1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
a. NLT: Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
b. NIV: May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
c. YLT: And the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ;
d. Amplified Bible Classic: And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
e. Worrell Translation: And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
f. Wuest Translation: Now, may the God of peace himself consecrate you, every part of each one of you, to His worship and service, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved in their entirety blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly…”
a. And [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]
b. the very [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]
c. God [Strong: 2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]
d. of peace [Strong: 1515 eirene i-ray'-nay probably from a primary verb eiro (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication, prosperity:--one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.]
e. sanctify [37 hagiazo hag-ee-ad'-zo from 40; to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:--hallow, be holy, sanctify.] [Thayer: to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow, to separate from profane things and dedicate to God, consecrate things to God, to purify, to cleanse externally, to purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin, to purify internally by renewing of the soul.]
f. you [Strong: 5209 humas hoo-mas' accusative case of 5210; you (as the objective of a verb or preposition):--ye, you (+ -ward), your (+ own).]
g. wholly [3651 holoteles hol-ot-el-ace' from 3650 and 5056; complete to the end, i.e. absolutely perfect:--wholly.] [Thayer: perfect, complete in all respects.][Zodhiates: all or the whole entirely.]
1). The sanctifying process is for the internal and the external, the whole man and woman, but it begins with the new birth, the born again experience. The inside must be cleansed first before the outside.
a). Matthew 23:25, 26 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
2). The cleansing of the inside makes possible the cleansing of the outward.
a). Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2. “...and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body…”
a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]
b. [I pray God] your [Strong: 5216 humon hoo-mone' genitive case of 5210; of (from or concerning) you:--ye, you, your (own, -selves).]
c. whole [Strong: 3648 holokleros hol'-ok'-lay-ros from 3650 and 2819; complete in every part, i.e. perfectly sound (in body):--entire, whole.]
d. spirit [Strong: 4151 pneuma pnyoo'-mah from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]
e. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]
f. soul [Strong: 5590 psuche psoo-khay' from 5594; breath, i.e. (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from 4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from 2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew 5315, 7307 and 2416):--heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you.]
g. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]
h. body [Strong: 4983 soma so'-mah from 4982; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively:--bodily, body, slave.]
1). Man is a three fold being. He is a spirit, he has a soul and he lives in a body. The soul and spirit are not the same because they can be divided:
a). Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit,…”
2). The heart is the spirit of man: this is a general rule in Scripture, it is not absolute.
a). Romans 2:29 “…circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit…”
3). Paul used the terms “I” and “my spirit” interchangeably:
a). 1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
b). The spirit is the real me.
4). Man’s Three Dimensions.
a). Spirit: The part of man which deals with the spiritual, the part of man that knows God.
(1) God is a Spirit.
(2) John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.
(3) Man is a spirit because we were created in the likeness and image of God.
(a) Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:…”
(b) Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him…”
(4) The inner man, the real me is my spirit.
(a) Ephesians 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the righes of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
(b) 2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
(5) The Bible says when we are born again we become new creations, our spirits are recreated by the Holy Ghost.
(a) 2 Corinthians 5:17 Amplified Bible. “Therefore if any person in [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!”
(b) Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
(c) regeneration (3824 * palinggenesia; palin-again; genesis-generation) Again birth; born again: John 3:3, 7.
(6) This is what Jesus meant in his discussion with Nicodemus in John 3.
(a) John 3:1-7 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
b). Soul: The dimension of man which deals in the mental, man’s intellect, the will and personality, our emotions, the part that reasons and thinks.
(1) The mind is the door to our spirits.
(a) 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
(2) James wrote in his epistle that the word of God can save our soul.
(a) James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
(b) James was not referring to our salvation at the born again experience, because our salvation is by grace through faith, it is not of works, Ephesians 2:8, 9.
(c) Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
(d) salvation (4991 * soteria) Scofield Reference Bible: “The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes…”
(3) James was referring to what Paul meant when he wrote of “the renewing of your mind”.
(a) Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,…”
(4) The “renewing of your mind” or “to save your soul” is only accomplished by doing the word, by being obedient to what it says to do. We are required to discipline our thought life, to bring our thoughts into harmony or agreement with what God’s word says.
(a) 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)
10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
(5) The most important aspect of a man’s soul is his free will.
(a) Matthew 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
(b) To deny myself in order to follow Christ, or to not deny myself in order to save my life is a product of my free will. It is the only part of my soul that I can lose.
(c) In Luke 16:23-31 the rich man that was cast into hell, still had all his mental abilities, including his memory. What he lost forever was his ability to choose. He no longer had a free will.
b). Body: The part of man that deals with the physical realm, the house we live in.
(1) 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
(2) We have the responsibility with the help of God, to bring our bodies into subjection to the word of God.
(a) 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
(b) Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
3. “…be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
a. be preserved [Strong: 5083 tereo tay-reh'-o from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to 2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from 5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from 2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively, to fulfil a command); by implication, to detain (in custody; figuratively, to maintain); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried):--hold fast, keep(- er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch.] [Thayer: to attend to carefully, take care of, to guard, metaphorically to keep one in the state in which he is, to observe, to reserve: to undergo something.]
1). Again I want to refresh you to the Hebrew and Greek ideas concerning salvation. The preservation that Paul was referring to in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is part of the salvation experience, it is part of our inheritance. Note what Scofield Reference Bible says of salvation: salvation (4991 * soteria): “The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing and soundness. Salvation is the great inclusive word of the Gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and processes…”
b. blameless [Strong: 274 amemptos am-emp'-toce adverb from 273; faultlessly:--blameless, unblamably.] [Zodhiates: Blameless; amemptos; from amemptos; a-negative; memphomai-to find fault.]
1). This same Greek word is used in a passage from Philippians that best illustrates a key component in the preservation process, obedience.
a). Philippians 2:12-15 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
b). In these verses we can see the obedience process. It is God that works within us the desire and the ability to do his good pleasure, then we do it without murmurings and disputing and the blamelessness follows. The murmurings and disputing all take place in the mind and thought life, the soulish part of man. This inward reasoning, secret debate, the doubting, the wrong deliberating is what will hinder or stop completely not only our obedience but also the preservation that God wants to complete in our relationship with Him. The battle begins in the mind, we must discipline our thoughts.
2). Steps To Development
a). Meditate God’s word: Joshua 1:8
b). Be doers of God’s word: James 1:22-25
3). In the content of this verse is the definite preview of the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is the will of God that when we stand before Christ Jesus, that we will be found blameless. The idea that all believers will breeze by the Judgement Seat of Christ is unscriptural. There is a day of reckoning for all believers, though all will enter heaven, some reckonings will be more painful than others.
a). 1 Corinthians 3:8-15
b). Romans 14:10-12
c). Colossians 3:25
d). 2 Corinthians 5:10
c. unto [Strong: 1722 en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]
d. the coming [Strong: 3952 parousia par-oo-see'-ah from the present participle of 3918; a being near, i.e. advent (often, return; specially, of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physically, aspect:--coming, presence.]
e. of our [Strong: 2257 hemon hay-mone' genitive case plural of 1473; of (or from) us:--our (company), us, we.]
f. Lord [Strong: 2962 kurios koo'-ree-os from kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- God, Lord, master, Sir.]
g. Jesus [Strong: 2424 Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]
h. Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]
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