Live to Please God
1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. 2 For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body[b] and live in holiness and honor—5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 6 Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife,[c] for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other,[d] for God himself has taught you to love one another. 10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers[e] throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
The Hope of the Resurrection
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Greek brothers; also in 4:10, 13.
b. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or will know how to take a wife for himself; or will learn to live with his own wife; Greek reads will know how to possess his own vessel.
c. 1 Thessalonians 4:6 Greek Never harm or cheat a brother in this matter.
d. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Greek about brotherly love.
e. 1 Thessalonians 4:10 Greek the brothers.
f. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Greek those who have fallen asleep; also in 4:14.
g. 1 Thessalonians 4:15 Greek those who have fallen asleep.
h. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Greek the dead in Christ.
4 comments:
vs 11-12
(11) Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. (12) Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
These verses clearly speak on gossiping. How many of us are guilty? I know some time I found myself drawn into conservations that I need not be in.
Lord, this morning I give you thanks for being YOU. And ask for continous guidance in my daily life so that non-christians would see something different about me. And let that difference be, that they see christ through me.
Amen, LT
Several things jumped out at me
7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Sorta hard to swallow if you read Matt 5:27-8. Think about it.
The other was the one lrt pointed out. Amazing and interesting.
Father, thank You for your grace. Help us be strong and control ourselves and live as You would have us. Watch over my mom as she travels home and watch over my cousin who found out she has breast cancer at 32.
In Christ,
cas
1 Thes 4
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
This one jumped out at me. I've spent a lot of time lately discussing what happens when you lead by example and no one follows. I think this is an example of God working in his own time, but us being prepared for the master to come.
Father, I come to you with a heavy heart. Help our friends and co-workers in Michigan who have been laid off, with a new baby and a new house. Let this be the time that they finally turn to You, but also calm their minds and help them land on their feet elsewhere. Watch over cas's cousin, and give her strength and faith to fight. In Jesus' name,
Amen
crb
1 Thes 4
11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.
This one jumped out at me. I've spent a lot of time lately discussing what happens when you lead by example and no one follows. I think this is an example of God working in his own time, but us being prepared for the master to come.
Father, I come to you with a heavy heart. Help our friends and co-workers in Michigan who have been laid off, with a new baby and a new house. Let this be the time that they finally turn to You, but also calm their minds and help them land on their feet elsewhere. Watch over cas's cousin, and give her strength and faith to fight. In Jesus' name,
Amen
crb
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