REJECTING WHO?
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NKJV
7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.
The book of Thessalonians starts as a warm letter. Paul is praising the church for their acceptance of his preaching as God's word, not man's. And Paul is encouraged by the faith and love that the believers displayed. But as the fourth chapter begins Paul is more strident in his tone.
The tone is serious but not condemning as Paul addresses how the church is to live and please God. The subject of his warning is sexual purity. He uses the term sanctification, meaning to be set apart. For a group of believers coming out of a pagan culture, morality was an issue. So, even though this church was doing well in their faith and love, they needed to be reminded to abandon their old ways. Paul charged them to possess their vessels or bodies in sanctification and honor. The NLT version says to control his own body and live in holiness and honor, not like the Gentiles who do not know God.
In our verses for today, Paul makes it clear that the call to holiness was not a minor thing. God did not call us to uncleanness or impure lives. God calls us to holiness or purity. The topic of holiness is huge and there are all kinds of ideas as to what holiness sanctification looks like in the life of a believer. Some of the ideas can be very legalistic and concerned with outward dress and behavior. Some groups ignore the subject altogether. But holiness starts with our heart attitude toward pleasing God that shows up in our behavior. Paul says God has called us to holiness, and that will show up in our abstinence from sexual sins.
And in the event that the believers in Thessalonica did not think the subject of holiness and being separated from sexual impurity was a big deal, Paul makes it very clear. He said if you reject this call to purity, then you are not rejecting man. You are rejecting God, who has given us His Holy Spirit. That is piercing in its clarity. The Holy Spirit, who inspired the words written by Paul, did not want the church to minimize the exhortation to live clean lives. So, the message was clear. This is from God, who saved us and called us to His own kingdom. And it's a holy kingdom. God has sealed us with His Holy Spirit. God means business here.
Paul recognized that living separated holy lives was a continual process. He told the church at Corinth that he had to discipline his body and keep it under control so that he would not be disqualified after preaching to others. If Paul, the apostle, had to control his body, we would be foolish to think we wouldn't have to do the same.
APPLICATION
Culture may have changed, but the nature of man has not. The call to live separated to God is still there. And it's rare that a year goes by that we don't hear about some well-known preacher falling in sexual immorality. The words to the Thessalonians are still totally applicable today to our current culture. This is still the call of God to us, not the commandment of men. And God, who has given us His Holy Spirit, wants the best for His people. Living separated and clean is on the path to His best for us.
Now, a note to those who are struggling or feel condemned by this devotional. This is not my intent. Ask God to forgive you and get back in the race. If God has called us to holiness and given us His Holy Spirit to help us, then He has empowered us to live this way. Believing we can is the first step.
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me for any area that I have not lived clean before You. Thank You for strengthening me and giving me Your Holy Spirit to help me. I believe I can do all things through You.