This Is God’s Will
June 18
I have often heard people worry about finding God’s will for their lives. Sometimes, they worry that perhaps they have missed God’s will. Unfortunately, I have found that those who worry the most are often the same ones who seem to be the least likely to go to God’s Word first.
No, you will probably not find God’s will concerning what career you should pursue in God’s Word. Or whom to marry. Or where to live. God wants you to make wise choices. In these situations, it appears that God gives us the freedom to make a wise decision rather than the right decision. God’s Word is always the best source for wisdom. (James 1:5)
However, there are a few places in the Bible that clearly spell out God’s will. And if we pay attention to these clear directions, it will be easier to find God’s will for other situations.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 is one of those clear examples for believers to see God’s will. Twice in this section, (vv. 3, 7) Paul tells the church that they are called to live holy lives. One specific area of living a holy life has to do with expressing our sexual desires.
Paul tells them to abstain from sexual immorality. This word immorality is the Greek word porneia, from which we get pornography. The word covers a broad spectrum of all sexual activity outside the context of a one-man-one-woman, covenant marriage relationship. In other words, this word covers premarital sex, adultery, polygamy, homosexuality, bisexuality, and all other similar sexual expressions. Paul tells the church to abstain from it, keep away from it, and avoid it.
He says not to transgress against or take advantage of anyone else, and adds that anyone who rejects his instructions is not sinning against another individual, but against God Himself (1 Thessalonians 4:8)
Next, Paul comforts his readers concerning the second coming of Jesus. It seems that some of the Thessalonians were concerned about relatives and other believers who had died before Jesus returns. Paul responds that all believers have a living hope! God won’t forget his children who die before Jesus returns. In fact, God cannot forget His children! (Isaiah 49:15; Hebrews 13:5) Both those who die before Jesus returns and those who are living at that time will be brought to live with Jesus in eternity. As with other Bible passages that deal with eschatology, the takeaway is always a reminder that we don’t know when Jesus will return, so we need to be ready for Jesus’ return at all times.
Application
If you think that our day is more morally depraved than in the days Paul is writing, just know that it isn’t. They may not have had the same terminology we do today, but the lusts and desires are the same as they were two thousand years ago. I think that’s why Paul used the broad term that he did, porneia.
It’s important to note that sin is sin is sin. Don’t judge someone just because they sin differently than you do. All of us sin. (Romans 3:23) And all sin rightly destines us to live for eternity without Jesus. But, praise God, there is forgiveness for all sin because of Jesus’ atoning, sanctifying, substitutionary death on a Roman cross! There is no judgment for those in Jesus Christ, (Romans 8:1) though all believers must maintain clean fellowship with Him by acknowledging and confessing every sin so we can be forgiven and cleansed from those sins. (1 John 1:9)