According to history, the problem of fornication has come up over and over again in one church after another. The facts prove that Christian workers in particular are often snared by fornication because they have so much contact with others. Furthermore, fornication has been the factor in damage caused to those in the Pentecostal movement. In certain places this movement has been limited because of the sin of fornication.

In 4:3 Paul says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you abstain from fornication.” God’s will is that His redeemed people, the believers in Christ, should 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 thoroughly (5:23).

At Paul’s time, both in Corinth and Thessalonica sensuality and immorality were rife in the pagan religions and even fostered by their pagan worship. Man was made for expressing God (Gen. 1:26). Nothing ruins man for this purpose more than fornication. This prevents man from being holy, separated unto God, and contaminates man to the uttermost in the fulfilling of God’s holy purpose. Hence, the apostle strongly charges the newly converted Gentile believers, by sanctification unto God, to abstain from the damage and contamination of fornication, the most gross sin in the eyes of God.

Here in 1 Thessalonians 4 Paul gives us a warning concerning fornication. He also spoke strongly about fornication in 1 Corinthians. Because there was so much immorality in Corinth and Thessalonica, Paul realized that along with fostering and establishing the saints in Thessalonica, it was necessary for him to warn them about the sin of fornication. Now we can understand why in a book to new believers Paul thought it necessary to speak about fornication. He wanted the saints in that evil city to be aware of the danger. As the church in such a place, they needed a warning about fornication.

In 1 Corinthians 16:20 Paul says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Paul did not forbid the Corinthians to have contact with one another, for that would have been inhuman. However, Paul charged them to greet one another with a holy kiss. Such a word was written against the background of the situation in Corinth. In the same principle, fornication is dealt with in 1 Thessalonians 4 because of the environment of Thessalonica. A young church had been raised up in the midst of an evil, immoral environment. Knowing that it would be difficult for the church in that city to avoid problems with fornication, Paul issued a warning regarding it.

We also need this warning today. In the United States and Europe males and females have social contact with hardly any limitation. Because of this situation, it is easy for people to fall into fornication. In order for churches to exist in these regions, there is a need of a warning concerning fornication.

As we read 4:1-12, we see that Paul’s tone here is one of warning. The tone is different from that found in the first three chapters. After Paul has completed his task of fostering and establishing a holy life for the church life, he changes his tone. The first warning he gives us concerns fornication. As we shall see, in his warning about fornication, Paul brings in the wonderful matter of sanctification.
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