Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Comment: Following on yesterday’s devotional there is another ‘therefore’ in this passage. And again in this case it refers to what has been seen before, but what action Paul wants taken is included in the same sentence! The ‘Finally’ with which he starts reminds me of some modern preachers as there is almost as much after this word as precedes it! And the points he makes are as follows….1. ‘Well done’, he says ‘but there is still a mountain to climb!’ You don’t work for your salvation, that is a gift from God upon us truly believing in Jesus, Who He was and what He did at the Easter Event! But we are called upon to become sanctified! That is to lead our lives in the way which God desires. Most certainly sanctification isn’t instantaneously achieved, nor is it a gift. It is achieved with our effort and with the Holy Spirit strengthening us and working with us! 2. Sexual immorality as it is in this age was rife in the Gentile world. It was even used as an excuse to worship some idols! Read again what standard Paul sets above! ‘That you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.’ And he adds more – see in the passage above! 3. Holiness means two things at least – moral purity and being ‘set apart’ for a purpose! We are all sinners but we are not to use that as an excuse and lie back satisfied because we are because we have made some progress! 4. As at the beginning of my splurge, disregard this and you are not seeing it as truly a Word from God.
Prayer: Help me to hang onto Your commands and perform them with joy!
As I read it! 
And it is reassuring that we can seek forgiveness.
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