Tag: fornication

Ephesians 5:3 – Do What Fits

Posted on by Will

But let not fornication and all uncleanness or greediness not be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

Truth to Learn

We are saints, so we need to learn to live like saints.

 

Behind the Words

The word “fornication” is translated from the Greek word porneia. This word is indirectly derived from pornos, referring to a man who sells himself to others for sex. Porneia refers to any sexual act other than that between a man and a woman who are married to each other.

“Uncleanness” is from akatharsia, which is composed of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of kathairo, meaning “to cleanse.” Thus, akatharsia refers to anything that is “unclean.” This word typically refers to something that is legally or ceremonially unclean. It was often used in reference to idolatrous worship practices of the heathen.

“Greediness” is translated from pleonexia, which is derived from the noun pleion, meaning “more” and echo, meaning “to have.” This word refers to the condition in which a person is not satisfied with what he or she has, greedily wanting more.

Onomadzō is the Greek word translated “named.” It is derived from the noun onoma, meaning “a name.” The verb onomadzō means “to call by name” or “to mention.” This verb is expressed as a present, passive, imperative verb. The word “let” is the clue in English that it is an imperative (command). This is a difficult verb to express properly in English. It is NOT saying, “Don’t permit these things to be named among you.” Rather it is saying, “These things are not to be named among you!”

“Fitting” is from prepō, which means “to tower up,” that is “to be eminent or distinguished.” In the form used in today’s verse it means “that which is proper, acceptable, or fitting.”

“Saints” is from hagios, meaning “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.”

 

Meaning Explained

Previously Paul told us that as children of God we should mimic the thoughts and actions of our Father. The primary way of doing that is to demonstrate a real love for others the way our God has demonstrated His love for us. And, not only are we God’s children, we are now saints. That doesn’t mean that the church leadership has declared us to be saints because of all the good we’ve done and all the miracles we’ve performed. The church doesn’t make someone a saint, God does.

When we were saved, God adopted us as His children. He also sanctified us; that is to say, He set us apart. We are no longer part of the world system any more than we are part of Satan’s family. This is a theological concept known as “positional sanctification.” But, we’re not perfect and we won’t be until that day when God calls us home. Until that day we need to become more like our Father. This is called “progressive sanctification,” as the Apostle Peter described:

but as He who called you is holy, you also become holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Become holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16)

The word translated “holy” is the same word as “sanctified.” One way to mimic our Father is to avoid those things that don’t “fit” our new position, and three of those things are mentioned in today’s verse: fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness.

 

Application

Want to be more like your Heavenly Father? Continue to study God’s Word and put what you learn into practice. Change your behavior and become more sanctified to, and for, God.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 4:4 – Sacred and Honorable

Posted on by Will

that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

Truth to Learn

Sex within a marriage is undefiled, sacred, and honorable.

Behind the Words

Eidō it the Greek word translated “know.” We have pointed out previously that this word literally means “to see with perception.” However, Paul may be using this word as a Hebrew expression meaning “to have regard for” or “to care for.” This is the apparent meaning in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (know those who labor …), and is probably Paul’s intent here.

The Greek verb translated “possess” is ktaomai, which primarily means “to get for oneself, to acquire, or to purchase.” When expressed in the perfect tense (past completed action with an ongoing effect) it can also mean “to have acquired” or “to possess.” Although it is expressed here as a present tense infinitive, many Biblical scholars believe that Paul’s meaning here is “to possess” or “to take care of.”

“Vessel” is translated from skeuos, meaning “a container, utensil, or implement.”

Meaning Explained

This is probably one of the most difficult verses in this letter to the Thessalonians. The difficulty is due primarily to the three words we looked at above (eidō, ktaomai, and skeuos) along with the word porneia, which we saw in the previous verse.

Let’s start with porneia. This word originally referred to “prostitution.” If we look at the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) we can see the meaning of the Hebrew words that were translated with porneia. These various words mean, “lying down like a prostitute, harlotry, prostitution, or unfaithfulness.” Thus, it does not refer to just any sexual sin, but specifically to “sex with another person outside of marriage.” The best translation of this word is “fornication.”

Now let’s look at ktaomai. It literally means “to acquire.” Again, looking at the Septuagint, we see in Ruth 4:10 that ktaomai is used to translate a word that means “to acquire.”

…  I have acquired as my wife … (Ruth 4:10)

Skeuos, as noted above, refers to “a container, utensil, or implement.” In 1 Peter 3:7, it refers specifically to the physical body of a man’s wife. But in 2 Corinthians 4:7 and 2 Timothy 2:21 it refers to a person’s own body, so it isn’t necessarily a reference to a wife, though it probably is here.

Therefore, a reasonable translation of this verse would be “each of you should know how to acquire his vessel in sanctification and honor.” But Paul is talking about abstaining from fornication. Why would the knowledge of acquiring a wife prevent fornication? It wouldn’t, but knowing how to possess a wife (to provide for her, to care for her, and to respect her) means knowing how to treat her as one with your own body (Matthew 19:5, 1 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 5:31.) That’s the key to avoiding fornication.

Application

Sexual gratification should never be the reason for getting married. Marriage is an intimate relationship between a man and a woman, and the pleasure of sexual intercourse is only a part of that relationship. Therefore, there is no justification for sex outside of marriage. Marriage (and sex within a marriage) is intended to be undefiled, sacred, and honorable before God. 

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 5:3 – Do What Fits

Posted on by Will

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

Truth to Learn

We are saints, so we need to learn to live like saints.

Behind the Words

The word “fornication” is translated from the Greek word porneia. This word is indirectly derived from pornos, referring to a man who sells himself to others for sex. Porneia refers to any sexual act other than that between a man and a woman who are married to each other.

“Uncleanness” is from akatharsia, which is composed of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of kathairo, meaning “to cleanse.” Thus, akatharsia refers to anything that is “unclean.” This word typically refers to something that is legally or ceremonially unclean. It was often used in reference to idolatrous worship practices of the heathen.

“Covetousness” is translated from pleonexia, which is derived from the noun pleion, meaning “more” and echo, meaning “to have.” This word refers to the condition in which a person is not satisfied with what he or she has, greedily wanting more.

Onomadzō is the Greek word translated “named.” It is derived from the noun onoma, meaning “a name.” The verb onomadzō means “to call by name” or “to mention.”

“Fitting” is from prepō, which means “to tower up,” that is “to be eminent or distinguished.” In the form used in today’s verse it means “that which is proper, acceptable, or fitting.”

“Saints” is from hagios, meaning “that which is set apart from common use to be used in the service of God.”

Meaning Explained

Previously Paul told us that as children of God we should mimic the thoughts and actions of our Father. The primary way of doing that is to demonstrate a real love for others the way our God has demonstrated His love for us. And, not only are we now God’s children, we are saints. That doesn’t mean that the church leadership has declared us to be saints because of all the good we’ve done and all the miracles we’ve performed. The church doesn’t make someone a saint, God does.

When we were saved, God adopted us as His children. He also sanctified us; that is to say, He set us apart. We are no longer part of the world system any more than we are part of Satan’s family. This is a theological concept known as “positional sanctification.” But, we’re not perfect and we won’t be until that day when God calls us home. Until that day we need to become more like our Father. This is called “progressive sanctification,” as the Apostle Peter described:

but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16)

The word translated “holy” is the same word as “sanctified.” One way to mimic our Father is to avoid those things that don’t “fit” our new position, and three of those things are mentioned in today’s verse: fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness.

Application

Want to be more like your Heavenly Father? Continue to study God’s Word and put what you learn into practice. Change your behavior and become more sanctified to, and for, God.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved.