2 Thessalonians 3:13-15
There is an age-old argument that has been used by the world against the church, and it goes something like this: “There are so many different churches and denominations; it’s obvious that they can’t all agree. How am I supposed to know which one is right and which one is wrong?” This observation would be unfair if Christians attended different churches but then seemed perfectly at ease with one another, but we all know that this is simply not the case. Though we are united under the same banner of Christ and Him crucified it is obvious that we don’t all agree.
In Paul’s closing statements to the church at Thessalonica, he encouraged the church not to be weary in well doing, knowing that it is easy to be weary when you look around and it seems that others are not sharing the load. He then gives very sound instruction, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15). Paul obviously tells us to have no company with some Christians, but what kind is he speaking of?
Within the context of the chapter, Paul is talking about some believers living off of the hard labor of others, refusing to work. This prompts Paul to write, “If any would not work, neither should he eat” (3:10). He states further that some are simply “busybodies” (Verse 11). If there are any readers of that epistle who refuse to work after that admonition, Paul said to “note that man, and have no company with him” (Verse 14). This separation should make the man ashamed of himself (Verse 14).
Paul knows the way that men are, and fears that this separation will cause some saints to count the lazy brother as an enemy, so he tells them not to consider him an enemy, but a brother. Notice that Paul refuses to call someone who disagrees with him or ignores his instructions, an enemy. Instead, he views him as a brother in need of admonition.
When we encounter other believers who do not agree with all of our doctrines and by-laws, why would we count them as anything other than a brother or sister? I spent many years believing that I was one of the few people left who were living and preaching the “true gospel”. This caused me to distance myself from many different beliefs and churches because I felt that they were not walking in total truth. There are many things that need confronted and that need avoided, and there are other things that we simply do not see eye to eye on; but how we treat one another speaks volumes to a world that is watching us.
Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ? If so, then you and I are family! We may not agree on water baptism, or speaking with other tongues, or the timing of the rapture, but we share the one common bond that makes us who we are: we are washed in the blood of the lamb. If your faith is independent of your works, then you and I will get along wonderfully! If your faith is tied to your performance, I do not count you as an enemy; but rather I hope that you will trust Christ completely and cease from performance based Christianity. Any admonition that I provide is not to make you a “brother”, it is because you already are. Let us find reason to rejoice in that knowledge.
There is an age-old argument that has been used by the world against the church, and it goes something like this: “There are so many different churches and denominations; it’s obvious that they can’t all agree. How am I supposed to know which one is right and which one is wrong?” This observation would be unfair if Christians attended different churches but then seemed perfectly at ease with one another, but we all know that this is simply not the case. Though we are united under the same banner of Christ and Him crucified it is obvious that we don’t all agree.
In Paul’s closing statements to the church at Thessalonica, he encouraged the church not to be weary in well doing, knowing that it is easy to be weary when you look around and it seems that others are not sharing the load. He then gives very sound instruction, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15). Paul obviously tells us to have no company with some Christians, but what kind is he speaking of?
Within the context of the chapter, Paul is talking about some believers living off of the hard labor of others, refusing to work. This prompts Paul to write, “If any would not work, neither should he eat” (3:10). He states further that some are simply “busybodies” (Verse 11). If there are any readers of that epistle who refuse to work after that admonition, Paul said to “note that man, and have no company with him” (Verse 14). This separation should make the man ashamed of himself (Verse 14).
Paul knows the way that men are, and fears that this separation will cause some saints to count the lazy brother as an enemy, so he tells them not to consider him an enemy, but a brother. Notice that Paul refuses to call someone who disagrees with him or ignores his instructions, an enemy. Instead, he views him as a brother in need of admonition.
When we encounter other believers who do not agree with all of our doctrines and by-laws, why would we count them as anything other than a brother or sister? I spent many years believing that I was one of the few people left who were living and preaching the “true gospel”. This caused me to distance myself from many different beliefs and churches because I felt that they were not walking in total truth. There are many things that need confronted and that need avoided, and there are other things that we simply do not see eye to eye on; but how we treat one another speaks volumes to a world that is watching us.
Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ? If so, then you and I are family! We may not agree on water baptism, or speaking with other tongues, or the timing of the rapture, but we share the one common bond that makes us who we are: we are washed in the blood of the lamb. If your faith is independent of your works, then you and I will get along wonderfully! If your faith is tied to your performance, I do not count you as an enemy; but rather I hope that you will trust Christ completely and cease from performance based Christianity. Any admonition that I provide is not to make you a “brother”, it is because you already are. Let us find reason to rejoice in that knowledge.
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