What is the meaning of 1 Thessalonians 4:3? For it is God’s will God does not leave us guessing about His intentions. Here, He states them plainly. • Scripture often attaches the phrase “God’s will” to clear moral commands rather than mysterious personal details. Romans 12:2 urges believers to be “able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God”, tying God’s will to transformed living. • 1 Timothy 2:3-4 echoes that theme, saying God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. Holiness is central to that desire. • Because God reveals His will in passages like 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5 (and in 1 Peter 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:18), we can pursue it confidently rather than speculate. that you should be holy Holiness means being set apart to reflect God’s character in every arena of life. • Ephesians 1:4 says God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence”; the calling predates our existence and is not optional. • 1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds believers, “Be holy in all you do, for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’ ”. Holiness flows from relationship: we imitate the God who rescued us. • Hebrews 12:14 stresses that “holiness” is something believers must “pursue,” indicating a lifelong growth process, not a one-time event. Practical expressions may include: – Setting personal habits (media, speech, finances) apart for God’s honor. – Aligning attitudes and motives with Christ’s example (Philippians 2:5). – Welcoming the Spirit’s correction (Galatians 5:16-25). You must abstain from sexual immorality Paul singles out sexual purity because it was—and remains—a defining mark of a life set apart for God. • 1 Corinthians 6:18 commands, “Flee from sexual immorality”; the word “flee” conveys urgency. • Ephesians 5:3 insists, “But among you, as is proper among saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality”, tying purity directly to our identity as “saints.” • Hebrews 13:4 honors marriage and warns that “God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers”, showing why avoidance matters. Helpful safeguards: – Keep sexual expression within the covenant of marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6). – Guard the mind and eyes (Job 31:1; Matthew 5:28). – Cultivate accountable friendships (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; James 5:16). – Rely on the Spirit to produce self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). summary 1 Thessalonians 4:3 removes ambiguity: God’s will centers on our holiness, and sexual purity is a non-negotiable component of that calling. By embracing God’s revealed will, pursuing a life set apart, and deliberately fleeing sexual sin, believers honor the God who saved them and display His character to a watching world. |
    |