Off the Shelf Sunday School--1 Thessalonians

Christian Living (4:1-12)

Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.?Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

1.????Paul tells them to live in order to please God.?How do we do this??

A.???Earnestly seek to please God by obeying his commands. (Heb 11:5-6)

B.???Living to please God is not an option for born again believers but a compulsion resulting from the transformative presence of the Holy Spirit. Christians are servants of Christ.?(1 Cor 6:19-20)

2.????God wants us to be sanctified or to live to serve God and separate from sin.?

A.???Sanctification is the process by which we are made holy and like Jesus. It begins with salvation, which establishes our position as adopted children of God. (Jn 1:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2; Heb 10:10)

B.???Sanctification continues throughout life as our minds are transformed to know and (desire) the will of God. (Rom 12:1-2)

C.???Knowledge comes from studying and applying the truths of the Bible. (Jn 17:17; Eph 5:25-26)

D.???God teaches us through discipline (Heb 12:10-11)

E.????Trials of life strengthen faith and commitment (1 Pt 4:12-13)

F.????Sanctification will be complete when our bodies are resurrected at the return of Christ (1 Jn 3:2-3)?

3.????Paul stresses the importance of self-control. Christians are to live in a manner that is holy and honorable.??

A.???Christians learn self-control with the help of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 4:6-7; Gal 5:16)

B.????Paul mentions sexual immorality because there were many sexual practices that were common and customary. Sex is meant for marriage only. Christians are not to follow the customs of societies where adultery, polygamy, premarital sex, homosexuality and other immoral actions are accepted. Temple prostitutes were common in Paul’s time and some religious practices involved sexual immoral acts. What are some forms of sexual immorality common in your culture? How do television, the internet and movies promote sexual immorality?

4.????Christians were often cut off from their families and friends when they profess their faith in Jesus. Therefore, Christians many times find new friendships and family among other Christians. This is the brotherly love mentioned by Paul. Why do family and friends sometimes turn against those who change their beliefs?

5.????Paul says that Christians are to work diligently and honestly.?Christians are to keep busy and mind their own business. In this way, they will gain the respect of others and not be a burden or dependent upon others.?How does being boastful of your work hurt your witness for Christ? How does being idle and a gossip hurt your witness for Christ??(Phil 2: 5-8; 1 Tim 5:13)