Throughout our Bible study this week, we have discussed how sin, including lust, breaks God's heart. It breaks God's heart because He is perfect and holy and cannot be in the presence of sin. Sin also breaks God's heart because our sin is in direct opposition to His plans for our lives.
Paul understood that God’s desire for His people is to live set-apart lives that point those around us to Christ. He wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4, “We urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you… For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus” (verses 1-2). He continued, saying, “God’s will is for you to be holy” (verse 3). To be holy means to be set apart. It means to live a life that honors God and reflects Him to the watching world. In light of the truth that God’s will for our lives is to be holy, Paul wrote, “So stay away from sexual sin” (verse 3). Because God's desire is for us to be holy, we are to stay away from any kind of lust and sexual sin that goes against God's holy standard. Several verses later, Paul continued, "God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you” (verse 8). The command to live holy lives and to refrain from lust and sexual sin comes straight from God; therefore it must be taken seriously.
In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul explained that God desires us to live holy lives and gave instructions on how we can take steps toward this goal. He wrote, "Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands" (verse 11). When we focus on living this way, we live the holy lives that God has called us to live, set apart from the rest of the world.
All sin, including lust, goes against God's plan for our lives. He desires more for us than living in sin. The question is, will we walk away from sin and “live a quiet life?" When we do, our words and deeds will bring glory to Him and point others to Him.
Memorize 1 Thessalonians 4:11. Bring this verse to mind often to remind yourself of what God’s will for your life is. Commit to letting go of sin so that you can live for Christ. Ask Him to help you as you seek to live a life free of sin that brings glory to Him and points the people around you to Him.
1Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. 2 For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 6 Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. 10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
