I Thessalonians: Living in Holiness and Honor.

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, ⁵ not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 (ESV)

“Pastors and elders in the church commonly receive this question from members in their congregation: “How can I know God’s will for my life?” It is an important question, for Scripture tells us in many places that obeying God’s will for us is an essential fruit of our salvation and that if we do not strive to follow God’s will, we should question whether we actually know Jesus (e.g., 1 John 2:17). Those who love Jesus want to follow the will of God,” explains Dr. R.C. Sproul.

“Scripture generally speaks of the will of God on one of two senses. Sometimes, as in Ephesians 1:11, what is meant is the eternal purpose of God that determines history. We cannot know the content of this will that determines history or through a special revelation (prophecy). Theologians often refer to this history determining will as the ‘decretive,’ ‘hidden, or ‘secret’ will of God.

The second sense of which Scripture speaks of God’s will is the duty God has announced through revelation (I Thess. 4:3; 5:18). This is the ‘prescriptive’ or ‘revealed’ will of God, which tells us those things that the Lord finds pleasing in His sight (Deut. 29:29).”

The Apostle Paul explicitly explained to the Thessalonian believers what the ‘revealed’ will of God was for their lives. It was to abstain from sexual immorality. This meant to know or understand how to control one’s own body in holiness and honor.

To control (κτᾶσθαι; ktasthai) means to presently and personally possess or acquire sexual control over one’s body. This is to be done in relationship of holiness and honor. Holiness (ἁγιασμῷ; hagiasmo) refers to consecration and dedication to God and to be set apart from sin. Honor (τιμῇ; time) means respect and high value.

“One avoids sexual immorality by learning how to control his own body with its passions. Self-control in response to one’s sexual desires, Paul taught, could and must be learned. Christians are not the victims of circumstances or their fleshly passions. Sexual desire can be controlled by the Christian through God’s power. Paul did not specify how to control one’s passions. He implied that there may be several ways,” states commentator Thomas Constable in the Bible Knowledge Commentary.  

“But the Christian should choose a method that is both holy (hagiasmō) and honorable (timē). That is, the action taken as an alternative to sexual immorality must be behavior that is set apart to the Lord in its motivation and recognized by others as intrinsically worthy of respect (cf. 1 Cor. 6:13–20). Each Christian is responsible for his own body and behavior, not his neighbor’s (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13). Every young Christian, like the Thessalonians, should learn how to deal appropriately with sexual temptations.”

Following his affirmative declaration about the will of God, Paul then stated a corresponding negative declaration. Believers in Christ are not to live “in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;”

The word passion (πάθει; pathei) refers to lustful, sexual desire. Lust (ἐπιθυμίας; epithymias) are evil desires and cravings. These are the characteristics of heathens who do not know God. These are they who are not in a covenant relationship with God by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

“A heathen is one who does not know God. Here Paul put his finger on the key to overcoming sexual temptations. A Christian can overcome because he knows God; this makes all the difference! Paul did not say the heathen do not know about God. The reason they behave as they do is because they do not know God personally, even though they may know about Him. When a person comes to know God by faith in Jesus Christ, not only do his attitudes toward sex change, but he also discovers that God gives him the ability to act toward sexual temptation as he could not before. Knowing God is basic to living a holy life. This is why maintaining a vital relationship with God is essential to maintaining a clean walk before God,” continues Dr. Constable.

Pagan society in Paul’s day differs little from pagan society in our day. There is little inducement for sexual purity in our contemporary ungodly culture. The Gospel of Jesus Christ alone brings a moral awakening and insight of God’s righteousness and righteous, moral standards.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blesses, holy, and honorable day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!