1 Thessalonians 4:5

5 Don't long to commit sexual sins like those who don't know God.

1 Thessalonians 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Thessalonians 4:5

Not in the lust of concupiscence
Or "passion of lust"; for the mere gratifying and indulging of that; for a man so to possess his vessel, is to cherish the sin of concupiscence, the first motions of sin in the heart, by which a man is drawn away, and enticed; to blow up the flame of lust, and to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof:

even as the Gentiles which know not God;
for, though they knew him, or might know him with a natural knowledge, by the light and works of nature, yet they knew him not savingly and spiritually, as he is revealed in the word, of which they were destitute; or as the God of all grace, and the God and Father of Christ, or as he is in Christ: and though by the light of nature they might know there was a God, yet they knew not who that God was; nor did they act up to that light and knowledge they had; they did not glorify him as God, by ascribing to him what was his due; nor were they thankful for the mercies they received from him; nor did they fear, love, worship, and serve him; nor did they like to retain him in their knowledge, and therefore were given up to judicial blindness and hardness, to a reprobate mind, and to vile affections, and so did things very inconvenient, unnatural, and dishonourable. Wherefore, for a man to use either his wife or his body in any unchaste and dishonourable manner, for the gratifying of his lusts, is to act an Heathenish part; a like argument, dissuading from things unlawful, is used in ( Matthew 6:32 ) ( Matthew 20:25 Matthew 20:26 ) ( Galatians 4:8 Galatians 4:9 ) .

1 Thessalonians 4:5 In-Context

3 God wants you to be made holy. He wants you to stay away from sexual sins.
4 He wants all of you to learn to control your own bodies. You must live in a way that is holy. You must live with honor.
5 Don't long to commit sexual sins like those who don't know God.
6 None of you should sin against your brother by doing that. You should not take advantage of him. The Lord will punish everyone who commits those kinds of sins. We have already told you and warned you about that.
7 God chose us to live pure lives. He wants us to be holy.
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