As we mature, we often seek ways to please our parents in order to fulfil our needs. For instance, if a father is strict and values academic success, a child may strive to achieve the highest grades to make him proud and receive gifts in return. Some children have a knack for pleasing their parents with simple actions such as crying or persuasive language to obtain what they desire.
As a child of God, we need to know how to Please God so that we can receive the eternal blessing from him. Paul writes to the Thessalonians on how to Please God in our Living. Many of which is true to the context of the 21st century we live.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 (NIV) 1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. 9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
There are six things that Paul teaches for us to live a life thats pleasing to God, when we read this there are many things for us to understand the secrets so that we adopt to live a pleasing life to God
1. Instructions from God
💡 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 (NIV) 1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
Paul starts to say “we instructed you how to live in order to please God” he repeats this even in 2nd verse “you know what instructions” these instructions come from the Word of God
we may say, its very hard to remember all the commands and instructions that is given in Bible. In that case we should remember 2 important things that Jesus taught us
As children of God we are to Follow the Cross,
A Cross has Vertical Element “|” - “Love for God”
A Cross has the Horizontal Element “—” - Love for People”
Jesus taught us how to follow the Cross with these two simple commands in Mark 12:30-31 (NIV) - 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” '
Loving God with all your heart and Soul - makes you lead a life which is “God first”, rest of my world priorities second - When you do this he will take care like how David says in Psalms 23:1-3 (NIV) - 'The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. '
Loving your neighbour as yourself - This is the most difficult command to follow, we humans reciprocate love based on what we get from Others, but the Love God asks us to show is how we love ourself. The true love of God’s character -1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV) 'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. '
We do not have this kind of Love, only the Love of God can enable us to live as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. With the help of God we love our neighbour as we love ourself’s.
2. Avoid Sexual Immorality
💡 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 (NIV) 3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.
We read this verse and many times we say it’s not applicable for us. As we live a life pure, its applicable only for some one who lives in extra marital relationship with some one. This is the deception that Satan tries to bring on us and let that Sin continue in our life. This skipping and saying not applicable to me is not true, if we understand the way how God looks at us.
Jesus Said - Matthew 5:28 (NIV) 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So the notion that we dont have a physical relationship and not applicable to us is totally wrong. Our eyes sees many men / women and if the heart does not lust then you are free of this Sin. if your heart produces the Lust then its a Sin.
Why is Sexual Lust so much talked in Bible. We need to understand this more, when we are baptised and God’s spirit dwells in our Body.
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV) 16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV) 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
The moment the Lust of the Body comes, it corrupts the heart / mind / Soul where God lives, it gives room to Sexual immorality which is a abomination in God’s eye.
1 Corinthians 6:13 (NIV) 13 You say, "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both." The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
1 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV) 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
We can overcome only if we flee from this Lust of the flesh - “Flee from sexual immorality”.. as this sin is against their Own body where God is residing.
1 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV) 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
3. Sanctification
💡 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NIV) 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Before we get Holy, we need to remove the dead works from our life that is not pleasing to God, There can be many characters of us which may not be pleasing to God (Anger / Money matters / Priorities of Life / Dependence on Self vs God / Sincerity / Gossip / Love etc..) . Follow God’s command to cut that out from your life
Matthew 7:19-20 (NIV) 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Luke 13: 6-7, 9 (NIV) 6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' ... 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' “
Matthew 18:8 (NIV) 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
Once you distance and cut out these things, Ask repentance from God and to the people whom you have hurt Luke 13:3 (NIV) 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Without repentance there is no way you can get holy.
Forgive others as God forgives us freely even after we repeat on our Sins - So that we can earn more sanctification from him - Matthew 18:35 (NIV) 35 "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
4. Self control
💡 1 Thessalonians 4:4 (NIV) 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
God has given man the ability to do anything at his own will. Many times we decide what we “think” is right and go wrong.
As Children of God, God expects to give up our self desires and obey what God desires us to follow by the will of God. As our self desires of flesh is contrary to God’s spirit - Galatians 5:17 (NIV) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
The secret to Overcome the flesh is to seek God and to be lead by his Spirit, so that the desires of your self is destroyed Galatians 5:16 (NIV) 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Its a very hard act to do as we are constantly thrown with deceptions and temptations when we say I want my self to die in Cross. We get tempted to do opposite of what God calls us to do.
But take heart - God has commanded, he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, when we are tempted Ask God to help he will help over-ride your self with his Spirit
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
James 4:7-8 (NIV) 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
5. Holiness
💡 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NIV) 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
One part of this is sanctification and the other part is Holiness , as God says without Holiness we will not be able to see God. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) 14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
The word says we have to be holy as God is holy - 1 Peter 1:16 (NIV) 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.”
We live in the world that is filled with a lot of filth, which makes us to stumble and be unholy in eyes of God
God calls to be alert on the things of the world that makes us Unholy. Think twice to see if this action will make you unholy leading to sin.
1 Peter 1:13-14 (NIV) 13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
As you are called to be alert - know what characters of these that can make you unholy Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV) 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Yes, we will fall and be unholy leading to Sin, do not stop there, get back and ask for repentance and satisfaction to become holy again. 1 Peter 1:15 (NIV) 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
6. Quite Life that is pleasing to God
💡 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NIV) 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,
The verse is clear to make us lead a simple life which is Quite / minding our own business and work. Earn from your hands and live your life based on the work you do.
Let your life be a blessing to others.don’t be idle and bring disruption by having gossips on others life. (2 Thessalonians 3:11 NIV) 11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.
The word teaches us to do good and never get tired of doing Good - 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV) 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
Eat your fruit of labour by tolling well, lead a life like Paul - 2 Thessalonians 3:7-8 (NIV) 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
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