GODLINESS PT.2~ DOING THINGS GOD’S WAY
Oftentimes the Thessalonians are called by many as the ‘model saint,’ the Thessalonians had learned to think like God does and they were well aware of Satan’s attempt to hinder their edification also. However as man advances through time he begins to become more and more comfortable with the “fashion of this world.” The world today has advanced greatly since Paul’s day, and man has created a world as if were his own ‘heaven on earth.’
1Co 7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
The list of the ‘loves’ and desires of the man has gotten longer and easier to attain, also the more money you have, the easier it is to follow this world’s system, man can have all this world has to offer, and men can “glory” in other men in their pursuit to attain it as well. The things of this world has become more and more attractive to the man where he has placed a high value upon his way of living over the things that God has to offer. When the natural man ‘weighs his options’ against the things that God has to offer and what this world has for him, he begins to think about his social standing before men and how the world will view him. As we can plainly see the world around us is changing more and more, but the love of God toward us and His “riches” that we have in heavenly places never change, and surpass anything that this world could offer. When we learn to think like God does, we learn to identify the things of this world as if you were viewing them through God’s eyes, you would be just as unimpressed as God would be at what man has accomplished, and just as disgusted with it as well. Renewing our minds is the issue of a son possessing the Father’s thinking toward the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the things of this world, but this is not just the obvious sinful things of this world like crime, fornication, etc., this includes things like bad doctrine, worldly advancements through man’s wisdom, and earthly desires of the flesh based upon our carnal ungodly thinking. However because we are sons we should view “this world” as our Father would view the things of this world, knowing that He would not place any importance upon these “carnal” things, neither should we.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
As stated in the previous study, Ephesians through Colossians deals with a son who has now learned how to think like God does, he then begins to learn that he can possess the “fullness” of the will of God in the details of his life, Ephesians through Colossians also introduces how a son learns to do things God’s way. We are given the motivating doctrine showing the son why he should “mortify” himself, and how he can “put on the new man” and continue in the doctrine doing things God’s way, not his.
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Php 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Php 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Php 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Our sonship “walk” should be according to the doctrine given to us by the apostle Paul as being our “ensample” as how a son should “walk,” when we take a look at all the different denominations in the world, we now see why they are so confused. When the ‘church’ does not follow Paul they begin to walk in different directions, and they begin to “mind” other things. Paul says those that are not “followers together” of his doctrine, then they have their mind on “earthly things,” and they are “enemies of the cross of Christ.”
1Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1Th 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1Th 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
The Thessalonians were doing things God’s way, the reason for this was they had become “followers” of Paul just as he exhorted the saints in the prior epistles. These saints were not running away from the “affliction” that came their way, they had learned how to continue doing things God’s way no matter what suffering that came their way. Just as Paul had earlier been an “ensample” to the other saints, the Thessalonians were now “ensamples” to saints all over the world.
1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
The “walk” of the Thessalonians was “worthy of God” in the sight of God, and they learned how to let the word of God “work effectually” within them, the reason for this was the Thessalonians followed Paul’s design for edification, not man’s. As we see Paul says the reason for their growth in the doctrine of sonship is because they received the word of God by following Paul, not by following “the word of men.”
1Th 3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
1Th 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
1Th 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
1Th 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
1Th 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
1Th 3:6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:
1Th 3:7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
The Thessalonians were not like the Corinthians saints who did not want the “afflictions” that they suffered, Paul says that they should not be “moved” by the afflictions that they were experiencing; these saints were already taught that they are “appointed” to suffer, and as the doctrine worked “effectually” within the saints, they were not “tempted” to stop doing things God’s way. Paul had heard of the sufferings and persecutions that the Thessalonians were experiencing, so he sent Timothy to “establish” and “comfort” these saints regarding their “faith” toward their sufferings, but these saints were not “moved” by what they experienced, it was Paul who became “comforted” by their faith in his “afflictions.”
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
The Thessalonians had “received” from Paul how they ought to “walk and to please God,” this was the issue of the saints accepting and wanting to walk as Paul did. The only way we can be the Thessalonian saint is we have to take a ‘step back’ and evaluate ourselves. We need to see where we are in our sonship curriculum; we must be honest with ourselves when it comes to where we are at doctrinally. We must determine whether we are a Romans through Galatians saint, or an Ephesians through Colossians saint, or are we ones like the Thessalonians who have begun to let the word of God work effectually within us. The Romans through Galatians saint understands his justification and he has heard the doctrine of how to think like God does, but he has not “received” it, he minds “earthly things,” and he follows the “rudiments of the world,” and is content in not experiencing the “sufferings of Christ” in his life. This saint needs to fully understand and appreciate the doctrine of Romans through Galatians so that he can move on to the next step in his edification process. However if you have learned how to think like God does, but you can’t fully understand how to “put on the new man” as the Thessalonians did, then the saint needs to go over the doctrine of Ephesians through Colossians which is designed to establish the son so he can now do things God’s way.
Eph 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Php 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
It was Paul’s prayer that the Ephesian through Colossians saint gain more “wisdom” and “understanding” in their “faith,” and it is God the Father’s desire that we too understand the “knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” The key to walking “worthy of the Lord” is to want to be educated by the Father in His business, and to want to do things the same way He would if He was here on this earth. The walk of the son should be based upon his knowledge of the Father’s will, and his decision making in the details of his life ought to be according to the Godly wisdom and understanding that he has received also.
2Th 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
2Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
In the first epistle to the Thessalonians Paul said the Thessalonians were “ensamples” to the other saints in how a son should “walk,” and Paul also praised their “faith” in their walk as well. However in his second epistle Paul gloried in that the saints not only continued to walk worthy of who they were in Christ, but their faith grew “exceedingly.” This was all due to the fact that Paul’s epistle had a Godly effect upon them, and his epistles ought to have an effect upon us who are “in Christ.” When we understand and appreciate the progressive ‘milk-to-meat’ design that the Father has for us in our bibles, we can fully get the benefit and understanding that God intended we have within His word.
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Php 4:14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
There are certain stages in the education of a son where he should evaluate his sonship growth process, and just as Paul had “learned” to do things differently in his sonship education, we should also. Paul had learned to “do” all things according to the Father’s will, not according to his own ‘wants’ of his flesh. Paul learned to be “content” whether he was living a peaceful life, or whether he faced suffering and persecution, he learned to “endure,” and rejoice in them just as his Father would have him to do. These verses are oftentimes misunderstood by Christians, and an appeal is made unto God to ‘give them strength’ in their times of need. The understanding is that when this plea is made, God will respond by making their situation easier to handle. But this is not how God deals with a son that would place the son under the “Tudors and Governors” system, the son is to take what he has learned and make a sonship decision concerning whatever problems that may come his way.
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
When we learn as Paul did to have “patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” in the circumstances of our life, we will come to a point where we will walk “worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.” Our strengthening comes from our “increasing in the knowledge of God” the Father. The key to living the Thessalonian saint life is described below, and it consists of the son becoming the “new man” and being “renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” Once we begin to let the “word of Christ” dwell in us richly, our decisions and our judgment will be Godly in “all things” according to the will of God. Moreover as we “put on” the things mentioned in Colossians 3:12-13, Paul says the perfect son is one that knows how to walk in charity no matter what may come his way, and when we “let the peace of God rule” in our hearts, we will do things God’s way “in word and deed” and be the son that the Father intended us to be.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Rod Jones