Daily Bible Plan - 1 Thessalonians 4

15. July 2025

Devotion by Reverend Joseph Antwi

Theme: Living your Faith in the Public Sphere

Fortified City Church & Love City Church, Basel

Title: “The Call to Holy Living”

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 (ESV)

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality…” — 1 Thessalonians 4:3

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Introduction

In a world full of compromise and spiritual confusion, Paul’s message to the Thessalonian church remains timeless and urgent: God desires holy living. Holiness is not a religious cliché or a lofty theological concept—it is a divine requirement and the daily calling of every believer. Paul’s instruction is clear: if we want to please God, we must walk in sanctification, setting ourselves apart for His purpose.

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1. A Plea to Grow (vv. 1–2)

“We ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus… that you do so more and more.”

Paul doesn’t rebuke the church for failure; he commends them for what they’re already doing—and then urges them to go deeper. The Christian life is not about reaching a point and stopping. It’s a journey of continual growth in obedience and love. Every step forward in holiness brings us closer to the heart of God.

📌 Reflection: Am I still growing in my desire to please God, or have I become content with where I am spiritually?

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2. God’s Will: Your Sanctification (v. 3)

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification…”

Many believers struggle to know God’s will for their lives. Here, Paul makes it unmistakably clear: God’s will is your holiness. Sanctification means to be set apart—separated from sin and consecrated for God’s purposes.

While Paul emphasizes abstaining from sexual immorality, this command reaches beyond that. Holiness involves every part of us—our minds, mouths, hearts, and hands. God desires that His people reflect His nature.

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3. The Broader Picture of Holiness (Reflection)

Holiness is not just about sexual purity, though Paul addresses it directly because it was (and is) a dominant issue. Holiness is a lifestyle, a posture of the heart. It is to live every day in reverence and alignment with the character of God.

We must understand that holiness includes:

• Clean speech — No foul or corrupt words should be found on our tongues (Ephesians 4:29).

• Reverence — Even how we use the name of Jesus reflects our understanding of God’s holiness.

Sadly, many invoke His name casually or even vainly—shouting “Jesus!” out of frustration, habit, or surprise. But when we treat the name of Jesus lightly, we dilute its power in our own lives.

As a child growing up in Ghana, I remember how the name of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president, was rarely spoken casually. His name was revered. You could not just mention it in passing; it carried historical and cultural weight. How much more should the name of Jesus—the King of kings—be honored with holy fear?

The Bible tells us, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Holiness is not man-made religion; it is God’s identity, and He invites us to share in it. The writer of Hebrews affirms,

“Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

This is not about legalism—it’s about relationship. The holy God desires holy people who reflect His light in a dark world.

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4. Control Your Body in Honor (vv. 4–5)

“…that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor.”

To walk in holiness requires self-control, especially over our bodily desires. The believer is called to discipline the flesh, not to be led by it. The world may follow its lusts, but those who know Christ are called to possess their vessels with honor—living under the power of the Holy Spirit, not the pressure of culture.

📌 Reflection: Am I controlling my body, or is my body controlling me?

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5. Do Not Harm Others Through Sin (v. 6)

“…that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger…”

Sin, especially sexual sin, always affects others. Paul warns that to defraud or violate another person through impurity is to invite God’s judgment. His justice is not idle. We must walk with both love and fear—never using others to gratify our own desires, but honoring them as fellow image-bearers.

📌 Reflection: Do my actions promote purity in others, or do they harm or tempt them?

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6. God Has Called Us to Holiness (vv. 7–8)

“For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.”

This is the foundation of our Christian identity: We are called to be holy because God is holy.

To reject holiness is not just to ignore a good suggestion—it is to despise God Himself, who gave us His Holy Spirit to empower us.

📌 Reflection: Am I treating holiness as optional, or as essential to my walk with God?

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Closing Prayer

Father, You are holy—and You have called me to be holy. Forgive me for every moment I have taken Your presence or Your name lightly. Cleanse my heart, mind, and body. Help me to honor You in all I do—through purity, reverence, and obedience. Let my life reflect the beauty of Your holiness, that I may be a vessel fit for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Takeaway Thought

Holiness is not a burden—it is a privilege.

To walk in holiness is to walk with God, like God, and for God.