For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification.
unto uncleanness--Greek, "for the purpose of." unto--rather as Greek, "in"; marking that "holiness" is the element in which our calling has place; in a sphere of holiness. Saint is another name for Christian.
Verse 7. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness. When he called us to be his followers, it was not that we should lead lives of impurity, but of holiness. We should, therefore, fulfil the purposes for which we were called into his kingdom. The word uncleanness, (ακαθαρσια) means, properly, impurity, filth; and then, in a moral sense, pollution, lewdness, as opposed to chastity, ; . (b) "unto holiness"
Here we have, I. An exhortation to abound in holiness, to abound more and more in that which is good, Th1 4:1, Th1 4:2. We may observe, 1. The manner in which the exhortation is given - very affectionately. The apostle entreats them as brethren; he calls them so, and loved them as such.
Commenting on 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8