Note 5 at 1 Th. 4:3: People are always wanting to know what God's will is for their lives. Usually, they are looking for specific direction about their career, their marriage, or like things. But until we do God's general will revealed in scripture for us all, there is no reason to expect specific direction.

This verse gives us God's will for each one of our lives, which should keep us busy until the day we die. As we become faithful in walking out God's general will for our lives, which is revealed in scripture, then the Lord will give us more specific direction (see ref. j at this verse).

Note 6 at 1 Th. 4:3: The word "sanctification" means "separation to God, from evil things and ways" (W.E. Vine). There are two types of sanctification in the Christian life.

Firstly, our born-again spirit (see note 2 at Jn. 3:3, p. 92), is instantly sanctified the moment we make Jesus our Lord (see note 17 at Eph. 4:24, p. 1123). It remains this way regardless of fluctuations in our actions (Heb. 10:10). Therefore, the sanctification which has already taken place in our spirit is a constant which forms the basis for our relationship with the Lord.

Secondly, it is not enough to only be separated to God in our spirit. What has taken place in our spirit must manifest itself in our actions. This outward separation or sanctification is not a constant, and fluctuates according to what we focus our attention on.

So, we have already been sanctified in our born-again spirit, once and for all. But we are progressively reproducing that sanctification in our actions, day by day.

Note 7 at 1 Th. 4:3: In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul said to flee fornication, and in this verse he says it is God's will that we abstain from fornication. The only way we will successfully abstain from fornication is to flee from it. Those who flirt with sin will succumb to it. The only sure way to overcome temptation is to avoid it (see notes 14-15 at 1 Cor. 6:18, p. 888).