ETB 1Thess 4:1-12

Wherever he traveled, Paul left an indelible impression. People either embraced him or rejected him. Thessalonica had not been an exception. After experiencing persecution in Philippi, he went to Thessalonica, where he faced more of the same (Acts 17:5-9).

In chapter 4, Paul began a transition toward more practical matters. He challenged the Thessalonians to let their relationship with Christ define their lives (4:1-12). He urged them to give Christ the freedom to impact their actions, attitudes, words, and relationships.

Wanting more information about the church’s well-being, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica. The letter we are studying this quarter is in response to that report and God’s promptings in the hearts of those who first visited the city with the news of the gospel

Later in the letter, Paul would focus on the second coming of Christ (4:13-18). But in the meantime, he instructed the Thessalonians to live out their faith in the present by growing where God had planted them. [LifeWay Adults (2021). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide, Spring 2022]

Believer’s Bible Commentary A. The Sanctification that Fulfills God’s Will (4:1–8)

Three prominent words at the close of chapter 3 were holiness, love, and coming. These are three of the principal subjects of chapter 4: (1) Holiness (vv. 1–8), (2) Love (vv. 9, 10), and (3) Coming (vv. 13–18).

Explore the Text

1 Thessalonians 4:1–2 ESV

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. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

The ESV translates the word as “finally”, but others use “furthermore” which for modern readers may seem more appropriate in the middle of the letter. It denotes a change in the subject or train of thought, and we can see this being true as we now progress from the prayers and reports of the writers to their more practical teaching and encouragement toward living out the gospel message on a daily basis.

Both ask and urge are present active verbs meaning they are continuously being done in this case the writers toward the readers, which includes us as well as the original readers in Thessalonica. Although the words have nearly the same meaning and both are appeals to one who is “equal” the “urge” is a little stronger but not commanding. Both are also qualified by “in the Lord” so there is no personal gain by the requesters if the requests are granted. The writers are “beseeching” the Thessalonians that they “do so more and more.” What they are to do is the focus of the rest of the paragraph and the general subject of the rest of the letter.

Earlier in the letter in chapter 2 we read how the Thessalonians had “received the word of God.” Now Paul lets us know that this is their instructions for how that are to walk and please God. In other letters he makes himself as the example to follow but here they have been “taught by God” (1Th 4:9) so he does not include himself as they are already following after the perfect example.

First they were to walk in a “manner worthy of God” (1Thess 2:12), now they are called to walk as “to please God”, then at the end of our passage they are to walk “properly before outsiders.” All of these actions are possible only because they had accepted the message of the gospel from the writers and accepted it as God’s word, thereby being able to heed God’s word on how to please Him. We cannot please or even appease those we are not willing to listen to. As a commendation of their efforts Paul lets the new believers know that they are walking correctly because they “are doing” so and can do more. Not that they not doing enough, but because of God’s limitlessness, all works done for His glory can continue to be “perfected” while on this side of glory.

The new church can also “do more” as that is what the writers were praying for them at the end of the last chapters that God would “increase and abound in love.” Head knowledge is never a substitute for action in the Christian life, and pleasing God should always be our primary goal. [ETB:ALG 2022]

Several other English versions render the word as “commands” instead of instruction. Again, since these were done “through the Lord” the action taken will not benefit the writers directly. Unlike the asking and urging earlier, these commands are given from someone in greater authority to one lesser. Even though the apostle and his companions had the authority, they again defer it to Lord and His Word as the true reason to obey the instructions given for their daily walk.

MacArthur says that “Paul’s directives did not originate from some arbitrary human sanction or some remote ecclesiastical authority (cf. Gl 1:1, 15–16; 2Pt 1:20–21). Instead they come from the authority of the Lord Jesus, and obedience to them was mandatory (cf. Mt. 7:21; Jn 15:14–17; 1 Jn 2:3–5)” (MacArthur, Thessalonians, 98)

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

For those wanting to know God’s will for their lives, it does not get more clearly stated than this. The apostle also implied that God’s will is not as difficult to discern as we might think. In most cases, living out God’s will simply involves embracing what honors Him—and rejecting what does not. [ETB:ALG 2022]

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the will of “god” could only be discovered through divination . But Paul teaches that God has made the mystery of His will known (Eph 1:9). He also instructs believers about the will of God so they can know how to please Him. [Faithlife Study Bible]

In other areas of the Bible and our passage today, this word is translated simply as holiness. I like the AMP “separated and set apart for pure and holy living” which puts the distinction of God setting apart but has connotation of the personal responsibility for the lifestyle pursued in that judicial position. Paul writes about this process and its implications in several of his other letters. (Rom. 6:19, 22; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:2). The lessen material defines sanctification as “the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. “(See Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:12-14.) I like the Bible Knowledge Commentary definition of this process the best of what I read, progressive sanctification is when we are “conformed to the image of Christ in daily experiences by proper responses to the Word and the Spirit of God.”

Believer’s Bible Commentary A. The Sanctification that Fulfills God’s Will (4:1–8)

In one sense, all believers have been set apart from the world to the service of the Lord; this is known as positional sanctification, and it is perfect and complete (1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:10). However, in another sense, believers should sanctify themselves, that is, they should separate themselves from all forms of sin; this is known as practical or progressive sanctification. It is a process that will continue until the believer’s death or the Lord’s return.

After the word sanctification in most English translations there is a colon. This lets us know the thought was complete, but writer now, “introduces an element or series of elements that illustrates or amplifies the information that preceded the colon.” [grammarly.com] This is by no means an exhaustive list but merely a few examples that the writer knows the original readers will easily identify with and be able to understand the larger scope of the “sanctification” process.

In Paul’s day, the Greeks regarded sexual sins lightly; they did not consider them very great sins. [The Applied New Testament Commentary] I think the modern culture has come back to that same mentality.

Sexual purity was a special challenge for believers in Greek cultures. Promiscuity was generally accepted in the Roman Empire, including cities like Thessalonica. Priests and priestesses often served as temple prostitutes, engaging in sex with “worshipers.” Christians coming out of that religious context may have struggled to distinguish their new way of life from their old practices. Thus, warnings against sexual sin were relevant if the Thessalonians were committed to holy living. [ETB:ALG 2022]

The single Greek word rendered here as “sexual immorality” is the word porneias, whose root we still use with the same connotation in our modern word for pornography. This includes any sexual activities outside of the marriage and between a husband and wife. Jesus in his sermon on the mount took the implications even beyond the acts to just the mere thoughts as He tells us that “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”(Mat 5:28) This helps us tie our sanctification not only to our actions, but our thoughts and heart intents as well. God’s process of sanctification starts in the heart and spirit with salvation (justification) and proceeds outward into the rest of our lives. Any impurity or unholiness in our lives brings dishonor upon our bodies and upon the Lord. Let us remember that we belong to Christ; we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19) [ANTC]

1 Thessalonians 4:4–5 ESV

4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

One way in which a person can abstain from sexual immorality is by applying God’s knowledge to “control his own body.” Other English translations have the more literal wording of “possess his own vessel.” There is also the connotation of this body or vessel being gained or bought which fits with our theme of being “separate and set apart for holy living.” The body we have been given by God, was created by Him, and therefore is capable of being used in a way that honors and glorifies Him. We have been given a tool, how we use it is a personal responsibility.

The Greek word translated as body here in the ESV is used 23 times in the New Testament. Only one of times is used symbolically as “wife.” (1Pet 3:7) I have hard time justifying translating the word here in a similar fashion since most of the other 21 times it is a reference to a pot, goods, or other materials objects. Except for verses like Acts 9:15; 2 Cor 4:7, 2 Tim 2:21 which use the words “vessels’ and “jars of clay” but these are still are references to the human body and not specific to a “wife.”

As a contrast to using the body in holiness and honour, Paul uses an opposite of sanctified living described as “passion of lust.” In Romans 1:26-27, this concept is used of those use their bodies contrary to nature and God’s design.

The letter is going to probably a mix of heritages but to a predominantly Gentile region. “Like the Gentiles who do not know God” is not slanderous condemnation of some of the reader’s past but an illustration that they would recognize in themselves as having been people who had not known God in the past. They could probably still remember the inability to control themselves in certain situations which the Lord has now gifted them with the ability to overcome or at least escape from its temptation.

Paul did not say that the heathen do not know about God. The reason they behave as they do is because they do not know God personally, even though they may know about Him. When a person comes to know God by faith in Jesus Christ, not only do his attitudes toward sex change, but he also discovers that God gives him the ability to act toward sexual temptation as he could not before. Knowing God is basic to living a holy life. This is why maintaining a vital relationship with God is essential to maintaining a clean walk before God. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary]

1 Thessalonians 4:6–8 ESV

6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

This passage varies in nearly all versions in the translations, and even more in the commentaries. There are many forms of transgression so we should probably take some context from the rest of the phrase. Being that we are in a list of both positive and negative examples of a sanctified life, this term may not be specific to sexual sins, the first item on the list. Some translate this as a transition into “business relations” because of the usual context this word is found in other places, but I don’t think Paul would change from dealing with a person’s heart and holiness to more secular motives without clear language to indicate this. The CSB and LEB probably translate the connotations better with words like “take advantage” or “exploit”, which could be business related or sexual in nature, but they are still heart issues centered around greed and lack of “self-control.” If we know another brother or sister in Christ is struggling in a particular area and we use that against them to make us feel better or try to impress others with our spirituality, this is dishonoring to the fellow Christian, to the spirit within us, and the Lord who died for both them and us.

Christians should never demean, manipulate, or exploit another person. While these verses connect to sexual immorality (v. 3), this is not the only possible meaning. When passions take control, concern for others often goes out the window, and selfishness overrides security. But Christians have a responsibility to protect others from mistreatment or abuse in every context. [ETB:ALG 2022]

The Old Testament is rife with references to God being and avenger. (De. 32:35. Job 31:13, 14. Ps. 94:1; 140:12. Pr. 22:22, 23. Ec. 5:8. Is. 1:23, 24) In Romans 13:4 this term of avenger is used for those authorities that God has placed over us as his “avenger” who will carry out “God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” In this case it is those who are taking advantage or exploiting others and are not walking a way that “pleases” God.

Although we do not have a script of what was taught to the Thessalonians in the 3 weeks the men were there, we can surmise that it was probably similar in nature to what they taught in other cities throughout their missionary journeys. To Ephesians Paul reminded them how walking continually as the Gentiles did in the “futility of their minds” led them further into ignorance and eventual hardening of the heart so that it became callous to the Holy Spirit’s convicting. In Galatia they were warned that “those who do such things” will not inherit the kingdom of God. Taking advantage or exploiting believers would not be something that a loving, spirit lead person could do for very long, so these warnings apply to our passage as well.

Verse 7 is this week’s recommended memory verse which is a good summation of our passage of study. This verse also is the ending of the list as it is the final contrast. Holiness is the same word that began with sanctification, and impurity is its opposite and what all the negative “examples” in between were describing. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul made the contrast of walking in life with what should be “put to death” and then specifically listed several of the things which he mentioned in our passage today with the addition of covetousness and idolatry. (Col 3:5)

The "this” in verse again points back to the sanctification and walk that pleases God. Whoever will “set aside” (in contrast to God’s “set apart) or reject these admonishments from the writers is not neglecting them but the very Word of God that came through them. They also would be rejecting the Holy Spirit’s convicting and if not already saved would place themselves in a dire possibility of the unpardonable sin.

Paul concluded by noting the gift of His Holy Spirit to you (v. 8b). Here he implicitly indicated the “how” of sanctification—“Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire [lust, KJV ] of the flesh” (Gl 5:16).[The Moody Bible Commentary]

Notice that all members of the Trinity are mentioned in this paragraph. The Father (v. 3), the Son (v. 2), and the Holy Spirit (v. 8). Wonderful thought! All three Persons in the Godhead are interested and involved in the sanctification of the believer. [Believer’s Bible Commentary]

1 Thessalonians 4:9 ESV

9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another,

Paul very clearly states his shift to another topic, but still remains within the realm of the heart and a pursuit of Christlikeness. The change also is noted by going from what should be abstained and avoided to what should grow and abound. The Greek word here, philadelphia, originally referred to affection among blood relatives. Christians adopted this word because they considered themselves the family of God. [Faithlife Study Bible] Whereas sexual immorality is selfish and self-serving, brotherly love is other-interested, other-concerned, other-serving. [The Moody Bible Commentary]

The report from Timothy must have been so filled with accounts of the Thessalonians love for each other that the three men did not think it necessary to speak much about it, but to only offer acknowledgement that they were definitely loving people the way God would and to tell them to keep it up. Both Isaiah and Ezekiel prophesy of a time when the Lord will teach His children and cause them to “walk in my statutes.” (Isa 54:13; Eze 36:27) Today we have the gift of the whole counsel of God written out before us and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us to teach and guide us in His will and ways, if we are willing to hear and learn.

Like other aspects of the Christian life, love can be learned and practiced but never mastered this side of eternity. Paul’s words remind us that love is not easy and does not come naturally. Humans are essentially self-centered creatures because of sin’s work in our lives. However, the power of the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. As we learn more about Christ’s love for us, He replicates that love in us. This makes it possible for believers to follow His example and to love others well. [ETB:ALG 2022]

1 Thessalonians 4:10 ESV

10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,

Their love was mostly toward the fellow Christians but apparently not just within the city but throughout the region. This prompts the question in me, “How well do I show love to other believers that are not within normal week’s activities?” I pray for several around the country, but do they know that?

Again, the prayer of 3:12 is emphasized and expected to have fulfillment within the believers lives.

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 ESV

11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Paul encouraged a calm and quiet life while maintaining a “loud” witness for Christ. [ETB:ALG 2022]

Aspire, try to bring about with great exertion or utmost of efforts, to live in way that honors God. This Greek word is used only 2 other times in Scripture. 2 Cor 5:9 has a similar lifestyle connotation as the apostle writes that “whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him.” The other reference is in Paul’s letter to the Romans and how he wanted to avoid building up churches or groups of believers where others had already spread the gospel. He made his “ambition” to preach in places where Christ’s message had not already been taken. These are all accomplishable goals, but ones that cannot be easily obtained. The sanctified and loving life is not easy it will take a dedicated focus. Living a quiet life (or avoiding unnecessary conflict), keeping to our own affairs (not watching others to criticize and interfere) and staying busy at work, hard work, will prevent us from being distracted by the world’s pull away from God’s plans, purposes, and people.

By discarding their idols (1:9), the Thessalonians abandoned many of their social, religious, and civic obligations. Since their response to the gospel already disrupted the city, Paul urges them not to make the matter worse by their interactions with non-believers. [Faithlife Study Bible]

Working with one’s hands also prevents them from doing other less productive or “unholy” things. Part of the reason for the work Paul explains in his letter to the Ephesians is so that you “may have something to share with anyone in need.” (Eph 4:28) If you have an abundance, then you will not be dependent on others for fiscal or physical support. The opposite of staying focused on our own sanctification and honoring of God would be idleness or even “busy bodies” who do a whole lot of no value. (2Thess 3:11) Better to remain busy doing God’s work and allowing His light to shine through us in our daily interactions.

AMG Bible Illustrations Let Your Walk Talk

“It is a great deal better to live a holy life than to talk about it. We are told to let our light shine, and if it does we won’t need to tell anybody it does. The light will be its own witness. Lighthouses don’t ring bells and fire cannon to call attention to their shining—they just shine.”—D. L. Moody

Apply the Text

One of the steps that I have set up in my study software is to try and summarize the lesson in 25 words or less (I rarely get under that number though). This helps me have a “theme” to the lesson and also allows for easy “take away” into the rest of the week. Here is my summary for this week.

As a believer in Christ, I must strive to live a life pleasing to God through daily sanctification of all areas of my life, from the most intimate relationships to the outward community appearances.

This in conjunction with our recommended memory verse, “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness” will help us all do better and placing God’s plans above our own and yielding to His corrective love when “our way” seems to be meeting with a lot of resistance.

Our growth in Christ and into His likeness however cannot be done in a hurry or on our timeline, it must be done God’s way and, in His timing, to have lasting, fruitful results. I like plant analogies, so I close with one similar to others I have used:

AMG Bible Illustrations No Short-Cuts

When James A. Garfield was president of Hiram College, a man brought his son for entrance as a student, for whom he wished a shorter course than the regular. “The boy can never take all that in,” said the father. “He wants to get through quicker. Can you arrange it for him?” Mr. Garfield, a minister-educator said, “Oh, yes. He can take a short course; it all depends on what you want to make of him. When God wants to make an oak, He takes a hundred years, but he takes only two months to make a squash.”

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