A holy walk involves a right relationship with God the Father:
God the Son (who died for us), and God the Spirit (who lives within us) has called us to be holy. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit that makes our body the temple of God (1 Cor.6:19-20). Furthermore, it is by walking in the Spirit that we get victory over the lusts of the flesh (Gal.5:16 ff). To despise God’s commandments is to invite the judgment of God and also to grieve the Spirit of God.
How does the Spirit of God help us live a clean life, free from sexual impurity? To begin with, He creates holy desires within us so that we have an appetite for God’s pure Word (1 Pet. 2:1-3) and not the polluted garbage of the flesh (Rom.13:12-14). Also, He teaches us the Word and helps us to recall God’s promises in times of temptation (Jn. 14:26; Eph. 6:17). As we yield to the Spirit, He empowers us to walk in holiness and not be detoured into the lusts of the world and the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit overcomes the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:16-26).
Paul devoted much time writing about of sexual purity since it was a critical problem in the church of that day. It is also a critical problem in the church today. For many people, marriage vows are no longer considered sacred, and divorce (even among believers) is no longer governed by the Word of God. There are “gay churches” where homosexuals and lesbians “love one another” and claim to be Christians. Premarital sex and “Christian pornography” are accepted without any consciousness. But God warns us says: “Walk in holiness.”
Love one another (4:9-10):
The more we live like God, the more we will love one another. If a Christian really loves his brother, he will not sin against him (1 Thes.4:6). There are four basic words for “love” in the Greek language.
- Eros: It is the physical love which gives us in English word erotic. Eros love does not have to be sinful. This is sensual. This word is never used in the New Testament.
- Storge: It is the family love, the love of parents for their children. This word is also absent from our New Testament, although a related word is translated “kindly affectionate” (Rom.12:10).
- Philia: This is the love or deep affection, such as in friendship or even marriage.
- Agape: It is the love God toward us. It is not simply a love based on feeling but expressed in our wills. Agape love treats others as God would treat them, regardless of feelings or personal preferences.
The word Philadelphia is translated “brotherly love.” Because Christians belong to the same family, and have the same Father, they should love one another. In fact, we are “taught of God to love one another.” God the Father taught us to love each other when He gave Christ to die for us on the cross. “We love, because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). The Lord Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another” (Jn. 13:34). And the Holy Spirit taught us to love one another when He poured out the love of God in our hearts (Rom.5:5) when we trusted Christ.
Animals do instinctively what is necessary to keep them alive and safe. Fish swim by nature and birds by nature put out their wings and flap them in order to fly. It is nature that determines action. Because a fish has a fish’s nature, it swims; because a hawk has a hawk’s nature, it flies. And because a Christian has God’s nature (2 Pet.1:4), he loves, because “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).
The difficulties that we believers have with one another are opportunities for us to grow in our love.