What Is God's Will?

In the last verse of chapter 3, we saw last week that Paul prayed that their hearts would be established . . . in holiness. Today, we’ll look at what that involves.

My friends, it’s one thing to tell others to do God’s will; but quite another thing to explain what is involved in doing God’s will.

Don’t get too excited, since Paul doesn’t go into an exhaustive account of what God’s will covers. However, he does give some of the details as to what God’s will is as it pertains to our sexual behavior.

You may remember that as we began this series, I spoke about how the Thessalonians had to deal with all sorts of temptations all around them from the pagan sexual worship. Yet, Paul is not suggesting in this section which we’ll be studying today, that they actually had any problems. Rather, he is dealing with them like any good parent ought to do. He is reaffirming them in what he had already told them, so that they would not stumble and fall victim to this powerful temptation.

Today, our focus is to consider the following question: What Is God’s Will?

Live to Please Him.—4.1-2

1 Thessalonians 4:1 “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 excel still more.”

This verse begins with revealing the attitude which Paul had about them as he was sharing with the Thessalonians. Just in the use of the term brethren, shows that he and they have common concerns and interests because of their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Next, we see Paul using two verbs which stresses just how important is the need for maintaining true Christian conduct. The first is request. It would be equivalent to a friend asking a friend to do something. The second is the verb exhort. This shows a sense of urgency. He does not do this because of his authority as an apostle. He doesn’t ask or urge them because he had a part in bringing them to the Savior, as if they owe him a favor. He requests and exhorts them because they are all one in the Lord Jesus.

What is it which Paul is requesting and exhorting? The last part of verse 1 brings clarity. We get the impression that they already knew what to do just from the parenthetical comment . . . just as you actually do walk . . .

Paul stresses that the moral obligation they have is because of their personal relationship they already have in Jesus Christ. This is not something which comes naturally. Paul states that they . . . ought to walk and please God . . .

Ah, yes—this is the true aim of the Christian. The greatest desire for us ought to be . . . to please God. This has nothing to do with earning our way to heaven. This has nothing to do with keeping up appearances. It has everything to do with our relationship with Jesus, which should cause us to want to please God.

We know that we can never be satisfied with where we are in this pursuit. Paul states that they should . . . excel still more. We must continue to desire to please God, by walking in obedience to Him.

1 Thessalonians 4:2 continues by giving them a reminder. “For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.”

In other words, Paul and his companions had not left them in ignorance of what kind of life was expected of those who claimed to belong to Jesus.

In addition, Paul reminded them that his teaching was not just a good idea, or simply Paul’s recommendation. It was stamped by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Now, we go from Paul’s general appeal to the Thessalonians, to some very specific application.

We Are to be Set Apart—4.3-8

We find the reason for this in the very first part of 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; ” Christian conduct and behavior must have as its foundation our relationship with Christ; rooted in God. Our lives must be a continual desire to be pure just as God would want us to be.

Now we go on to find specific application in the following verses. 1 Thessalonians 4:3–6 “that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter . . .”

The first specific is to abstain from sexual immorality, or simply put, avoid it or be separated from it. What is meant here by this term, sexual immorality? This refers to every kind of unlawful, or unbiblical sexual intercourse. Even though we may think that is a modern problem, it is an issue that is as old as history. And, of course it is probably one of the greatest enemies of the Christian’s walk and testimony.

Sadly, this was and is often thought of as an area of indifference to many people. The philosophy is to just let people do whatever they want. For many people, it is just like eating and drinking. Even during that time, adultery was a common subject of poetry. Today, it is a commonplace topic for many dramas, rom-coms, sit-coms, etc. In Paul’s time, it seems that all of the arts were designed to portray sex outside of marriage as a pleasing, seductive practice in which everyone was encouraged to participate.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I remind all of us that we are not to adapt to the world’s standards. We know that the Gospel of Jesus, unlike the pagan cults and the modern acceptable-to-society practices today, did not and do not tolerate, must less encourage sexual immorality among those who claim to belong to Jesus. This so-called new morality is simply the old morality with a modern twist.

Verses 4-5 go on to show another practical application, closely related to what we’ve just covered. The believer must learn to control his own body. Simply put, Paul wants to remind us all that we should know how God wants us to live in the matter of sex. In other words, the idea of purity is not a momentary, once-in-a-while thought, but rather a habit, or a lifestyle.

This is a positive responsibility for the believer. It is not to be seen as part of a list of don’ts, designed to restrict us. It is positive in that we are having our bodies under control, not our bodies controlling us. The word sanctification lets us know that we are set apart for God. If we allow sexual immorality to rule, we would not be controlling our bodies in a holy, honorable way.

We also see the opposite side of the coin, in the negative, in verse 5. We see a passion that is ruling and not being controlled. This is seen even more so by the descriptor, lustful. That word describes bad cravings, desires, longings, which do not bring glory to God. This type of behavior is what the heathen, or those who don’t follow Christ do.

The first part of verse 6, shows a progression, as the believer is then reminded to avoid wronging the brother. In the context, if one is to participate in sexual immorality and refuses to control his own body, that person is simply proving their selfishness and self-seeking nature. This is completely contrary to the ways of the Christ-follower.

By the way, this refers not only to adultery, but any form of illegitimate or unbiblical sex. I am not going to itemize the long list. Suffice it to say, that anything outside of marital sex, anything outside of what God says is acceptable, is a sin. This should never be spoken in reference to a true follower of Jesus Christ.

We then find in 1 Thessalonians 4:6b–8, reasons which Paul gives for what he has shared. “ . . . because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”

The last part of verse 6 makes it clear that violating God’s standards will bring about God’s vengeance. This is in addition to the problematic consequences of today with the physical, psychological, and social areas of life. You see, there will also be a judgment day.

Verse 7 encourages all of us that what Paul has been sharing is in complete harmony with God’s divine call upon our lives. His call was not to impurity. We are not supposed to just keep on going in our former way of life and morality.

Instead, God’s call is to lead a holy life. In our union with Christ, as those who have been purchased by His blood, we are to be set apart, sanctified, and called to live accordingly.

For anyone who rejects this, according to verse 8, that person is rejecting God. If a person takes God’s demands for sexual purity lightly, refusing to obey, it shows a blatant rejection of God Himself. That individual is not rejecting those of us who proclaim God’s standards; they are rejecting God. If that’s the case, then there must not be a true saving relationship with Jesus Christ, if this continues to be the pattern.

Paul points out here that God has given us His Holy Spirit so that we are able to live holy and pure lives. Brothers and sisters, not only does the Holy Spirit supply us with the desire, but also the power toward living holy lives.

We Should Live Productively.—4.9-12

In 1 Thessalonians 4:9–10, they were commended for their love. “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; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia . . . ”

The word used for love is philadelphia. This describes the Christian love all believers should have for each other in the family of God. It is seen in acts of kindness toward each other. Because of their relationship to God, which is a permanent one, they find themselves being taught to love each other.

Not only this, but their love was to be expressed to everyone, not just those with whom they’ve grown comfortable in their immediate church.

In the last part of verse 10-12, we read of further exhortations. 1 Thessalonians 4:10–12 “But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.”

Simply put, love more and more. You and I know that there is always room to increase and grow in love. We can never sit back and feel as though we’ve loved enough. Just as in every area of our spiritual lives, we should not become complacent.

Verses 11-12 remind us to keep busy. It almost seems from these verses that how we live as people with everyday tasks, also reflects our love for God and for each other.

As we look at the actual instructions, Paul refers to . . . lead[ing] a quiet life . . . this implies not getting overly stimulated mentally. . . . Attend to your own business . . . is basically saying not to meddle in other people’s lives. Work with your hands goes along with not having idle hands. We’ve heard the phrase idle hands are a devil’s workshop. The idea probably comes from this phrase.

The believer needs to have a balanced outlook on life. Yes, it’s acceptable to be concerned for others, but don’t neglect your own affairs.

The reason is seen in verse 12, in that we can never be indifferent about the impact our example has on the world. The way that we live does have an influence upon unbelievers.

Yes, self-support is promoted here. For a brother or sister to act like a parasite and live off of other members is a bad testimony to the world. This is a worldly way of living and is not showing true Christ-like love. This implies intentional laziness and an unwillingness to contribute to the overall good of the body. Where there is a genuine need, we see from multiple verses in the Bible that we are to care for each other.

What Is God’s Will?

Paul has given insight into this question by focusing on one particular area. Satan has used sexual immorality and wordly behavior as an age-old temptation throughout history and continues to do so.

As Christians in the 21st century, we do need to understand what God’s will is for our lives. We’ve seen that His will is that we live to please Him. One way of pleasing Him in our living is to truly be sanctified or set apart. We ought not to practice the things of the world. We need to be counted as a people who want God’s best. In the context of these verses today, that means that we are to remain sexually pure.

We also need to please Him by living productive lives for Him. We cannot be lone rangers or isolationists in order to be set apart. We must follow God one day at a time, seeking His will at all times; living in obedience to Him. That is what God’s will is.