7 for God did not call us on uncleanness, but in sanctification;
according as He did choose us in him before the foundation of the world, for our being holy and unblemished before Him, in love,
`For I `am' Jehovah your God, and ye have sanctified yourselves, and ye have been holy, for I `am' holy; and ye do not defile your persons with any teeming thing which is creeping on the earth;
who did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, that was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the ages,
and chiefly those going behind the flesh in desire of uncleanness, and lordship despising; presumptuous, self-complacent, dignities they are not afraid to speak evil of,
and ye `are' a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that the excellences ye may shew forth of Him who out of darkness did call you to His wondrous light; who `were' once not a people, and `are' now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness. Beloved, I call upon `you', as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul, having your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.
as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance, but according as He who did call you `is' holy, ye also, become holy in all behaviour, because it hath been written, `Become ye holy, because I am holy;'
And we -- we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, that God did choose you from the beginning to salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, to which He did call you through our good news, to the acquiring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ;
who, having ceased to feel, themselves did give up to the lasciviousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness;
for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk.
And manifest also are the works of the flesh, which are: Adultery, whoredom, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren; and whom He did fore-appoint, these also He did call; and whom He did call, these also He declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these also He did glorify.
to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints; Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and `from' the Lord Jesus Christ!
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4
Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter the apostle gives earnest exhortations to abound in holiness, with a caution against uncleanness, enforced with several arguments (v. 1-8). He then mentions the great duties of brotherly love, and quietness with industry in our callings (v. 9-12). And concludes with comforting those who mourned for their relations and friends that died in the Lord (v. 13-18).
1Th 4:1-8
Here we have,
1Th 4:9-12
In these words the apostle mentions the great duties,
1Th 4:13-18
In these words the apostle comforts the Thessalonians who mourned for the death of their relations and friends that died in the Lord. His design is to dissuade them from excessive grief, or inordinate sorrow, on that account. All grief for the death of friends is far from being unlawful; we may weep at least for ourselves if we do not weep for them, weep for own loss, though it may be their fain. Yet we must not be immoderate in our sorrows, because,