1Thes4:3-12 Growing in Purity and Love
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# Growing in Purity and Love ## 1 Thessalonians 4:3-12 [Saxon, Switzerland. Artem Sapegin](https://unsplash.com/photos/e2uTOpgW5Ec "caption") --- # How should we handle
**sexual temptation**? >>> + Range from what seems **harmless**: + e.g., indulging in **porn** / fantasy + to **hurt** how **see** / interact w/others: + e.g., seeking **revenge** (e.g., reput) + won't give **atten** how we want + to **actions** w/long-term repercus: + e.g., extra-**marital** sexual relation + Sexual **desire** powerful force: + we need to **talk** about it + Scrip offers much **guidance**: + Behold **Lamb** of God ______ + **[ PRAYER ]** --- # Growing Together, While Apart | *1* | Impact of **Faith** | |---|---| | *2a,b* | Toil of **Love** | | *3* | Accountability with **Hope** | | *4* | **Growing in Purity + Love** | | *5a* | **Hope** of Salvation | | *5b* | Acts of **Faith** | >>> + Theme of 1Thes: encouragment in **FHL** + 1st half: Thes' **rl** w/Paul + and **response** to gospel + 2nd half: addr 4 specific **Qs** / issues: + 1: How to deal w/**sexual** temptation + 2: How to show godly **love** to others + 3: What happens after we **die** + 4: **When** is Christ returning --- ## Purity and Love [(1Thes4)](# "ref") 1. The **Will** of God [(v3-6a)](# "ref") 1. Our **Identity** in Christ [(v6b-8)](# "ref") 1. From Selfishness to **Service** [(v9-12)](# "ref") --- ## 1. Will of God + A. **Flee** Immorality + B. Honour Toward Own **Body** + C. Honour Toward **Others** For this is the will of God, your **sanctification**: [1 Thessalonians 4:3a (ESV)](# "ref") >>> + "sanctification": He **is** our holiness + not: God stands apart, **demands** we be holy, + but: HS **dwells** in us + is why we're **deemed** holy: + So live **worthily** of that calling + God's **will** for us regarding sexuality: + 3 **infinitive** phrases --- that you **abstain** from **sexual immorality**; [1 Thessalonians 4:3b (ESV)](# "ref") >>> + "sexual immor": various **practises** + diff **cultures**: diff practises "immoral": + **adultery** (extra-marital affairs) + **prostitution** (exch. sex for money) + pedophilia + sexual **slavery** + (**coerce** those w/less power) + **Spartans** strict on adultery but open w/homo + Truth as **bullseye**: many diff ways to be wrong + "but: porn not **same** as rape/pedo!" + Creator's **design**: sex in **marriage**: + 1M1F **covenant** eq partner for life + e.g., **gas** in car + God sanct. us: **defines** immor vs holy + so "abstain": **hold apart**, keep away from --- **Flee** from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits
is **outside** the body, but the sexually immoral person
sins against his **own body**. [1 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV)](# "ref") >>> + Christ paid **price** to redeem us + We **belong** to Him: + spirit, heart, mind, **body** + To be place where HS **dwells** + So do I have **freedom** to + do what I **want** w/own body? + 2nd **infinitive**: --- that each one of you know how to
**control** his own **body**
in **holiness** and **honor**, [1 Thessalonians 4:4 (ESV)](# "ref") >>> + "control": acquire for self, **possess**: + **ownership**, responsibility + "my body, my **choice**" + what will I **do** w/that choice? + "**Consenting** adults": consent is **necess.** + but not **suff**! + "body": vessel w/purpose, **utility**: wife + what is **purpose** of body? + "**holiness** + honour": + not that body is dirty / **shameful** + Not **ashamed** of sexual function + but **protect**, treasure --- not in the **passion** of **lust**
like the Gentiles who do not **know God**; [1 Thessalonians 4:5 (ESV)](# "ref") [Francesco Ungaro](https://unsplash.com/photos/7A_yfNw528g "caption") >>> + "passion": pathos, deep **emotion** + (not necc **bad**) + "lust": inflamed, consuming **desire** + ignores all other consider (**bad**) + w/o God's **law** to keep us centred, + try best to be **"good"** person + "true to **self**" / "follow **heart**": + what comes **naturally**: + indulging **sinful** nature + Last **infinitive**: --- that no one **transgress** and **wrong**
his brother in this matter, [1 Thessalonians 4:6a (ESV)](# "ref") [Luis Quintero](https://unsplash.com/photos/ibWxfQOePt4 "caption") >>> + "transgress": **overstep** bounds, defraud + "wrong": have **more** / desire more: + **covet**, take advantage of + 2 **appl**: if **brother** is struggling + w/**controlling** own body: + do not take **advantage** / belittle + For **myself**: be warned, + sex imm not **"victimless"**: + Indulging in lust is **selfish** + even if only **fantasy** / escape + Steps over **bounds** God drew + for how to **treat** others + **Porn** (written or visual) + enc. **objectification** of others + see others as **tool** to satisfy own lust --- Do not **deprive** one another,
except perhaps by **agreement**
for a limited time,
that you may devote yourselves to **prayer**; but then come **together** again,
so that Satan may not **tempt** you
because of your lack of **self-control**. [1 Corinthians 7:5 (ESV)](# "ref") [Drew Coffman](https://unsplash.com/photos/llWjwo200fo "caption") >>> + To **married**: + Inasmuch as **coercing** sex is aggression, + **Withholding** sex also uses sex as **weapon** + If **trust** / intimacy issues: + **address**, communicate + understand + **accept** understood + Don't let issues sit **unresolved**, drift apart + **grow** in rl --- # What is God's
**will** for us
regarding **sexuality**? --- ## Purity and Love [(1Thes4)](# "ref") 1. The Will of God [(v3-6a)](# "ref") 1. **Our Identity in Christ** [(v6b-8)](# "ref") 1. From Selfishness to Service [(v9-12)](# "ref") --- because the Lord is an **avenger**
in all these things,
as we told you beforehand
and solemnly warned you. [1 Thessalonians 4:6b (ESV)](# "ref") [© Søren Niedziella, CC-BY 2.0](https://www.flickr.com/photos/albioneurope/8498095661 "caption") >>> + "avenger": comes forth from **justice**, + carries out **judgment**: + **champion** / defender of city + What is Lord **defending**? + holiness of our **bodies** whom redeemed + honour + value of **others** + whom we would **objectify** --- For God has not called us for **impurity**,
but in **holiness**. [1 Thessalonians 4:7 (ESV)](# "ref") >>> + "impurity": **uncleanness** + "holiness": set **apart** + w/ special **identity** + purpose + "called": God **knows** you, sees, calls --- Therefore whoever **disregards** this,
disregards not **man** but **God**,
who gives his **Holy Spirit** to you. [1 Thessalonians 4:8 (ESV)](# "ref") [Łukasz Łada](https://unsplash.com/photos/q7z-AUlHPaw "caption") >>> + Sounds very **severe** + strict, + perhaps feel **unreasonable** + If **man-made** rules, we'd say to men: + "you cannot keep these **yourself**" + (probably **repressed**) + simply means to **control** / belittle + But set by **Creator** who designed bodies + and redeemed to be **dwelling** for HS + Don't **"disregard"** (set aside) + deem **irrelevant** / inapplicable ______ *[ SKIP READ ]* --- For God has not called us for **impurity**,
but in **holiness**. [1 Thessalonians 4:7 (ESV)](# "ref") [Alex Jones](https://unsplash.com/photos/p0W9Q9gei4g "caption") >>> + To **singles**: + Sexual desire is **powerful** force: + yes, want **intercourse** + But **more**: not unthink **beasts** reprod: + physical **intimacy** + **touch** (esp in pandemic!) + companion: **understood** + accept + need for **love** + Cannot **ignore** the desire: recog + not immoral / shameful to **want** sex + God-given, part of **glue** in marriage + need for **love** ult is need for **God** + If **tempted** when alone at night: + **get up**, housework, walk, exer + phys act grounds in **reality**, not fantasy + Remember **identity** in Chr for **holiness** --- # What role does
**sexuality** play in
our **identity** in Christ? >>> + not **core** of who we are: + God's **elect**, **sons/daug** of King + **forgiven**, redeemed, + called to **holiness** + sex **precious** / sacred, reserved for marriage --- ## Purity and Love [(1Thes4)](# "ref") 1. The Will of God [(v3-6a)](# "ref") 1. Our Identity in Christ [(v6b-8)](# "ref") 1. **From Selfishness to Service** [(v9-12)](# "ref") >>> + instead of selfish fantasy, generous action + instead of satisfying own desires, + do own work quietly so as to + provide generously for others + esp fellow believers in Christ --- you yourselves have been
**taught by God** to **love one another**,
for that indeed is what you are doing
to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. [1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (ESV)](# "ref") [Nancy, France. Rémi Walle](https://unsplash.com/photos/UOwvwZ9Dy6w "caption") >>> + **Care** for fellow believers in Christ + exhibited in **useful** aid + gifts + Taught not by inner **conscience** + but by **HS** dwelling within them, + **prompting** them to show love to others + Did not **wait** for Paul/others to remind + But extended love **within church** at Thes + and **outward** to sister churches in area --- But we urge you, brothers,
to do this **more and more**, and to aspire to live **quietly**,
and to mind your **own affairs**,
and to work with your **hands**,
as we instructed you, [1 Thessalonians 4:11 (ESV)](# "ref") [Ian Espinosa](https://unsplash.com/photos/oXo6IvDnkqc "caption") >>> + **increase** in love for fellow believers + "aspire": love what is **honourable** + zealously **pursue** that which + has great personal **value** + deem this as **honourable** / worthy, + and **enjoy** pursuing it + "live quietly": be silent, still, + opp. restless, raucous, draw atten to self + "mind own affairs": practise (make habit): process + concern for others should not be + excuse to neglect own responsib + "work w/hands": labour to accomp: "I made that" --- so that you may
**walk properly** before outsiders
and be **dependent** on no one. [1 Thessalonians 4:12 (ESV)](# "ref") [Helsinki, Finland. Thomas Drouault](https://unsplash.com/photos/IBUcu_9vXJc "caption") >>> + "walk": walk around (in circles): daily conduct + "properly": good schema / form: respectable, becoming + outward appearance (God knows heart) + "dependent": have need of no one --- You will be **enriched** in every way
to be **generous** in every way,
which through us will
produce **thanksgiving** to God. [2 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV)](# "ref") [Neven Krcmarek, Popovec, Croatia](https://unsplash.com/photos/M4KpA7NC-l0 "caption") >>> + live **quietly**, tend to **own** work, + **produce** sth + So can **share** generously w/need --- # How can I **abound** in love
for fellow **believers**? >>> + Own quiet **work**, productivity + Tangible, useful **aid** to needy + w/in own **church** + out to **sister** churches + out to **world** --- >>> + Creator, You are **love** + made us to love + be loved + Created w/strong sexual desires, + precious + holy + so easily tempted + **Flee**, own our **bodies** for holiness, + not take advantage of others + Remind us **identity** in You, redemeed + clean dwelling for HS + Move from **self** to **service** + work quietly to provide generously