Bible Diary - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
February 9, 2008
If Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonian church sound a little unreal to Christians living in today’s post-Christian culture, think how they must have sounded to the brand-new Christians in Thessalonica, only one step away from pagan idolatry.
A Life Pleasing to God
4:1 Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more. 4:2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 4:3 For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4:4 that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, 4:5 not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. 4:6 In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him, because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly. 4:7 For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. 4:8 Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
4:9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 4:10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 4:11 to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. 4:12 In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.
Sometimes I wonder what there is about living a life pleasing to God that I don’t understand. Has my sin and the bustle of my life masked my sense sense of holiness and purity and honor? Of wanting to please my Maker? No. Down deep I know enough of God to know better. I think of Him as patiently and lovingly chipping away at my rough edges, day after day after day. I’m afraid I’m not terribly cooperative at times, but He hasn’t given up on me.
The last paragraph in today’s passage resonates with how I believe a Christian should conduct himself in a largely pagan society. As Ann Landers famously advised many, “MYOB.” Christian writer Oswald Chambers warned well-meaning Christians against being “an amateur providence,” meaning demonstrating holiness and honor and purity around our neighbors and leaving the effect of that up to God.
Dave, usually minding his own business.
-sdg-
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