The Scripture lesson this morning is taken from First Thessalonians, Chapter 4,

verses 1 through 8. First Thessalonians 4, 1 through 8. We beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learn from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, 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 immorality that each one of you know how to take a wife

for himself in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know

God, that no man transgress and wrong his brother in

this matter because the Lord is an avenger in all these things as we solemnly

forewarned you. For God is not called us for uncleanness but in holiness.

Therefore, whoever disregards this disregards not man but God who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Let's begin with a biblical definition of lust. This would be the one that I suggest and then I'll try to show you where I get it from in this text.

Lust is a sexual desire that dishonors its object and disregards God.

Lust is a sexual desire that dishonors its object and disregards God.

Let's look at verse 4.

Now the revisedised Standard Version says that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the heathen who do not know God.

The NIV is different.

It says that each of you should learn to control his own body in the way, in a way that is

holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God.

And the New American Standard Bible is different yet.

It says that each of you know how to possess his own vessel

in sanctification and honor, not a lustful, not in lustful passion like the

Gentiles who do not know God.

Now I think that the revised standard version is right in translating it to take a wife as opposed to control your own body and I've got a list of five reasons from the context here why I think

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