal and co-eternal. We would ask the question, how many Christians appreciate and understand this truth today?
May I point out very, very carefully and emphatically, as the Apostle writes of God, he writes of him as our Father, as he writes of the Son, he writes of him as our Lord Jesus Christ. He doesn't say our Father and Jesus. He uses the complete title of honor and glory belonging to him, the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is the implication of the deity of Christ. Co-equal. co-eternal with the Father, God the Father. The proof of this is seen in three ways from our Scripture. First, Christ is jointly addressed with God the Father.
Second, in this verse, he is associated with God the Father in controlling the affairs of men. For Paul lifts up the prayer, his prayer, to both of them. He not only prays to God the Father, he prays to the Lord Jesus, too. So that even Christ, with the Father, certainly can control the affairs of men. And then third, the Greek word for direct, as you have the verse saying, Our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. The Greek word for direct is in the singular number, notwithstanding...
that there are two names forming its subject. God often breaks the grammatical laws of men, setting them aside, in order that the unique relationship that exists between the two persons of the God-end, the Father and the Son, may be indicated. You find this same thing repeated in Second Thessalonians two, verses sixteen and seventeen. But what we would emphasize, May we uphold the equality of Christ in all the glory of his deity, equal with the Father. How important it is. There are those that believe that the Son is not equal with the Father.
They take the verse, My Father is greater than I when the Lord Jesus spoke of it, and he said that on two occasions. But one should realize that it was in his humanity, in the incarnation of the Son of God, He's submitting himself as a man to do the will of God, the Father, and to do that will perfectly, and put himself in subjection to the Father's will. But never once did he change the equality of the Lord Jesus and the co-eternal character of the Son of God with God his Father. Though he was human, he was verily divine, and molded together in that one person was the deity as well as the perfect humanity of Christ.
There never has been a person like that upon the earth. Let us uphold the complete deity and Godhead of the Son of God in equality with the Father and even in equality with the Holy Spirit. Three in one? Yes, and one in three. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Then follows in verse twelve of our chapter. The Apostles' prayer for the believers of Thessalonica for increasing love. And the Lord makes you to increase, and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do, toward you.
We should very clearly and plainly note this love is to be directed in two ways. First you notice, to one another. toward the fellow believers. How important this is. Oh, how necessary today amongst the people of God. I know and realize, to some degree, the difficulties that we face in relation to fellow believers. Many fellow believers may not be walking in obedient tasks. Many of them may be astray in relation to doctrinal truth. Though if they are children of God, if they are born again, If they are believers in the Lord Jesus, they still belong in the family of God.
They still are members of the body of Christ. And though they may be disobedient children, we are commanded to love. For as the Lord Jesus gave that commandment, a new commandment, give I unto you that you love one another, even as I have loved you. He gave no stipulation or qualification as to when we should love them, but he told us how we should love them, even as I have loved you. And can you tell me anything worthy in yourself? Can I speak of anything worthy in myself that deserves the love of the Lord Jesus? I can only say I was a guilty sinner. But Jesus died for me. And can say, indeed, he loved me.
And he gave himself for me. But I was an unworthy object. But he made me that object of his love. And do when we think of his love? Oh, shall we not say we love? Because he first loved us. and love to God, and especially to fellow believers in this scripture, should be manifested. But not only to believers, as Paul says, even to all men, even men that may be without Christ. Beloved, we acknowledge very carefully, very sincerely the difficulty of loving people. But may I remind you of these words from Romans chapter five and verse five? Paul writing to the believers of that day in the city of Rome, declared, that the love of God has been shed abroad, poured out into your hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
The love to one another is not merely our personal fleshly love. Oh, no. It's the love of God in our hearts. For in the heart of every believer the love of God has been planted by the indwelling spirit. And it's not with my love that But with the love of God, one has well said regarding the unsaved world. Love this world through me, Lord. This world of sinful men. And yes, please let us ever remember we are not asked to love one another. We are not asked to love all men. With that human affection that is ours, we know how we greatly fail. But oh, the love of God shed abroad in our hearts can enable us, empower us.
to show love even though it may be to the ungodly. But then there is the objective of these prayerful petitions revealed in verse thirteen, to the end that God may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his faith. Love is not the end in view in itself, but love should lead to that holiness of life. the true exercise of love toward others, which will develop our Christian character. The beloved apostle refers to the future manifestation of Christ with all of his saints, a glorious event that is yet to come.
But the deep prayer of his heart is that when that day of manifestation appears, the lives of his converts will be evidenced publicly as having been established in love as well as in holiness. Let me paraphrase the beloved Apostles' prayer. The Lord enabled you more and more to spend your lives in the interests of others in order that he may establish you in Christian character now, that you may be vindicated from every charge that might be possibly brought against you at the judgment seat of God. How important that we as believers should realize this great responsibility.
and love and holiness should be characterizing our testimony. Now as we come to the last two chapters in our epistle, chapters four and five in this first epistle of the Thessalonians, it is important for us to remember that a special desire which the Apostle Paul expressed in chapter three, when he longed to see the saints again in Thessalonica, it is recorded in chapter three, verse ten, the last phrase, He desired that we might perfect, meaning complete that which is lacking in your faith. As we go into chapters four and five, the beloved apostle covers three principal things that were lacking in the saints of Thessalonica, and he deals with them.
And here is but a very brief outline of what follows. In chapter four, beginning at verse one through twelve, he writes to the Thessalonian believers concerning their conduct. In chapter four, verses thirteen through chapter five and eleven, he writes concerning their hope. In chapter five and verse twelve, to the end, he writes concerning their mutual relationships within the church toward one another. Now let us note carefully each one. But first of all, the apostles concerned in regard to the conduct of these believers, as recorded in chapter four, verses one through twelve.
concerning their conduct. This section can be divided into three spheres of their life. First there was the personal sphere of life, touched upon in verses one through eight. Please let me state all the importance of this lesson today. This section relates to the personal purity of those who bear the name of the Lord Jesus, dealing with the sanctity of the believer's body. Please note the Apostle's words, as he introduces in verse one, saying, Furthermore, furthermore, then we beseech you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
This is an emphatic plea for a life and a walk that is pleasing to God. Is this asking too much of a Christian? Never. This should be the noble aim of every one of us who are believers, who named the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. We should be walking here on the earth, pleasing God, and that with increasing spiritual progress. This was a commandment given to them by Paul, which he states in verse two. Why this special emphasis? Please let us not overlook the former state of these heathen converts. For they were once in dark even idolatry before God saved them.
Their lives were associated with wicked immorality. Should these believers continue living such lives in immorality that they had known before? Absolutely not. Neither should any Christian. Please, this is a plea. This is a commandment for the purity of life, for one who knows the Lord Jesus as his and her Savior. For in verses three through seven, the beloved Apostle, he contrasts the sanctification of the Christian with a life of immorality. Let the words sink deeply into our own hearts, for they are greatly needed today. They should be weighed very heavily and carefully in our present day of moral wickedness.
Note the words saying, For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. that ye should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess its vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the lust of Confuciusen, even as the Gentiles which know not God, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified, for God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. May we say a word very clearly and empathically regarding the meaning of sanctification?
The word of God teaches very clearly three phases of sanctification. There is that which can be called position of sanctification, which is the setting apart of every man, woman, boy and girl who trusts the Savior as being set apart directly and eternally for God. And judicially and positionally, they are set apart, sanctified to God. But then there is practical sanctification. There is to be the development of holiness in the light, through the light, practical manifestation of a light that is set apart for God.
Then there is permanent sanctification, which can only be and will be when Jesus our Lord comes for us, and we shall be forever in his presence. And we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. But in our scripture, Paul is emphasizing practical sanctification, the practical expression of holiness in the life, day by day. And it is the prayer that it should be the portion of the believers, for it is the will of God. May I point out, and what the apostle certainly has in view, promiscuous sexuality? Fornication? One of the great prevailing, immoral sins of today and the present world?
This was a common practice of these Thessalonian saints before the gospel's power reached them. Note carefully, note carefully particularly this sin. First, it is against the will of God. His will is sanctification, meaning moral cleanness. And the Christians should abstain from fornication. And then second, The Christian is to control and use the body in sanctification and honor. The body of a Christian belongs to the Lord. In verse four, as we read it, how we may be reminded of the words of the beloved Apostles of the Corinthians in First Corinthians six, nineteen and twenty. What?
Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which ye have of God? Ye are not your own. Ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. And may I speak a word of encouragement and admonition. The body of a believer belongs to the Lord. You're not your own. He bought that body. He not only saved and redeemed your soul, but that body belongs to him in yieldedness. Well, may we take the words of Romans twelve, one and two to half. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, only unacceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or intelligent service.
Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Yielding this to God is the responsibility of the believer for his and her body. And so we may recognize this. Then also, we are not only to use the body in sanctification and honor. But the unsaved Gentiles, in verse five, Paul says, who knew not God, they lived lives of lust and immorality. And this the Christian should never do. Oh, my beloved, let me put a plea.
Life of immorality should never be the portion of a Christian. In verse six, we are certainly faithfully told that a Christian should not practice immorality and adultery. not even with another man's wife, and dethroning his brother. How unfortunate that such things can be. But Paul is seeking in concern for the conduct of these believers to counsel them regarding it. And then, as you go on, the fifth thing that the apostles suggest, there's a solemn judgment on such. Because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned, you were tempted to find in verse six.
Please may I say, God's unfalling judgment, and his divine retribution, will come upon all who disobey this command, Christian or not. It is written in Galatians six, whatsoever a man saw it, that shall he also reap. If he sows to the flesh, he'll reap of the flesh corruption. If he sows to the spirit, he'll reap of the spirit, life eternal. Whatever your soul you reap, and this is a divine axiom, just as true for believers in the Lord Jesus, as well as unbelievers. May I indeed put an emphatic plea to my fellow believer. Let us recognize the Lord will take vengeance upon his children, who disobey this injunction.
For God himself, we read in verse seven, has called the Christian to live morally clean. Uncleanness, immorality in the life of a Christian is nothing but rebellion against God's will. Now you can expect the unbeliever to do it. He has no motive to live for God. He has no indwelling spirit to live for God. He has no desire being an unsaved person to live for God. But oh, may we say God will judge his people who rebel against this command. And then as we have in closing in verse eight, To despise this command is not just to despise man, but to despise God, the one, who has also given unto us the Holy Spirit.
My beloved, I cannot put in too great a plea, and too great an earnest desire that the children of God may realize the morality of their lives should be according to the will of God. Back in the Old Testament days, God said to the servants of God, Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. And he judged these people for their uncleanness. May I remind you too, if you read First Corinthians chapter eleven, you'll find that God even judged the saints in the Corinthian assembly. And as he spoke of their disobedience, he said, For this reason, many among you are weak, many among you are sick, many among you are asleep, meaning that they are fallen asleep in death.
Beloved, let us who are Christians realize whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourges every Son whom He receiveeth. And one can well recognize the wisdom, the wise counsel of the Apostle Paul, right into these Thessalonian believers regarding their moral conduct. Why did these early missionaries so charge their converts? Why? Because they knew They knew that this was the immutable law of God. Behind their advice was the law of God, the laws of God. God doesn't change his laws. Please, let me tell you, God doesn't change his laws just because you're a Christian.
God says, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, and so on. Those laws of Moses, we may not be under law, but God hasn't changed those laws. And morally, we're responsible to seek to keep them. And behind those laws, the missionaries knew was God himself. And to refuse these moral exhortations was only to reject not the missionaries, but the God whose will they were declaring. My beloved Christians, purity of life did the Apostle and his companions command the saints of Thessalonians to keep. Again let us quote the words so timely. First Corinthians six, nineteen and twenty.
What know ye not that your body is the temple? And may I remark that the word temple is the highest form of the word temple in the Greek text, meaning the holiest of all, the holiest of all, than in a shrine. My beloved fellow believer, your body and mine has been made by grace divine, the temple of the Holy Spirit. You are not your own. You are bought with a price and won an infinite cost. Glorify God in your body. Well, did the Apostle write these words to the Corinthians that were transgressing those very sanctified laws of morality?
Beloved today, what shall we say? How important it is? The purity, the cleanliness, the holiness of the life. My beloved, some people don't believe in holiness. But there's a true... teaching of holiness in the Word of God. There's a holiness and sanctification that should be manifested in practical growth and development here below. And that practical holiness of life is but the testimony, and what a testimony it can be, that we belong to God. And may I again plead that we realize and recognize the body is the Lord's. Not mine own.
Oh, we often sing hymns of consecration. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to be. Beloved, let's ask the question of ourselves. Have I yielded my body? Have I yielded myself? Am I indeed letting God use my body? Am I thus permitting him to control it by the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit within? Oh, one as well said many years ago, the great forgotten guest, is the Holy Spirit. When one realizes the implication of such a statement, there can be some deep reflection. The forgotten guest.
Paul just said to the Corinthian, what? Are you forgetting? Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. And may I say lovingly, there can be many Christians today that are forgetting it. Oh, that the Holy Spirit would bring it to our remembrance. and that with power and searching ability, to thus bring us low at the feet of our Lord, and be able to say in the words of the hymn-writer, O Jesus, Lord, my Savior, I give myself to thee, for thou in thine atonement didst give thyself for me. I own no other master. My heart shall be thy throne. My life I bring henceforth to live.
O Christ, for thee alone. We raise the question, shall we not quote the words of another dear him? Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Hold all my being, absolutes way. Till with thy spirit, till all shall see, Christ only always, living in me. Yes, these words of Paul, regarding the conduct of their converts, they are timely words for today. May God use them, for his glory. and the blessing of his dear children, who listen to his word. Blessed Father, we give thee thanks again for thy word. We say, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me.
But lead me in the way everlasting. For we ask it in the Savior's name, and we ask it for his glory. Amen.