I Thessalonians 4:1-12 – Christian Conduct of the worthy walk
- Study Index for 1 THESSALONIANS by Chester McCalley
-
I Thessalonians 1:1-10 – Serving God
I Thessalonians 2:1-16 – Gospel Taught at Thessalonica
I Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 – Paul and new believers
I Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Timothy’s Report
I Thessalonians 4:1-12 – Christian Conduct of the worthy walk
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 – The Parousia
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 – Day of the Lord
I Thessalonians 5:12-22 – Church Relationships
I Thessalonians 5:23-28 – God of peace
All of Paul’s letters have a certain order. He usually opens his letter with the treatment of doctrinal matters; any questions his readers may have asked are answered. He then follows with the implications of doctrine for Christian living. This transition is often marked by the words finally then, as is true of I Thessalonians 4. The believer’s conduct may be handled under four headings, providing an outline for these twelve verses.
GENERAL CONDUCT 4:1-2
“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. 2For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.”
Paul instructed these new believers immediately after their conver- sion. The very first days of their new lives as Christians were filled with instruction. The aorist tense of the verb you received from conceives of an action complete in itself. Paul had been in Thessalonica three to four weeks and had given them complete instructions concerning the Christian walk.
The living of the Christian life was presented as an imperative matter. The verb ought is dei, the word for absolute necessity. It is the same word used by Jesus in telling Nicodemus that he must be born again. The definite article the precedes the word how. Paul taught “the how” of the Christian life.
Paul presented the Christian life as a walk, a metaphor for conduct and lifestyle. The metaphor sets aside the idea that the Christian life is a series of fireworks It is a step-by-step, day-by-day, inch-by- inch matter—a continuous sequence of putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward. The motivation for Christian living is taken to its roots, i.e. pleasing God. The concept of ever increas- ing maturity is conveyed by the words excel still more.
SEXUAL CONDUCT 4:3-8
AS IT RELATES TO GOD’S WILL 4:3-6
Viewed Positively 4:3-4
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor…”
The noun will has no article with it. If it did, we might expect these verses to be a full presentation of God’s will. The absence of the article places emphasis on the character or the essence of the noun. Thus, bears the quality of being the will of God is the idea. This leaves room for a statement of the will of God in other matters also.
The word sanctification is taken from a totally pagan context. It was a cultic concept for the quality possessed by things or persons who could approach deity. Its root meaning is to set apart. It has three aspects to it. First, there is positional sanctification (I Corinthians
1:2), which speaks of a sanctification due to our union with Christ. Second, there is ultimate sanctification (I Thessalonians 5:23), which anticipates the day of our glorification when we are fash- ioned in Christ’s image. Finally, there is experiential sanctification, which refers to the Christlikeness that is developed in the believer during his life on earth. It is this of which I Thessalonians 4:3 speaks.
Why is a command to abstain from fornication needed in the Thessalonian church? Because sexual sin was so lightly condemned by Greek society. Continence was regarded as an unreasonable demand on a male. The command issued here is not necessarily intended to rebuke a sin that was being practiced among believers. Because of the low standards of the day, Christians needed to be reminded not to pattern their sexual conduct after a society that does not adhere to divine standards or morality. Since a Christian is always influenced by contemporary thinking, reminders are very much in order.
How can a believer be sure he or she abstains? The answer does not lie entirely in willpower. I Corinthians 6:18 is helpful in its com- mand to flee immorality. Paul is warning Christians to stay away from situations of temptation—run!
Fornication is a unique sin. If one steals, he has committed a sin by his body; if one envies, he has committed a sin in his body; if one commits suicide, he has sinned upon his body. In fornication, one sins against his body.
What does it mean to sin against one’s body? Fornication violates God’s purpose for the body as shown by I Corinthians 6:13, “Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body.” Even more sobering is the truth that fornication is a sin against the resident of the body as I Corinthians 6:19-20 reads, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you….” Possessing one’s own vessel has been taken two ways. First, some take it to mean one’s wife. Others take vessel in the sense of II Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels….” This seems to fit the context best since Paul is speaking of the exercise of sexual discipline over one’s own body.
Viewed Negatively 4:5-6
“…not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.”
The word passion denotes the idea of overpowering desire. Paul is picturing men who allow passion to control—who have no control over their lives. The Christian is to be unlike the society in which he lives, both in belief and conduct.
AS IT RELATES TO GOD’S CALL 4:7-8
“For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctifica- tion. 8Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”
Sin must be viewed from the standpoint of the ultimate issue. For the believer, sexual morality is not merely an issue of relationship with man; it is an issue of one’s relationship to God. Sin is always against God as stated by Psalm 51:4, “Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, and done what is evil in Thy sight….”
The mention of the Holy Spirit as God’s gift to us is especially pertinent to sexual morality since the body of the believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
AFFECTIONAL ATTITUDE 4:9-10
THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE 4:9
“Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another…”
Now as to is a Pauline way of introducing a new subject (4:13 about, 5:1 as to). They apparently introduce different parts of Timothy’s report concerning the Thessalonian church.
The Greek word philadelphia, translated love of the brethren, was used among the Greeks for love among blood relatives. The New Testament uses it for love of believers for one another who comprise the family of God. Paul sees love as an inbred part of the family of God. It flows from within; it is not infused from without.
THE PRACTICE OF LOVE 4:10
“…for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more.”
This verse may be viewed as the proof that Christians are truly taught by God to love one another. The Thessalonian believers do practice it toward those in Greece that they have never seen.
Paul always safeguards against stagnancy in the Christian life. Here he does so by the words excel still more.
SOCIAL CONDUCT 4:11-12
WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST 4:11
“…and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and to attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you…”
The word and shows the close connection of this verse with the preceding one. The actions of verse 11 may be regarded as the details of a manifested love for the brethren. In essence, they all encourage personal independence in carrying on the necessary functions of life. Nothing disrupts the Christian community more than those who refuse to shoulder their personal responsibility for their own lives.
This verse is another example of exhortation given to Christians to resist the cultural habit of their day. Greek society degraded labor, but Christians are to pursue it. In so doing, they will avoid the pitfalls of idleness.
OUTSIDE THE BODY OF CHRIST 4:12
“…so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.”
This type of conduct should have two results. First, it should win respect from unbelievers. Outsiders are those who have no connection with Christ and are outside the family of God (I Corinthians 5:12-13, Colossians 4:5, I Timothy 3:7). Second, this will enable them to fulfill their social responsibility by not being dependent citizens.
- Study Index for 1 THESSALONIANS by Chester McCalley
-
I Thessalonians 1:1-10 – Serving God
I Thessalonians 2:1-16 – Gospel Taught at Thessalonica
I Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 – Paul and new believers
I Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Timothy’s Report
I Thessalonians 4:1-12 – Christian Conduct of the worthy walk
I Thessalonians 4:13-18 – The Parousia
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 – Day of the Lord
I Thessalonians 5:12-22 – Church Relationships
I Thessalonians 5:23-28 – God of peace
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