THE APOSTLE PAUL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1

I.PAUL’S THIRD PRINCIPLE, THE BELIEVER SHOULD NEVER SEXUALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANOTHER BELIEVER. “FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD,..... THAT NO MAN TRANSGRESS AND DEFRAUD HIS BROTHER. “ (4:3-6) a.TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANOTHER BELIEVER. b.TO SELFISHLY TAKE SOMETHING FOR PERSONAL GRATIFICATION AT SOMEONE ELSE’S EXPENSE. c.GOD CONSIDERS THIS SIN AS EXTREMELY SERIOUS. “WHOEVER CAUSES ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES WHO BELIEVE IN ME TO STUMBLE, IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM TO HAVE A HEAVY MILLSTONE HUNG AROUND HIS NECK, AND TO BE DROWNED IN THE DEPTH OF THE SEA. “ (MATT. 18:6) 2

d.THE SERIOUSNESS OF CHRIST’S WARNING IN THE ABOVE VERSE HAS NO EQUAL IN ALL OF HIS TEACHING. “SO THEN EVERY ONE OF US SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF TO GOD. L ET US NOT THEREFORE JUDGE ONE ANOTHER ANYMORE: BUT JUDGE THIS RATHER, THAT NO MAN PUT A STUMBLING-BLOCK OR AN OCCASION TO FALL IN HIS BROTHER’S WAY.” (ROM. 14:12-13) “FOR GOD SHALL BRING EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT, WITH EVERY SECRET THING, WHETHER IT BE GOOD, OR WHETHER IT BE EVIL.” (ECC. 12:14) II.PAUL GIVES US 3 REASONS WHY A BELIEVER SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY. a.BECAUSE OF GOD’S VENGEANCE. b.BECAUSE OF GOD’S PURPOSE. c.BECAUSE OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT. 3

a.BECAUSE OF GOD’S VENGEANCE. “BECAUSE THE LORD IS THE AVENGER IN ALL THESE THINGS,.” (4:6b) 1)ONLY GOD HAS THE RIGHT TO EXACT VENGEANCE FOR THE SINS PEOPLE COMMIT. “NEVER TAKE YOUR OWN REVENGE, BELOVED, BUT LEAVE ROOM FOR THE WRATH OF GOD, FOR IT IS WRITTEN, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ SAYS THE LORD.” (ROM. 12:19) “TO ME BELONGETH VENGEANCE, AND RECOMPENCE; THEIR FOOT SHALL SLIDE IN DUE TIME: FOR THE DAY OF THEIR CALAMITY IS AT HAND, AND THE THINGS THAT SHALL COME UPON THEM MAKE HASTE,.” (DEU. 32:35) 2)GOD IS THE ONE WHO JUDGES, AND SEXUAL SIN IS ONE OF THE SPECIFIC REASONS HE DOES SO: “THE MARRIAGE BED IS TO BE UNDEFILED; FOR FORNICATORS AND ADULTERERS GOD WILL JUDGE. “ (HEB. 13:4) 4

3)IF A CHRISTIAN ENGAGES IN SEXUAL IMORALITY, GOD THE AVENGER MAY JUDGE ALL THESE THINGS BY ALLOWING ONE OR MORE OF SEVERAL CONSEQUENCES TO AFFECT THAT BELIEVER’S LIFE. a)A SEVERELY DAMAGED MARRIAGE; LOSS OF FAMILY AND RESPECT. b)DIVORCE. c)CHASTENING, e.g., STD. d)ABSENCE OF BLESSING. e)GREATER TRIALS AND TROUBLES. f)DEATH. “NEITHER LET US COMMIT FORNICATION, AS SOME OF THEM COMMITTED, AND FELL IN ONE DAY THREE AND TWENTY THOUSAND. “ (I COR. 10:8) 5

4)LOSS OF ETERNAL REWARD. “FOR WE MUST ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST; THAT EVERY ONE MAY RECEIVIE THE THINGS DONE IN HIS BODY, ACCORDING TO THAT HE HATH DONE, WHETHER IT BE GOOD OR BAD. “ (II COR. 5:10) “LOOK TO YOURSELVES, THAT WE LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT, BUT THAT WE RECEIVE A FULL REWARD. “ (II JOHN 1:8) 5)GOD’S JUDGMENT AGAINST SEXUAL IMMORALITY WAS NOT NEW TO THE THESSALONIANS. PAUL REMINDED THEM THAT HE ALSO TOLD THEM ABOUT IT BEFORE AND SOLEMNLY WARNED THEM. “FOR I HAVE NOT SHUNNED TO DECLARE UNTO YOU ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD.. “ (ACTS 20:27) a)THE GUILT OF PEOPLE. b)THE CLAIMS OF THE LAW. c)THE NEED OF A SAVIOUR. d)THE PROVISION OF MERCY. e)THE STATE OF FUTURE REWARDS & PUNISHMENTS. 6

b.BECAUSE OF GOD’S PURPOSE “FOR GOD HAS NOT CALLED US FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPURITY, BUT IN SANCTIFICATION. “ (4:7) 1)BEING SEXUALLY MORAL IS IN COMPLETE ACCORD WITH GOD PLAN. 2)WHEN GOD EFFECTUALLY CALLED THE THESSALONIANS TO SALVATION, HE ALSO CALLED THEM TO HOLINESS. 3)A LIFE OF IMPURITY WAS INCONSISTENT WITH A BELIEVER’S HIGH CALLING. “I THEREFORE, THE PRISONER OF THE LORD, BESEECH YOU THAT YE WALK WORTHY OF THE VOCATION WHEREWITH YE ARE CALLED. “ (EPH. 4:1) 4)GOD’S PURPOSE IN SALVATION WAS TO PRODUCE A HOLY PEOPLE—A BRIDE, “HAVING NO SPOT OR WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING.” (EPH. 5:27) 7