Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God… - 1 Thessalonians 4:1 -
Those of us who hold fast to the principle of free grace may pause when we read Paul’s admonition to conduct our lives in ways that please God. We hesitate, because we are careful not to leave the impression that our conduct can earn us a right standing before Him. That standing, we emphasize, is a gift — received by faith alone in Christ alone, grounded in His death and resurrection. “It is not of works,” Paul reminds us in Ephesians, “lest any man should boast.”
So any talk of pleasing the Lord through good works, righteous living, or holiness may sound, at first, contrary to grace. But 1 Thessalonians 4:1 isn’t an isolated verse or a stray thought. The New Testament speaks often — and confidently — about the possibility of living in a way that pleases God.
“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him.” — 2 Corinthians 5:9
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? … If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” — Galatians 1:10
“Walk as children of light… and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” — Ephesians 5:8–10
“…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” — Colossians 1:9–10
“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death… Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him.” — Hebrews 11:5–6
How do we reconcile these two truths — that salvation is by grace alone, and yet our daily walk can either please or displease God?
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We can understand it, I think, by looking at the relationship between a good father and his children.
When we think of a father we admire, we don’t picture one who coddles his children or overlooks their every fault. We admire the kind of father who holds his children accountable, who expects much of them, and yet whose love never wavers when they fail. Such a father delights when his children do what is right. He rejoices in their integrity and growth. But even when they stumble, he never disowns them. His love remains steadfast.
This is how we are to think of our heavenly Father. Once we have come into relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, that relationship is secure — not based on our performance, but on His promise. Nothing we do or fail to do can alter His love for us.
At the same time, it remains gloriously true that we can live in ways that please Him. When we walk by faith, pursue holiness, and do good works, our Father smiles and says, “That’s my son. That’s my daughter.” And in that moment, we taste something of what Jesus Himself heard at His baptism:
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” — Matthew 3:17
