1 Thessalonians 4:1

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 [1] Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

My commentator says these final comments address specific situations that are known to the readers as well as to Paul, but he does not want to name them.

In verse 6 Paul refers to "the matter" implying everyone knows to what he is referring. Paul mentions sexual immorality and then says "no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter".

He begins this passage affirming that they already know (1) and already act (10) rightly and this is to their sanctification (8).

Greeks in the first century were sexually immoral as Paul put it. They would have probably just said they had fun. They would have said they were cosmopolitan and mature about such things, at least until they decided to be Christians and follow Paul. Paul is asking them to change their behavior. To act as Paul expects would put them in danger of ridicule from fellow Thessalonians. It's not that much different than today is it?

People today think sleeping with another should not mean anything serious. We should be cosmopolitan. We should not accept the Biblical morality of "Victorian" people. To insist that a young couple in love should not immediately move in together and try on marriage first is considered small minded, uncharitable. In fact most pastors these days rarely touch the subject. But Paul was outspoken and insisted that the disciples stop having sex, unless it was in marriage covenant.

Paul saying those things to the Thessalonians was just like it would be if a pastor spoke this from the pulpit. Many of the church today would think him out of step and would disregard his words. So pastors are reluctant because they are afraid of losing the respect of a sizable portion of their members. Paul has no such reluctance and it was just as much a problem in 1st century Greece and Macedonia as it is now. His converts were used to considering sex as a normal part of anyone's life. They would be liable to consider Paul out of step with modern culture and much to provincial. They might think his Jewish roots were showing.

So Paul spends several verses underscoring his point. And if his hearers take him seriously it might be hard to keep this rules without ridicule even censure.

Verse 6 refers to defrauding and seems to be about something specific. Is he still taking about sexual misconduct from another aspect? Or is this now about some kind of financial misdeed among the saints?

Paul begins and ends this paragraph by affirming that they are already doing this, he just urges them to do it better. So why say it at all if they are already doing it? First, the pressure from the culture is great and he wants them reassured they are on the right path and this is for their sanctification. Secondly we can never be complacent. We do fail or fall short at times despite our ever effort. This is no time to give up. As God shows us we must continue to do better, this will bring us closer to God and his joy.