Are You Pleasing God?
In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2, the Apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonian church:
“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.”
This passage offers a pointed exhortation to the Body: while our salvation is eternally secure by grace through faith, that does not mean how we live is unimportant. In fact, here we see that there is a way a believer ought to walk, and that walk can be either pleasing or displeasing to God.
Grace Is Not a License to Sin
In one of the most incredible passages in the Bible, Ephesians 2, we read:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9
Praise God, we are saved entirely by grace, apart from works. But let us not stop reading there. Verse 10 continues:
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
Though our works play no role in securing or keeping salvation, they are an important part of why God saved us freely. The free grace that saves also teaches us to deny ungodliness and to live righteously in this present world (Titus 2:11-14). Our walk matters. God desires that we not only be saved, but that we abound more and more in pleasing Him through our walk to perform His will.
Pleasing God Is About Our Walk
Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they had already received teaching on how they ought to walk to please God. This isn’t about walking in fear of losing salvation; it’s about walking worthy of the Lord who saved us by His grace, by applying the truth in love.
We see this very clearly in Colossians 1:9-10 and Ephesians 4:1-3:
“That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” - Colossians 1:9-10
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” - Ephesians 4:1-3
Yes, doctrine is essential, it’s the foundation of our Christian life, but doctrine alone is not the goal. It is the beginning. We must adorn that doctrine through a life that is fruitful and pleasing to God. We study and rightly divide the Word, not for intellectual boasting in the doctrine we've learned, but to become approved workmen, actually doing the work of the Lord in truth.
“... shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” - Titus 2:10
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15
Knowledge alone can lead to pride, but charity edifies (1Co 8:1). We need both the truth of God rightly divided, and the love of Christ dwelling in us to minister that truth effectively, for the salvation of souls and their edification in the Body.
Conclusion
God is already fully pleased with us in Christ concerning our standing: we are complete in Him (Col 2:10). But regarding our condition and service, we are exhorted to abound more and more in how we walk.
So, are you pleasing God?
You can know all the right doctrines, but if your walk does not reflect the love of Christ and the life of Christ in you, you are not abounding in that which pleases Him. Let us walk in the Spirit, walk in truth, and walk worthy of our calling, not to earn salvation, but because we've been given more than we could ever deserve (2Co 5:14-15).
“That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:12
