THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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“ in sanctification and honor, no t in the passion of lu st” (v. 4, 5, R .V .). In th is la tte r way, “ in th e passion of lu st,” “ th e Gentiles who know no t God” lived th e m arried life. Ignorance of God and im purity go hand in hand: The tru e knowledge of God and pu rity go hand in hand (cf. Rom. 1 :21 -25 ). In v. 6 P au l continues his description of “ sanc tification” (which “ is th e will of God” ) viz., “ th a t no man transgress, and wrong his b ro th er in th e m a tte r” (th e m a tte r of his m arriage rela tio n s). Paul adds a very solemn w arning which his to ry abund an tly illu strates, “ because th e Lord is an avenger in (ra th e r con cerning) all these th ing s.” No ad u lt erer ever escaped aw ful punishm ent a t th e hands of th e Lord (Prov. 6:27 -33 ). While still w ith them P au l had “ fore w arned” them and “ testified.” The force of th e verb tran slate d “ testified” is “ constantly testified” or “ thoroughly testified.” SATURDAY, Ja n u ary T il 1 Thess. 4 :7 , 8. Verse 7 puts the whole reason for a pure life on th e p a rt of Christians in one decisive sentence, “ for God called us no t for uncleanness, b u t in sancti fication.” Sanctification is th e sphere in which th e call of God moves. This being th e case, “ th erefo re he th a t rejecteth (i. e., rejecteth th is call to pu rity by being im pure) rejecteth not man, b u t God, who giveth His Holy Spirit unto you.” The significance of th e la st clause in th is connection is very g reat: Unchastity is contempt fo r God who calls us for chastity, and especially as He is th e giver of “His own Spirit, th e Holy One.” This is th e exact force of th e Greek, laying g reat emphasis on th e fact th a t the S p irit given is H John 14:16, 17; th e same preposition is used in th e Greek of Eph. 3:16, “ into th e inw ard m an” ). W ith the Thessa- lonians th e re had been evidently a con scious definite receiving of the Holy Spirit into th e ir h earts (cf. Gal. 3 :2 ; Eph. 1:13, 14). “The g ift of th e Holy Spirit of God bestowed to dwell w ithin th e soul of him who believes in Christ, is th e peculiar distinction and the essen tia l blessing of C h rist’s religion” (F ind lay ). SUNDAY, Ja n u a ry 12. 1 Thess. 4 :9 , 10. P au l now tu rn s to th e subject of love and th e work th a t resu lts from tru e love. Love is th e all' im po rtan t thing in Christian life (See 1 Cor. 13:1-13; Rom. 1 3 :1 0 ), “ b u t concerning love of th e b reth ren ,” they had no need of instruction from P au l or from any other man. They were “ ta u g h t of God to love one ano th er” (cf. John 6 :45 ; Heb. 8 :11 ; 1 John 2:20 -27 ). Not only were they ta u g h t to do it, h u t they actually did it “ tow ard all th e b reth ren which are in all Macedonia.” In th is state m ent P au l doubtless refers to practical proofs of love, th e every-day decisive test, of th e genuineness of love, of sup plying by th e ir own self-sacrifice th e needs of o th er believers (cf. 1 John 3 :16 -18 ). Though th ey already did th is in an exemplary way (cf. ch. 1 :3 ), th ere was still room for improvement, and P au l exhorts them to abound more and more. No m a tte r w hat attainm en t any one makes in life, th e re is still room for improvement, and each year, yes, each day, of Christian experience should find us fu rth e r on in the life of love, which is th e life of God. MONDAY, Ja n u a ry 13. 1 Thess. 4 :11 , 12 . P aul next exhorts them to “ study (lit erally, be am bitious) to be quiet.” The n atu ra l man is am bitious to make a stir, to aw aken attention. The tru e fol lower of Christ is ambitious to he quiet and to he unseen and un though t of (cf. Matt. 12:19; 2 Thess. 3:11, 12). He fu rth e r urges them to “ do th eir own business,” ra th e r th a n busying themselves abou t the business of other people. The word for “ your own” is a very strong word. One of the g reat fau lts of many people is th a t they are more in terested in th e affairs of other people th a n they are in attend ing to
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