I am a useless long-distance runner. I can manage an occasional sprint, but that’s it. However, I love walking, particularly up mountains. I have a theory that the best views are only accessible by foot.

Most translations use ‘live’ in verse 1, but the word Paul uses is ‘walk’. The Christian life is not a sprint. It is not even a marathon. It is a long, steady walk into holiness (v 7). That may be why it’s easy to be distracted, especially by the bright lights and seductive temptations of sexual immorality (vs 3–6). Then (and now), Paul’s teaching on sexuality was counter-cultural: he says God’s people must not indulge their desires and let them rule over them, but learn self- control and holiness instead (vs 4,5).

The Christian walk is not complicated but it’s hard. From controlling our passions to learning to love one another, it takes daily effort – which is why Paul says, ‘do so more and more’ (v 10). It’s hard work but the view will be worth it.

Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be glorified in my heart and in my life.

For Paul, Christian faith is never a matter purely of what to believe; it is also a matter of how to ‘live a holy life’ (v 7). In his view, not to do so is to reject God, just as surely as not believing in him would be (v 8). Most of Paul’s instructions in this passage relate to holiness in sexual relations. Given that sexual activity featured in pagan rituals, it’s understandable that the apostles made it explicit to new converts that they needed to act in a holy and honourable way, not taking advantage of fellow believers (vs 3–6).¹ Had Paul been writing today, he might have stressed complying with safeguarding procedures to ensure that all in our communities are safe and no one is exploited. How does your church or community ensure that your common life is ‘holy’?

For Paul, holiness isn’t just a matter of good relationships. The Thessalonians’ socio-economic lives must also be honourable. Paul’s injunctions to ‘lead a quiet life’ and ‘mind your own business’ (v 11) might seem to imply that Christians shouldn’t be extroverts or get involved in public debates. However, this would be to misconstrue his aim. It’s possible that Paul was instead encouraging the Thessalonians to disengage from the patronage system, under which clients were paid by patrons (on whom they were economically dependent) to honour them in public discourse.² He urges them to support themselves in ways more likely to ‘win the respect’ of non-believers (v 12) and ensure that they aren’t beholden to other people in how they speak and act. What might be equivalent ways of living for us today, that neither bring our faith into disrepute nor compromise our ability to live in accordance with our faith?

Paul acknowledges that the Thessalonians are already living lives pleasing to God, but encourages them to do so ‘more and more’ (vs 1,10). What more can you do?

¹ Green, Thessalonians, Apollos, 2002, p187 ² Green, p210