1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
God’s Word and God’s love is at work in our fellowship!
How is “sanctification” working itself out as we live?
📖 Now may the God of peace, Himself, sanctify you completely
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23a
It’s God, Himself, who is working in YOU, to make you like HIM!
It’s really hard to be Godly without God!
📖 Now the Lord of peace, Himself, give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16
📖 And to esteem [leaders] very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:13
📖 Now may the God of peace, Himself, sanctify you completely
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
📖 Now may the God of peace, Himself, sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
“Be” = Present tense.
“Preserved” = Past tense.
“Unto” = Future tense.
Who’s doing the “work”? Who’s doing the sanctifying, the keeping, the preserving?
HE!
📖 He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Calls = Present active.
He is faithful = Present tense.
He will do it! = Future active indicative.
Surely = Verily, certainly, definitely.
📖 So that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 1:7-9
Did HE already do the “work” or does the work need to be done?
📖 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct towards you believers.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10
📖 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.
- Philippians 3:12
📖 May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
This “blamelessness” is the product of your growing love.
📖 And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
- Philippians 1:6, 9-11
📖 And you… He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him, if indeed you continue in the faith,…
- Colossians 1:21-23
📖 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
- Philippians 2:12-13
There’s two different aspects of blameless being presented:
There is a position of blamelessness.
There’s two different aspects of blameless being presented:
There is a position of blamelessness.
There is the practice of blamelessness.
Discussion questions
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1. Please read 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Paul has spent a lot of time talking about the Thessalonians and their reputation throughout the region. They were known for embracing the truth of the Word of God and abounding in love towards one another. How does our fellowship reflect these characteristics? How have you experienced them? How can we do more?
2. Pastor Matt said, "It's really hard to be godly without God." Has this been your experience? What has to happen to fix this mistake that "religious" people often make?
3. Read Thessalonians 5:24. What is God "calling" you to? When it says, "He will do it," what is the "it" referring to? And in what ways do you find this scripture verse encouraging?
4. What is the biblical definition of the word "blameless"? Does it have more than one meaning? Do you consider yourself to be blameless? Does God see you as blameless?
5. The focus of the message from 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 had to do with some very key elements regarding the word "sanctify" and the word "blameless." How do you explain who does the work, when it comes to sanctifying and being blameless? Does that depend on God or does that depend on you? How do you explain this?