Key Word: “walk”
Introduction:
1 Thessalonians 4 described the Christian’s life as “a walk.”
A. It demands life because the dead sinner cannot walk.
B. It requires growth because a little baby cannot walk.
C. It requires liberty because someone bound cannot walk.
D. It demands light because no one wants to walk in the dark.
E. It cannot be hidden but is witnessed by all.
F. It suggests progress toward a goal.
Paul describes the walk of a Christian.
Walk in Holiness, vv. 1-8
A. Christians are to be set apart from the sexual immorality of the world.
B. Christian’s “vessel” is to be set apart from worldliness.
- Vessel in 1 Peter 3:7 refers to the wife/spouse relationship.
- Vessel in 2 Corinthians 4:7 refers to one’s own body.
- Vessel in verse 5 states that Christians are not to participate in worldly sexual permissiveness.
- The adulterer violates or defrauds the rights of others.
C. Christians who ignore this command rejects the command of God.
Walk in Love, vv. 9-10
Walk in Honesty, vv. 11-12
A. Don’t become a parasite who lives off other Christians, 2 Thessalonians 3:5-15 (especially verse 10).
B. “Study to be quiet” means to focus on your duties and life.
C. Give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.
Walk in Hope, vv. 13-18
A. The comfort that death for the Christian is only temporary (“Sleep”).
- Soul goes to be with Christ at death–>Philippians 1:20-24 and 2 Corinthians 5:6-8.
- The body sleeps until the resurrection.
B. The comfort of heavenly reunion.
C. The comfort of eternal blessing–>”caught up,” 1 Thessalonians 4 : 17.
- to catch away speedily, for there will be no warning, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10.
- to seize by force, for Satan will seek to hinder our rapture to heaven.
- To claim for Christ’s own self, just as the Bridegroom claims the Bride.
- To move to a new place.
- To rescue from danger, for the Church will not go through the Tribulation, the time of God’s wrath, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 and 5:9.