Scripture Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4: 3-8, 13-17

Instruction Zone- Sexual Purity
•Paul prays for love to be in overflow among the believers and that they be strengthened to live blameless and holy lives until Christ’s return (3:12-13)
•Timothy’s report seems to warrant exhortation to the believers with reference to Godly living
•Thessaloníkē- Las Vegas of its time
• The perversion of the church through sexual immorality was a genuine threat and Paul was much concerned
•Their election came with a responsibility and reverence
•A rejection to the instruction is a rejection of God who gives the Holy Spirit

Witness through Lifestyle

•Paul keeps emphasizing about their present way of loving one another and the need to do more without giving up…Why?
•Their daily life was governed by the Gospel not just among them but also outside of them (3:12)
•There was a disarray because of some sort of idleness that had settled in among a few
 

Interpreting Death As A Christian
•The hope does not mean not to grieve but to grieve like the pagans who have no hope
•The central stimulus to live in sexual purity, to witness through lifestyle and face the imminent physical death stands on the Gospel
•The imagery of Paul in this letter enjoins with John’s visions in Revelation! Paul being first to right and John holding to a similar grandeur of Christ coming.

 
Take Away: Commit to a sanctifying life in submission to the Holy Spirit with aspect of readiness to do God’s will