Want To Be Different? Please God! - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

Life As It Was Meant to Be

Part 5: How To Be Different – Please God!

Louie Marsh, 7-11-2021

"All progress occurs because people dare to be different." -Harry Millner

 

"To change and to change for the better are two different things." -German proverb

 

1) Living to please God (spirituality)

 

I put the word spirituality in there because we hear this word all the time – and it means either nothing at all – or whatever the speaker wants it to mean. That’s rubbish – from a Biblical perspective true spirituality is living to please God! We should always look at it from that perspective.

 

“1Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1–2, ESV)

 

… please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. (1 Thess 4:1–2, Mes)

 

• Is freedom  FROM & TO.

 

This is really important – and we’ll probably revisit topic in a year or so. When you become a Christian you aren’t just set free FROM things – tho you are and this is what we usually think of.

 

You are also set free TO things, that’s true of all true freedom. It’s not just negative – away from something, but it’s positive – TOWARDS something!

 

• Is all about FOLLOWING Jesus.

 

The Christian life is composed of positive ethical commitments, to DO things, it’s not just or even primarily a list of things you DON’T do!

 

• Is committed to DOING God’s will.

 

• Is recognized by the CHARACTER of Christ.

 

The Fruit of the Spirit which we just finished talking about a few weeks ago – if they way you are acting is full of that fruit – then your doing well.

 

2) God’s Will for me – be LIKE CHRIST!

 

“3For this is the will of God, your sanctification… (1 Thessalonians 4:3a, ESV)

 

3) I must be Christ-like in my SEXUALITY.

 

“3…that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3b–7, ESV)

 

• This is LEARNED BEHAVIOR.

 

In spite of what many will tell you and what a lot of you feel – the Bible says over and over again that you and I must LEARN how to live in God pleasing way!

 

• It is focused on CHRIST!

 

Like I said a minute ago, it’s a positive focus! I nearly ended up in despair in my early Christian life because of two huge mistakes I made.

• I thought it was wrong to have sexual feelings and urges – that is COMPLETELY WRONG!! God made them, gave them to you and they are good!
• My focus was almost totally negative – don’t lust, don’t look, don’t touch!! I missed the liberating truth that if I focus as much as possible on doing what God wants me to do – that reduces the amount of time I have to spend on the negative end of things. I will still do both – but my focus should be primarily positive – focused on what God wants me TO DO – not what He DOESN’T want!

 

• There’s no DOUBLE STANDARD.

 

Here’s what the first Century Greek culture said about sexuality, from Demosthenes; “We keep mistresses for pleasure, concubines for our day-to-day bodily needs, but we have wives to produce legitimate children and serve as trustworthy guardians of our homes.”

 

Women of course – were not allowed to act in any such manner!!  The Bible holds up the same standard for men and women – and today that’s completely destroyed in our culture.

 

4) I must ACCEPT this is from God & it’s GOOD.

 

“8Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:8, ESV)

 

If you don’t agree with this – you don’t have a problem with me, or even Paul – you have a problem with God! There’s no Church Police here – we don’t run around trying to make you behave! This is an issue you must work out with God, because He NOT me or anyone else – has given us these commands.

 

5) LOVE my brothers and sisters.

 

“9Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,” (1 Thessalonians 4:9–10, ESV)

 

Notice how important love is that it continually pops up all over the place in the Bible!!  Real spirituality must be in love or it’s nothing.

 

6) LEAD a quiet life.

 

“11and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12, ESV)

 

Quiet does NOT mean boring – it means live an exciting life that doesn’t always get you in trouble or isn’t constantly filled with drama that you and others create though your own actions!

 

• MIND my own business.
• STAY busy.
• Be a GOOD witness.
• Become SECURE.

 

Paul wants us to be as independent as we can – this doesn’t mean you don’t ask for help – it means you don’t mooch off people constantly!

 

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