1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
God desires for you to grow in holiness
“Sexual promiscuity was even more accepted and practiced in the ancient pagan world than in our own world today. Adultery, prostitution, homosexuality… and other sexual perversions were common, so common that two millennia of Christian influence may diminish our ability to comprehend it.” – Mark Dever
1. To grow in holiness, we must reject sexual immorality
2. To grow in holiness, we must renounce lust
Matthew 5:27-28 “ You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
3. To grow in holiness, we must respect our brother
4. To grow in holiness, we must remember God
1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."
“The person who takes sexual sin lightly, who sees it as something that does not matter much, is, in effect, treating God as of no account, for the prohibition is His.” – Leon Morris
Romans 1:24-28 “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
Galatians 5:24-25 “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
Application Questions
1. What are some ways we’ve become comfortable with worldly ideas about purity and sexual morality? (or how have you become complacent or worldly in your view of holiness?)
2. How does indulging in lust rob us in our relationship with God? (hint: lust is self-worship)
3. How can we practically renounce lust?
4. How does the fact that God has called us out of darkness and cleansed us motivate us to live holy lives for Him?
5. How can we practically put our hope in God to change in the areas of purity and holiness?
