I Thessalonians 4:7-9

"For God did not appoint you in impurity but in sanctification" (I Thessalonians 4:7)

God has called us to live pure lives. To live immoral lives brings dishonor to the one who has given us his work to do.

"Therefore the one disobeying this order is not disobeying man but God who is giving us his Holy Spirit." (I Thessalonians 4:8)

This is not Paul's command, but God's. To violate it is to disobey God. Paul states that God is giving (present tense) his Spirit to us. It is a continuing gift. The Spirit can give us the strength to overcome the desires of the flesh.

"Now concerning Christian love, you all do not need us to write. For all of you are taught by God to love one another." (I Thessalonians 4:9)

The Holy Spirit teaches us that we should love other Christians. This is the mark of a true Christian according to John 13:35.

I Thessalonians 4:4-6

"Each one of you should know how to control your body in purity and dignity." (I Thessalonians 4:4)

The word for body is vessel. Our body is the container of our soul and, for believers, of the Holy Spirit. We are to keep it pure and dignified.

"Do not walk in the passion of desire like those who do not know God." (I Thessalonians 4:5)

Many people who are apart from God live like animals. They live for the purpose of fulfilling their own desires without regard to morality or how this effects others.

"Do not wrong or take advantage of your brother by such acts, because the Lord is an avenger of all these things. Indeed we told you this before and explained this to you." (I Thessalonians 4:6)

Paul warns that those who wrong others risk judgment. This was something that he had already told them.

I Thessalonians 4:1-3

"Finally brothers, we ask you and we admonish in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you should walk and please God, as you do, do this more and more and more." (I Thessalonians 4:1)

These believers knew how God wanted them to live. They were living good Christian lives. But Paul did not want them to be satisfied. They needed to grow in their Christian walk.

"For you know your orders given through us from the Lord Jesus." (I Thessalonians 4:2)

The word for orders or commandments in the original Greek is a military term. An order passed down the chain of command to a soldier who was to obey without question.

"For this is God's will, our moral purity, that you refrain from any immoral sexual behavior." (I Thessalonians 4:3)

God's will for the believer is to live a pure life. Sexual sin was a common part of life in New Testament times among the Greeks, Romans and others, as it is in our society.