1 Thessalonians 4:7 (DBY)

Passage

For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 4:5 (not in passionate desire, even as the nations who know not God,)

1 Thessalonians 4:6 not overstepping the rights of and wronging his brother in the matter, because the Lord [is] the avenger of all these things, even as we also told you before, and have fully testified.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God has not called us to uncleanness, but in sanctification.

1 Thessalonians 4:8 He therefore that [in this] disregards [his brother], disregards, not man, but God, who has given also his Holy Spirit to you.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now concerning brotherly love ye have no need that we should write to you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "uncleanness", and "sanctification". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "uncleanness", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "not overstepping the rights of and wronging..." into verse 8's "He therefore that in this disregards his...", so "called" and "uncleanness" belong inside that flow. In 1 Thessalonians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "called" and "uncleanness" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.