Central Truth

God's will for us is to live holy lives.  As Christians we are called to personal and relational integrity.  Personal integrity includes controlling our own bodies and relational integrity includes loving one another and walking properly before outsiders--talking the talk and walking the walk.

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Reflections

Paul reminds those in Thessalonike (and us) that we are loved by God and that He has chosen us.  It's a revolutionary thought. We dare not forget it: God has chosen to love us in that Christ died for us while we were going our own way. God has "found us" because He wants us!!!
  
This is the message Paul preached to the Thessalonians, who became examples by their "talk and walk" to all in Macedonia and Achaia to whom they preached the Gospel.  They passed on the Gospel and what they received--how to live (i.e. to walk) and to please God. 
 
Here I often stumble--trying to please God and subtly "measure up" to what He has done for me.  But the message Paul preached was not about how anyone might "measure up."  Rather, our walk comes out of our understanding that God loves us and has chosen us.  Paul twice tells the readers (then and now) "to do more and more" but not so we can measure up, but so that our lives might reflect our calling.  In so doing, we will please God--but we can't do it on our own.  It is our trust relationship with God, based on His unconditional love toward us and "our chosenness," that empowers our walk and produces our sanctification (being made holy and like Christ).
  
Paul mentions two focal points of our walk with Christ; First, our bodily or physical integrity (abstain from sexual immorality) and, second, our personal integrity (don't sin against or wrong a brother but love them).  God has called us to holiness; to be like Him.  Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians and to us provides motivation and encouragement to keep on keeping on--we are loved by God and He has chosen us.
 
Years ago as I struggled to live out my faith in Christ, something was wrong.  I spoke with a Christian teacher who asked, "Do you know God loves you?  I answered with John 3:16.  He then asked a question, "Why does God love you?" whose answer continues humble and motivate me, 'He wants to!" Remember this!!

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Discussion Questions

1.  How do you know that God loves you?
2.  Why does He love you?  Give two examples from Scripture and from your own life.
3.  What do you think "do so more and more" (vs. 1 & vs. 10) means?
4.  What to you think is God's will for us?  
5.  What does "sanctification" mean practically to you?
6.  Why do you think Paul centers on two areas of our lives--namely, sexual immorality and sinning against a brother/sister in Christ-when he speaks of our sanctification?
7.  Paul mentions teaching and instruction throughout this letter.  Why do you think this is so important?

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