November 8

1 Thessalonians 4:3
 
“This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” ―1 Thess. 4:33For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
THAT which God’s Word would impress upon us, above all else, in this connection, is the sinfulness of unchastity in all its forms. We live in the days of a revolting revival of paganism. Men would fain excuse every sort of impurity as “natural,” and not to be held in check. Scripture well describes such as behaving like “natural brute beasts” (2 Peter 2:1212But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; (2 Peter 2:12)), and solemnly declares that such “shall receive the reward of unrighteousness.” It becomes the Christian to shun every approach to uncleanness, and to remember that “the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body” (1 Cor. 6:1313Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13)). It has been purchased by the precious blood of Christ and is not to be used selfishly or made the victim of evil appetites and unholy passions.
“Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you
Some other to win;
Fight manfully onward,
Dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus,
He’ll carry you through.
To him that o’ercometh
God giveth a crown;
Through faith we shall conquer.
Though often cast down;
He who is our Saviour
Our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus,
He’ll carry you through.”
―H. R. Palmer.