1 Thessalonians 4:5

Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: IN THE LUST, [ pathei (G3806)] - 'passion;' such are unconsciously passive slaves of lusts. WHICH KNOW NOT GOD - and so know no better. Ignorance of true religion begets unchastity (Ephesians 4:18). A people's morals are like the objects of their worship (Deuteronomy 7:26; Psalms 115:8; Romans 1:23)....

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 and 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 soul unto holiness, strict restraint must be put upon the appetites and 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 family to live unholy lives, but that they may be taught and enabled to walk 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....

Verse 1 Thessalonians 4:5. _NOT IN THE LUST OF CONCUPISCENCE_] Having no rational object, aim, nor end. Some say, "not like _beasts_;" but this does not apply as they who use it wish, for the males and females of the brute creation are regular and consistent in their intercourse, and scarcely ever exceed such bounds as reason itself would prescribe to those most capable of observing and obeying its dictates. _THE GENTILES WHICH KNOW NOT GOD_] These are the _beasts_; their own _brutes_ are _rational creatures_ when compared with them. Enough has been said on this subject on Romans 1, and 2: They who wish to see more may consult _Juvenal_, and particularly his 6th and 9th Satires; and indeed all the writers on Greek and Roman morals....

NOT IN THE LUST OF CONCUPISCENCE - In gross gratifications. EVEN AS THE GENTILES - This was, and is, a common vice among the pagan; see the Acts 15:20 note; Romans 1:29 note; Ephesians 4:17 notes, and the reports of missionaries everywhere. WHICH KNOW NOT GOD - See the Romans 1:21, Romans 1:28 notes; Ephesians 2:12 note....

EXPOSITION CONTENTS.—With this chapter the second portion of the Epistle—its practical application-commences. The apostle exhorts and entreats the Thessalonians to make progress in the Christian life, and to practice those commandments which, when he was with them, he gave them by the authority of Jesus Christ. God had called them to holiness and to the renunciation of their heathen practices. They must especially be on their guard against impurity, to which as Gentiles they were formerly so prone. He who rejected his injunctions rejected, not man, but God, whose commands they were. As they were already taught of God in the active practice of Christian love, so they must abound therein. They must not allow themselves to be led away by excitement, as if the day of Christ were at hand, but with quietness and honesty perform the duties of their earthly calling, and so commend the gospel to...

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 as...

IV. THE SEPARATED WALK AND THE BLESSED HOPE CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The separated walk 1 Thessalonians 4:1)_ 2. The coming of the Lord for His saints 1 Thessalonians 4:13) 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “Furthermore, then, brethren, we beg you and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, even as ye received from us, how ye ought to walk and please God, even as ye also do walk, that ye would abound still more. For ye know what charges we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor (not in passionate desire, eve

PRACTICAL EXHORTATIONS TO PURITY OF LIFE AND BROTHERLY LOVE. The Church at Thessalonica has begun well and is encouraged to go forward. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:1. ABOUND: 1 THESSALONIANS 3:12 *. 1 Thessalonians 4:3. abstain, etc.: the inculcation of such an elementary principle of conduct seems strange, but we need to remember that certain heathen cults regarded immorality as part of the ritual of worship, and religion and immorality were to them almost convertible terms. This consecration of vice in paganism made it absolutely necessary for Paul to insist upon moral purity....

Finally then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you have received instructions from us as to how you must behave to please God, even so you do behave, that you may go on from more to more. For you know what orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus; for this is God's will for you, that you should live consecrated lives, I mean, that you should keep yourselves from fornication, that each of you should know how to possess his own body in consecration and in honour, not in the passion of lustful desire, like the Gentiles who do not know God, that in this kind of thing you should not transgress against your brother or try to take advantage of him. For of all these things the Lord is the avenger, as we have already told you and testified to you. For God did not call us to impurity but to consecration. Therefore he who rejects this instruction does not reject a man, but...

LUST. Greek. _pathos._ See Romans 1:26. The Revised Version renders it "passion". CONCUPISCENCE. lust, or desire. GENTILES. Gentiles also....