New Year, New Levels

This is not a class about New Years resolutions, this is not a class about, “New Year, New You!” This is not motivational speaking about reaching your goals, or getting the most out of this life. Because this life is passing away.. This is about understanding the need to press on. The need to go deeper. The need for greater intimacy with God.

1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 ESV

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received 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: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 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.

More and More

We see here that Paul is speaking to believers; he is speaking to people whom he believes are trying to please God with the way they live ALREADY. He is not speaking to unbelievers.

This tells us that there is more, there is deeper

You have responded to the call of God. You’re here, you’ve committed a year. Praise God. But i encourage you brothers, just as Paul encouraged the Thessalonians, THERE IS MORE!

Philippians 3:12–14 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Don’t be satisfied with where you are.

Sanctification

It is the will of God

What’s the purpose? To please God.

Positionally sanctified

1 Cor 6:11.

2 Cor 5:17.

Hebrews 10:14.

Progressive sanctification (Our Condition)

What does it look like? v 3,4,5.

Phil 2:12-13.

Eph 4:20-24.

Matt 3:8.

Acts 26:20.

God has called us to holiness.

Not man, But God!

This is a command of the Lord. To live holy. He does the work in us, but we must work in agreement with the work that He has done.

Phil 1:6.

John 15:1-5.