Today we are studying the Scriptures together in our current series about how to know and do the will of God. And this is lesson number three as we consider again what exactly is the will of God for you. So let me invite you to open your Bibles with me to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, and let me just tell you in advance that we only get through about half of this handout today. Last Sunday we began this series on how to know and do the will of God with the beginning promise found in Proverbs 3, chapter 3, verses 5 through 7. Trust in the Lord of all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. Verse 7 goes on to say, Be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. This is a promise of divine guidance. from God to us. We then moved from a basic promise to a basic premise found in John 7, 17, where our Lord said, if anyone wants to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it's from God or whether I speak on my own authority. And in doing so, we notice that God has a will, that God's will can be known, that God's will is found in His Word, but that you must want to do His will if you are going to know the details explicitly. And that's why, beloved, let me remind you again that God wants to show you His will more than you want to do it. And if you're willing to do it and you're wanting to do it, the first place you need to go is to the Word of God. where we not only saw a beginning promise and a basic premise, but a basic principle, a biblical principle, as it were, namely to know God's will, always start with the known will of God. The first issue is not, should I go here, do that, buy that, move here, go to school there. No, no. Always start with the known will of God. And as we consider, again today, the known will of God, which is found in His Word, we discovered last time that the Bible makes it clear it's God's will that you be, first of all, saved. First Timothy 2 makes it clear God wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. In order to make that possible, it goes on to say, for there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. God wants you to be saved. And dear friends, being saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ plus nothing is the beginning of a new life in Christ, is a new creation in Christ with a new eternal destiny befitting a child of God, namely heaven. And only then can the rest of God's wonderful plan for your life begin to unfold and become operative in your daily walk. But it always starts with salvation. And that's why in 1 Thessalonians 1, let me call your attention to verse 5 and following. For our gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose again to save you by God's grace, did not come to you in word only, but also in power. The Spirit of God used the Word of God. and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance. And that's what it does. When you understand the Gospel and believe it, it gives you assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the Word. Notice they took the Word of God personally. They believed it. They were saved. And they did this in much affliction, as there was immediate persecution. And yet, what did they have with that? With joy of the Holy Spirit. So that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who what? Believe. How do you respond to the Gospel? You believe it. Then it doesn't ask you to do something, it asks you to put your faith in Christ who did it for you. Verse 8, For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place, your faith toward God has gone out. So that we do not need to say anything. Notice your faith toward God. They took God at his word believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved verse 9 for they themselves declare Concerning us what matter of entry we had unto you and how you number one turn to God from idols number two to serve the living and true God and Number three to wait for a son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come Now notice the gospel was mentioned there in verse 5, that they believed the gospel was mentioned as well. And in doing so, they turned to God from idols, those things that they had been worshipping, those things they had been trusting that could never save them. And you see, that's true repentance in the sense of changing your mind about those things that could never save you and putting your faith in Jesus Christ who died for your sins and rose again. And as a result, they were saved from the penalty of sin. Their destiny was now heaven. And now God had a plan, phase two, second tense salvation, to save them from the power of sin in which they would now serve Jesus Christ. as they anticipated the day He would come again for them. So verse 10 ends, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. And so we see here again a reference to the three tenses of salvation. It all starts at the cross, until you're saved from the penalty of sin. You could never be saved from the power of sin. But whether you live a life that's honoring to the Lord or not as a believer, one day you will be saved from the presence of sin, because your salvation does not depend on your faithfulness, your holy life, your sanctification. It depends on the work of Christ and the promises of God. On the other hand, it is reasonable for us, in light of what the Lord has done for us and who we now are in Christ, to live in a way that glorifies Jesus Christ. And that's why if someone comes up to you here at DVC and say, well, are you saved? Don't be shocked. Why would we assume that you are? There's no halo. There's no sign that says, I've been born again. It kind of flashes or something. No, no. How would we know? Are you an unbeliever that need to hear the gospel? Are you a believer we should fellowship with? Want to know? And frankly, if you've been saved, you should be glad to tell people I've been saved by the grace of God. Usually when people are offended by that, it shows them how out of touch they are with really the reality is that the majority of the people on this planet are not on their way to heaven. You know, sometimes when you ask the question, are you saved? People will answer, well, I'm a Baptist. So are you saved? What does that have to do? Well, I'm a Republican. Oh, the chances are even less now. Or I'm a homeschooler. What does that have to do with the price of eggs? And I say that because, you know, I talked to someone here yesterday who's been involved in Fair Evangelism down in Texas this past week, as we've been praying for this group down in Texas. In fact, I should have prayed for them this morning. They said, you know, down there there's all these Roman Catholics that have a respect for the Bible, but they don't know what's in it. And you show them the gospel and they're like, wow, I've never seen that before. That is great. Write that down. Can I have a book? Excellent. I'm saved now, 100%. You know, you just keep hearing these. The one person who got offended was an evangelical homeschooler. Wouldn't you know? With a garbled gospel who says what they're preaching is heresy. So don't assume people are saved. You want to ask, why are you saved? In fact, I'm glad when I get asked that. Are you saved? And that people don't assume it. Can you imagine just assuming someone is saved and then they die and they go to hell? And you assume the whole time they're saved. I never took the time to ask them. To find out if they really are. Not that you're the final judge and jury, but nevertheless, why wouldn't you ask that? And frankly, they don't mind if you judge them positively, that they are. They just get bugged if you judge them negatively. But maybe they're not. Now, as a result of being saved, God doesn't take you home immediately. He's got a plan that involves practical and progressive sanctification in light of Your position in jesus christ and so as we think of the will of god god now wants you after you're saved to be Filled with the spirit or spirit filled Spirit filled Ephesians 5 17 and 18 therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the lord is And do not be drunk with wine in which is this but be filled with the spirit notice the will of god It's tied to being filled with the spirit The spirit-controlled life is when the believer's attitude involves yielded penance upon the Lord while being saturated and directed by the word of God. God wants all believers to be spirit-filled. And frankly, dear believers, when you're not having fellowship with the Lord, you are in no condition of heart to make any of the decisions of life except to confess your sins and yield again to the Lord and be restored to fellowship with him again. And I say that because sometimes believers want to know God's will about whether they should go to school or not, or marry this person or not, or take that job or not, or do this or that. They might even say, well, I prayed about it. And the words of James 4, verse 3 echo back, you ask and receive not, because you ask amiss that you may consume it on your own lusts. as the carnal mind is involved spiritually in self-seeking and self-willed praying, instead of praying to do the will of God. You see, God wants you to be controlled by the Spirit. That's His will for you. And if you're unwilling to respond to His known will, don't expect His leading in the unknown details of His plan. Because you're not a directable, leadable person when you're walking after the flesh. So it's God's will that you not only be saved, and secondly, that you're spirit-filled, but thirdly, we saw Wednesday night, to be spiritually growing. Spiritually growing. 2 Peter 3.18 says, But grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. God wants you to be growing. He wants you to be to the top chart and not the bottom chart. He wants you to progressively be growing and becoming more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Not have a little bit of growth after you're saved and then just kind of waddle in carnality for years and years, wasting your life, running down dead-end streets, doing your own thing, doing your own will. And you see, if you're going to grow, first Peter two, two says you're going to be you're going to need to desire the pure milk of the word that you might grow thereby. You need to desire just like a newborn baby. Speaks of intensity. It speaks of priority. And may I add, if a church can't lead you to faith in Christ because it's not preaching the gospel, it's not going to enable you to grow in Christ either. In fact, in some churches you'd like to say, when's the last time you heard anyone say, I've been saved around here? When that's the case, you need to come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. You need to mark and avoid that false teaching in faithfulness to the Lord and support that which is true to the Word of God. And so we see it's God's will that you be saved, that you be spirit-filled, that you be spiritually growing, and fourthly, that you be sexually pure. Sexually pure. And while you're in 1 Thessalonians, turn with me to chapter 4. And we begin in verse 1. Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God. For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus, for this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality, that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. then no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness." Regarding the will of God, verse 3 makes it clear, absolutely clear, That this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality. God's will is that you would be sanctified or set apart in your daily walk with Christ by way of sexual purity in your life. In other words, God desires that your thoughts and your will, your words and your actions would be pleasing to Him, set apart unto Him. And in this particular context, the issue being addressed is sexual purity of mind and body. Now I find it interesting in verses 1 and 2, how the believers to walk and please God. He says, finally then, brethren, talking to believers, I don't talk to unbelievers about these issues, because the will of God for unbelievers, they need to be saved. But as a result of getting saved and being placed in Christ, they need to be filled with the Spirit, growing and set apart unto God. We urge and we exhort you in the Lord Jesus, You see, you don't do something for the pastor. You don't do something for others. This exhortation is based upon their relationship in Jesus Christ. That you should abound more and more. You wanted spiritual growth to continue in your life. Just as you receive from us how you ought to walk and to please God. How do we walk as a believer? We walk by faith. And as we walk by faith, that pleases God. For Hebrews 11, 6 says, but without faith it's impossible to please Him. And so we live the Christian life the same way which we were saved. At salvation we admit, I cannot save myself. Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again to save me. I trust in Him alone. In the Christian life we admit, I can't live the Christian life. I instead rely on the Lord. I'm dependent upon Him and His Word. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, expect to live a life of victory over the flesh, the world, and the devil. Not in my own strength, but in His strength. For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus." Now that word commandment scares some believers. Now he's not talking here about the Ten Commandments. We're not under law, we're under grace. Though nine out of the ten are repeated in the New Testament epistles, but in a different form in light of our position in Christ. But the commandments of God express to us the will of God. Because God does want us to obey. And as we're growing, there should be greater and greater conformity to the will of God and obedience in our life. But notice, he instructed these believers immediately after they were saved. Paul was with them somewhere between three weeks and three months. And he saw the importance of teaching them how to live by faith, to please the Lord. He expressed to them their position in Christ. He expressed to them truths about the will of God and about their growth. You see, he wanted them to progressively be sanctified or set apart for the Lord from the world in his mind and body. You see, as a believer walks by faith and spiritually grows, he is progressively sanctified or set apart for the Lord from the world in his mind and body. And this is one of the problems we have with believers, is they walk in carnality or they are conformed to the standards of this world. Some believers are very worldly, but they justify it in their own minds through some means. And so what do we read in verse 3? For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality. Nothing will ruin the daily fellowship and spiritual growth and Christian testimony of a believer like sexual sin. And this verse makes it clear. It is God's will. You don't have to wonder about it. It's God's will that you abstain from sexual morality. It is your sanctification. Now, what does sanctification mean? The word sanctification comes from the Greek word hegeos, which talks about to become holy. It means to be set apart or devoted to God and his purposes, is the idea there. As you're filled with the Spirit and you're growing, God is progressively setting you apart and devoted to God and His purposes. Now, what is incompatible with a believer's sanctification? Well, sexual morality is. Totally inconsistent with who we are in Christ and being in the temple of the Holy Spirit. Now, sexual morality is the Greek word porneia. Now, we get the English word pornography from this, but it doesn't mean pornography, though obviously having fantasies about somebody else in a sexual context is sin. But the word porneia here is a word that's a very general word for sexual immorality of any kind. Sexual morality of any kind. It's a broad term. It encompasses such things as bigamy, polygamy, homosexuality, sodomy, masturbation, prostitution, all forms of premarital, extramarital, and non-monogamous marital sexual activity. Now, it's interesting because among many teens in our day, it's hip to say, I'm bisexual. Well, I want you to know that according to God's Word, it's not hip, it's sin. To be involved in sexual activity of any kind, let alone being bisexual. And notice, God is very clear that you should abstain from sexual morality. Now, you don't tell someone to abstain unless they potentially could be involved in something. When I hear people say, well, if you truly say you'll never be involved in sexual morality, why would you ever tell someone to abstain then? You tell them to abstain because either they are or they could be involved, but God forbid that isn't what God wants. Now, the word abstain in the Greek literally means to abstain. There's nothing deep about this. Now, it's in the present tense, however, which means keep on abstaining. Abstain today and tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day. Don't let your guard down. Secondly, it's in the middle voice. What the middle voice means is while you don't produce ultimately the action, as again the Holy Spirit must give you the power to do this, you are nevertheless involved with the outcome. God isn't going to do this apart from your volition. And the middle voice also carries the idea it's to your benefit to abstain. In other words, God is protecting you if you're willing to respond to Him regarding His will in this matter. He wants to protect you from the destruction, the danger, and the damage of sexual immorality in your life, of porneia. Now keep in mind that sexual sin is against the whole plan of God for you. And violating God's moral standards will have terrible and devastating effects in your life. Yes, I believe sexual sin can be forgiven, and I will share that before the message is done. In fact, I believe sexual sin can be one can be delivered from this. In every form. And I believe God is a gracious and a very forgiving God. And with God, there's hope. But keep in mind, it's clearly his will that every believer abstain from sexual morality. But keep in mind, God is not anti-sex. He invented it. He designed it. He created our bodies with sexual desires for sexual fulfillment. And He did this not only for procreation, He did it for pleasure. And that's why in the beginning He made them male and female. And He not only designed us with sexual capacities, but He also knows how these desires can be best used and fulfilled. And the parameters or the boundaries he put on sexual fulfillment is the loving context and mutual commitment called marriage. You might want to jot this verse down. Hebrews 13, verse 4. Marriage is honorable among all. In every culture you go to, marriage is honorable. Even though in our culture, it's on the way out. And the marriage bed is undefiled, it's pure, it's right. It's the right context for sexual involvement. But, fornicators and adulterers, God will judge. You see, this verse makes it clear that marriage is the only context for sex. And God wants us to understand that sexual intimacy between a man and a woman in marriage is not defiling. It's not wrong, it's pure, and it's good, and God wants you to enjoy it and not feel guilty about it when it occurs in marriage. In fact, the whole book, The Song of Solomon, is about romantic marital love, with a lot of symbolic language communicating sexual intimacy. Some of you are saying, man, we're having Song of Solomon for marriage devotions this week. But you see, God is not against those things. But the end of verse 4 is also clear. God will judge. And in the context of a believer, this means He will divinely discipline. Now, He sometimes does this by letting you reap what you sow. Sometimes He may be involved in some other way of giving you a spanking if you persist in this. The Lord knows, but we just know the ramifications are not good. It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. But why does God draw this line? If sex is fun and pleasurable and enjoyable, why does God say no till marriage? Is God out of touch with reality? Is God a cosmic killjoy and a celestial crank? Or is He a loving Father who wants what's best for you? Is God out to rain on your sexual parade, or is He there to protect you? Is God out to frustrate people and ruin their fun, or save them for real pleasure in marriage? Is God old-fashioned and out of tune with this century, or does He know exactly what's best, and has communicated to us His timeless counsel in His Word? Believers, God is good. and His counsel is wise, and in His great love for you, He's seeking to protect us from that which would terribly harm us through sexual sin. You know, it's kind of like with my children when they were young. I took them out of the house there and brought them right to the curb. And I said, no, this is a curb. You do not go beyond this line. This is a curb. You don't go into the streets. Now, they might have walked away and said, why can't I go into the streets, in their mind? Why can't we? My dad doesn't want what's best. I like playing in the streets and getting run over by cars. No, no, no. I know what's best for you. There's the curb. Don't go beyond that line or you're going to be hurt. I'm not doing this because I don't want you to have fun. When you're old enough, you'll be able to walk across the street in the right context. And you'll even be able to take the keys and get in that car and drive it at the right time, maybe. But in the meantime, I'm protecting you. And in the same way God is saying, this is the will of God, even your sanctification, you abstain from fornication. Here's the line. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. In the right context, at the right time, I'm going to give you the keys. You're going to be able to walk across that street, if indeed I've gifted you a plan for you to be married. In the meantime, I'm there to protect you. Now as we think of this, why does God warn you about all this? And I want to go to three passages here before we come back here. So put a marker in 1 Thessalonians and go with me to Proverbs chapter six. Proverbs chapter six. Proverbs 6, verse 23. Now keep in mind, this is from a father to a son, that's why it's slanted or couched with male pronouns the way it is. Not trying to say that the reverse wouldn't be true if he was talking to a female. So keep that in mind. Verse 23, for the commandment is a lamp, it gives you light, and the law, light, and reprusive instruction of the way of life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart." You see, that's one of the major problems with pornography, isn't it? nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread, and adulterous will prey upon his precious life. Can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Well, of course not. Who would ever do that? Can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be seared? Well, of course not. So as he goes into his neighbor's wife by way of sexual intimacy, whoever touches her sexually shall not be innocent. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's starving. We can kind of understand that. Yet when he's found, he must restore sevenfold. There's still restitution that needs to be done. There are consequences, even though we can kind of understand it. He may have to give up all the substance of his health, but whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding. He who does so destroys his own soul. And you see, the soul is the place where you have capacity for life. Wounds and dishonor he will get. Wounds because the guy beat him up or shot him. And dishonor. And his reproach will not be wiped away. For jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased though you give him many gifts. And so we see here that God warns us because, again, there is tremendous fallout and negative consequences to be involved in sexual immorality. Now go with me to Matthew chapter 19. Matthew chapter 19. Now, one of those consequences may be, and let me emphasize the word may, one of the consequences of sexual morality may be divorce. Now regarding this issue, there were two schools of thought in Jesus' day. One was a liberal school, one was a conservative school of rabbinical thought. One said, in essence, you can divorce your wife for almost anything. She burns supper again, can't her? You know, the other was you could only divorce for sexual morality. And so they wanted to tempt or test the Lord Jesus where he stood on this issue. And he answers with such great wisdom. Verse three, the Pharisees also came to him, testing him and saying to him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? You see, they're asking him about Deuteronomy 24, where it's in Deuteronomy 24 that the Old Testament speaks regarding divorce. And it is there in which Moses permits divorce and God seeks to regulate divorce. But notice the Lord Jesus, instead of saying, let's talk about divorce, says, no, let's not go to Deuteronomy 24 first. Let's go back to the original design. Let's go back to the blueprint. God is all for marriage. And so we read in verse four, he answered and said to them, I just love this, have you not read Genesis chapter one, the very first book of the Bible? You learned scholars, you? But he who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, by the way, Genesis chapter 2, For this reason a mother shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate or divorce. He says, instead of starting in Deuteronomy 24, start at Genesis 1 and 2, the creation of man and woman and the creation of marriage as God designed one man for one woman for a lifetime, a permanent unity. Verse seven, they said to him, well why then did Moses command, and that's the key word to note here, command to give a certificate of divorce and put her away, namely divorce her. And he said to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you, notice not commanded, permitted you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not so, that was never God's original design. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual morality, that's the unclean thing he finds in her in Deuteronomy 24, and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her is divorced, commits adultery. So the Lord Jesus Christ said, divorce was not commanded, it was only permitted, and it was only permitted under this condition of sexual immorality, and he uses the Greek word kornia again. Now, according to Deuteronomy 24, permissible divorce allowed for permissible remarriage. And thus, the issue at stake here in this discussion is what was that unclean thing he found in her, and he puts his finger on the issue and says, it's sexual immorality. But even then, you're not commanded to get a divorce, you're just permitted. And you're permitted because sometimes the trust is so devastated that it can't be rebuilt. There can be forgiveness, but trust is a precious thing that must not be destroyed. And while the grace of God is sufficient to rebuild, there are times when God, understanding the weakness of ourselves, say, I'm going to give you an out in this situation. So it only gives one condition here for divorce. Now, we won't take the time, but Paul adds another in 1 Corinthians 7. When the unbeliever wants out of the marriage, you can let him go when they want out, if they want out. Now, upon hearing this, how do his disciples respond? Verse 10. His disciples said to him, if such is the case of the man with his wife, it's better not to marry. In other words, if you're stuck with the gal indefinitely, don't get married. That's the response. But the fact is, Paul would say in 1 Corinthians 7, and understandably so, that it's better to marry than to burn with unfulfilled sexual desires. He will say, if you can stay single, stay single and serve the Lord without the responsibilities of marriage and family. But if you cannot, it's not wrong to marry. Not that that's the only issue. Like, you know, I have sexual desires and I need to get married, so I'm just gonna find the first person I can find and marry the dude, you know? No, no, no, no, no. There's other factors involved too. But that, it is a factor. But there's sense in, in verse 10, the permanency of marriage. Verse 11, he said to them, all cannot accept the same. What I just said. one man for one woman for a lifetime. It just blows their mind. But only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs, single folk in this case, who were born thus from their mother's womb genetically, physiologically. And there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, as that was a practice in those days. And there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. They have stayed single for that reason. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it. By the way, we should not look upon all single people as if either they're waiting to get married or they're losers. Now I say that because that's how some people look at it. Like, you know, she's 30 and not married, there must be something wrong with her. That's not what the Word of God teaches. And it doesn't mean everyone who's single isn't waiting. I got an email this past week from a single gal who said, in essence, why is it that most people think if you're single, you're just waiting to get married? I'm not waiting to get married. We should write a book, saved, single, and satisfied. I think there was serving in there too. There was some S's anyhow. She must have saw my series here. And if you're saved and you're single and you're serving and you're satisfied, praise the Lord. Worst kind of people to get married are those who are sitting by the phone desperate. Oh, I hope someone calls me. Even worse, you become the aggressor as a female. Even worse. Or you go hunting for men in bars. That's a great place to find a godly man. They might be filled with the Spirit, but it's the wrong kind. And again, this is why when it comes to the will of God, you don't start with circumstance. You know, I've been praying to get married and this hunk of an unbeliever moved right next door. This must be the will of God. No, no, no. Don't be unequally together with unbelievers, the will of God. I don't like that verse. That's why you never determine the will of God, first and foremost, by your circumstances, though they do come into play. Now go with me to First Corinthians chapter six. First Corinthians chapter six. The Bible is very blunt about these things, aren't they? Now, First Corinthians six, remember the Corinthians were saved out of a very immoral situation, many of them involved all kinds of immorality. Thank God for his grace and thank God for his forgiveness. We read in verse 18, flee sexual immorality. There's our Greek word for knee again. And what are you to do? You're to flee it. You're to flee it. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Why? Because you've been bought with a price. Why? Verse 19, do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? who is in you, whom you have from God, you are not your own, you've been bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and your spirit with your God. Now keep in mind that the Corinthians were involved in a kind of a legalistic licentiousness. You say, well that's an oxymoron, isn't it? Not really. Oftentimes people who are involved in religiosity get involved in sexual immorality because they can't keep the flesh in. They're trying to handle their flesh and they're not able to do it. And so they slink around in sexual immorality. And in the Corinthian case, they were involved in a form of idolatry that had temple prostitutes and part of their spiritual worship was sexual involvement with those priestesses. And when he says flee sexual morality, you don't tell somebody that unless either one they're doing it or two they could do. because the sin nature has grooves that we're prone to fall right back into. Is it possible for someone to be saved and involved in prostitution? The Corinthians were. Is it wrong? Absolutely. Does God want to deliver us from that without question? Why? Does He say, and if you continue to do that, you're going to hell? Is that what He says? No. No, but that's what some tell us. No, the appeal, verse 20 is, you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and your spirit, which are God's. In other words, the purpose now of fleeing sexual morality isn't so you'd go to hell because you're not going, but because your position in Christ and the Spirit of God lives in you and can enable you to live a life that brings honor and glory to the Lord. Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's, which ties right back into 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, which we will now go back to. Now keep in mind when God says to abstain from sexual morality, it's because he wants to protect you from many of the problems of sexual sin. Let me just mention some kind of quickly. Number one, sexual sin will destroy your fellowship with God. No ifs or buts about that. Number two, sexual sin will destroy your usefulness to God. When you're out of fellowship with the Lord and you're involved in that, you're not going to be useful to the Lord. Or you may still play church and go through the motions, but underneath, you know you're not really useful to the Lord. Number three, sexual sin may result in personal guilt. And I say may, because it's depending on how hard a conscience you have. But usually the first time someone gets involved in sex morality, there is this sense of guilt. They know what they've done is wrong. Oftentimes girls say the first thing they do is they go home and take a shower. Why? Because they have this sense of guilt. And rightly so. Sexual sin may result in loss of joy. The joy of your salvation, but never your salvation. Sexual sin may result in a seared conscience. The more you do it, the harder you get. You're building up scar tissue on your soul. Sexual sin can result in disease or pregnancy. We all know about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV and other kinds of things, or even pregnancy. And frankly, the disease or the pregnancy really isn't the problem, it's the symptom of the problem. Number seven, sexual sin results in a lack of respect for the other person. Oftentimes, it's like, why did you do this to me? Now, that's a failure to take personal guilt in some cases, but in other cases, it still causes a lack of respect. Or sexual sin can lead to dishonesty. And almost always, there's a lot of lying that goes on. and deceit when it comes to sexual morality. Sexual sin can result in bitterness. And if you are yet single, sexual sin will cause you to lose the one unique experience that you can share with your future mate. And on that wedding night, you can give to your mate something you have never given to anyone else ever before. You say, but pastor, what's wrong with a meaningful sexual relationship with someone if you love them, if you don't want to hurt anyone, if you just want to enjoy yourself? Well, number one, it's sin. Number two, it's not the will of God. Number three, it's selfish. Number four, you will hurt yourself and others. And number five, it dishonors God. He said, but pastor, sex is just a physical act. It's merely the satisfying of a biological need. Now that may be true with the neighborhood tomcat, but that's not true of you. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding. He that does it destroys his own soul. And since God loves us and desires our best, He makes it clear in 1 Thessalonians 4 and verse 3, for this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality. It is absurd for any believer who is living in sexual impurity to say, God, show me your will, when it's right in front of you. Such a person is not even yielding to the Lord and doing what this verse says is His will. Why should God disclose some further will? Isn't that clear? Stay away from immoral sex. You say, how far away? Far enough away to be pure, set apart unto God, to keep your mind clean, and don't put yourself in tempting situations. And that's why verse 4 says that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. You see, when you fail to listen to the will of God here, you're going to, in essence, make a self-made prison of sin. And some of you have been in this prison, you know what it is like. And God wants you to know how to possess his own vessel. The word vessel here in this context is in reference to your body. Your body is the instrument that the Spirit of God lives in. Unfortunately, in colleges today, and too often with many teens today, these truths are totally disregarded. In fact, you know, I've taught on how to know and do the will of God probably every three or four years at our senior Bible camp. Many of you have heard it before. Some of you haven't. And yet, hearing it's one thing, heeding it's another. And God wants us to know how to possess our own bodies in a way that's set apart to God and is honorable to the Lord. This verse makes it clear that we must keep our bodies under control so that we honor the Lord. Now keep in mind, sexual desires are normal. They're God-given. In fact, I don't tell our young people that if you don't have sexual desires, you must be spiritual. I tell them if you don't have sexual desires, the plumbing's probably unplugged. Something's wrong. That's very normal, it's not wrong. To recognize as you grow older and the hormones change, you get into puberty and beyond, you're gonna have those, that's not wrong. What's wrong is the fulfilling of it outside of the will of God. God wants you to possess your body in a way that's set apart unto Him and that is honorable to Him. And don't let the world squeeze you into its mold. Why shouldn't the world be your standard? Verse 5, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. They don't know God. We wouldn't accept them to uphold the standards of God in this area. Don't let the world be your standards. When someone says, well, everyone's doing it, I tell people, you're not everyone, you're a child of God. You've been blot with the blood of Christ. You're the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is not the will of God. But unfortunately, TV is constantly bombarding. You let your kids sit in front of that TV, they're hearing sexual message after sexual message in front of them, and not one of them is the correct standard. And even when it comes to jungle bongo music, over and over again, the world's music is constantly bombarding you with sexual messages as well. You say, oh no, not me, I listen to the oldies. Well, I guess that's the music I grew up with. You know, deep music, spiritual. You know, hello, I love you, will you tell me your name? Now that's deep. Or if you're not with the one you love, just love the one you're with. That's godly, isn't it? That's too much of the music of the oldies. Don't let the world be your standard. Don't let your friends dictate to you, young people. Go back to what does the Word of God say. Take it by faith. God knows what's best for you. Now, what are three reasons for this instruction? Well, there's three given here in the passage, though many more could be. Number one, that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in any manner. First reason is defraud. You're taking something that doesn't belong to you and you're giving it to another, and therefore you're cheating someone out of what rightly should belong to them on their wedding night. Number two, the Lord is the avenger of all such. The idea there is, again, divine discipline. God takes very seriously sexual sin. As we also forewarned you and testified. And number three, for God did not call us to uncleanness. He called us in holiness. He's called us to live a life that's honoring to him. And by the way, the word holiness is the Greek word in which we get our word sanctification again. We are a set-apart people who are to live lives consistent with who we are. We should be different than the unsaved world around us, especially in this area called sexual purity. Now, you may say, well, I don't like what Paul's writing here. I've heard he was single, a woman hater, a chauvinist. And I think he's taken all this to an unhealthy extreme. Well, if that's how you think, verse 8 is especially for you. Therefore, he who rejects this does not reject man but God, who has also given us his Holy Spirit. He who rejects this does not reject man, namely Paul. In the context, you're rejecting God. You're rejecting what God is saying. And you see, we live in the yeah, but generation. Well, that's the will of God. Yeah, but we love each other. Yeah, but we want to get married. Yeah, but we're taking precautions. Yeah, but I need to feel like a woman. Yeah, but we want to see if we're sexually compatible. As I've said before, the plumbing almost always works. No yeah, buts. And since practical purity is not simply a matter of sheer willpower, verse 8 ends by saying, "...who also has given to us His Holy Spirit." God expects you to live a holy life because He's given you the Holy Spirit to enable you to do it. That's why. And I am so thankful that is the case. Because apart from the Holy Spirit, Very few people seem to live in sexual purity, and certainly not in their minds. How can sexual sin be prevented in your life? I want to give you four quick passages here as we try to bring this to a close. Number one, Psalm 100 in 1911, your word, I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you. Sin can be prevented in your life through the word of God. Letting the Word of Christ dwell in you. Remember, you're filled with the Spirit. Letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. Because the battle is right here, first and foremost. What's going on in your thought life? Number two, as we saw last Wednesday night, you're to know your identification in Christ. Co-crucified, co-buried, co-risen. Reckon by faith it to be true. Yield to the Lord so as to obey. And this is through the cross that there's victory. Through the cross and your identification with Christ on that cross. Your sin nature's right to rule in your life has been broken. You are now to believe this to be true and yield yourself to the Lord for Him to direct you. Number three, Galatians 5, 16 and 17, I say then walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. It doesn't say walk in the Spirit and you'll never have any, but you won't fulfill the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of your sin nature. Who seeks to take even normal bodily desires that are not inappropriate and fulfill them in a wrong way. You can't at one time be walking in the Spirit, and at the same time be fulfilling the lust of the flesh. It's impossible. You walk by faith, enabled by the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh is lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit is lusting against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. And so as you walk in the Spirit, you can't at the same time be fulfilling the lust of the flesh. God will give you victory there. And fourthly, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 13, 14, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. Don't make provision for the flesh. As I've said before, even people who are struggling with drunkenness know you don't get an apartment above a bar. Don't put yourself in positions in which you can fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Joseph had to flee from Mrs. Potiphar's constant seduction. David instead yielded, and the consequences were devastating in his life. God wants to prevent sexual sin in your life for many, many reasons and through His means and power. Now keep in mind, to be tempted is not sin, it's temptation yielded to that is sin. You say, but what if you failed in this area of sin as a believer? Let me say to you that God is willing to forgive you by His grace, due to the blood of Christ. If you're willing to confess it to God, you can then thank God for His forgiveness and keep moving on. You know, 1st John 1-9 is a great verse. It doesn't prevent sin, but it definitely corrects it once it happens. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. By the way, if we don't confess, we're asking for divine discipline in our life. And the best way to even deal with the consequences of sin are in fellowship with the Lord, looking to him. Number two, God wants you to be willing to forsake this sin. Proverbs 28, 13. He that covers his sin shall not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes, it shall have mercy. If you want mercy, then you need to confess and be willing to forsake. And thirdly, God is willing to deliver you from this sin. through the cross and by the Holy Spirit, by giving you victory over the source of that sin, namely, the sin nature. It's not a matter of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. It's not a matter of a 12-step process or some man-made scheme in an effort to try to find victory. Oh no, dear friends, that victory is found in Jesus Christ. And, you know, God isn't through with you. He still has a plan for you. He's still showing grace to you. And I've seen him rebuild many alive, many a marriage, many a family. By his grace, when believers have been willing to admit they are wrong and turn to the Lord and let the spirit of God use the word of God in their life to pick up the pieces and in some case put it back together. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall and Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. And all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but the Lord could. And the Lord still can. And if you're here today and you've never been saved, I have good news for you. Ephesians 1.7, in whom Jesus Christ, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. And God is offering to you forgiveness and salvation. Though you may be guilty, guilty, and guilty, if you're willing to come by faith to Jesus Christ. Father, thank you again for your wonderful word. Thank you that you are very clear, very wise, very good, very gracious, very blunt on the pages of scriptures. And that when you even say abstain, it's to protect us from that which would be harmful and to provide for us in the right context, that which will be meaningful, pleasurable, and right. Father, we play the fool and we don't take you at your word. And Father, I just thank you that you've made your will very clear to us in your word here and we take it to heart. You know that some here, Father, have struggled in this area greatly. Encourage them, Father, with your love, and encourage them even with your provisions of grace. Remind them of 1 John 1, 9. Remind them of Romans 6, and teach them this. Remind them that they're accepted in the Beloved, but also warn them, Father, of the consequences of sexual sin. And Father, we know that even at times when believers have been guilty of this in our assembly, Father, when they've gotten right with you, that we've wanted to support them and encourage them. And may we always remember the pit from which we've been dug. May we make sure the beam is out of our own eye that we might see clearly to help those who have a moat in their eyes. May we never think we're beyond anything, but know what we are. We are by your grace. Father, if there's anyone here today who has never been saved, may they know today that you're willing to wash them from their sins through the blood of your Son. If they're willing to come with an empty hand, offering you nothing, but receiving from you the gift of your forgiveness, paid for in full through the death of Jesus Christ. who died for their sins and rose again to save them. Thank you for your amazing grace. In Jesus' name, amen. We'd like to close our service today singing, I've never been out of his care. Wherever we are, God is already there and he's there when we get there. And so we are always in his care as his children. Would you please stand? We'll sing together. The eyes of God are upon me. They see everything I do. The arms of God are around me, They keep me safe and secure. And He knows where I am every hour of every day. He knows each thought I think. He knows each word that I might say. And although there've been times that I've stepped out of His will, I've never been out of His care. Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand, that He may exalt you. Casting your care upon Him, for it is He that careth for you. And He knows where I am, every hour of every day. He knows each thought I think. He knows each word that I might say. And although there were times I stepped out of His will, I've never been out of His care. Thank you. You're dismissed.