A Lifestyle of Holiness and Thanksgiving | Pastor Tre Townsley | 10.27.24

A Lifestyle of Holiness and Thanksgiving

1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.”

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

• Imitate God as a child imitates his/her parents

• Walk in love, Christ’s actions being the example to follow

• 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints 

• Saint: /hagios/ sacred, pure, holy

• We are not taught to become holy, but to be holy

• Leviticus 11:44  “For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy”

• 1 Corinthians 7:34b “The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.”

• Ephesians 1:4 “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love”

• Ephesians 5:27 “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish”

• 1 Peter 1:15 “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct”

• 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 

• We are taught to chase after holiness

• Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”

• Holiness: /hagiasmos/ sanctification; the effect of consecration

• 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 

• Thanksgiving keeps us humble

• Thanksgiving causes us to realize/recount all that we do have