Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. 2 For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. God’s will is for you to be holy…
—1 Thessalonians 4:1-3a


Three Ways God Calls us to Character:

1.) Morally


God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.
—1 Thessalonians 4:3


Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.
—1 Thessalonians 4:4-5


Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
—1 Thessalonians 4:6-8


2.) Relationally


But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. 10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
—1 Thessalonians 4:9-10


3.) Vocationally


Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.
—1 Thessalonians 4:11


For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. 8 We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you.9 We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.
—2 Thessalonians 3:7-13


Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
—Colossians 3:23