Clean up your act!

(1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)

Clean up your act!

That is the essence of these words I am studying today. The Lord is tell His people that they need to “Clean up your act.”

This is a message we all need to listen to and take to heart, Especially as the day of the Lord’s return draws near. So, let’s have a look at what it might mean to clean up your act.

Repent to overcome uncleanness in God’s sight

Before getting too far into this issue, let’s have a look at what the scriptures say today.

7 For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)

The first thing we see in this is that “God has not called us to uncleanness.”

If we think about it, when we are first called to Christ, one of the very first things we need to do is to repent.

Repentance is about change. It is about changing how we think, and indeed that is what the Greek word translated as repent actually means.

If you are going to clean up your act, the very first thing you need to do is to repent and change the way you think. If you can change the way you think, then you can change your actions and behaviours, because all action is preceded by a thought.

So in order to clean up your act you must first repent.

Be baptised to overcome uncleanness in God’s sight

The second thing we do when we come to Christ is to be baptised for the remission and forgiveness of our sins. In fact, in baptism our sins are not merely forgiven, but are completely taken away as we take on the death of Jesus Christ as our own death. We die to sin and by faith they are removed and God bestows on us the free gift of righteousness by faith.

But in respect to cleaning up your act, baptism is also an appeal to God for a clear conscience, as Peter tells us.

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21)

Baptism is a powerful and extremely important part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have written about the importance of baptism many times in this blog, and other places. If you want to know more, then check the links at the end of this article.

What is uncleanness?

When it comes to uncleanness in this particular scripture, Paul was talking about all forms of sexual immorality, especially as it related to those who are married. I wrote about those issues last week.

But uncleanness in God’s eyes extends much further than those things. As an example consider these matters.

19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

Basically uncleanness is anything of this world that taints the people of God and opposes the truth of the Gospel. This scripture is only one example of the passions of the flesh that taint the lives of people today. We must not be like them as we follow Christ.

And as this scripture shows us, anyone who is tainted by the evil of this world will not inherit a place in God’s kingdom. And that is a good enough reason to clean up your act!

Holiness

The scripture tells us to clean up your act for the sake of holiness. That is, so that we can be holy as He is holy.

We must remember that God has given us the Holy Spirit to those who have asked Him for the Holy Spirit, and we do NOT want to grieve the Holy Spirit by doing these unholy and evil things.

Without coming to a place of holiness we cannot enter God’s kingdom.

Disregarding God

The final point in today’s scripture tells us not to disregard God.

If we continue to act and live in a worldly fashion after we come to Christ, then in effect we are disregarding the call of God who saves us through Jesus Christ. We are essentially saying that we don’t like God’s way and want to continue doing the things of the world as well. We want to have a foot in both camps, the world and the Lord’s kingdom.

As the saying says, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too!”

If you have not learnt yet that there is nothing for you in this world, then you have much to learn. This world is temporary and everything in it will be gone.

Only the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ will remain into eternity. The world has nothing to offer.

So clean up your act and do not disregard the word of God and Jesus Christ. Listen to what they are telling you and repent of the things of this world. Seek Christ with all your heart and grow in Him. It is a blessed place to be, and it begins when you clean up your act.

You might also like:

Miracles Dont Change The Heart Of Non Believers
The Parable Of The Two Debtors
The Great Commission Part 2
The Baptism Of Jesus
Repent And Believe In The Gospel
John The Baptists Ministry
You Brood Of Vipers
Jesus And John The Baptist
Looking For Lost Sheep
The Prodigal Son
Repentance And Forgiveness
Behold The Lamb Of God
You Must Be Born Again
Go And Sin No More
The Truth Will Make You Free
I Am The Door
Why Repentance
Baptism And Receiving The Holy Spirit
You Are Not A Sinner
Change Your Behaviour
Righteousness By Faith
Walking Properly With Christ
Baptism Defined
Bad Company Ruins Good Morals