Skip to content The Divine Call to Holiness and Sanctification as Seen in 1 Thessalonians 4-5 Sep 18 · 15 min ...more
The Divine Call to Holiness and Sanctification as Seen in 1 Thessalonians 4-5
September 18, 2025 · 15 min
Journey through Paul's message to live sanctified and honorably in our bodies as believers.
Series Stand on the Word - Video On Demand Support this leader Liking this video? Support this ministry.
Support this leader
Liking this video? Support this ministry.
Give
Support this leader Liking this video? Support this ministry.
93.9K followers
Family Research Council is serving in the kingdom of God by championing faith, family, & freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
93.9K followers
Comments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Living a Sanctified Life and the Hope of Christ's Return 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Today, we finish up Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians as we read chapters 4 and 5. And in this letter, Paul talks about the rapture and how to be ready. So,0:21 stick with me. Alright. Verses, 16 through 18 in chapter 5. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. So let me ask you this0:33 question. I hear it all the time. What is the will of God for me? Well, if you're looking for it, here it is. Rejoice always even in the difficult times. Don't stop praying and be grateful0:45 in all situations. Now Paul's letter here is very practical. Following up with those who had come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in Thessalonica. And I'm gonna tell you, we can learn immensely0:57 from Paul's instruction. It has application, I think, even more so today in previous times of the church because I believe, and I've said this before, so it's no surprise, that just as1:09 the introduction of the kingdom of God was met with fierce resistance, so will it be as we come to the conclusion of this period and as Paul talks about here, the return of Christ.1:21 Alright. Verse 1 chapter 4. Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you receive from us how you ought to walk and to please god.1:33 For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the will of God. Here we see it again. Your sanctification that you should abstain from sexual or, immorality.1:45 Now Paul talks in his writings, in his letters, he talks a good bit about the will of God. And depending upon the translation, there are about 15 references that Paul makes to the will of God. But here in Thessalonians,1:57 it's a little different. He is very explicit saying this is the will of God for you. This is God's will for all believers that each of you2:09 should know how to possess his own vessel, that is his body, in sanctification and honor, meaning set apart for God, not in passion of loss like the Gentiles who do not know God, that no 1 should2:21 take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also forewarned you and testified. For god did not call us to2:33 uncleanness, but to holiness. Now look at what Paul says god's will for you and for me is. Our sanctification. Now what does that mean? What does sanctification2:45 mean? Alright. When we are saved or as Paul describes in chapter 5, in the next chapter, that when we believe that Christ died and rose again, and Paul wrote about this in Romans chapter 10 verse 9. He says,2:57 if you confess with your mouth that the lord Jesus confess with your mouth the lord Jesus and believe in your heart that god raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Salvation is believing in what3:09 Jesus did on the cross, that god raised him then from the dead. At the point of believing, we are justified, meaning that we're made right with god through that redemptive work of3:20 Jesus. Then through the holy spirit and the word of god, we embark upon a lifelong journey of sanctification. Now we do not all progress at the same pace3:32 because we determine by our yielding to the Holy Spirit and abiding in the word of God, we determine the progress of sanctification. Then when we enter3:44 into eternity, into the presence of God, because of the work of Jesus, we're glorified. So we are justified, sanctified, and then glorified.3:55 So for now, if you are a believer, you are called by god to be holy, meaning to be set apart to him. And notice that this is not the idea of man. This is4:07 not man's idea, but god's idea that we're to be sanctified. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man, but god who has given us his holy spirit. So Paul lays out now 3 aspects of this4:19 sanctification here, the holiness that we're called to. Number 1, he says that we're and this is all really about our our bodies, sexual immorality. Says obtain abstain from sexual immorality. Now4:31 the pagan culture of that day is really a picture of where our culture is presently headed. There was no restraint. So the will of God is for us to be counterculture when it comes4:43 to, what we do with our bodies sexually. I mean, it's not the motto of the scripture is not if it feels good, do it. It is to be holy and set4:55 apart for god. Number 2 is to exercise self control, right, to control our appetites, our desires of the body. And third is to respect others.5:07 If the will of God in terms of not defrauding our brothers, not taking advantage of others, not manipulating others as we see in our culture today, if the will of God was embraced just by the church,5:19 right, just by the church. And this is instruction to believers, by the way. Okay? That's what Paul's writing this letter to, the believers at Thessalonica. If the church just embraced what Paul5:30 has written here, we would we would, we would not be reading about most of the scandals that are engulfing the churches today. We5:42 see a lot of this even among pastors that are not respecting others, but defrauding them and taking advantage of them. And and and5:54 god Paul is warning against this very thing. Look again at verse 8. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man, but god who has given us the holy spirit. The holy6:06 spirit provides the ability, the strength we need to live this sanctified life. I'm gonna tell you, we cannot do this in our own strength. In fact, in Ephesians chapter 6, Paul writes after laying out6:18 in the book of Ephesians, which we're gonna get to, about how to live the Christian life, he says, finally, my brother, be strong in the lord and the power of his might. We cannot do this in our own strength. But6:29 there's also a warning here. We cannot choose sexual immorality and the power of the holy spirit. Are you we we cannot choose to walk in the way of the world and be filled6:41 with the power of the holy spirit. You have to choose 1 or the other. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5 18, and do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation or waste, but be filled with the spirit. You can't you you're6:53 gonna be under the influence of 1 or the other. Alright. Verse 9, but concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write you, for you yourselves are taught by god to love 1 another. The holy spirit within us7:05 leads us to love other believers. And indeed, you do so toward all the brethren who are in Macedonia, but we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more exercise it, make it stronger, that7:16 you also aspire to lead a quiet life. Or he's gonna get into some very practical teaching here. Lead a quiet life to mind your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you,7:28 that you may walk properly toward those who are on the outside and that you may lack nothing. Alright? We're we're to have a testimony. So what does he say here? This practical living. Lead a quiet life. Mind your own7:39 business. Work with your hands. Be productive so that you will have a good reputation among those outside the church, and that because of that, they may come into the kingdom. Paul now.7:51 Alright. Here we go. Paul talks about the rapture, verse 13. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, it means those who have died, lest you sorrow as others who8:03 have no hope. So some thought that those who had died in the faith, who had come to Christ but then died, they were gonna miss out. And so they were sorrowful. When someone died, it was8:15 like, oh, this is the end. Paul says, no. No. No. No. He assures them this is not the case. Verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with him those8:26 who sleep in Jesus. Alright? So we don't die. You know, we we we will continue into eternity. Those who have died have fallen asleep in Christ, but they're gonna be awakened. For this, we say to8:38 you by the word of the lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. Now just notice here for a moment the word the authority that this word comes by,8:50 by the word of the lord. Alright? This is coming from the lord. For the lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of god, and the dead in Christ will rise9:00 first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air, and thus, we shall always be with the lord. Now9:12 this phrase caught up is in it comes out of the Greek. In the Latin, we get the word rapture. Rapture doesn't appear in the scripture, but we hear a lot about it. Rapture is the9:24 Latin word meaning to be snatched or to be carried off. So in the rapture, this is before the second coming. The second coming, technically, is when Jesus comes back to the9:36 earth, sets up his millennial reign. This, the rapture, Christ does not come to the earth, but believers, first, those who have died in Christ and those who are alive are9:48 caught up with him in the air. Therefore, comfort 1 another with these words. So these words, and I've used this passage many times in funerals, provide9:59 great comfort. Alright? Verse 1 of chapter 5. But concerning the times and the seasons so he moves right into this discussion. Brethren, you have no need that I should write you, for you yourselves know10:11 perfectly that the day of the lord so comes as a thief in the night. Now Paul says Christ's return, this this rapture and his return, it's it's gonna be like a thief in the night, meaning unexpectedly.10:24 However, as sons of the light and sons of the day, we should not be taken by surprise. So what does he say? Wake up, sober up, look up, watch,10:36 and armor up. The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness. Live in the faith. Verse 9, for god did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our lord Jesus10:48 Christ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. As believers, we've not been appointed to the wrath of god, but to salvation through the redemptive11:00 work of Jesus. Therefore, comfort each other and edify 1 another just as you also are doing. Now from here, Paul kinda concludes with what I would kinda describe as a11:12 spiritual checklist for the church. Recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the lord and admonish you. Alright? Recognize those who are in leadership. Esteem them very highly in11:23 love for their work's sake. Alright? Their work's sake. Maybe maybe you might have some issues with them, but is their work bringing glory to God? Recognize them. Love them. Esteem them11:35 highly. Be at peace among yourselves. Wow. Be at peace among yourselves. Warn those who are unruly or idle. Comfort the fainthearted. Uphold the weak. Be11:47 patient with all. Wow. Some really good instruction. Very practical. Verse 15, see that no 1 renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves11:59 and for all. It's not just about us. It's not just about you. It's about all. Rejoice always. Alright. Here we go again. We saw this at the beginning. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything,12:11 give in everything, give thanks. Listen. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Only twice do we see Paul specifically stating this is the will of God, and we see it in a12:22 letter to the Thessalonians. Do not quench the spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things. Hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now I wanna pause here as we12:34 conclude because Paul writes, next what I believe is a tremendous blessing. It's powerful. Look. Listen. Verse 23. Just just pause just a moment and just just12:46 listen to these words. And I want you to, as you read it in your Bible, just meditate upon it. Now Paul says he concludes this letter. Now may the god of peace himself12:58 sanctify you. He's been talking about sanctification, but he says now may the god of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved13:10 blameless at the coming of our lord Jesus Christ. How's this gonna happen? He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. May the 113:22 who called you, who is faithful, sanctify you completely in your spirit, your spirit which was made alive in Christ when you accepted him, when you believed. Your soul, which is your mind and your emotions,13:34 may it be sanctified, your mind. And then your material being your body, may it be set apart for the work of God. God's will is that you are entirely, in13:46 totality, set apart for him as a holy vessel. Father, we thank you for this remarkable letter that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.14:00 And, lord, I know oftentimes we take the bible for granted, but, lord, you preserved these letters. Now there are certain letters that were written that we don't have. We we we believe they're made reference14:11 to. Even that Paul wrote that are not in the canon of scripture, they were lost. But these were preserved very fundamental in their instruction to new believers and how they should14:23 walk out their faith in you in a in a in a very pagan, culture. And, lord, we see many similarities today. Father,14:35 may we embrace your word, and may the holy spirit empower us to live that sanctified life. For we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and until next time,14:47 keep standing on the word.14:50 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you15:02 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Living a Sanctified Life and the Hope of Christ's Return
Comments
Keep it kind. Comments are public.