“that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified” (1 Thessalonians 4:6).
We often associate the idea of “defrauding someone” with a person who engages in a dishonest or deceptive business practice. However, this passage tells us that illicit sexual activity also involves a type of fraud from a Biblical perspective. One commentary provides us with some valuable background information that helps explain this connection…
“The Greek word used here, pleonekteo, refers to taking advantage of someone, especially for financial or material gain. It is possible that Paul is concerned with believers taking advantage of one another in terms of finances. However, the context of the passages suggests that Paul is still addressing the issue of sexual immorality (vv. 2–5). In this case, he is urging believers to avoid taking advantage of each other in sexual matters. Such behavior not only would represent a moral failure, but also would damage the community of believers and its reputation within society.” (1)
While the obvious victims of this type of fraud are the marital partners of those who engage in such relationships, we should remember that such offenses are ultimately perpetrated against God. As we’re told in 1 Corinthians 6:13, “…The body is not to be used for sexual immorality, but to serve the Lord; and the Lord provides for the body” (GNT). While human legal systems judge the offenses that have been committed against other human beings (and then only imperfectly), God judges such violations with full clarity and complete objectivity.
This directs our attention back to something mentioned earlier in 1 Thessalonians 4:4: “…each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (NIV). A person who prayerfully seeks to develop this ability under the direction of the Holy Spirit is someone who is least likely to defraud another person in this area.
Finally, this passage reminds us that it is inappropriate to take sexual advantage of those who are physically or emotionally vulnerable. The problem is that it is virtually impossible to catalog every circumstance, situation, or environment that might potentially lead us to engage in this type of behavior. Therefore, we should prayerfully seek to recognize our own susceptibility in this area (as well as those of others) and seek to avoid those situations where our bodies and emotions are likely to eclipse our better judgment.
(1) Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (1 Th 4:6). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.