So the best way to start a hard message is to begin with hope and encouragement.
! So instead of turning to 1 Thessalonians, which is where we're going to end up spending the bulk of our time there,
! I want to encourage you to turn to 1 Corinthians,
chapter 6. 1 Corinthians, chapter 6, beginning in verse 9. If you're a guest with us this morning, it's on page 955 in the Pew Bible ahead of you.
1 Corinthians, chapter 6, beginning at verse 9. It says,
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Did you get that?
The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Do not be deceived.
Neither the sexually immoral, which is the word that we're going to be looking at this morning,
it's the word porneia,
nor idolaters or adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Now those are some strong words.
Is there hope?
And that's where we turn to next.
And such were some of you.
But you were washed.
You were sanctified.
You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
and by the Spirit of our God.
There is no hope for us apart from Jesus Christ.
So praise the Lord for hope.
But if there is in your life this morning a pattern of sexual sin, of sexual immorality,
of giving yourself over to the indulgences of sexual sin,
there are strong words this morning for you.
But there is also hope.
The strong words that would confront you where you are
to force you to ask the question,
are you truly part of the kingdom?
But by God's grace, there is the hope of sanctification,
the hope of justification,
and the hope of cleansing that comes through Jesus Christ.
One prominent example,
back in the 4th century,
is a man by the name of Aurelius Augustine.
Now, maybe you do, or maybe you don't actually know who this individual is,
but he happens to be one of the premier fathers of the church.
He wrote voluminously.
Over 5 million words are accredited to him.
And every subsequent generation that followed after him
were impacted in some way by his focus
and his premier theology that he helped to establish
and helped just to clarify
in terms of committing himself to the study of God's word
and communicating it faithfully to the subsequent generations.
But you would never know that was to be true
from the earlier parts of Augustine's life.
He led a life of immorality as a youngster.
And although a son of a Christian mother,
he abandoned his mother's faith in favor of the Persian religion,
which was a form of Gnosticism,
which would say that salvation could come through knowledge and mysticism.
He had taken a mistress with whom he lived for 13 years.
And that immoral relationship continued to be an anchor in his life
to weigh him down and to keep him from moving to other things
that would be helpful for him.
He became disillusioned with the leaders of that movement
and discovered the Platonists.
But all this time,
his mother had been faithfully pleading with God for her son.
She knew the life decisions that he was making,
but also knew that God could change his heart.
And by God's grace,
he came upon the preaching of a church father,
the Father Ambrose.
He became intellectually convinced of the truth of Christianity,
but he confesses that he was prevented from accepting the faith
because of weakness in dealing with his sexual temptations.
But again,
through God's grace,
he arranged the circumstances.
God arranged the circumstances in his life,
and he was sitting and contemplating Christianity,
and he heard in the background a child singing,
singing the words,
take and read.
Immediately he knew
that he needed to pick up the word of God
and to see what it had to say.
So, in his confessions,
he describes how he turned back to the place
where he was sitting,
and he opened the word,
and his eyes fell on the verses in Romans chapter 13,
verses 13 to 14,
which says,
He says,
There is hope this morning.
for those of you who are caught up
and plagued by this
issue of sexual impurity.
As we come to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4,
we come front and center
with the commendation of the Apostle Paul,
who up until this point
really hasn't been communicating
any kind,
any form of exhortation.
It's been peppered with encouragement
and commending this church
and recognizing
the things that God has accomplished for them
and calling attention to them
and encouraging them to grow
in those areas.
He wants to encourage them
to remember the ministry
that he and the others
had had in Thessalonica,
how he treated them
like his own children,
whether he had a mom-like ministry
or a dad-like ministry,
a ministry of grace
or a ministry of truth.
He talks about his desire
to see them,
and his affection for this church
just continues to explode
out of the pages,
the joy that he has
for each one of them.
And now,
finally coming to a place
in this letter
where he is going to encourage,
where he's going to exhort,
where he's going to issue
warning for them.
We turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4,
verses 1 through 8.
Again, if you're a guest with us,
it's on page 987.
Let me read just the first three verses
which form our point,
this first point this morning.
It is found in verses 1 through 3.
Here's what it says.
Finally then, brothers,
we ask and urge you
in the Lord Jesus
that as you receive from us
how you ought to walk
and to please God,
just as you are doing,
that you do so more and more.
For you know what instructions
we gave you
through the Lord Jesus,
for this is the will of God,
your sanctification.
So this morning,
I want to point our attention
to three areas
where God's will
is clear for us today.
If any of you are wondering,
what does God want for me?
This is where it begins.
It begins with God's clear,
definitive will of God for you
in terms of your sanctification.
And he comes at this will of sanctification
and tries to explain it
in two different ways.
He begins in verses 1 and 2
by describing the feature
of God's will and sanctification
as being fundamental
to his gospel message.
You should know this
because this was foundational
to my original teaching to you.
We see that there
in verse 1,
just as you receive from us.
And then in verse 2,
you know what instructions
we gave to you.
So fundamental
was this truth
in Paul's message
and ministry
that even though
he had only been there
for three Sabbaths,
it was
an essential aspect
of his teaching.
It had been built in
from day one
in his encouragement
to them.
Every
conversation
that Paul has
leading up to this point,
if you look at the
messages
that he preaches
throughout the various cities
that he goes to,
contains
this element.
One example
will be found
in Acts chapter 13
verses 38 and 39.
he tells
the church
or the people
in Antioch
in Pisidia.
He says,
Let it be known
to you therefore,
brothers,
that though this
man,
excuse me,
that through this man,
speaking of Jesus,
is forgiveness of sins
and is proclaimed to you.
And by him,
everyone
who believes
is freed
from everything
from which you
could not be freed
by the law
of Moses.
There is not only
spiritual
and future
deliverance,
but there is
immediate and present
deliverance over sin.
That is the message
we preach.
That is the gospel.
It is the gospel
that saves you
for a future date
and preserves you
for heaven,
but is also
the gospel
that talks about
deliverance today,
freedom from sin,
the power of God
to overcome
in the Christian life.
in Paul's mind,
this was an essential
to the gospel.
You don't have
the good news
if you don't have this.
And by God's grace,
the church
got it.
We've seen that
over the past
several chapters.
We see how
their receptiveness
to the gospel
has come front
and center
in Paul's
commendation to them.
we find in
chapter 1,
verse 5,
he says,
our gospel came to you
not only in word,
but in power
and in the Holy Spirit
and with full conviction.
You saw it,
you heard it,
you believed it,
and the power of God
worked in your life
to change you.
That's what we see
in chapter 1,
verse 6.
You became imitators
of us
and of the Lord.
And then in verse 7,
you became an example
to all the believers
in Macedonia
and Achaia.
Chapter 1,
verse 9,
they themselves report
how you turned
to God from idols
to serve
the living
and true God.
And then in chapter 2,
verse 14,
you became imitators
of the churches of God
in Christ Jesus
that are in Judea.
You heard
the message
of the gospel,
you understood it
for what it was,
not just faith
for the future,
but faith
for every moment
of the day
that helps you
to overcome
the struggles
of life,
the bondage
of sin,
and to live
in newness
that God
has given to us
through His Son,
Jesus Christ.
The gospel
had truly saved them,
not for just
some future day,
but the in,
the here and now.
He says,
you receive from us
how you ought
to walk
and to please God
just as you
are doing
here in chapter 4,
verse 1.
You got it.
You understand it.
You're doing it.
I commend you.
And this is the same word
that Pastor David
pointed to last week
when he says,
do this more and more.
This is the super
abounding obedience
now
that Paul is
commending
to this church
in Thessalonica.
So it was fundamental
to the gospel,
but it's also fundamental
to God's character.
We see that
in verse 3.
Fundamental
to God's character.
Notice the language
in verse 3.
For this
is
the will
of
God.
In verse 1,
he says,
we ask
and urge you
in
the Lord Jesus.
Verse 2,
for you know
what instructions
we gave to you
through
the Lord Jesus.
Sanctification,
which
is a word
that
describes
holiness
or separation
unto God,
refers not only
to the activity
of the Holy Spirit
in setting a man
apart
unto salvation,
but also
the process
that enables
him to be holy.
There is a
sanctifying work
that the Spirit
does initially
in our hearts
to make us
clean,
to make us
acceptable,
but also
there is the
sanctifying work
of progress
that moves us
in the direction
to help us
to grow
in our likeness,
to help that
reality that has
been accomplished
for us
to actually show up
in how we live.
That's what
the Holy Spirit
is given
to us
to accomplish
in us.
It's truth
is fundamental
to the gospel
because it's
fundamental
to the character
of God.
God
is
holy.
I appreciate
what some
great men
have said
about the holiness
of God.
Listen
to a couple
of these quotes.
First,
from Sam Storms
who says this,
the holiness
of God
only secondarily
refers to
his moral purity.
It primarily
points to
his infinite
otherness.
To say that
God is holy
is to say
that he is
transcendently
separate.
Holiness
is not only
one attribute
among many,
it is not
like grace
or power
or knowledge
or wrath.
Everything
about God
is holy
so that
each attribute
partakes
of divine
holiness.
Or this
quote from
Jerry Bridges,
holiness
is the
perfection
of all
of God's
other attributes.
His power
is holy
power.
His mercy
is holy
mercy.
His wisdom
is holy
wisdom.
It is
his holiness
more than
any other
attribute
that makes
him worthy
of our praise.
And Dr.
MacArthur
puts it
this way,
of all the
attributes
of God,
holiness
is the
one that
most uniquely
describes
him and
in reality
is a
summation
of all
of his
other
attributes.
The word
holiness
refers to
his
separateness,
his
otherness,
the fact
that he
is unlike
any other
being.
It indicates
his complete
and infinite
perfection.
And finally
from R.C.
Sproul,
only one
sin sacred
scripture
is an
attribute
of God
elevated
to the
third
degree.
Only
once is
a
characteristic
of God
mentioned
three times
in succession.
The Bible
says that
God is
holy,
holy.
Note that
he is
merely
holy,
not that
he is
merely
holy,
or even
holy,
holy.
He is
holy,
holy.
The Bible
never says
that God
is love,
love,
or mercy,
mercy,
or wrath,
wrath,
or justice,
justice,
justice.
It does
say that
he is
holy,
holy.
That the
whole earth
is full
of his
glory.
The holiness
of God
is essential
to his
character.
And as
David
described
so well
last week,
the thrust
of all
that God
does
for us
is to
lead us
into deeper
commitment
to holiness.
In chapter
three,
we saw
in verses
12 and
13,
and may
the Lord
make you
increase
and abound
in love
for one
another
and for
all
as we
do for
you,
so that
he may
establish
your
hearts
blameless
in holiness
before God,
before our
God and
Father,
at the
coming of
our Lord
Jesus Christ
with all
his saints.
In this
entire section
running from
chapter three,
verse six,
and particularly
verse 11,
down through
the end of
chapter four,
we find
this combination,
these paragraphs
that are used
that emphasize
the significance
of love
and holiness
of God,
and the
resultant
love and
holiness
of God's
people.
So which
one is it?
Which one
are we supposed
to emulate?
Which is the
seed and
which is the
fruit?
Where should
we focus
our energy?
Or are
both just
as important
as the
other?
And I
would suggest
this morning
that as the
Bible begins
to describe
holiness
in love,
that love
is actually
a way to
describe the
holiness of
God.
When we
often think
about holiness,
we think
about rule
keeping.
We think
about the
Pharisees.
We think
about externals.
We think
about checking
the boxes
and doing
the things
that God
has prescribed
for us to
do,
conforming
our lives
to the
law.
But Jesus
himself in
describing the
moral perfection
of God
that was
expressed to
his people
through the
Ten Commandments
summarized the
holiness of
God and
summarized the
standard of
the law with
two commands
that both
come to us
in the form
of love,
don't they?
Love the
Lord your God
with all your
heart, soul,
and mind.
Love your
neighbor as
yourself.
God is
just for
my own
education.
I looked
through the
entire New
Testament to
see how
many other
times does
God describe
himself as
God is?
Where you
find in the
New Testament
God is.
There are
only four.
It is
God is
light,
God is
love,
God is
faithful,
and God
is a
consuming
fire.
Interesting
though that
the only two
qualities that
are commended
to us are
the qualities
of love
and light.
Ephesians
chapter 4
helps us
with this.
Paul says
in this
place,
Ephesians
chapter 4,
he says,
therefore be
imitators of
God as
beloved
children and
walk in
love as
Christ loved
us and
gave himself
for us.
A fragrant
offering and
sacrifice to
God, but
sexual
immorality
and all
impurity or
covetousness
must not
even be
named among
you as
is proper
among the
saints.
For at one
time you
were darkness
but now you
are light in
the Lord.
Walk as
children of
the light.
You see
how these are
synonymous
terms?
Walking in
love and
walking in
light?
The apostle
John does
the same
thing in
1 John.
The only
two times
where he
says that
God is
light or
God is
love, he
harmonizes that
to help us
understand our
responsibility to
emulate the
character of
God by being
like him in
these essential
ways.
God has
called us
to sanctification
and holiness.
It's woven
into the
gospel message,
it's foundational
truth for us
as believers
but it is also
woven into the
character of
God so that
those who
call themselves
believers,
those who call
themselves children
of God must
also emulate
the character
that God has
infused within
us through his
Holy Spirit and
by the way,
it's his Holy
Spirit to work
within us.
Holiness is
manifested in
our lives not
just through
rule keeping
but especially
through love,
our loving of
others.
Now, have
you ever had
somebody in a
conversation,
they didn't like
what you were
saying and they
shushed you?
Ever had that?
Or had anyone,
this is probably
an old one,
but ever have
anyone say,
talk to the
hand?
You ever had
that happen?
Whew.
Or, let's see,
what's the other
one?
Maybe somebody
has plugged
their ears and
said,
na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na,
they don't want
to hear what
you're saying.
do you realize
that God's
instruction for
us is so
crystal clear,
so definitive,
this is God's
will for you,
your sanctification.
And yet,
how often do we
find ourselves
giving God the
na-na-na-na,
or the talk to
the hand?
There is no
wonder,
then,
why
we are
mystified about
the will of God
in other areas
of our life,
when it should
be crystal clear
in so many,
for so many
reasons.
My
recommendation,
or my
encouragement for
us,
as a people
of God,
when we come
to decisions
that need to be
made,
to ask yourself
these questions.
First,
will this lead
me to deeper
holiness?
And will this
lead me to
greater love?
Greater love
for God,
and greater love
for God's
people.
Then I think
we'll find that
the will of God
will become much
clearer for us.
It is God's
will that you
be sanctified.
And then as we
turn to verses
three to six,
we find it is
God's will for
you to be
sexually pure,
to have
sexual purity.
Let me read
these verses
for us,
and then we'll
walk through
them together.
For this is
the will of
God,
your sanctification,
that each
one of you,
excuse me,
your sanctification,
that you should
abstain from
sexual immorality,
that each one
of you know
how to control
his own body
in holiness
and honor,
not in the
passions of lust
like the Gentiles
who do not
know God,
that no one
transgresses or
wrongs his brother
in this matter
because the Lord
is an avenger
of all these
things,
as we told you
beforehand
and solemnly
warned you.
We find in
this section
three ways
that Paul is
commending
sexual purity
to us.
first he
begins with
the putting
off of
immorality.
He leads
with this
word,
the word
to avoid
or the word
to abstain.
Let's not
get the idea
that when he
uses the word
avoid it
means to
tiptoe around
or to
keep it
at a distance
but maybe
kind of
dabble in it
once in a
while or
to flirt
with our
curiosity.
No,
when Paul
is using
this word
to abstain
he is not
talking simply
about keeping
something at
a distance
or dabbling
in it
or indulging
their curiosity
to some degree
but he is
talking about
complete abstinence,
staying completely
away from
any thought
or behavior
that violates
the principle
of God
in this area.
sexual
immorality
which is
the word
the Greek
word
porneia
is a word
that is
meant to
describe
any sexual
relationship
outside
of the
heterosexual
marriage
bond.
Whether it's
fornication
or adultery
or homosexuality
or incest
or prostitution
it is a word
that is
intentionally
chosen by
Paul
to include
every element
of sexual
impurity
outside
the bonds
of marriage.
Paul
had to
confront
the cultural
blindness
of the church
of Thessalonica.
It was a church
that had
not only
been immersed
in this kind
of culture
because of
their idolatry
in the past
their baggage
that they brought
into the Christian
life
but their culture
was commending
this kind
of lifestyle.
it was
not only
accepted
it was
commended
it was
condoned.
Gentile
members
of the church
would have
found it
difficult
to understand
how their
conversion
to the
living God
necessitated
abandoning
those pleasures
especially
in a culture
where
the norms
permitted
those practices.
one such
individual
who
stood out
as an
authority
spent some
time in
Thessalonica
and
commented
this way
let not
pleasures
always be
forbidden
let desire
and pleasure
triumph
sometimes
over reason.
In
Greek society
a man
who owned
female slaves
could use
them as
his own
human property
to satisfy
his
sexual
appetites
not only
was a
single
person
commended
to this
kind of
lifestyle
but married
people
as well.
Demosthenes
expressed
the social
opinions
regarding
sexuality
that continued
to prevail
when he
says
quote
mistresses
we keep
for our
sake of
pleasure
concubines
for the
daily care
of our
persons
but wives
to bear
us
legitimate
children
and to be
faithful
guardians
of our
households
end quote.
In many
cases
the
culture
of
Thessalonica
is no
different
from the
culture
of the
21st
century
America.
I
thought about
giving some
statistics this
morning
and opening
the door
to help you
appreciate the
magnitude
of this
issue
but for the
sake of not
leading you
into sin
by thinking
about those
things
just
it's very
clear
it confronts
you on a
day by
day basis
it is
virtually
inescapable
not only
the accessibility
on the
internet
in our
music
in our
videos
in movies
on TV
but in
the grocery
store
in the
places of
business
that you're
in
it is
virtually
inescapable
and because
of that
it is
also
commended
by our
culture
to indulge
yourself
in any
form of
pleasure
you wish
as long
as it
doesn't
hurt
somebody
around
you
so we
have
given
way
to
cultural
philosophies
we have
allowed our
hearts and
lives to
be filled
with
compromise
and we
have
allowed
these things
to enter
into our
lives
unchecked
Paul
says
abstain
from
sexual
immorality
in
Ephesians
chapter 4
verse 22
he says
it this
way
he says
put
off
your
old
self
and in
Colossians
chapter 3
verse 5
he says
put
to death
what is
earthly
in you
have
nothing
to do
with it
chop
it off
throw
it away
have
nothing
to do
with it
again
Paul
emphasizes
the same
point in
every
passage
let your
life
be
consistent
with
your
calling
you've
been
called
by a
gospel
that
commends
holiness
you've
been
called
by a
God
who
is
holy
and
you're
called
to
emulate
his
character
but
it's
not
enough
to
put
off
we
must
also
fill
the
void
with
something
else
and
that's
when
we're
encouraged
to
put
on
holiness
we
see
that
in
this
next
section
not
only
to
abstain
from
sexual
immorality
but
to
know
how to
control
your
body
in
holiness
in
honor
and
I
would
describe
it
this
way
put
on
holiness
in
a passage
that is
strikingly
similar
we find
in
2nd
Timothy
chapter 2
almost
a
carbon
copy
of the
same
language
and the
same
words
the
Greek
words
that are
used
in
Paul's
exhortation
to
Timothy
this
young
man
he
says
therefore
if
anyone
cleanses
himself
from
what
is
dishonorable
he
will
be
a
vessel
same
word
that we
find
body
in
1st
Thessalonians
he
will
be
a
vessel
for
honorable
use
again
timme
honorable
use
set
apart
as
holy
this
is
the
word
hagia
so we
find
again
in
1st
Thessalonians
chapter 4
useful
to the
master
of the
house
ready
for
every
good
work
so
flee
youthful
passions
that's
the
lusts
that we
find
in
the
next
verse
in
1st
Thessalonians
chapter 4
and pursue
here we are
pursue
righteousness
put on
faith
and love
and peace
along with
those who
call
on the
Lord
from a
pure
heart
Paul
never
argues
that
sexual
desires
are wrong
they
are
appropriate
in
the
marriage
relationship
they
are
good
and
healthy
in
a
marriage
relationship
but
they
must
be
exercised
and
they
must
be
affirmed
within
the
appropriate
context
that
God
has
given
them
to
us
notice
the
qualifying
word
that
he
uses
here
coming
back
to
1st
Thessalonians
chapter 4
that
each
one of
you
know
how
to
control
his
own
body
in
holiness
and
honor
not
in
the
passions
of
lust
like
the
Gentiles
who
do
not
know
God
Paul
wants
this
church
to
understand
the
significance
of
reigning
in
their
appetites
and
exercising
those
appetites
in a
way
that
is
exemplary
and
holy
and
commendable
but
notice
how
this
is
done
that
each
of you
know
how
to
control
his
own
body
and
holiness
and
honor
not
in
the
passions
of
lust
like
the
Gentiles
and
what's
the
next
phrase
who
do
not
know
God
it
begins
with
your
thinking
the
battle
against
lust
begins
in
your
mind
notice
in
verse
4
that
each
of
you
know
and
then
in
verse
5
who
do
not
know
God
and
then
in
verse
8
whoever
disregards
this
disregards
God
the
root
cause
of
lust
is
unbelief
in
God
and
how
you
act
with
regard
to
sexual
passion
points
to
what
you
truly
know
and
points
to
what
you
truly
believe
the
only
way
to
overcome
is
to
grow
in
knowledge
in
love
for
God
Ephesians
chapter
4
verses
22
and
24
puts
it
this
way
put
off
your
old
self
which
belongs
to
your
former
manner
of
life
and
is
corrupted
through
deceitful
desires
and
be
renewed
notice
that
word
be
renewed
in
the
spirit
of
your
mind
learn
to
think
differently
learn
to
love
God
more
and
to
put
on
the
new
self
created
after
the
likeness
of
God
in
true
righteousness
and
holiness
in
Colossians
chapter
3
10
he
says
much
the
same
thing
and
have
put
on
the
new
self
which
is
being
renewed
in
the
knowledge
after
the
image
of
its
creator
true
faith
leads
to
true
knowledge
and
then
true
affection
of
God
the
battle
for
purity
is a
battle
that
begins
in
your
mind
it's
a
battle
that
begins
with
an
understanding
of
who
God
is
a
battle
that
begins
with
an
affection
for
God
and
a
desire
to
know
him
more
but
then
it
moves
to
this
final
thing
a
pursuing
love
God's
will
bear
out
in
our
sexual
purity
if
we
are
people
who
are
pursuing
love
says
in
verse
six
that
no
one
transgress
or
wrong
his
brother
in
this
matter
now
Paul
gets
really
practical
your
actions
impact
the
family
of
God
he
wants
you
to
understand
that
there
is
no
such
thing
as
secret
sin
that
doesn't
affect
the
people
around
you
in
one
way
or
the
other
they
will
be
affected
!
and
secondly
he
wants
them
to
understand
that
this
is
not
an
issue
that
God
doesn't
care
about
interest
in
your
sexual
purity
and
notice
to
what
degree
it
says
at
the
end
of
verse
6
the
Lord
is
an
avenger
in
all
of
these
things
God
takes
personal
issue
with
those
who
choose
to
live
outside
of
his
calling
of
sanctification
so
pursue
holiness
by
pursuing
love
we're
called
to
do
this
more
and
more
we
see
this
connection
of
doing
this
more
and
more
in
connection
with
love
in
chapter
3
and
then
in
this
small
section
in
chapter
4
verses
9
to
12
it
says
love
more
and
more
let
your
love
abound
and
here
in
chapter
4
verses
1
to
8
he
says
!
Be
holy
more
and
more
holiness
and
love
as I've
been
trying
to
articulate
this
morning
go
hand
in
hand
pursuing
love
is
a way
for
us
to
pursue
holiness
learning
to
love
in
the
way
that
God
has
commended
in
other
words
it's
not
just
about
reading
your
Bible
not
just
about
memorizing
the
scripture
or not
just
about
knowing
more
information
but
knowledge
that
is
bolstered
and
reinforced
by
love
and
action
and
life
change
does
your
knowledge
of
God
lead
you
to
more
service
does
your
knowledge
of
God
lead
you
to
want
to
give
more
of
yourself
to
others
around
you
does
knowledge
of
God
help
to
temper
your
responses
to
wife
or
children
is it
helping
you to
grow
in
gentleness
and affection
for
the
lost
this
holiness
of
God
leads
you
to
a
deeper
love
for
the
unbelievers
!
in your
community
there
is a
agonizing
in your
heart
for those
who do
not know
God
that's
the kind
of holiness
that we're
talking
about
the holiness
that leads
you
to deeper
and fuller
commitments
of love
for those
that God
has placed
in your
path
but also
to a
deeper
delight
in
God
himself
a
deeper
hunger
for
the
scriptures
and
that's
what
we've
been
talking
about
all
year
this
abiding
relationship
with
God
this
affection
for
him
that
takes
you
deeper
into
knowledge
of
him
through
his
word
this
abiding
relationship
that
yields
fruitfulness
and
finally
in
verses
7
to
8
it
is
God's
will
for
you
that
you
be
saved
your
salvation
here's
what's
at stake
we find
in
verse
7
and
8
for
God
has
not
called
us
for
impurity
but
in
holiness
therefore
whoever
disregards
this
disregards
not
man
but
God
who
gives
his
Holy
Spirit
to
you
this
is a
really
unexpected
phrase
we find
in
verse
7
God
has
not
called
us
for
impurity
but
in
holiness
wouldn't
you expect
he would
call us
to
holiness
why
in
holiness
it's
because
the
holy
one
who
calls
you
is
God
himself
a
character
of purity
and
righteousness
and in
holiness
he is
calling
you
to be
unified
with
him
which
would
mean
that
you
are
working
to
allow
the
spirit
to
accomplish
sanctification
in your
life
and to
lead
you
as
well
to
holiness
is
if
his
calling
is
in
holiness
then
he
also
demands
a
commitment
to
holiness
the
Bible
makes
this
crystal
clear
there
are
verses
upon
verses
that
describe
what
we're
talking
about
this
morning
the
first
is
Galatians
5
19
now
the
works
of
the
flesh
are
evident
sexual
immorality
which
is
this
word
pornea
that
we've
been
talking
about
impurity
and
sensuality
I
warn
you
as
I
warned
you
before
that
those
who
practice
such
things
will
not
inherit
the
kingdom
of
God
Ephesians
chapter
5
verse
3
but
sexual
immorality
and all
impurity
or covetousness
must not even be named among you as is proper among the saints
for you
can be sure of this
that everyone who is sexually immoral
or impure
or who is covetous
that is in idolatry
has no inheritance
!
inheritance
in the kingdom of God in Christ
and in the words of Jesus himself
in Matthew chapter 5
Jesus says
have you 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
if your right eye
causes you to sin
tear it out
and throw it away
for it is better
that you lose
one of your members
than
that your whole body
be thrown
into hell
and if your right hand
causes you to sin
cut it off
and throw it away
for it is better
that you lose
one of your members
than that your whole body
go into hell
is the message clear
this morning
from the word of God
it is penetratingly clear
that God will have nothing
to do with those
who allow a pattern
of sexual impurity
to continue
to work itself out
in their life
so what do we do
I'll close with this
1 Timothy chapter 6
verses 11 to 12
1 Timothy 6
11 and 12
this is the key
but as for you
oh man
flee these things
and pursue
righteousness
godliness
faith
love
and steadfastness
and gentleness
fight the good fight
of faith
take hold
of the eternal life
to which
you were called
and about which
you made
the good confession
in the presence
of many witnesses
the answer
for our daily lives
is to fight
the fight
of faith
it is not
a one time
fight
it is not
a one time
decision
it is an ongoing
decision
to continue
to live
and abide
in the faith
in God
faith doesn't
just save you
for the moment
but faith
is what God
uses to continue
to work
in our life
to call our
attention
to the fact
that God
will satisfy
our inmost
desires
and help
to clear away
our anxieties
if we trust
him
day by day
the fight
of faith
is a fight
that continues
day by day
it is the battle
against unbelief
that God
is calling us
to wage
there is not
a separate objective
there is just one
there are not
two battles
the one that gets
you saved
through faith
and the other
that gets you
rewards in heaven
through works
faith is what
carries us
into salvation
and faith is what
carries us
to the destination
it's what
gets us
started
and it's what
gets us
there
as we continue
to grow
in faith
in God
and knowledge
of him
the way to
fight lust
is by feeding
faith
with a knowledge
of an irresistibly
glorious
God
so if knowing
God is the way
to push out
all of this
other stuff
then I want
God in deeper
and fuller ways
I want to know
him more
in my life
so that I can
please him
in the way
I live
let's pray
as I can