“How Ye Ought To Walk” – 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
The word “holiness” means, “The quality of being personally dedicated to God; by being set apart, morally pure, and devoted.”
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
I. Our Walk Is to God
1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and please God, so ye would abound more and more.
The Christian life begins with a step of faith and each succeeding step is another one of faith. And when you add those steps up you realize it is all about a “walk” of faith.
John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
The late pastor Adrian Rogers used to say, “If you please God it doesn’t matter who you displease. And if you displease God, it doesn’t matter who you please.”
As fundamental and foundational as walking is, your walk in life should serve the purpose of pleasing Jesus.
II. Our Walk Is to Be
1 Thessalonians 4:2-8 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
God’s will is your “sanctification.”
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
III. Our Walk Is to Be
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
1 Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
1 John 4:8b For God is love.
IV. Our Walk Is to Be
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
Christians are to love one another, but we have also been called to have a good testimony to those who don’t know Christ.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.