1 Thessalonians 4:3

Contextual Overview

¹ 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. ¹ And furthermore we beseeche you, brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Iesus, that ye increase more and more, as ye haue receiued of vs, how ye ought to walke, and to please God. ¹Additionally then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received instruction from us on how you should live and please God—as you are doing—do this even more. ¹ Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Yeshua, that, as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, -- that you abound 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 Brothers and sisters, now I have some other things to tell you. We taught you how to live in a way that will please God. And you are living that way. Now we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live that way more and more. ¹Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]. ¹ Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,—that ye abound more and more. ¹Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more. ¹ Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder.

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
Afterwarde the man knewe Heuah his wife, which conceiued and bare Kain, and said, I haue obteined a man by the Lord.

Genesis 4:1
AND Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man for the LORD.

Genesis 4:1
The man knew Havah his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Kayin, and said, "I have gotten a man with the LORD's help."

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
And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah.

Genesis 4:1
And the man had connection with Eve his wife, and she became with child and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have got a man from the Lord.

Genesis 4:1
Adam and Eve had a son. Then Eve said, "I'll name him Cain because I got him with the help of the Lord ."

Genesis 4:1
The man had sexual relations with Havah his wife; she conceived, gave birth to Kayin [acquisition] and said, "I have acquired a man from Adonai ."

Genesis 4:1
And Man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have acquired a man with Jehovah.

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.