ZNA-172

940410AM

INSIGHTS FOR HOLY LIVING: PART TWO I THESSALONIANS 4:1-8

Have you ever wanted to take all the wonderful truth of the Bible you hear on Sundays and Wednesdays and see it in your everday life at work, school, home and so on?

Paul writes just how to do that in First Thessalonians chapter four. To a group of saints he loved so much he gives the seven secrets of separated to God, holy living.

Last time we saw the first four. Do you remember them?

1. 4:1 = We must be pleasing God by our conduct.

2. 4:2 = We must live according to His commands. • The word command is a military word for orders passed down.

3. 4:3 = We must see our calling is to do God’s will • In 1 Th 4:3 its be pure. • In 1 Th 5:18 its be thankful. • In Ephesians 5:18 its be full of the Spirit. • In 1 Peter 2:13-15 its be submissive to authority. • In 1 Peter 4;19; 5:10 its be ready to suffer. • In 2 Peter 3:9 its be saved. ******Ended here 4/10/94**** 4. 4:4 = We must be committed to avoiding sin, or personal holiness.

5. We must be in contrast to the world because our minds are renewed. How do we turn on the vast power of our renewed mind given us by Christ ?

6. 4:6-7 = We must remember God cautions us to avoid rejecting [lit. ‘Treating as one who may be disregarded’.]

7. 4:8 = We must accept our challenge to go on to even more.

Well, how did they do? Very well. Remember the time we studied the epitaphs of the 1st century grave markers? The theme blameless living! Did they get it? Within three plus weeks, a group of idol worshippers, sexual addicts and hot tempered longshoremen He had to train them to live in a Christly way and protect them from error that surrounded them. Yes they got the message. Lets listen too!