See note Rom. 6:19^2b. God's will is that His redeemed people, the believers in Christ, live a life of holiness according to His holy nature, a life wholly separated unto Him from anything other than Him. For this He is sanctifying us wholly (1 Thes. 5:23).

At Paul's time, in both Corinth and Thessalonica sensuality and immorality were rife in the pagan religions and even were fostered by pagan worship. Man was made to express God (Gen. 1:26). Concerning this purpose, nothing ruins man more than fornication. This prevents man from being holy, separated unto God, and contaminates man to the uttermost in fulfilling God's holy purpose. Hence, the apostle strongly charged the newly converted Gentile believers to be sanctified unto God, to abstain from fornication, the most gross sin in the eyes of God, that they might avoid its damage and contamination.

Implying to keep, to preserve.

Concerning the interpretation of vessel here, there are two schools: one holds that the vessel is man's body, as in 2 Cor. 4:7; the other, that it is a man's wife, as in 1 Pet. 3:7. The context of this verse and the next verse, which include phrases such as each one of you, in sanctification and honor, and especially not in the passion of lust, justifies the interpretation of the first school but not that of the second. Here the apostle considered man's body his vessel, just as David did in 1 Sam. 21:5. In the same matter concerning the use of the body, both Paul and David considered man's body his vessel. To keep, or preserve, man's vessel in sanctification and honor, not allowing it to indulge in the passion of lust, is the safeguard against committing fornication.

Sanctification refers more to a holy condition before God; honor, to a respectable standing before man. Man was created for God's purpose with a high standing, and marriage was ordained by God for the propagation of man to fulfill God's purpose. Hence, marriage should be held in honor (Heb. 13:4). To abstain from fornication is not only to remain in a sanctified condition before God but also to hold and keep a standing of honor before man.

That they do not know God is the basic reason that people indulge in the passion of lust.

I.e., overpass (limits), overreach, transgress, go beyond. Overstep and take advantage of his brother refers to the committing of adultery with a brother's wife.

Or, make a gain of; hence, defraud.

The matter of fornication, mentioned in v. 3.

The Lord judges fornicators and adulterers as an avenger, as a punisher, meting out justice.

Things such as overstepping and taking advantage of others.

Lit., based on.

The uncleanness of things such as fornication and adultery. Some teach that uncleanness here refers to unfair gain in business, and that v. 6 speaks of taking advantage of a brother in doing business. However, such a teaching is not acceptable in light of the context of this section, which begins at v. 3 with the charge to abstain from fornication. Actually, v. 7 is the concluding word of this charge.

I.e., in the element of sanctification, in the sphere of God's holy nature.

The apostle's charge to abstain from fornication is based on sanctification (v. 3), strengthened by sanctification (v. 4), and concluded here with sanctification, because fornication, the most unclean thing, destroys the holy standing and character of God's called saints.

This verse is the conclusion of the section that begins with v. 3.

I.e., rejects the charge in the preceding verses.

The Holy Spirit given to us by God is the Holy One who sanctifies us, making us holy before God (Rom. 15:16; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 Cor. 6:11). The will (v. 3), the call (v. 7), and the Spirit of God are all for our sanctification. First, God had His will, then He called us, and then He gave us His Holy Spirit. By His Spirit we can be sanctified to answer His call and fulfill His will.

Gk. philadelphia, composed of phileo, to love (referring to love in general, as to have affection for), and adelphos, brother.

Gk. agapao, referring to noble love.

I.e., dead (v. 16; John 11:11-14; 1 Cor. 11:30). For believers to die was considered by both the Lord and the apostle as going to sleep.

Gk. parousia, meaning presence. See note Matt. 24:3^3d.

A signal for assembling.

The last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52), a trumpet for assembling God's redeemed people (cf. Num. 10:2).

I.e., snatched up speedily and in a way that cannot be resisted. It is the same Greek word as in Acts 8:39 and 2 Cor. 12:2, 4. The mentioning here of the rapture of the believers at the Lord's coming is in a general way, as a word of comfort. Details concerning this matter are revealed in other books of the New Testament, such as Matthew and Revelation.

In Rev. 12 the man-child, i.e., the overcomers, is caught up, raptured, to the throne of God in the third heaven before the great tribulation, the last three and a half years of the present age (Rev. 12:5-6, 14). Here, the majority of the believers, including those who are resurrected from the dead and those who are living at that time, are raptured to the air at the end of the great tribulation, at the time of the Lord's coming (parousia).