1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – Be morally pure

One way to please God requires that we live a morally pure life. Here Paul used the word “sanctification” to define God’s will. This word “sanctification” simply means setting oneself apart from sin to live for God’s glory. Thus, we can conclude that living a sanctified life is God’s will. It is the intention of God that every believer ought to live a consecrated life for His glory. Here Paul specifically mentioned abstinence from sexual immorality. This is God’s will. Of course, we know that sanctification and God’s will is not just about sexual purity. However, we need to know that the sensual environment which the Thessalonians were living in, made it necessary for Paul to single out this area for specific mention. He knew that they were constantly exposed to sexual temptations, and so he wrote to warn and instruct them of the dangers and the dire consequences.

The word “immorality” generally means a wide range of illegal sexual activities. It ranges from the thoughts to the practices. It could mean impurity, fornication, adultery, and all kinds of aberrant sexual behavior and so on. Here the command is to stop practicing immorality. Paul wanted them to know that it was imperative to abstain from illicit sexual practices if they wanted to please God.

In verses 4-5, Paul gave them some instructions on how to abstain from sexual immorality. He said that each believer should learn “… to possess his own vessel ….” What exactly did Paul mean? There are two widely differing understanding for the word “vessel.” One view is that it refers to the man’s body, and the other view says that it refers to one’s wife. Because the second interpretation demeans a woman by making her a vessel, most people would repudiate this position. Hence, the view that interprets the vessel as the man’s body is more widely accepted. It simply means that man is required to exercise self-control. He is to have a control over his own body, and he needs to take the necessary steps to honor his body so as to please God.

The second position, however, takes the view that the man ought to take a wife for himself. This position is made strong by the words “to possess” in verse 4. In the original interpretation, these words mean to acquire or to take. Thus, the RSV (Revised Standard Version) authors had this verse translated as “… that each of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor.” Perhaps Paul wanted them to have a proper perspective concerning their own sexual needs. And there are two ways to satisfy one’s sexual desires – a right way and a wrong way. It is absolutely wrong to indulge in any kind of immorality. The right way is to find one’s sexual fulfillment in one’s wife.

Regardless of the position one takes, Paul’s point is that sexual purity is needful to live a God-pleasing life. One needs to know that Paul was calling for man to view sex from God’s perspective, rather than be lured into practicing the aberrant sexual enticement of the world. However, take note that even in sexual intimacy with his wife, a man ought to exercise it in a sanctifying way and to exercise it honorably to please God. He is reminded not to have lustful passion like the godless Gentiles.

To sum up, we can say that verse 3 shows us the what, which is to abstain from sexual immorality. Then verses 4-5 show us the how, which is to possess one’s own vessel in sanctification and honor. And now, verses 6-8 will tell us the why that believers should not indulge in sexual immorality.

From these verses, we understand that there are consequences when one indulges in such illicit sexual activities. There are several things that could happen. There would be damage. The word used here is “transgress.” To transgress is “to get out of bound.” When that happens, people will be hurt. Someone will be defrauded or deceived. Paul warned that God would avenge the wrong committed to a brother (or sister) and would punish the offender. The other reason one should not indulge in illicit sexual activities is that God had called us into a life of purity and sanctification, not a life of impurity (v.7). Consequently, a believer who practices immorality will hurt God, Who has placed the Holy Spirit in his life. In all these, there are essentially three things: the right place for sexual intimacy is in a marriage; and the right attitude toward sexual intimacy is to practice it honorably, the goal of it all is to please God.