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crowd walking 1Thess 4 “Which Crowd Do You Walk With?”

The Pharisees were hypocrites because they were like the whitewashed tombs outside the city. They looked the part of righteousness and acted the part of the righteous but inside they were full of dead men’s bones. We are the same when we walk with the Jesus crowd on Sunday and walk with the worldly crowd on Monday. Often we partake of communion with the saints on Sunday but partake of liquid spirits on Monday. Those we meet do even recognize we are different because our “walk and talk” are just like theirs, the Gentiles/unbelievers. Our behaviors are no different and we justify it by saying “everybody is doing it.” Really? If charged as a Christian would there be enough evidence to prove it?

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they are on view before the unbelieving world. Their lifestyle had to be pristine if they hoped to win others to Christ. He challenged them to look at the crowd they were a part of. Were they walking circumspectly or like the world? The first test is to see if you live a life of holiness and separateness from the world in purity without promiscuity.

Everybody is NOT doing it so why do you use that argument?

“Indeed, the more sanctified the person is, the more conformed he is to the image of his Savior, the more he must recoil against every lack of conformity to the holiness of God.” [Jn Murry]. We can recoil but how do we stay on top of this desire for holiness and then live it out practically? Even though Paul received word that the new babes in Christ were standing firm he knew that the wiles of the devil would not fade away for he is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Therefore, we need some practical ammunition to withstand his work and Paul outlines it in three simple steps which if applied will help us to be “more persistent [in our] yearning for the attainment of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…”

First step is to recognize that this step towards is holiness is attainable because we have been anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, we can live it as we minister to the brethren by living a quiet life, minding our own business because the unbelievers are watching and taking note of the change within us. Thirdly there is no reason to fret about the Lord’s return for even Jesus while in his humanity told the disciples it was not for them nor him to know but only the Father. When the catching away happens we will be suddenly without warning be caught up to be with Jesus and our loved ones in the clouds. From that point on we will assuredly be with the Lord forevermore.

Beloved, “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…” [Mt 24]

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Scripture from: https://lumina.bible.org

Category: holiness

Who Are You Walking With?

1Thess 4 “Practical Holiness”