1 Thessalonians 4:3

Contextual Overview

¹Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ¹ As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ¹ Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. ¹Finally then, brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. ¹ As for some other things, we've taught y'all the fundamentals of how to ride for the Lord. But don't be satisfied with a little progress. Continue to grow and ride further every day. ¹ And last of all, the prayer which we make to you from our heart and in the name of the Lord Jesus, is this: that as we made clear to you what sort of behaviour is pleasing to God, as in fact you are doing now, so you will go on in these ways, but more and more. ¹ For the rest, then, brethren, we beg you and exhort you in [the] Lord Jesus, even as ye have received from us how ye ought to walk and please God, even as ye also do walk, that ye would abound still more. ¹ Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing—do so even more. ¹ Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, -- that you abound more and more. ¹ It remaineth then, brethren, that we beseech and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, that ye abound therein more and more.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

this: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Psalms 40:8, Psalms 143:10, Matthew 7:21, Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:35, John 4:34, John 7:17, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:17, Ephesians 6:6, Colossians 1:9, Colossians 4:12, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 13:21, 1 Peter 4:2, 1 John 2:17

your: 1 Thessalonians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, John 17:17-19, Acts 20:32, Acts 26:18, Romans 6:22,*Gr: 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 5:26, Ephesians 5:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:2

that: Matthew 15:19, Acts 15:20, Acts 15:29, Romans 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 6:10, 1 Corinthians 6:13-18, 1 Corinthians 7:2, 2 Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 5:3-5, Colossians 3:5, Hebrews 12:16, Hebrews 13:4, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:15,*Gr.

Reciprocal: Leviticus 15:18 - unclean Leviticus 20:7 - General 1 Samuel 21:5 - the vessels Ezekiel 33:9 - if thou Matthew 6:10 - Thy will Romans 13:13 - chambering 1 Corinthians 5:11 - fornicator 1 Peter 1:15 - so 1 Peter 2:15 - so

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man."

Genesis 4:1
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man."

Genesis 4:1
Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a man with the help of Yahweh."

Genesis 4:1
Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with the help of the LORD."

Genesis 4:1
And Adam knewe Heua his wyfe, who conceauing bare Cain, saying: I haue gotten a man of the Lorde.

Genesis 4:1
Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Cain. Eve said, "With the Lord 's help, I have made a man!"

Genesis 4:1
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD."

Genesis 4:1
Forsothe Adam knewe Eue his wijf, which conseyuede, and childide Cayn, and seide, Y haue gete a man bi God.

Genesis 4:1
And Adam knew Eue his wife, and shee conceiued, and bare Cain, and said, I haue gotten a man from the LORD.

Genesis 4:1
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification,.... Which is another reason to enforce the above exhortation. "Sanctification" is internal or external. Internal sanctification is the work of the Spirit of God, and is a principle of spiritual life in the soul, a divine and spiritual light in the understanding, a flexion of the will to the will of God, and a settlement of the affections on divine things, and is an implantation of every grace in the heart. External sanctification arises from this, and lies in holiness of life and conversation; and is what is chiefly designed, as appears both by what goes before, and follows after: and this is "the will of God"; the will of his purpose and decree; for in the same decree that he wills the salvation of any by Jesus Christ, he also wills their sanctification in heart and life, and here and hereafter: and this is his approving will, or what is well pleasing in his sight, being agreeable to his nature, and divine perfections, particularly his holiness, in which he is glorious; and it is his will of command, and what he requires in his law, which is holy, just, and good, and perfectly agrees with the sound doctrine of the Gospel, and the revelation of his will in both.

That ye should abstain from fornication: which is particularly mentioned, abstinence from it being a branch of external holiness; and because that this sin was common among the Gentiles, and not esteemed a sin by them; as also to observe to these Christians, that as simple fornication was not to be allowed of, much less other acts of uncleanness, as adultery, incest, sodomy, and the like, which were iniquities that greatly prevailed among the Heathens. The Syriac version renders it, "from all fornication"; on this subject the apostle enlarges in some following verses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification - It is the will or command of God that you should be holy. This does not refer to the purpose or decree of God, and does not mean that he intended to make them holy - but it means that it was his command that they should be holy. It was also true that it was agreeable to the divine will or purpose that they should be holy, and that he meant to use such an influence as to secure this; but this is not the truth taught here. This text, therefore, should not be brought as a proof that God intends to make his people holy, or that they are sanctified. It is a proof only that he requires holiness. The word here rendered “sanctification” - ἁγιασμὸς hagiasmos - is not used in the Greek classics, but is several times found in the New Testament. It is rendered holiness, Romans 6:19, Rom 6:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 12:14; and sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1Th 4:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, and 1 Peter 1:2; see the Romans 6:19 note; 1 Corinthians 1:30 note. It means here “purity of life,” and particularly abstinence from those vices which debase and degrade the soul Sanctification consists in two things:

(1) In “ceasing to do evil;” and,

(2) In “learning to do well.” Or in other words, the first work of sanctification is in overcoming the propensities to evil in our nature, and checking and subduing the unholy habits which we had formed before we became Christians; the second part of the work consists in cultivating the positive principles of holiness in the soul.

That ye should abstain from fornication - A vice which was freely indulged among the pagan, and to which, from that fact, and from their own former habits, they were particularly exposed. On the fact that they were thus exposed, and on the reasons for these solemn commands on the subject, see the Acts 15:20 note, and 1 Corinthians 6:18 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Thessalonians 4:3. This is the will of God, even your sanctification — God has called you to holiness; he requires that you should be holy; for without holiness none can see the Lord. This is the general calling, but in it many particulars are included. Some of these he proceeds to mention; and it is very likely that these had been points on which he gave them particular instructions while among them.

That ye should abstain from fornication — The word πορνεια, as we have seen in other places, includes all sorts of uncleanness; and it was probably this consideration that induced several MSS., some versions and fathers, to add here πασης, all. Directions of this kind were peculiarly necessary among the Greeks, and indeed heathens in general, who were strongly addicted to such vices.