9/6 - 1 Thessalonians 4, Part 3

2 verses this morning :

v4 - "that everyone of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor"

v7 - "for God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."

The battle for purity rages in all of us. For some the battle is light, for others it is consuming. God has placed within us a strong sexual drive but like all of what God has created, it has become distorted as that message is now delivered to us through the world. The information we receive, and most of it is by choice, comes through media, our thoughts and through what we see. This information is largely contrary to Gods views but is pushed so frequently we hardly have time to even process it all. To get Gods perspective on this issue takes an intentional and consistent look into Gods word. If we don't counter all the misinformation with truth, what views will e form & what habits will we develop?

These verses stuck out to me this morning because I often use society's incessant promotion of sex as an excuse for why its so hard to remain pure. These verses forces us to look at it a different way. Verse 4 says that we should know how to possess our bodies in sanctification. There were no stipulations on that statement. It didn't talk much about what others were doing, just about what we ought to be doing. Same as verse 7, God has called us to holiness. That call isn't hinged on anyone elses actions, the commercials they show or the clothes they wear. It comes down to us. No excuses, live holy.