God’s Call to Purity

Introduction

A group of fashionable young people scheduled an outing to a coal mine. They wanted to explore and see what it was like to be under the earth. One young lady came in a delicate white dress. When her friends warned her against wearing white into the mine, she turned to the miner who had agreed to act as tour guide. “Can’t I wear a white dress down into the mine?” The man replied, “Yes mum, there is nothing to keep you from wearing a white frock down there, but there are many things to keep you from wearing one back.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 calls God’s people to lives of purity and holiness. They have been washed white by Jesus Christ, and must avoid lust and immorality which will defile them. God has given His Holy Spirit to His people so they can please Him by living holy lives. Learn more as you study the passage.

Observation

Pray

God wrote this passage to help you know His expectations so you can live to please Him like the Lord Jesus Christ did. Ask Him to open your eyes to understand this passage properly, and to convict and challenge your life so that you can repent and live for Him.

Read Focus Verses

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 and notice the central theme of these verses.

Context

The first verse of today's passage refers to the previous verses. Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13 to understand the foundation for today's verse.

2 Verbs

In verse 1, Paul uses two action words to describe what he is doing in this passage. What are they?

Messengers

Who first delivered the message contained in these verses to the believers in Thessalonica?

Whose Command

Whose command were they delivering?

Will of God

What is the will of God for Christians according to verse 3?

Abstain

Verse 3 names a specific way a believer will live a sanctified life. What are they to abstain from?

Self Control

Which two words are used in verse 4 to describe how a Christian should control their body?

Lust

How does verse 5 describe those who live according to their lusts and desires?

Avenger

Who will avenge those who are wronged through impurity?

Contrast

What is the opposite of uncleanness and impurity according to verse 7?

Uncleanness

Living in immorality means that you despise whom according to verse 8?

Called

What are Christians called to?

Strengthened

Christians aren't left to live pure and holy lives on their own. What has God given them to enable them to live according to this high calling?

Interpretation

Beseech

Romans 12:1-2 opens very similarly to today's passage with a pleading and strong urging to reject sinful living to live for God.

Ambassadors of God

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 explains the importance of listening to this urging.

Authority

By whose authority do these verses challenge Christians to purity and holiness?

Walking with God

In the Bible, walking is used as a picture of all of life. So when verse 1 challenges us to walk according to God's directions to please Him, it commands us to live as God desires. Hebrews 11:5 tells us about Enoch who walked with God.

Pleasing God

Revelation 4:9-11 also speaks of pleasing God.

Created with Purpose

According to Revelation 4:11, why is it so important that we please God?

How to Please Him

How does 1 Thessalonians 4:1 tell us Christians can please God?

Sanctification

Take a moment to consider the word sanctification.

What Is Sanctification?

Watch this short video to learn more about sanctification.

God's Will

Why is sanctification God's will for His people?

Whose Work?

In verses 3, 4, and 7 we see that sanctification is the believer's responsibility - they must sanctify themselves. In 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 we see who else has a role in sanctification.

Truth

In John 17:17, Jesus prays that God will sanctify His people through His Word, teaching us the importance of spending time in the Bible.

Working Together

How would you explain what it means that sanctification is the responsibility of a Christian and the responsibility of the Holy Spirit?

Immorality

Throughout the Bible, God commands His people to abstain from all sexual immorality. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus explains that God doesn't only hate physical immorality, but also lustful thoughts.

Unity

1 Corinthians 6:15-20 tells us why it is so important for God's people to flee from all immorality.

Why?

From what you've seen in these passages, why is it so important for a Christian to be sexually pure both physically and mentally?

Learning to Live Purely

1 Thessalonians 4:4 tells us we should know how to control ourselves to live purely and honorably. When Jesus faced temptation, He resisted it with Scripture. Psalm 119:9-11 tells us that the secret is heeding and memorizing God's Word.

Getting Help

Here is a list of Bible verses that can help you in your fight for purity. Perhaps you can memorize some of them to use when you face temptation.

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Honor

So that we won't have to wonder, God tells us in Hebrews 13:4 that intimacy in marriage is very good -as long as it is only in marriage.

Lusts

1 John 2:15-17 expands on the thought in 1 Thessalonians 4:5 that it is those who do not know God who live according to their fleshly lusts.

Not of God

Why, according to 1 John 2:15-17, do Christians not live according to their fleshly lusts?

Blinded Eyes

Ephesians 4:17-24 also talks about people who don't know God, explaining what makes the difference in a Christian's life.

The New Man

According to these passages, what makes a Christian different so that they are no longer ruled by the flesh? What rules their lives instead?

Defraud

We often use the word defraud in context of deceptively stealing money. Why does God use that word to describe what you do to someone when you think or act immorally about or with someone who is not your spouse?

Fair Warning

Hebrews 10:30-31 reminds us why 1 Thessalonians 4:6 warns us so strongly against immorality since God will avenge those who are wronged by it.

Holiness

1 Peter 1:13-16 explains why God calls His people to holiness.

Be Holy

Why does God call His people to holiness (being set apart for God and pure) according to 1 Peter 1:15-16?

The Battle Begins

Where does the battle for holiness begin according to 1 Peter 1:13?

Despising God

To despise means to treat as insignificant or small and reject. In Luke 10:16 Jesus clearly taught that those who despise God's messengers and their message are actually despising God Himself just like we see in today's passage.

God's Message

Why is it actually despising God to despise His messengers?

God's Gift

God doesn't leave His people to fight this battle on their own. He has given them His Holy Spirit - the same one who raised Jesus from the dead - to give them power to live a holy life. Read about it in Romans 8:8-17 (If you have an extra few minutes, read the whole powerful chapter to understand more fully how the Holy Spirt gives Christians victory).

The Holy Spirit

How does the Holy Spirt help believers resist temptation and live pure lives?

Never Too Late

God speaks very directly about the seriousness of sexual sin - it keeps people out of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21). But He also very clearly declares that people who have sinned in these ways can be forgiven and saved (1 Corinthians 6:11; Romans 10:13). If you struggle with sexual sin, it is not too late. Consider the testimonies of Rahab the harlot who was saved and appeared in the list of people of faith in Hebrews 11:31, the woman taken in adultery who Jesus forgave and told to sin no more in John 8:2-11, and David who repented of His adultery in 2 Samuel 12:13 and Psalm 51. Sin has lasting consequences (2 Samuel 12:10; Proverbs 6:30-33), but if you confess your sin (say the same thing God says about it, 1 John 1:9) and turn from it (Acts 3:19) God will forgive and save no matter what you have done in the past if you truly turn to Him.

In Your Words

If someone asked you what the Bible says about sexual purity and how a Christian can live purely, how would you use what you've studied today to answer them?

Application

Confession

Has the Lord used this study to show you areas of your life that are impure? Confess your sin and repent by turning to Jesus Christ.

Purity

How are you going to do God's will and live to please Him in holiness and purity?

Weapons

God calls His Word the Sword of the Spirit. What Bible verses are you going to hide in your heart so that you are prepared to fight temptation with them?

Accountability

God warns us that our hearts are deceitful and that temptation is sneaky. How can you get accountability to help you live a pure life and avoid immorality?

Wrapup

Closing

We hope this study has helped you understand what God says about sexual purity, and challenged you to live in purity and holiness in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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