1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

For this is the will of God: your sanctification – to keep yourself from sexual immorality, each of you to have known to possess his vessel in dedication and honor – not in the passion of desires just as even the Gentiles who have not known God …

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul gives a bold statement in this opening verse.  The will of God is our sanctification.  God wants us to be righteous.  He wants us to be holy.  He wants the best for us.  This is the same God against whom we constantly rebel and choose our own way.  This same God’s desire is our salvation.  This is why He is holy.  We deserve punishment and judgment, but He longs for nothing less than our sanctification.

How does this represent the true character of God?  In what way is this inspirational into your life?

Second Thought:

It is no accident that when Paul wants to talk about sanctification that Paul starts with sexuality.  Human beings are sexual creatures.  The passion for sex is not usually logical, it is an internal desire.  We don’t often choose it to be there, it simply is present.  Therefore, Paul calls us to keep ourselves from sexual immorality.  We cannot prevent lust from being within us, but we can keep ourselves from acting upon it.  We may not be able to control our desires, but we can control whether or not we act upon our desires.

What area in your life do you wrestle against lust?  How do you keep those desires in check in your life?

Third Thought:

Then Paul gives us a challenge.  We are to keep our bodies as vessels of dedication and honor.  We aren’t to lead ourselves and others into sinful behavior.  We are vessels dedicated to God for His service.

Does your sexuality bring honor to God?  Does your sexuality show your dedication to God?  How is this even possible?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Thessalonians 4:6-8