The Priority of Purity

That Paul begins his discussion about sanctification by addressing the issue of sexual conduct is therefore no accident. He fully recognized that for those who were saved from this culture and for those who lived within this culture, the temptation to succumb to sexual sin was great. He arms them with the necessary motivation to achieve victory—God's will.

What pastor has not been asked by someone in his congregation, "How can I know God's will?" Contrary to the mistaken notions of many, God's will is not hidden and mysterious—it's not like you have decipher some code to "find" it. Throughout the Scriptures you read specific statements that reveal God's will for you. Here are just a few:

For the Thessalonians, turning "to God from idols" (1:9) now meant that they were going to live according to a new set of standards. Instead 81of acquiescing to their culture, God desired for them to transcend it. To do this they needed to know His expectations about their sexuality. His will was not something that had to be discovered; it was something that had only to be obeyed. Paul shows them three ways in which they must obey His will.

God's desire for us is that we would make Him our greatest desire. Paul wrote, "For this is God's will, your sanctification" (4:3). The word "sanctification" occurs three times in this passage (4:3, 4, 7). The word means to be "set apart" or "dedicated" to God. The idea is literally that of holiness. Sanctification is both a standing and a process. On one hand, when you come to Christ, He transfers you into a new kingdom. You now stand redeemed and forgiven. You are not partially redeemed; you are fully redeemed (Col 1:13-14). You instantly have a new standing with God. On the other hand, however, you still live in a fallen world in unredeemed flesh. While you are saved from the penalty of sin, the power of sin is an ever-present reality with which you still must wrestle. In this sense, sanctification is the ongoing process whereby you grow in holiness. As Paul's prayers for the Thessalonians in 3:13 and 5:23 show, the process of sanctification will continue until their final glorification at His coming.

Sanctification touches every area of a person's life. In fact, Paul will address several specific areas in the coming verses. But given the setting in the city of Thessalonica, he begins with the subject of sexual purity. The command is simple and direct: "Abstain from sexual immorality" (4:3). No excuses. No "what ifs." Stay away from it. Now remember that Paul has been preparing them for this. "You already love God and you love His truth," he reminded them. "Now it's time to take your commitment to another level and run away from any form of sexual impurity." His point is total abstinence.

"Sexual immorality" refers to any form of illicit sexual behavior outside of what is prescribed by God in His Word. This encompasses both the actions of the body and the thoughts of the heart (Matt 5:28). Sex according to God finds its perfect fulfillment only in the marriage relationship between a man and woman (Heb 13:4). Since sex was God's idea (Gen 1:28), it follows that you should not deviate from the parameters that He has established concerning it. Christianity had come to Thessalonica, but the city had not yet come to Christ. The Thessalonian 82believers had a new King and were anticipating a new kingdom, but until they could enter that kingdom, God called them to "shine as stars in the world" in their city (Phil 2:15). To live in this manner would require a decisive break from old patterns of thinking and living.

Abstaining from sexual sin involves the ability to "control" your "body" (4:4). Debate persists as to what exactly Paul had in mind in this verse.9 The word translated "body" literally means "vessel." Paul was clearly using this word metaphorically, but the question is, How? Some commentators have opted to translate the word as "wife."10 In this sense, Paul would be telling the Thessalonians that God's design for sexual fulfillment is within the marital relationship. Contrary to the "anything goes" philosophy in Thessalonica and the destruction of marital fidelity that came with it, these new believers were instructed to be faithful to their wives.

Other commentators see Paul's metaphor differently. Some follow the translators of the HCSB and conclude that Paul is using the word "vessel" as a metaphor for "body." Viewed in this way, Paul is telling the Thessalonians that abstinence from sexual sin is tied directly to how well they control their bodies. Chuck Swindoll illustrates this well:

Thus, pleasing God means saying "no" to the flesh. Simply stated, we must control our bodies and not allow our bodies to control us. We must therefore "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires" (Rom 13:14).

83Wherever people land on how they interpret verse 4, the focus of the text remains clear: God has a standard for sex, and any deviation from that standard falls outside of His will. Failure to meet God's standard has serious consequences, both for the believer (Heb 11:5-6) and for the unbeliever (1 Cor 6:9-10). He expects that our bodies and our marriages be set apart to him "in sanctification and honor" (4:4). To drive this home, Paul paints a stark contrast between the believer and the unbeliever. Those who "don't know God" (Gentiles) exercise "lustful desires" to satisfy their sexual appetites (4:5), but those who "walk to please God" pursue purity and holiness (4:1, 7; see also Rom 6:13).

Sexual sin is a transgression not only against the holiness of God but also against the dignity of other people. God establishes boundaries for your life. His boundary for sexual impurity must not be crossed (4:3). His boundary for how we view others should also be respected. To be sexually impure therefore is basically to tell God that we don't care what He says and to tell others that we don't care who they are. As Paul might describe it, when we commit sexual sin, we disobey God's will and we disregard our brother's personhood.

Most people never think of sexual sin in this way. Even a "harmless" consensual sexual encounter with another person is an offence against that other person. Concerning this, John Phillips offers a stern word: "God has written 'No Trespassing' over every man or woman who is not one's own wife or husband.... He has also posted the warning 'Trespassers will be prosecuted'" (Phillips, Exploring 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 103). When we commit sexual sin with another person we cross a boundary that God never intended to be crossed. We are taking from someone something that does not belong to us. In essence we are really saying to the other person, "I do not care about you." Often we hear one person say to another, "If you really love me, you will have sex with me." The truth is that if that person really loved the one with whom he wanted to have sex, they would not have sex at all. The only time that God removes the "No Trespassing" signs are when a man and woman are married.

Outside of marriage, the "No Trespassing" sign applies to both parties. A sexual encounter never involves just one person sinning; two people are sinning. Sexual sin is saying to God, "I don't care if I sin against You, and I also don't care if I cause this other person to sin against 84You." Jesus has strong words for those who cause others to sin:

Why is Paul sharing this with the Thessalonians? After all, he praised them for turning away from idols to serve God (1:9). Surely this must have included their turning away from the idol of sexual immorality. He also rejoiced that they "welcomed" God's Word into their lives (2:13). Wouldn't this imply that they also welcomed God's instructions about sexual purity? He even encouraged them to keep up their passion for God (4:3). Doesn't a passion for God imply a hatred for sin?

Why was this subject so important to Paul? He gives us a straightforward answer: "The Lord is an avenger of all these offenses" (4:6b). Stated plainly, God takes sexual sin very seriously. The Bible has much to say on this subject. Consider the following passages:

1 Thessalonians 4:8

The closing verse of this passage brings Paul's teaching on sexual purity to a fitting conclusion. In this final verse Paul issues a solemn warning: "Therefore, the person who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit" (4:8). The "this" to which he refers is God's call to a life of purity and sanctification, specifically as it relates to sexual purity (4:7). Interestingly, he begins his discussion with an exhortation to please God and ends with a warning about rejecting God (4:1, 8). Pleasing God means living a pure life. Rejecting God means living an impure life. It's not complicated. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commands" (John 14:15). Likewise He also said, "The one who doesn't love Me will not keep My words" (John 14:24).

In verse 8 Paul draws a line in the sand. On one side of the line is obedience and on the other side is disobedience. If we cross the line, we reject both God and His Spirit within us (4:8). However, the opposite response brings about very different results. To acknowledge the boundaries that God has established means that we desire to acknowledge the God who established those boundaries. In so doing, we honor God and His indwelling Spirit. This concluding verse brings us full circle back to our relationship with God. Everything in your Christian life rests on this relationship, including your response to sexual temptation. Our motivation to obey God comes not only from the benefits of obedience but also from our commitment to acknowledge God for who He is. Concerning this, Jeremiah declares that if we boast about anything, we should boast in the reality of understanding and knowing God Himself (Jer 9:23-24). Paul echoed this same sentiment when he said, "So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord" (2 Cor 10:17). One of the primary ways that we boast in God is by keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3). When we 86know God, we not only do what He says, we also delight in what He says (1 John 5:3). The psalmist writes,

When the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray. Jesus taught them to begin their prayers by finding their delight in God (Matt 6:9-10). He gave them (and us) three ways to do this:

You and I live in a culture where people reject God without giving Him a second thought. God has called us to be different. Our Christianity really does matter, and how we live matters to God. The Gentiles pursue their "lustful desires" for the pleasure of the moment, but those who follow Christ pursue God for the promise of lasting fulfillment. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Moses made the choice to pursue God. He considered it worthwhile

87In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Paul specifically mentions all three Persons of the Trinity: God (4:1, 3, 5, 7, 8), Jesus (4:1-2), and the Holy Spirit (4:8). By referring to the Trinity, Paul shows how all three Persons of the Godhead are actively involved in our sanctification.11 Clearly, God sees our holiness as a priority. A quick look back at these verses gives keen insight into how this works. First, God establishes the pattern for our lives by revealing His will and holding us accountable for how we respond to it (4:3, 6). Second, Jesus Christ provides our only access to knowing and pleasing God (4:1). Only by entering into a relationship with Christ can we fully grasp the significance of God's commandments (4:3). Third, God gives His Holy Spirit to us (4:8). The Spirit then empowers us to live a holy life. Allowing impurity to invade our lives would be in direct opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit (4:8).

Before moving on, consider a final observation about Paul's reference to the "Holy Spirit" (4:8b). Paul states that the person who "rejects" a life committed to sexual purity "does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit" (4:8; emphasis added). The implication here is that to reject God's commandments is to reject the Spirit of God. This statement raises an important question: Why did Paul include this passing reference to the Holy Spirit? To answer this question we must first understand how God's Spirit is at work in us. When you are saved, God "seals" you with His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's earnest money contract. God gives you His Spirit as a guarantee of your future in God's presence forever (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13-14). But God's Spirit is not just a promise for your future; His Spirit empowers you to live today. The Spirit takes up permanent residence in your life. He makes your heart His home (John 14:15-26; Rom 8:9). God gives you all of His Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). You, however, have not yet yielded all of yourself to Him. This is why God commands you to "be filled by the Spirit" (Eph 5:18). As you yield to the Spirit, He dramatically changes you (Eph 5:19-6:9). He changes you in a number of ways:

Keeping in mind the Spirit's work, turn your attention back to Paul's reference to the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 4:8. Remember the context that surrounds this verse. Paul is entreating the Thessalonians to "abstain from sexual immorality" because God has called them to a life of purity and holiness (4:3). As we have just seen, God gives you His Spirit to indwell you and to empower you to live the kind of life that He requires. The Holy Spirit's presence then does two very important things: First, He ensures your legitimacy as His children and guarantees your future with Him. Second, He powerfully works in you to bring about your holiness. Thus when we "reject" God's commandments, we are rejecting the very Holy Spirit who empowers us to keep those commandments. That is why the Bible teaches that believers can "stifle" (1 Thess 5:19) and "grieve" (Eph 4:30) the Holy Spirit.

The inescapable conclusion of this passage is that a decision to follow Jesus Christ does not mark the end of our journey—it is only the beginning. God did not save us to sit in a church pew, to listen to sermons, or to put money in an offering plate. While these are good things, they do not account for the sum total of our salvation. When we follow Christ, we commit to pursue Him with our entire being, including our bodies. Nothing that we have truly belongs to us; and nothing should be more important to us than following Him. Through the work of His Spirit, God is transforming us from who we are into who He wants us to be. Our holiness is His priority. Along our journey the road ahead is riddled with many pitfalls to our holiness. Satan wants nothing more than to keep us right where we are. He wants us to be comfortable with our church membership, complacent in our walk with God, and callous in our view of sexual purity. We must recognize these dangers. We dare not ask what the minimum requirement is for being a Christian; we pursue God with an ever-increasing zeal. We ought not see how close to God's moral line we can walk before we get too close; we stay as far away from 89the line as possible. Unlike those who have no regard for God, we use our passions not to satisfy our cravings but to please our God.