Foundations of Christian Life, Part 4 (Lessons from Paul) - 1&2 Thessalonians

Sanctification

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they have received all the instruction they need in order to live a life pleasing to God. Paul says that we should be sanctified, made holy. It is interesting that the word sanctified means ‘holy,’ or ‘set apart for specific use.’ I am reminded that something that is sitting there, on a shelf, not in use is useless. It seems the state of sanctification is not much good if it is not used; we are no good if we set ourselves apart yet neglect to act out our faith. I think Paul reminded the Thessalonians of acting out our faith in ways to please God, and there were two things in particular that stuck in his craw: sexual impurity and idleness.

Paul calls himself an example of how to carry out a life pleasing to God (2 Thess 3:7). So, he has instructed well, but also lived well. He showed the Thessalonians how to walk the way of Christ, not just to talk the way of Christ. I’m not sure why Paul only mentions the two particular points, as we are well aware of how we abound in sinning, falling short of the target. Perhaps these two were most visible, especially when we consider ‘setting ourselves apart.’

Sexual Purity

So, Paul calls on all of us to live a life of sexual purity, controlling our bodies and our minds (lust) (1 Thess 4:3-8). Such control seems to be individual, as no one else can control our bodies or our minds. No one knows what is going on in our minds. We do know that what overflows from the heart is what flows into our actions and words (Matt 15:18-20). Following on from these verses in Matthew, our sanctification must begin in the heart, since it is the source of the flow to the mouth and thought. The psalms direct us to the Lord to re-direct our hearts, (Ps 51:10, Ps 119:7). The Lord creates a pure heart in us and seeking his word and law make our hearts upright. So, this is something that the Holy Spirit convicts us of, so long as we do not quench it (gosh, I want to say him or her there – ‘it’ is simply not right!). I think there is a tendency to shy away from correction, which we already mentioned was a point of leadership that Paul demonstrates in the letters to the Thessalonians. Sex has been part of the foundations of relationships since Eve was created as help-meet to Adam. It is indeed private, yet Paul clearly knows more than the bounds of privacy would dictate, and this at a distance. Paul takes responsibility to address the issue, so it is not a hindrance to others. I’m not sure it is appropriate to do so in public, as the letters, but with knowledge (not gossip) of a brother or sister’s wrongdoing, it is important to correct.

Idleness and Busybodies

The second point specifically addressed by Paul is idleness and busybodies (2 Thess 3:6-13). The consequences of idleness, according to Paul, are disturbances. Well, it is easy to see how idleness leads to a bit of boredom and boredom to poking our noses where they do not belong. We all get a bit irritated or flustered when others are always idle, and we are working hard. It seems that Paul is reminded of Proverbs 6:9-11 about slothfulness leading to poverty. I that Paul is concerned not with poverty, but with ensuring that ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord’ (Col 3:23) and for His glory. As his ambassadors, we reflect him, and our Lord is not idle! Here too we should hold others accountable

Follow the Example of Christ

The sanctification that we are called to is surely more than maintaining sexual purity and keeping our jobs. Both of these topics stem from the heart, the core of the matter. As Christians who follow the example of Christ, we make choices daily on what that walk looks like, what the foundation of that walk is. Each of those choices stems from the heart that we cultivate. What am I cultivating today? Worry, hurry, food, complaints? Where our mind dwells is a good indication of what our heart is full of. So, let it be full of His word.

Acting out our faith is not a cookie-cutter thing. No one’s walk will look like anyone else’s, just as Paul’s walk was different from Peter’s or the other disciples. It is in walking with a pure heart, with Christ at the center, holding each other accountable that we are ever more sanctified.