John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification , etc.] Which is another reason to enforce the above exhortation. Sanctification is internal or external. Internal sanctification is the work of the Spirit of God, and is a principle of spiritual life in the soul, a divine and spiritual light in the understanding, a flexion of the will to the will of God, and a settlement of the affections on divine things, and is an implantation of every grace in the heart. External sanctification arises from this, and lies in holiness of life and conversation; and is what is chiefly designed, as appears both by what goes before, and follows after: and this is the will of God; the will of his purpose and decree; for in the same decree that he wills the salvation of any by Jesus Christ, he also wills their sanctification in heart and life, and here and hereafter: and this is his approving will, or what is well pleasing in his sight, being agreeable to his nature, and divine perfections, particularly his holiness, in which he is glorious; and it is his will of command, and what he requires in his law, which is holy, just, and good, and perfectly agrees with the sound doctrine of the Gospel, and the revelation of his will in both. That ye should abstain from fornication : which is particularly mentioned, abstinence from it being a branch of external holiness; and because that this sin was common among the Gentiles, and not esteemed a sin by them; as also to observe to these Christians, that as simple fornication was not to be allowed of, much less other acts of uncleanness, as adultery, incest, sodomy, and the like, which were iniquities that greatly prevailed among the Heathens. The Syriac version renders it, from all fornication; on this subject the apostle enlarges in some following verses.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - To abide in the faith of the gospel is not enough, we must abound in the work of faith. The rule according to which all ought to walk an act, is the commandments given by the Lord Jesus Christ Sanctification, in the renewal of their souls under the influences of the Holy Spirit, and attention to appointed duties, constituted the will of God respecting them. In aspiring after this renewal of the sou unto holiness, strict restraint must be put upon the appetites an senses of the body, and on the thoughts and inclinations of the will which lead to wrong uses of them. The Lord calls none into his famil to live unholy lives, but that they may be taught and enabled to wal before him in holiness. Some make light of the precepts of holiness because they hear them from men; but they are God's commands, and to break them is to despise God.
Greek Textus Receptus
τουτο 5124 D-NSN γαρ 1063 CONJ εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S θελημα 2307 N-NSN του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM ο 3588 T-NSM αγιασμος 38 N-NSM υμων 5216 P-2GP απεχεσθαι 567 5733 V-PMN υμας 5209 P-2AP απο 575 PREP της 3588 T-GSF πορνειας 4202 N-GSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Fornication. Paul wrote from Corinth, where sensuality in the guise of religion was rife. In Thessalonica, besides the ordinary licentious customs of the Gentiles, immorality was fostered by the Cabeiric worship (see Introduction). About the time of Paul, a political sanction was given to this worship by deifying the Emperor as Cabeirus.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:3 {Your sanctification} (ho hagiasmos humwn). Found only in the Greek Bible and ecclesiastical writers from hagiazw and both to take the place of the old words hagizw, hagismos with their technical ideas of consecration to a god or goddess that did not include holiness in life. So Paul makes a sharp and pointed stand here for the Christian idea of sanctification as being "the will of God" (apposition) and as further explained by the epexegetic infinitive {that ye abstain from fornication} (apecesqai humas apo tes porneias). Pagan religion did not demand sexual purity of its devotees, the gods and goddesses being grossly immoral. Priestesses were in the temples for the service of the men who came.
