(025) A Walk That Is Pleasing to All
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In every step of life we must walk in a way that pleases the one we follow… pleasing God, pleasing to the church, and pleasing to the world.
1 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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 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. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
1. Walk in purity before God (vs. 1–8)
1. Walk in purity before God (vs. 1–8)
A. Please God more and more (v. 1)
A. Please God more and more (v. 1)
Paul is speaking of the importance of progressive sanctification.
1 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.
Sanctification is a theological word that can sound intimidating.
It simply means set apart.
The Bible teaches 3 distinct phases of sanctification.
(we usually talk about 2)
Positional
Progressive
Ultimate/final
We will only get through part of one.
(1) Positional Sanctification - the past (or yet to come) one time act of being set apart at salvation.
(1) Positional Sanctification - the past (or yet to come) one time act of being set apart at salvation.
To help us understand the miracle of positional sanctification, today I want to look at the position of the non-believer.
a. The position of the non-believer.
a. The position of the non-believer.
i. In Adam.
i. In Adam.
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
The non-believer in Adam faces eternal death.
ii. Under sin’s power and control.
ii. Under sin’s power and control.
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
iii. Spiritually dead.
iii. Spiritually dead.
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
A position of death is a terrible position.
iv. Alienated from, and hostile towards God.
iv. Alienated from, and hostile towards God.
21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds,
The position of a non-believer is separated or alienated from God both in their relationship and their moral alignment.
v. In the kingdom of darkness.
v. In the kingdom of darkness.
The kingdom of darkness describes both the evilness that is in the world as well as the darkness of their eyes.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
vi. Without God and having no hope.
vi. Without God and having no hope.
12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
With no relationship with God there is no hope.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
NEW!!!
b. The position of the believer at the time of salvation.
b. The position of the believer at the time of salvation.
i. In Christ.
i. In Christ.
In Adam we are all sinners but when our position changes to in Christ, Paul says…
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
No amount of behavioral modification is going to change the world.
No amount of new habits will change our lives.
Our position must first change.
When it does we are pulled out of the kingdom of darkness and created brand new.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Notice we were not recreated for good works but created.
There was nothing good or useful in us to use.
The only option was to create us new.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
ii. Set apart / sanctified
ii. Set apart / sanctified
Rather than being under sin’s control we are set apart from that sin and for the purpose of holiness or purity.
We also use the word Holy.
2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Our position is set apart from sin.
Set apart from the world.
We live in this world but we don’t live like the world.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
No longer under the control of sin we are set apart for a special purpose.
Chosen
A holy (set apart) nation
We are now our own people group
We once had not received mercy but now we have.
For the special purpose of proclaiming Christ to other.
iii. Alive in Christ.
iii. Alive in Christ.
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We can contribute to His eternal plan.
We can do good and meaningful things with eternal value.
We can enjoy eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
iv. Adopted into the family.
iv. Adopted into the family.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Once an outsider and outcast.
Now a child of God.
A child of the King.
No longer identified by our past sin but a child of God.
Ephesians told us the unbeliever is a child or wrath.
Now our position changes.
From having no relationship to being able to call God our Father.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
You and I can enjoy a close relationship with the creator of the universe.
v. A citizen of heaven.
v. A citizen of heaven.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
No longer a citizen of the domain of darkness.
No longer a citizen of the world controlled by Satan.
The believer’s position changes spiritually.
From alienated from God to being a citizen of His kingdom.
From having no hope to all hope!
17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Look what Paul says about this.
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
Where we live now that is falling apart is not our true home.
vi. A friend of God.
vi. A friend of God.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
The position of a believer moves from enemy to friend.
Being a friend means we are reconciled.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Being a friend means we have a closeness with God.
God communicates with us and we can communicate with Him.
vii. At peace with God.
vii. At peace with God.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The key to all of this - the new position is found in verse 1:
Since we have been justified by faith.
Justified - to be declared righteous.
Through Jesus - by faith.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The righteousness we have is not out own.
It is Christ’s righteousness.
This righteousness allows us to now be a peace with God.
We have peace with God through Jesus.
We have also obtained access by faith into His grace.
It is because of God’s grace that we can have peace with Him.
Our position of peace is because those who are in Christ and have obtained His righteousness now have a right relationship with Him.
Not enemies but friends and children.
Our moral choices now align with God.
viii. Having all hope while in this world.
viii. Having all hope while in this world.
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Having no hope and without God. (Eph 2)
To a completely different position.
The Thessalonian Christians had been positionally sanctified already in the past.
4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
They believed the Bible and repented of their sins.
At the moment of salvation we can say, like Paul…
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
>>>>> END <<<<<<
(2) Progressive Sanctification - the ongoing present process of becoming more like Christ.
(2) Progressive Sanctification - the ongoing present process of becoming more like Christ.
Progressive sanctification is us learning to live like a child of the king.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
(3) Ultimate (or Final) Sanctification - the future perfect state of being completely set apart from sin.
(3) Ultimate (or Final) Sanctification - the future perfect state of being completely set apart from sin.
B. Pursue holiness in your body (vv. 3–7)
B. Pursue holiness in your body (vv. 3–7)
C. Remember the Holy Spirit empowers purity (v. 8)
C. Remember the Holy Spirit empowers purity (v. 8)
2. Walk in love toward one another (vv. 9–10)
2. Walk in love toward one another (vv. 9–10)
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
A. Love is taught by God (v. 9)
B. Love is others-focused (v. 10a)
B. Love is others-focused (v. 10a)
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
C. Love is always increasing (v. 10b)
3. Walk in integrity before the world (vv. 11–12)
3. Walk in integrity before the world (vv. 11–12)
A. Lead a quiet, steady life (v. 11a)
A. Lead a quiet, steady life (v. 11a)
B. Mind your own business (v. 11b)
B. Mind your own business (v. 11b)
C. Work with your hands (v. 11c)
C. Work with your hands (v. 11c)
D. Earn respect and remove reproach (v. 12)
D. Earn respect and remove reproach (v. 12)
