In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, Paul speaks about purity in the sexual area. 1 Thess. 4:4 could be translated in two possible ways. The word "vessel" here (skeuos in Greek) could refer either to our body or to our wife.

So it could mean:"Each of you must know how to possess his own body in sanctification and honour." We must learn to keep our body holy and pure, because the will of God is that we must be sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3). There are many areas where we don't know what God's will is. But this is one area where we definitely know what it is. To be sanctified means to be separated from everything that is sinful, worldly and un-Christlike. We must learn how to keep our bodies free from all such evil.

1 Thessalonians 4:4 could also mean:"Each of you must know how to acquire his own wife in sanctification and honour." That means, the way you get your wife must be in a holy and pure way. There are many unholy ways in which people try to get wives. Looking for a dowry is one of those unholy ways. Are you looking for a wife in a holy way, or do you look for worldly qualifications when looking for a wife? To look for a wife "in lustful passion", is to look for a wife like the heathen do. But if you want to serve God, you must look for a wife who has the same godly desire that you have.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:6, Paul goes on to say that "no one should ever cheat his brother in this matter." That means, "Don't get too friendly with someone else's wife", for "God is the avenger of those who do that." We have to be very careful in our relationships with the opposite sex, because we live in a society today that is very similar to the one that the Thessalonians lived in, where sexual immorality is not considered sinful. There is, unfortunately, a lot of immorality among young people in churches and even among Christian workers in these days. It is important that, as Christians, we are different from the world, and that we have a clear testimony in this area. You must know how to preserve your body in purity in this area. Otherwise you will fail the Lord. Samson and David are tragic examples of people who knew God, who failed. There are many like them in our day as well.