1 Thessalonians 4:6-8
… to neither sin against or exploit his brother in anything
that happens because the avenger is the Lord regarding all these things just as
we also warned you beforehand and admonished you regarding the future. For God did not call you upon impurity but
rather in holiness. For this reason, the
one who rejects this rejects not mankind but God, who gives His Holy Spirit
into you all.
Thoughts for Today
First Thought:
I love what Paul brings up immediately after talking about
human sexuality. Paul tells the
Thessalonians that we are not to exploit our brothers and sisters in the evens
that unfold around our life. Life
happens. We will all find ourselves in
positions of disadvantage. When we take
advantage of another person’s specific disadvantage we are ungodly. Of course,
we do this frequently because we are self-centered individuals.
Do you ever look to take advantage of the misfortune of life
events that occur to others around you?
What are some simple ways that you can work on not taking advantage of
the people around you as they deal with life?
Second Thought:
With respect to taking advantage of one
another, we remember that God is the avenger.
This should be a sobering thought.
We are take advantage of another person, we are offending God and
inviting God to take revenge upon us.
God can certainly find vengeance that is both fitting and appropriate
for what we actually deserve.
When have you experienced God’s
vengeance? When have you been guilty of
inviting God’s wrath into your life?
Third Thought:
Just to make it clear, Paul wants to
make sure that the Thessalonians realize the consequences of this. When we take advantage of one another, we
reject this teaching. Since this
teaching is at the heart of what it means to be sanctified, we are rejecting
sanctification. When we reject
sanctification, we reject the one who offers us sanctification. Inherent to our obedience is a rejection of
God – even if temporary.
Were in your life are you embracing
God? Where in your life do your words
and choices show your human rejection of God?
Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
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