The Strand Study Bible

Written From Corinth During Paul’s Second Missionary Journey

I THESSALONIANS 4:3 - 4:16

2007

Abstain from fornication 3 For this is the will of God, 1 even your sanctification, 2 that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of 3 concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and 4 defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto 5 holiness. 8 He therefore that 6 despiseth, despiseth not man, 7 but God, who hath also given unto us his 8 HOLY SPIRIT . 9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God 9 to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to

do your own business, 10 and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are 11 without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. The promise of CHRIST’S return (Rapture) ; of a resurrected body for NT saints (Fulfilled - Rev 4:1,2) 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are 12 asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For 13 if we believe that 14 Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which 15 sleep in Jesus will God 16 bring with 17 HIM . P P 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the 17 LORD 16 shall not 18 prevent them which are a sleep. P P 16 For the 17 LORD himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 19 archangel, andwith the 20 trumpofGod: 16 and the dead in Christ shall rise first: P P

1. Rom 12:1-2 2. Acts 15:20,29 3. or, “sexual desire” - Colo 3:4-5 4. or, “commit adultery” -Exo 20:17 5. Lev 11:44 6. or, “rejects the warning to stay sexually pure” 7. Lk 10:16 8. Jn 20:22 & Eph 4:30 9. Lev 19:18 & Jn 13:34 10. Acts 20:35 & II Thess 3:10-12 & Eph 4:28 11. or, “the unsaved” 12. or, “dead” - Jn 5:28-29 13. or, “since” 14. Mt 28:6 15. or, “are dead in Christ” 16. Fulfilled - Rev 4:2 (NT Resurrection)) 17. Fulfilled - Rev 4:1 (Rapture) 18. or, “precede” 19. that is,“ Michael”- Jude 9 20. I Cor 15:51-53 & Rev 4:1

4:3,4,7 This word ( sanctification / holiness ) is the Greek word ‘ DJLDσPο9 ( hagiasmos ) and is taken from the Greek word for “saint” (hagioi). Sanctification (or, sainthood ) is not an attainment, but a predetermined state into which God, in grace, calls sinful men, and in which they begin their course as Christians ( Rom 13:11 ). Thus, sanctification is a continual process and, like circumcision ( Gen 26:5 - #13), has a twofold meaning for the child of God: 1. It means the child of God has been set apart for God “positionally” (Heb 10:9-10 and Acts 26:18), just like Abraham was set apart for God “position ally” via the covenant of circumcision (Gen 17:9-11). 2. It means the child of God is to be set apart from the world “continually” (Jn 17:17 and Eph 5:25-26), just like Abraham and his descendants were to be set apart from the world via their circumcision (Gen 17:12-14). NOTE - When it comes to sanctification, God’s goal is to “set apart” the believer both “ positionally ” and “ continually .” Sadly, that is not always the case in the life of a child of God (II Tim 4:10 and Jere 43:2 ). 4:11 This word ( study ) comes from two Greek words: MLOο ( philo ), meaning “ to be fond of ,” and τLPH ( time ), meaning “ honor .” Those of us, who desire to be honored someday by Christ, must “ make it our life’s aim (goal)” to accomplish certain tasks in life for God. Paul only uses this word 3 times in the entire NT, reminding us, as believers, that we are to make it our life’s aim to study three areas (for the sake of being honored someday): 1. We are to study ( make it our life’s labor ) to be quiet (I Thess 4:11) Question: How does one learn to become quieter? Answer: Work more (II Thess 3:10-12) 2. We are to strive ( make it our life’s goal ) to be a witness for Christ (Rom 15:20) Question: How does one learn to become a better witness? Answer : Become grateful (Jere 2:1-6) 3. We are to labor ( make it our life’s aim ) to please God, not men (II Cor 5:9) Question: How do we learn to serve God and please only Him? Answer : By becoming independent of men and their movements (Gal 1:1-10 & 2:11-14). 4:14 Because of the BLESSED HOPE (Titus 2:13), we will see our loved ones again in Heaven ( them also which sleep in Jesus ). 4:15 a According to Hebrews 9:27, “ it is appointed unto men once to die .” Meaning, everyone born into this world must leave this world, via a physical death. Even Enoch and Elijah (the only two men in the Bible who escaped death for the time being - Gen 5:24 and II Ki 2:11) must eventually return to this earth and die (Rev 11:3-11). Seeing then that every man must die a physical death at least once, the living saints at the time of the Rapture ( we which are alive and remain ) will die a sudden premature death before being taken on up to meet the Lord in the air ( I Cor 15:51 ). 4:15 b Both living saints and dead saints will be reunited in the air (vs 17) at the time of the Rapture. However, because the dead saints are already in the presence of Christ and have been waiting longer than the living saints for their new resurrected bodies, the dead saints shall receive theirs first ( shall not prevent them which are asleep ).