With the development of digital photography, high speed Internet, and “smart” phones, we may think that our modern culture has a much harder time avoiding lust and sexual immorality. But the nature of sensual temptation and God’s directives for His design for the sexual aspect of life are unchanged.

Consider this brief exposition of biblical counsel in Thessalonians 4:1-8 (NET version).

Take discipleship seriously.

“Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.” vv. 1,2

1. Discern God’s will: Abstain from sexual immorality.

“For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality” v. 3

-Control your physical vessel.

“…that each of you know how to possess his own body” v. 4a

-Sexual behavior should be holy and honorable.

“…in holiness and honor” v. 4b

-Sexual behavior should not be like the sensually dominated unsaved.

“not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God” v. 5

2. Do not hurt others; be advised:

“In this matter no one should violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him” v. 6

-God holds everyone accountable for their sins.

“…because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases, as we also told you earlier and warned you solemnly.” v.6

-God has called us to a life of holiness and moral purity.

“For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.” v. 7

-God gives us His Holy Spirit to instruct and empower believers.

[God] “… gives his Holy Spirit to you.” v. 8b

3. Don’t disregard divine wisdom

“Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God” v. 8a

Dr. Tony Evans commented on this passage: “Paul knows that believers need to be sanctified in a lot of areas, but he starts with the topic of sex on purpose. He knows that if Jesus can help us to win in this matter, we can win in any other. Indeed, if Jesus helps us to walk away from pornography or to stop sleeping around, then he’s really the Master of our lives. When we believers succumb to sexual strongholds, we are worshiping the wrong thing. We are proving that we are like the unsaved Gentiles, who don’t know God. Sexual immorality is a fruit of an idolatrous root—of the worship of pleasure over God, something that should not be true of believers who possess the Spirit. One of the most attractive lies about sexual immorality is that we can get away with the thrill and not experience negative consequences. But the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses. He sees what we are doing, even if no one else does. Though we do not stay pure to earn God’s love, we are to stay pure because God loves us.” (CSB Tony Evans Study Bible)

May we grow in faith, love and hope (1 Thess. 1:3) and live according to sexual sanity, for God’s glory and our good.

JBW