1 Thessalonians 4:7 (GNV)

Passage

For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.

Nearby Context

1 Thessalonians 4:5 And not in the lust of concupiscence, euen as the Gentiles which know not God:

1 Thessalonians 4:6 That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter: for the Lord is auenger of all such thinges, as we also haue tolde you before time, and testified.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse, but vnto holinesse.

1 Thessalonians 4:8 Hee therefore that despiseth these thinges, despiseth not man, but God who hath euen giuen you his holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly loue, ye neede not that I write vnto you: for ye are taught of God to loue one another.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "That no man oppresse or defraude his..." into verse 8's "Hee therefore that despiseth these thinges despiseth...", so "called" and "hath" 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 "hath" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.