Call to holiness

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8  (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

‘For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness.’ 1 Thessalonians 4:7

I'm attending a wedding soon. When the invitation came it said that we were encouraged to wear cocktail attire. Now, for those of us of a certain age that might evoke the wrong idea. Cocktail used to be formal dress. Now it actually means something different it means relatively-informal-formal if you see what I mean. Ideas, culture and language changes, but the key message today is that some things never do for Christians.

Paul's exhortation to the church in Thessalonica is that certain ideals will never be negotiable for Christians. Like us the Thessalonians were living in a culture with a number of ideas around most things including human relationships. Paul reminds them there can only be one standard for a Christian community, which is starting to form its identity. Committed relationships around sexual monogamy are the mark of holiness, he reminds them.

Elsewhere, biblical imagery around Christ and His Church uses the image of the marriage relationship and Paul is keen to remind the new church of these standards. He is also preparing them for the New Age in which Christ will return and Paul exhorts them to be prepared for that.

Today, in our small part of the world, it is apparent that the whole subject of relationships is a matter for scrutiny. This means, even within the Church there is substantial debate around relationships and what is holy. However, it is very clear from Scripture today that it is hard to ever imagine that we would ever see anything as acceptable other than two people committing to one another in a way which to quote the marriage service ‘strengthens community’.

Today, we pray for all those who are in such relationships. If we are married, we pray for ourselves that we will be good spouses. We may know of people whose relationship is struggling, and we pray for them. May we also celebrate those who through their marriage relationships over many years have borne witness to the true fruit of what is possible in Christ.

The Venerable David Picken, Archdeacon of Lancaster.