Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living.
Paul reveals an amazing truth here. It is possible to live in such a way that God is pleased!
Paul doesn’t say the believers could live perfect lives. If such were possible then Jesus’ death on the cross would make no sense, since He died for the sins of the world!
But Paul does say our lives can be pleasing to God. Not sinless, but sinning less by becoming more like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit within.
Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
With the help of the Holy Spirit within, becoming more like the Teacher is a growing, developing life-process - Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
As students of Jesus learn to think and act more like Him, God is more and more pleased!
This is an awesome thought! What we think about, what we say and what we do is of interest to our Creator. And we have it within our power to please Him!
Pleasing God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is on the mind of these students of the Teacher. Though Paul reminds them who they are following - For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
Twice Paul uses the phrase, more and more, to describe his expectation for the believers in Thessalonica. Becoming more and more like Jesus is the destiny of every student of the Teacher!
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