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1 Thessalonians 4:2
In 1 Thessalonians 4:1 the Apostle Paul has given the command to walk in a way that is worthy of the Lord. In 1 Thessalonians 4:2 he reminds us that Jesus has given us the commandments that we should follow in our conduct and walk as is pleasing to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus is asked in Matthew 22:36 (NKJV), “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And Jesus responds by saying, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). Jesus then teaches a new commandment that complements these two in John 13:34-35 as He not only gives a new commandment but gives the reasoning why as He declares, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
These are the commands we are to follow in obedience to our Lord and Savior as we walk in a way that is reflective of Him.
As Christians, we are expected to walk in a way that is reflective of Jesus. Even though we are of a sinful nature and are prone to sin, Jesus took all our sins to the cross and paid our price for them through His sinless death, and He redeems us through His resurrection from the dead as death is a penalty for sin, but Jesus lived a sinless life. That is why He is the perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the world. It took the purity of Jesus to satisfy the requirement due to sin – His sinless death, which death could not hold because He was sinless and was resurrected to life eternal. The Bible teaches us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” John the Baptist exclaims in John 1:29, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Let us celebrate His birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection for the saving of our souls from death unto eternal life!
Dear LORD,
Our daily walk as Christians should be different from that of the secular world because we are different – we have been renewed in Christ Jesus, and we should strive to reflect Him in our lives. And LORD, please help us to always remember that we are not perfect, nor are we better than anyone else, but that the obedience and humility we owe to Jesus should also be reflective of our attitudes toward others as we are Your representatives in the world today – in Christ. Please let it be so LORD. In Jesus name I pray, amen.