Scripture Reading: 2 Thes. 3:6-18
In this message we shall consider 3:6-18. In 3:6-15 we have Paul’s word of correction of the disorderly walk, and in 3:16-18, we have Paul’s conclusion.
The concluding sections of this book surely sound like a word spoken to young believers. After speaking concerning profound matters in 2:13—3:5, Paul goes on to give a word concerning correction of the disorderly walk. In 3:6 he says, “Now we charge you, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition which you received from us.” A disorderly walk is not only according to the flesh (Rom. 8:4), but is also against the building up of the church life (1 Thes. 5:11; Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 10:23).
It may seem that walking disorderly is a small point. Nevertheless, it certainly is practical. I believe that the disorderliness in Thessalonica came from the misconception regarding the Lord’s coming back. Some believers thought that the Lord Jesus would be coming back soon, and therefore it was not necessary for them to work. Their concept may have been that as long as they had something to eat and could survive, that was adequate. Those who have such a concept become “superbelievers.” They go above the level of proper spirituality.
Several years ago, a number of the young people thought that as long as they loved the Lord Jesus and were living the church life, it was not necessary for them to have a higher education. They thought it was adequate to do some kind of simple work. I came to know the situation and realized that this concept is absolutely wrong. We live in an age when it is necessary to have an education. In order to live properly in this age, we need a good education. Without the right kind of education, it would not be easy for us to make a living. I gave a strong word to the young people encouraging them to complete college and, if possible, to go on to graduate school. Furthermore, I encouraged them to study subjects such as medicine or law. I am thankful that this word was widely accepted by the young people. During the years that followed, many completed their education. Now they can testify how much help they received from that word.
Do not think that as long as we are spiritual, seek the Lord, and are for the Lord’s testimony and recovery, there is no need for us to be prepared for work through good education. We live in an age of education, knowledge, science, and industry. If the young people do not have a proper education, it will be difficult for them to have a proper human living. Therefore, I encourage all the young people to gain a good education.
In verse 6 Paul charges the believers to keep away from any brother who walks disorderly. This indicates that Paul considers it a serious matter to walk disorderly, for this is a damage to the church life.
At this point I would like to say that it is better not to do anything with which the brothers would not agree. If you want to do a certain thing and the brothers do not feel good about it, you should hesitate and reconsider. The fellowship of the brothers is a protection and a safeguard. It will preserve you in the church life. Perhaps you think that you know more than the brothers. This may actually be the situation. Nevertheless, it is always safe to listen to the brothers. This is a good protection and safeguard.
Paul tells us not to keep company with one who is disorderly. If you keep company with such a one, you may encourage him to continue in his disorderly living. Staying away from him will serve as a warning to him. It will also help to keep you from making the same kind of mistake.
Walking disorderly is upsetting to the church life. If we would have a proper church life, we need to learn to walk in an orderly way and to stay away from anyone who walks disorderly.
In verses 7 through 9 Paul reminds the Thessalonians that, in the matter of orderly living, the apostles were a pattern to them: “For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat bread as a gift from anyone, but in labor and hardship we worked night and day that we might not be burdensome to any of you; not that we do not have the right, but that we might give ourselves to you as a pattern to imitate us.” The apostles were for the building up of the church in all things (2 Cor. 12:19). They were absolutely not disorderly among the believers, but were a pattern for the believers to imitate.
Because of the influence of the religious background, Christians often say, “We do not follow a man. We are following the Lord. You should not imitate any man. Instead, you need only to imitate the Lord.” In a sense, this is right. However, it is not easy to follow the Lord directly, since none of us has ever met Him physically. Some who insist on following only the Lord may reply, “We should study the four Gospels and see how the Lord Jesus walked. Then we shall be able to follow in His footsteps.” However, in many things related to our human living, there are not any footsteps of the Lord to follow. For example, He was never married. How, then, can you follow Him in your married life? We can follow Him indirectly by following other believers. There were practical reasons for Paul to charge the Corinthian believers to follow him as he followed the Lord (1 Cor. 11:1). Because Paul was an imitator of Christ, we should be imitators of Paul.
Of course, following another believer depends on the situation. Suppose an archbishop comes to us and tells us to follow him. We would have to say, “Dear archbishop, we cannot follow you or imitate you in being an archbishop.”
Many believers today are confused concerning whom to follow and whom not to follow, whom to imitate and whom not to imitate. But in the Lord’s recovery we have been enlightened through the Lord’s speaking. I would not encourage you to follow any particular person. Using Paul’s word, I would encourage you to follow “the tradition which you received from us” (2 Thes. 3:6). By tradition Paul means teachings and instructions, given verbally or in writing. We cannot deny that in the Lord’s recovery we have His speaking, teaching, and instruction. Although I would not ask you to imitate a particular person, I would urge you to pay heed to all of the speaking, teaching, and instruction you have received. These are the traditions from the Lord, and we should follow them. Because these traditions are free from the influence of the religious background, it is safe for anyone to follow them.
In this chapter, Paul encourages the believers not simply to follow his walk, but especially to follow his instructions, his teachings. This is to walk according to the tradition the believers received from the apostles.
Verses 7 and 8 indicate what it primarily means to walk disorderly. According to the context, to walk disorderly here is not to work and yet to still eat. If anyone does not work and yet eats, he walks disorderly. But because the apostles were not disorderly, they did not eat bread as a gift from anyone. Rather, they worked night and day in order not to be burdensome to the believers.
In verse 10 Paul goes on to say, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this charge, that if anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat.” It is disorderly not to work and yet to eat. However, a brother would be walking orderly if he did not work and also did not eat. It is not working and yet eating that causes one to be disorderly.
Verse 11 says, “For we hear of some walking among you disorderly, working at nothing, but busybodies.” They were busy but “working at nothing,” busy only with what was not their own business. Busybodies are nobody, and with them there is no Body of Christ. None of us should be busybodies. We all must learn to be busy, that is, to do our own work properly.
In verse 12 Paul continues, “Now such we charge and entreat in the Lord Jesus Christ, that working with quietness they may eat their own bread.” Here we see that we should work without gossiping and eat our own bread. Do not invite those who do not want to work to have dinner with you. As long as they are not willing to work, you should not invite them to eat with you. To invite them to eat free of charge is to show love for them in a way that is not proper.
In verses 13 through 15 Paul tells the believers not to lose heart doing good; not to associate with anyone who does not obey the apostle’s word in this letter; and to admonish him as a brother, not to count him as an enemy. The main point in this portion is that we all must learn to live in an orderly way. Let us walk orderly so that the brothers will agree with what we do.
Verse 16 says, “Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace continually in every way. The Lord be with you all.” To keep the charge in verses 12 through 15 is to have peace from the Lord in every way. As long as disorder exists in a certain church, there cannot be peace there. In the church life we need to be at peace in everything, in every way, and with everyone. For this, we need the Lord of peace to give us peace continually in every way.
In verses 17 and 18 Paul concludes, “The greeting is by my hand, Paul, which is a sign in every letter. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” It is only when the Lord is enjoyed by us as grace that we can keep the church life from any kind of misleading and disorderliness. Both to live a proper church life and to keep it in order, we need the enjoyment of the Lord as the supplying grace. Only by grace can we live a proper life for the church life.
We have emphasized the fact that the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians are on a holy life for the church life. In these Epistles the words holy, sanctification, and sanctified are used repeatedly. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3 Paul says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” It is God’s will that we be sanctified. In 1 Thessalonians 4:7 Paul goes on to say, “For God has not called us for uncleanness but in sanctification.” Then in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul expresses the desire that the God of peace would sanctify us wholly. Verses such as these indicate that 1 Thessalonians is concerned with the believers’ living a holy life.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:13 we are told that God has chosen us unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit. Here we see that salvation is carried out in sanctification. This means that to be sanctified is to experience God’s salvation in a practical way.
Both 1 and 2 Thessalonians are concerned with such a holy life, a life that is separated unto God and sanctified wholly by God and for God. This holy life is for the church life.
Some may wonder how we can prove from 1 and 2 Thessalonians that the holy life is for the church life. This can be proved by the fact that both of these Epistles are addressed to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This indicates that Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers on the subject of the holy life with the intention that they would live this kind of life for the church life.
The two Epistles to the Thessalonians also emphasize the basic structure of the Christian life, a structure composed of faith, love, and hope. Faith is the foundation, love is the building, and hope is the topstone. Again and again in these books, Paul speaks of faith, love, and hope. He encourages the believers to be established in these things. He also wants to foster their faith, love, and hope and to encourage the saints to grow in these things.
In order to experience the carrying out of salvation in sanctification and grow in the basic structure of the holy life for the church life, we need the eternal life as the eternal encouragement. We also need the Spirit as grace, and we need the grace itself. Therefore, it is by the eternal life as the eternal encouragement, by the Spirit as grace, and by grace itself as the processed Triune God that we live a holy life for the church life. This is the revelation in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
