Introduction
Wisdom is practical knowledge, it is is knowing what to do. And true wisdom comes from listening to God's instruction from His word. God has taught us how to live in His joy, He teaches us how to remain spiritually healthy, and He warns us what will interfere with knowing Him. In other words, knowing God--not just knowing about God--is directly tied to our own joy and well-being, and this is by God's design. Jesus taught that eternal life is knowing God (Jn 17:3). Ignorance of God, conversely, robs people of joy, results in pain, and ultimately leads to death. In Paul's letter to the Thessalonians he gives instruction for how to walk with God and truly know Him, but he has also warns of a serious threat to our relationship with God: sexual immorality. God's word is very clear that sexual immorality is incompatible with following Jesus, and in 1 Thessalonians 4:5-8 Paul outlines numerous reasons why.
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Introduction
When our oldest son was little, a very common question from him was, "What dat doooooo?" Everything was new to him, and when he didn't know what something was he asked what it did. Even as a young child, he was trying to understand the world he lived in, and he intuitively knew that understanding what a thing does is a critical piece of information for understanding what it is. This is a good general principle, because rightly understanding what a thing is requires an accurate grasp of what it is supposed to do. It is wrong to get mad at something for not doing what you want it to do when that desire doesn't agree with that things purpose. It is wrong to criticize a car because it doesn't fly--car aren't supposed to fly. It is wrong to get upset at a spoon because it doesn't cut your chicken--spoons aren't supposed to cut meat. This is why something is called good when it does what it is supposed to do. The car is good when it gets me to point A from point B without difficulty, and the spoon is good when I can scoop food without it falling off. But who decides what something is supposed to do? How do we understand what a thing is and does? We must listen to the one who designed it, and we must listen to the creator's instructions if we want understanding. Pretty much anything that comes in a box comes with instructions. And what do the instructions explain? Usually three broad issues: (1) the intended uses, (2) how to keep the item in working condition, and (3) warnings against inappropriate uses. Paul applies similar thinking for Christians. What is a Christian? What do Christians do? Listening to God's instructions about these things is where understanding about the Christian life comes from, and that is precisely what Paul offers. Introduction
Often there is a perceived conflict between truth and love, as though we are forced to choose between one or the other. A good comparison for how the thinking here goes is the gears of a car. The car can be in park, neutral, drive, reverse, etc--but there is no option to be two at the same time. Likewise, truth and love are often viewed as different gears of operation, and in the opinion of some a good friend cannot do both at the same time. This kind of thinking is not consistent with Scripture and needs to be rejected. Truth and love are not opponents, obstacles, or even inconveniences to one another. If rightly understood, truth and love are partners, and they inseparable partners at that. Scripture says that God is love (1 Jn 4:8) and God is truth (Jn 14:6); God's character is never divided up nor pitted against itself, and He never ceases to be one thing in order to be something else. God doesn't decide to put on the "truth hat" or "love hat" while obligated to leave the other on the hook. Instead, God is constantly true and loving in everything He does, whether that is the judgment of the wicked or in the extension of grace to sinners. As such, Paul's desire for the Thessalonian's faith to increase and their love to abound makes perfect sense. Paul wants the Thessalonians to truly know God, and that is only possible when truth and love work together. Love is never achieved at the expense of truth, and truth is never truly embraced apart from love. Paul helps us understand the cooperative nature of truth and love, and it is beneficial for us to consider this relationship. |
AuthorI am follower of Jesus Christ by God's grace, married to Kelsey, father to four children, and pastor of Lighthouse Church (EPC). Archives
November 2022
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