Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God; that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you; that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.
Questions
- Do you daily ask in prayer and study how you ought to walk to please God? Do we understand that this is key to abundance?
- Do you abstain from sexual immorality?
- Have you ever wronged a brother or sister in a sexual matter?
- Are you diligently seeking God’s sanctification that comes through sexual purity?
- Have you rejected the Holy Spirit in your passion for sexual pleasure?
- Do you practice brotherly love? Do you truly love one another where you worship?
- Do you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life? How is this balanced with sharing the Good News?
- Do you mind your own business?
- Do you work with your hands?
- Are you setting a proper example for those who are not Christ followers?
- Are you currently living in need?
