Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7
“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, 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 your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.“
Devotional: Living a Holy Life
The passage from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 reminds us that God has called us to be different from the world and to live in a way that pleases Him.
Living a holy life means allowing God to transform us from the inside out. It is not about conforming to the standards of the world, but rather aligning our lives with God’s Word and His will for us. When we have a relationship with God, His love fills our hearts, enabling us to live selflessly and love others.
However, it is easy to get caught up in the ways of the world and live like everyone else. The world promotes selfish desires and unholy living, but as believers, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to be set apart and to reflect the character of Christ in our lives.
Practical Steps:
Reflect on our lives: Take time to honestly assess whether our lives look different from those who do not know God. Are we living in a way that pleases Him? Are there areas where we need to align ourselves more closely with His Word?
Seek God’s transformation: Recognize that living a holy life is not something we can achieve on our own. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that God softens our hearts, molds us, and shapes us to become more like Jesus. Surrender to His work in our lives and allow Him to transform us from the inside out.
Avoid worldly influences: Be aware of the things in the world that can draw us away from God. The passage mentioned specific behaviors that are not of Him. Identify these influences in our lives and take intentional steps to distance ourselves from them. Surround ourselves with godly influences and seek to be rooted in His Word.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for calling us to live holy lives that please you. We acknowledge that we cannot do this on our own, but we need your transforming power. Soften our hearts, mold us, and shape us to become more like Jesus. Help us to recognize and avoid the worldly influences that can pull us away from you. May our lives be a reflection of your love and may we draw closer to you each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Podcast Transcript: Living a Holy Life
Introduction
I feel like he’d get to chapter four and boom, things start getting serious real quick. It’s like, he’s just telling us, you know, God has called us to live holy lives. We’re called to be different than everybody else. When God is in your life and he’s changing you from the inside out, you’re gonna see that reflected in the way that you live. And he outlines the differences that you should be seeing.
Chapter Four: Living to Please God
Chapter four starts with a call to live in a way that pleases God. It says, starting in verse one, as for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instruct 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. It goes into being specific about being holy and honorable in verses four and five. And then in verse seven, it says, for God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Living Differently in a World of Unholiness
When I read these, it just confirms that our lives should be different. I mean, we live in a world that it’s okay to live unholy lives. It’s okay to live lives that are centered around our own selfish desires. If you’re living for God, He gives you this love for others. And when you’re living out of love, you are selfless.
The Role of God in Living a Holy Life
If you don’t have God in your life, living a holy life is pretty much impossible. Because God is the one who changes us from the inside out. He softens our heart. He gives us His love to where we become more and more selfless, and we become more and more like His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit comes within us, molds us, and shapes us. And out of that, our lives will look differently.
Resisting the Ways of the World
How easy is it for us to get sucked into the ways of the world and to live like everybody else is living? When God has a higher calling for our lives and He’s laid out throughout His Word, how that’s going to look different. Through this chapter at the end here, it really does go into more detail of the specifics of things that you’re going to see in the world that when you have a relationship with God, you should not see because these are the things that are not of Him. and they’re going to draw you away from Him. So the Lord loves us and wants a relationship with us and wants us to be close to Him, and He’s steering us away from the things that can pull our relationship apart from Him.
Reflecting on Our Lives
I think after reading these scripture verses and really getting into the Word, it’s good to reflect on my own life, and I hope that you can reflect on yours. and to see, really, is my life different than those who don’t know God? Because if it’s not likely, my relationship with God is suffering currently. Because when you have a close relationship with God, He’s going to draw you close to Him, and when you’re close to Him, you’re going to see that your life looks different.
