Thessalonians Words ~ Day 13: Please

Day 13: Please

Today's word flows right from yesterday's word, sanctified. 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more." 1 Thessalonians 4:1

As we saw yesterday we are made holy through our union with Jesus Christ. We are called to live a holy life and to grow in holiness throughout our life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our purpose for living a holy life and growing in sanctification is found in today's verse: to please God. 

The order of sanctification is important. We don't try to please God in order to try and gain salvation, that would be what is called the works gospel. We are told in the Bible that salvation is a gift from God. He calls us to Him and we respond in faith by accepting His gift through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Our aim to please god is a response to our salvation. It is because of the salvation we have received from Him through Jesus that we want to please Him. 

Paul tells us in our verse today that the way we please God is to live His kind of life. Look at how Paul says it elsewhere:

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:8-10

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

"...that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior." 1 Timothy 2:2-3

How we live - our behavior, our attitude, our character - brings God pleasure. He is not looking for us to follow a list of do's and don't's, but rather to learn what it is to know and do His will and to live a holy life. This is our call as God's People. The good news is that He does not leave us wondering what it looks like to live a holy life. God has given His Word to instruct us - which we will look at tomorrow.

Please continue to go through the Bible Study Techniques and tool tutorial pages. Go through them slowly and get to know the tools and sites. Tomorrow I will add an overview of my study method, which will pull together the techniques and tools we have looked at to date.