The Dead Shall Rise: 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

1 Thessalonians 2:10: "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:"

This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul's epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Dead Shall Rise. This sermon, the fifth in the series, 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 examines Paul's conduct among the Thessalonians, which is a model for all ministers: "How a man lives reveals the true character of his being. If a man is devout in his personal and everyday life, we can know his religion is pure. The opposite of a devout and holy man is a common man. This is someone who lives his life without any respect for the sacred Scriptures, fellowship with the Lord, internal devotion, or the pursuit of holiness in his heart. Natural men are both common and defiled by nature, having no desire to be holy. The unsaved will not sanctify God in their hearts nor have any real desire to pursue that characteristic of God that makes Him unique in creation. Yet without both holiness and sanctification, no man will see the Lord. Practically speaking, a common man, one who lacks the holiness of God, is unfit for Heaven. This is why, if a man does not seek holiness, he shall neither see nor experience God on this earth or in Heaven.

"A man’s religion, and the God he serves, is easily visible in the life he lives. So, if a religion is impure, it will be very apparent in the commonness its adherents live in. This teaches us that all religions can be seen as either clean or unclean by the people who practice them. The apostle’s life proved that his God was holy. Because of this, he could live in no other way than with holiness among the Thessalonians. Observe as well that a religion cannot be good if the people who practice it are not holy, since this is what the Lord demands of all who follow Him.

"A just man will have a strict code of conduct with others. It is only when we love our neighbors as ourselves that our dealings with them are fair, equitable, and generous. None should underestimate how righteous our dealings with other men must be if we are to properly fellowship with the Lord and witness for Him. There is no such thing as a righteous and holy man who does not deal thoughtfully and charitably with not only the people of God but  even those who are not."

"The Kingdom of God is that Kingdom where God will rule His people through His Son, Jesus Christ. It was this Kingdom that Jesus preached about. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This Kingdom, Jesus warned men, could not be entered simply by claiming to be Christian and without doing the will of God.

"At first glance, the definition of glory might not arouse a person’s attention, but when we realize that man in his fallen condition has no intrinsic value or worth, or any actual glory, then the word takes on a unique meaning. This means that sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God have, in fact, lost any reason why God should think well of them. The stain of sin makes those who commit it unworthy of possessing any heavenly value. If a man falls short of God’s glory, he has no intrinsic value or worth before God. Just as Jesus said that the flesh profiteth nothing, before a holy and righteous God, those of the flesh are devoid of worth themselves. Ultimately, for sinners to have standing or value in Heaven, they must be cleansed of their sin, given a holy nature from God, and made part of Christ’s celestial body.

"Because of the power given to him by Jesus Christ, every child of God shall share in divine glory. Because God’s new children have been given God’s nature, it is legally fitting that spiritual inheritance should be theirs. Inheritance is by relationship right, and because they possess the same holy nature as Christ, God’s new sons are promised to share eternally with God’s only begotten Son. And just as there is no such thing as a partial Savior, there is also no such thing as a partial spiritual inheritance."

Broadcast live on 05/01/2022