Final Instructions- Part 3- Sanctification

Introduction

Last time we were here in the book of I Thessalonians we were considering the final instructions that Paul gave to the Thessalonians as he closed out this first letter to them.

In our last message we dealt with discernment and how it relates the spirit of God and the preaching of the Word of God.

Tonight we are going to take a look at the last portion of Paul’s final instruction as Paul reminds them of the importance of their personal sanctification.

There are three distinct frames of reference with regard to sanctification there is our positional sanctification, our practical sanctification, and one day there will be perfect sanctification. Positional deals with our standing before God, while practical deals with our standing before men, and our perfect sanctification will one day take place at the return of Christ as part of our glorification (I John 3:2)

Primarily we are going to be looking at our practical sanctification as we strive to be more like Christ day by day. This requires:

Abstinence from Evil (Vs. 22)

We can all agree that if we are to become more like Christ we must make it our habit to abstain from evil.

Evil here is literally that which is wicked, morally corrupt, that which is vile and directly violates the commands of God.

Paul though expands our abstinence to include even the appearance of evil. The idea is that we are to abstain from anything that has the possibility of being perceived as evil.

Far too often many believers choose to live on the edge of that which is acceptable but Paul states that believers should not even entertain that which might even appear evil.

Illustration- Mike Pence- not having meals with ladies without his wife’s accompaniment/ Billy Graham never being alone with a woman other than his wife.

It is not enough to simply avoid evil action but we must also strive to avoid the appearance. The reality is that our every behavior is being observed by others and if we desire to protect our testimony for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must not only consider whether a given behavior is actually evil but also whether it could possibly be perceived as evil.

We should never engage in behavior that would cause others to imagine that we are involved in evil activities.

This may seem a high standard to live by but the motivation is the maintenance of an unspoiled testimony that would serve to support our efforts in service to the Lord.

Every step in our practical sanctification makes us a more fit vessel for God’s use.

Reliance on God (Vs. 23)

Those who say “I cannot become a Christian because I could never live up to God’s expectations of me.”

The high standard that is set for our sanctification may seem an impossibly difficulty proposition and this is true if we are pursuing it in our own power.

What we must realize, is that the steps of sanctification are extremely difficult, but we are not called to take these steps alone but with God’s help we can pursue the holiness that He expects of us.

God does not require of us anything that we are incapable of so when He demands holiness (and He does I Peter 1:16), He will supply us with the strength and the will to do it.

While it is certainly true that we must take concrete steps personally to pursue sanctification, we must not fail to recognize that it is ultimately God who works within us to bring about our sanctification.

It is by God’s power that we can resist the temptation to sin. It is by God’s power that we can abstain from even the appearance of evil. It is by God’s power that we can pursue holiness of life!

It is God who will bring about our complete sanctification. It is He who has the power to preserve us blameless unto the return of Christ.

Paul knew that the Thessalonians, just like you and I, could never become useful vessels in service to the Lord in their own power. Paul knew that God would have to bring about their sanctification and make them fit to be used by Him.

Our responsibility is to yield ourselves to His control so that He may accomplish this work in us.

Glorious Guarantee (Vs. 24)

Paul communicates the scope of his prayers to God for them and then he closes with a wonderful promise that God is faithful and we can be assured that He will do what Paul has asked.

This points not only to the reality that God will enable our present practical sanctification but also to the fact that it is He who will one day bring about our perfect adn ultimate sanctification. All who believe will ultimately experience glorification where we shall be made truly like Christ.

It is God’s desire that we would become more Christ-like in this life but it is a part of our destiny that we will one day be made perfectly like Him. In this life we should be engaged in the pursuit of the likeness of Christ but one day we shall truly be like Him.

Romans 8:29-30- we are destined to be conformed to the image of Christ.

We have the promise of the Word of God that we will one day experience glorification, but we also have the assurance that God will work within us today to make us more like Christ than we were yesterday, if we will but yield ourselves to His control and follow the commands that He has set forth for us.

He has called us to sanctification and He will enable us by His power to become more fit vessels for His use that our lives may bring glory and honor to Him.

There is a day in the future when Christ will return and we will be like Him. The work of sanctification is not left to chance, Paul promises the believers of Thessalonica that God will faithfully work in their lives to produce holiness so that they may be set apart for His use.