1 Thessalonians 4:7 kjv
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 nkjv
For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 niv
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 esv
For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:7 nlt
God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
1 Thessalonians 4 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 11:44 | "For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy..." | God's call to be holy, reflecting His nature. |
| Lev 19:2 | "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." | Repeated command for Israel to live set apart. |
| Rom 1:7 | "To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints..." | Believers are divinely called to be saints. |
| 1 Cor 1:2 | "To the church of God which is at Corinth... called to be saints..." | Emphasizes the Christian identity as called-out holy ones. |
| 1 Cor 6:18-20 | "Flee sexual immorality... your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit..." | Impurity defiles the temple of the Spirit. |
| 2 Cor 6:16-18 | "...you are the temple of the living God... 'Come out from among them... be separate...' " | Call to separation from defilement. |
| 2 Cor 7:1 | "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness..." | Call to actively pursue cleansing and holiness. |
| Eph 1:4 | "...He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy..." | God's eternal purpose for our holiness. |
| Eph 2:10 | "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..." | Redeemed to live out God's design for good. |
| Eph 4:1-2 | "I... implore you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." | Life should align with the divine calling. |
| Eph 5:3 | "But fornication and all uncleanness... let it not even be named among you..." | Impurity is explicitly forbidden for believers. |
| Col 3:5-6 | "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness..." | Command to reject impure behaviors. |
| 1 Thess 4:3-5 | "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality..." | Immediate context emphasizing sexual purity. |
| 2 Tim 1:9 | "...who has saved us and called us with a holy calling..." | Salvation leads to a life distinctively holy. |
| Heb 12:14 | "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." | Holiness is essential for spiritual sight and communion. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct..." | Reiteration of God's holiness as our model. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..." | Identity of believers as set apart for God. |
| 1 Jn 3:3 | "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." | Hope in Christ inspires a pure lifestyle. |
| Tit 2:11-12 | "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared... teaching us that, denying ungodliness..." | Grace enables and teaches separation from sin. |
| Rom 6:19 | "For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness... now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness." | Transition from serving sin to serving righteousness for sanctification. |
| Rom 6:22 | "But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness..." | Freedom from sin leads to the outcome of holiness. |
| 2 Pet 3:11 | "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?" | Living in holiness is the appropriate response to future judgment. |
1 Thessalonians 4 verses
1 Thessalonians 4 7 Meaning
1 Thessalonians 4:7 declares the foundational truth regarding God's purpose for His people. It unequivocally states that God's divine summons and invitation to believers is not towards a lifestyle or state characterized by moral impurity, debasement, or defilement. Instead, His inherent and purposeful calling is exclusively into a state of holiness, a life of sanctification, setting apart for Him, and ethical purity that reflects His character. This verse articulates a core principle: the Christian life is intrinsically designed for moral purity, not degradation.
1 Thessalonians 4 7 Context
This verse is nestled within Paul's instruction on practical Christian living for the Thessalonian believers. The immediate context of 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 specifically addresses sexual morality, emphasizing that "this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality" (v. 3). Paul clarifies that believers are to "know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God" (vv. 4-5). Therefore, 1 Thessalonians 4:7 serves as the theological underpinning and divine rationale for the ethical commands preceding it. The call to holiness is not an arbitrary rule but aligns with God's very nature and His purposeful intention for His called-out people. Historically, Thessalonica was a bustling Roman port city where pagan worship often intertwined with sexual practices deemed immoral by biblical standards. Many converts from pagan backgrounds would have brought these cultural norms into their lives, necessitating clear instruction on the stark difference between their former lifestyle and the new life in Christ. This verse served as a powerful declaration that God's new covenant people are distinctively different, called to a higher moral standard set by God Himself.
1 Thessalonians 4 7 Word analysis
For: Greek "gar" (γαρ). Introduces a causal or explanatory statement. It provides the reason or basis for the preceding commands (e.g., abstaining from sexual immorality).
God: Greek "theos" (θεός). Refers to the one true God, emphasizing His divine authority and perfect nature. The source and initiator of the "call."
did not call: Greek "ouk ekalesen" (οὐκ ἐκάλεσεν). "Ekalesen" (from kaléō - καλέω) denotes a purposeful, divine summons or invitation. The negation "ouk" (οὐκ) strongly emphasizes what is absolutely not the nature or outcome of God's call. It signifies a decisive, active non-purpose.
us: Greek "hēmas" (ἡμᾶς). Refers to believers, the Christian community in Thessalonica, and by extension, all who are in Christ.
to impurity: Greek "epi akatharsia" (ἐπὶ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ). "Akatharsia" (ἀκαθαρσία) means moral uncleanness, defilement, licentiousness, sensuality, especially in a sexual sense (porneia is the act, akatharsia is the state of being impure). "Epi" (ἐπὶ) here indicates the sphere or condition to which one is called or placed. God's call is emphatically not into such a state. This term represents all that is morally defiling and contrary to God's pure nature.
but: Greek "alla" (ἀλλά). A strong adversative conjunction, indicating a sharp contrast or opposition. It introduces the true nature and purpose of God's call, setting it directly against the former.
in holiness: Greek "en hagiasmō" (ἐν ἁγιασμῷ). "Hagiasmos" (ἁγιασμός) means sanctification, holiness, or the process of being made holy and set apart for God's purposes. It implies both a positional state (set apart by God) and a progressive moral transformation (living out that separation in purity). "En" (ἐν) here denotes the state, sphere, or condition in which or to which believers are called. It represents moral purity, dedication, and consecration to God.
God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness: This phrase embodies a "not...but" antithetical statement, a common biblical rhetorical device (e.g., Matt 6:24, Jn 3:16). It powerfully juxtaposes God's intent and establishes His clear moral standard for His people. It asserts that His divine summoning act leads exclusively to one condition – holiness – and definitively excludes its opposite, impurity. This reflects God's unchanging holy character, which is the source and standard of our call. The call to holiness is thus not optional but foundational to Christian identity and living. It encompasses the entirety of the believer's moral existence.
1 Thessalonians 4 7 Bonus section
The concept of God's "call" (καλέω - kaléō) in the New Testament carries profound theological weight, often signifying a divine election and purpose, not merely an invitation. This "holy calling" (2 Tim 1:9) defines the very identity and destiny of the believer. Furthermore, the term "sanctification" (ἁγιασμός - hagiasmós) points to a multifaceted work: God's act of setting us apart (positional sanctification), our ongoing pursuit of purity through the Spirit (progressive sanctification), and our ultimate perfected state in Christ. Thus, 1 Thessalonians 4:7 implies a lifelong journey where believers are actively growing into the holiness to which they were initially called. The strong contrast "not... but" serves as a direct polemic against any notion, common in some pagan cultures, that spiritual enlightenment or freedom could be found through moral libertinism or ritual impurity. Paul here reasserts the uncompromising ethical demands of the true God.
1 Thessalonians 4 7 Commentary
1 Thessalonians 4:7 concisely encapsulates the very essence of God's calling upon believers. It's a divine purpose that reaches beyond mere salvation from penalty of sin, extending into a new, transformed manner of life. God's initiative in calling humanity is never intended to lead to moral debasement or to permit indulgence in defiling acts; rather, its inherent aim is to set us apart for His glory, cultivating a life marked by purity and devotion. This "holiness" is not just an absence of sin, but an active pursuit of living in conformity to God's own character. It is the practical manifestation of our positional sanctification. This verse underscores that Christian conduct is not simply a list of rules but stems from understanding God's foundational purpose for us, providing the motivation for the sexual purity and ethical integrity that Paul emphasizes throughout this section. The call demands a separation from the world's impurities and a consecration to God's perfect standard.