2 Thessalonians Series: Being Faithful Workers (2 Thess 3:6-15)

Being Faithful Workers

But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

2 Thessalonians 3:6–15 (NET)

Why should we be faithful workers? In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, Paul addressed the third group troubling the Thessalonian church. In Chapter 1, he talked about those persecuting the Thessalonians and the judgment they would receive. In Chapter 2, he talked about the false teachers who had shaken the Thessalonians by teaching that Christ had already come or that they were in the tribulation period which precedes his coming. In Chapter 3, Paul addressed those who were living an “undisciplined life” (v. 6, 11) by not working and therefore mooching off the other church members who were working. He previously addressed the situation twice in his first letter. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, he indirectly addressed it by saying:

But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.

Then, in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, he more directly addressed it by saying: “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.” Apparently, his initial rebuke did not change their behavior, so he addressed the undisciplined who were not working more aggressively in this letter.

Paul did not share the reason for them not working; therefore, commentators have taken different views on this. (1) Some believe that they had adopted the Greek philosophy of work. Greeks believed manual labor should only be done by slaves and that people of higher status should work with their minds, including discussing politics and philosophy. In contrast to this, we must remember that God’s Son, Jesus, was a carpenter, the apostles were fishermen, and even Paul was a tentmaker. From a biblical worldview, all work has dignity.

(2) Others believe they had taken a Jewish philosophy of work. The Jewish view was better than the Greeks’, but the Jews failed in that they elevated spiritual work over secular work. To be a rabbi or teacher was the greatest calling. One Rabbi said this in his prayer, as quoted by John MacArthur:

I thank thee, O Lord, my God, that thou hast given me my lot with those who sit in the house of learning, and not with those who sit at the street corners; for I am early to work and they are early to work; I am early to work on the words of the Torah, and they are early to work on things of no moment. I weary myself, and they weary themselves; I weary myself and profit thereby, and they weary themselves to no profit. I run, and they run; I run towards the life of the age to come, and they run towards the pit of destruction.

Though better than the Greek philosophy of work, the ancient Jewish view still falls short of the biblical view. For believers, there is no separation between secular and spiritual work, as all work is meant to glorify God. In Colossians 3:23, Paul said this to slaves, “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people.” Also, 1 Corinthians 10:31 says this: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” All work has dignity and is meant to glorify God, including manual labor, studies, homemaking, management, and anything else we do.

(3) Instead of a wrong philosophy of work, other commentators believe the undisciplined were simply lazy and therefore were using others to support them. Many verses warn against slothfulness. Proverbs 12:24 says, “The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor.” Proverbs 19:15 says, “Laziness brings on a deep sleep, and the idle person will go hungry.” Proverbs 26:15 says, “The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.”

(4) With that said, most commentators believe that the undisciplined were affected by the false teaching in the church that Christ had already come or that he would come imminently. The undisciplined in the church may have even been the primary false teachers. They must have said to themselves, “Since Christ will come soon, why should we work? Shouldn’t we just preach the gospel and Christ’s coming and wait?” Therefore, they quit their jobs and probably devoted themselves to spiritual activities like studying the Bible, praying, and warning others of the eschaton. The difficult thing about serving God is we must, at all times, be prepared for Christ to come imminently (at any moment) and yet, at the same time, prepare for the future, as though he may not come in our lifetime. While the loafers in Thessalonica faulted by living only as though Christ could come imminently, most today fault by living only as though he will not come within our lifetime. It’s certainly possible the loafers were affected by all the negative things mentioned—a wrong philosophy on work, laziness, and false teaching about the end times—which caused them to neglect their duties, sponge off other church members, and even cause conflict in the church by meddling in others’ business (v. 11).

Wrong philosophies about work abound today as well. Commonly, people overly exalt work to the neglect of faith, family, and health. They may even boast about being workaholics! Others tolerate work and treat it as a necessary evil to provide for one’s needs. Others, like the loafers, hate work, skip out on it as much as possible, and have an unhealthy dependence on others—family, church, and/or government—to meet their needs.

As mentioned, this problem was already in the church in minute form when Paul founded the church. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Paul said, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: ‘If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.’” This means they were already struggling with being unfaithful workers before the full-blown false teaching entered the church (cf. 2 Thess 2:1-4). The false teaching probably only made it worse. Therefore, Paul aggressively challenged these loafers by commanding them to work and reminding them and those supporting them, that if anyone is not willing to work, they should not eat.

As we study 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, we learn principles about being faithful workers who please God. These are not exhaustive principles, but they are essential to being faithful workers. They will help us combat our tendencies to either idolize work, despise it, or neglect it altogether.

Big Question: In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, what principles about being faithful workers who please God can we learn?

To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Work as an Act of Obedience and Worship to God

But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us… Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.

2 Thessalonians 3:6, 12

In verse 6, when Paul said the undisciplined were living “not according to the tradition they received from us,” tradition was not referring to extra-biblical revelation. The word tradition literally means “something handed down.” He used the word in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, when he said, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions that we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.” When Paul said tradition, he referred to biblical teaching which was first taught orally and then eventually written by the apostles and their associates, as seen in the New Testament letters. We must remember that when Christ died, resurrected, and ascended to heaven, there was no New Testament. God empowered the disciples through the Spirit to continue Christ’s teachings and gave them new revelation. In John 14:26, Christ said this to the disciples: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” Eventually, the new revelation given to the apostles and their associates was written down in the New Testament we have today. Most people believe that 1 and 2 Thessalonians were two of the first New Testament letters written somewhere around AD 51-52. In fact, as mentioned, in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Paul previously had commanded them to work with their hands so they would not be in need. He said:

But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:12, since they did not listen to the previous command in 1 Thessalonians, he commanded them again to work quietly and provide for their own food. Therefore, by not working, the Thessalonians were sinning against God’s Word which calls God’s people to faithfully work.

Application Question: How does God teach believers to work throughout the rest of Scripture?

Through Scripture, God teaches us to work in many ways. First, Scripture teaches that people are made in the image of God who is a worker (Gen 1:27). He worked by creating the earth (Gen 1-2), and he works by daily sustaining it. Hebrews 1:3 says this about God the Son, “The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.” Also, God works by drawing people to himself to be saved, then sanctifying them, and one day he will resurrect them. John 6:44 says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” In addition, God works through Christ’s heavenly intercession for believers, which is used to complete God’s plans for them. Hebrews 7:23 says, “So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” God also works through Christ by creating an eternal place for believers to one day live. John 14:3 says, “And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too.” God is a worker, and man was made in his image to be like him.

It should also be remembered that God gave Adam work before the fall. In Genesis 1:28, God said to him: “Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” Also, Genesis 2:15 says: “The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it.” Work was not a result of sin. It was a way for humanity to demonstrate the image of God and glorify him through it. The fall created frustration and pain in our work (Gen 3:17-19), but that was never God’s original plan for our labor. It was meant to be a joy, a way to provide for ourselves and our families, and honor God. It should also be remembered that the fourth commandment to remember the sabbath day includes a command to work. Exodus 20:8-10 (ESV) says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” Most Bible versions translate verse 9 as a command (NIV, ESV, KJV, NASB). God expects people to work, and this is especially true of believers. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” God created us to work for him. There may be seasons where we do not need to work for money, such as throughout our studies or in retirement. However, that does not exclude us from our call to specific good works as a way to honor God and serve his people. With that said, God’s command for us to practice the sabbath (or the principle of sabbath) reminds us that God should be first before our work, as we take time to worship him and rest.

Again, in context, the undisciplined in the Thessalonian church were not working and therefore sponging off of other church members and causing conflict within them. Paul doesn’t mention the reasons for it because either way, they were invalid. God has called all of us to work. In fact, one day, when Christ returns, he will inspect our work. He will either say to us, “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23 NIV) and we will be rewarded, or we will be called “wicked, lazy servant” and we will be judged (Matt 25:26 NIV).

Application Question: What does the Bible say about the husband and wife’s role as far as working and providing for a family?

In considering the husband and wife’s role as far as working outside the home, Scripture gives us a wise pattern that should be duly considered and ideally followed as we build our homes. The pattern is that men should be the primary providers for the family and women assist with providing but have a special role in raising children and caring for the home. Certainly, this pattern is countercultural today; however, it is still pretty clear in Scripture. How do we see it? We see it in many ways: In Genesis 2, God told Adam to care for the garden and said that his wife would be his help-meet. In Genesis 3, when God cursed Adam, it had to do with his work, and with the woman, it had to do with her relationship to her husband and birthing children. The curse seems to focus on their primary roles, the husband providing for the family and the wife serving her husband and raising the children.

In addition, in Ephesians 5, Paul teaches that marriage is meant to picture how Christ loves the church. The husband is the head of the wife. He loves her and serves her sacrificially, even as Christ died for the church (Eph 5:25). Furthermore, as Christ provides for the church as his body, in caring for her and feeding her, husbands should do the same for their wives. Ephesians 5:19 says this: “For no one has ever hated his own body, but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church.” Therefore, when a husband does not take the leadership role in his home and work hard to provide for his wife and children, he is not following the biblical pattern and mars Christ’s image.

What about women, can they work outside the home? Certainly, as a help-meet, the wife will often need and want to work to help provide for the family. In fact, the Proverbs 31 wife, who is given in Scripture as a model of wisdom, is industrious. She buys a field with her own income and plants a vineyard with it (Prov 31:16). She also makes garments and belts and sells or trades them for a profit (Prov 31:24). She is a homemaker and a business-woman. With that said, Scripture emphasizes the woman’s homemaking role more than working outside the home. Titus 2:4-5 says this about how older women should train younger women in the church:

In this way they will train the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited.

Again, the older women should teach the younger to be “fulfilling their duties at home”; the NKJV and HCSB translates it “homemakers.” Consequently, as women consider their career aspirations, they should make sure it does not conflict with being a godly wife, raising righteous children (if God calls them to have children), and cultivating a home where their family can flourish. Scripture shows this as their focus, before work, and teaches the older women in the church to teach this (even if they struggled with this or it was not part of their culture). No doubt, the older, wiser women in the church will counsel young wives and their husbands to not forfeit their children for career aspirations and to not let the TV, the Internet, contemporary music, the child’s peers, teachers, or coaches be the primary influence on their kids lives. Parents should be. Certainly, those who have gone before us and excelled or made many mistakes have a lot to share when it comes to both parenting and marriage.

With husbands, in considering their call to be like Christ, they should not be lazy and therefore not provide for their families. In that case, again, they would mar Christ’s image. But also, they should not make work an idol that keeps them away from their family. In seeking to be like Christ, they should prioritize being present with their family and seeking to wash their wife and children with God’s Word through faithful church attendance and daily Bible reading. Ephesians 5:25-27 says this specifically about the husband’s spiritual focus in serving his wife:

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious—not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

When Paul challenged the undisciplined in the Thessalonian church, he said they were not following the traditions passed down to them (v. 6). Again, this is not referring to extra-biblical traditions. While with the Thessalonians, he taught them if they did not work, they should not eat (v. 10). In the first letter, he commanded them to work with their own hands, so they would not be in need (1 Thess 4:11-12). And, he repeats this command here in the second letter. Second Thessalonians 3:12 says, “Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.” No doubt, he also taught them how all of Scripture teaches us to work as an act of modeling and serving God. Our God is a worker, and he made us in his image to serve him. One day, he will return to check our labor to see if we have been faithful. He will then reward the faithful servants and punish the wicked, lazy ones. In Matthew 24:45-47, Christ said this:

Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions.

The reward for faithfully working on the earth for the Lord will be greater responsibility and more work in the coming kingdom. However, that work will be free from the curse—the burden and frustration that we deal with today.

Are we being faithful workers, as an act of obedience and worship to God? If so, God will reward us when he comes.

Application Question: Where on the spectrum do you tend to fall between idolizing work, tolerating it as a necessary evil, neglecting it, or treating it as an act of obedience and worship to God? What do you most enjoy about work and least enjoy about work? Practically, how can you better view and treat work as an act of obedience and worship to God?

To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Aim to Be Dynamic Examples and Witnesses at Work

For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

According to verses 7-8, while in Thessalonica, Paul did not accept any money from the Thessalonians as he preached the gospel to them and built them up in the faith. In Acts 17:5, before he was forced out of Thessalonica, we know that he stayed at a man named Jason’s house. Since Paul did not “eat anyone’s food without paying” (v. 8), that means he paid for both his food and probably housing. Paul appealed to the Thessalonians’ first-hand experience of his exemplary work ethic and responsibility as a missionary among them.

As an apostle and teacher of God’s Word, Paul had a right to be supported for his ministry just like pastors today. He taught this throughout his letters. In 1 Corinthians 9:13-14, he said:

Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings? In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel.

Also, in 1 Timothy 5:17, he said: “Elders who provide effective leadership must be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.” Double honor refers to respect and pay. We should respect pastors who faithfully preach and teach God’s Word to us and support them financially, so they can be free of the burden of earning a living through outside work and, instead, focus on ministering to us. Galatians 6:6 says, “Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it.” For this reason, we should give our tithes and offerings, both to support our pastors but also our missionaries serving abroad.

With that said, as mentioned previously, Paul did not accept money from the Thessalonians. Why? There are probably many reasons. While serving in Corinth, he also did not accept money. In 1 Corinthians 9:11-12, he said:

If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you? If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ.

With the Corinthians, he chose to not accept their money to not hinder the gospel message. In Corinth, and throughout the Roman world which was very religious since they worshiped many gods, there were always traveling preachers/teachers teaching foreign gods who heaped up a following, made money off those followers, and commonly took advantage of them. Most likely, Paul did not want to be associated with those religious hucksters; nor did he want people to think that his motive in ministry was greed. In 1 Thessalonians 2:5-6, he said this in defense of his ministry there: “For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness—nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others.” Likely, Paul did not accept money in Thessalonica, at least in part, for the same reason he did not accept it in Corinth—to not hinder the gospel by opening a door for accusers to attack his motives for ministry. In both Corinth and Thessalonica, Paul probably made tents to support himself (Acts 18:3) but also received money from outside churches who were supporting his missionary endeavors. In Thessalonica, Paul received money at least twice from Philippi. Philippians 4:16 says, “For even in Thessalonica on more than one occasion you sent something for my need.” Also, while in Corinth, Paul received money from probably both Philippi and Thessalonica. In 2 Corinthians 11:8-9, Paul said this in defense of his ministry to the Corinthians:

I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you! When I was with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia fully supplied my needs. I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.

Again, this reminds us of the importance of supporting missionaries. Even those who work to supply their own needs in a foreign country often need more support for their children’s education and certain types of community outreach.

With all that said, in context, Paul gave a different reason for not accepting money from the Thessalonians and that was to be an example to them of hard work. Again, in verses 7-9, he said:

For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.

Paul challenged them to “imitate” him twice in this section, in verses 7 and 9. The word “imitate” (mimeomai) in the Greek is the word we get the English word “mimic” from. Paul worked hard so they could have an example to mimic not only at church but in their daily lives. Probably, Paul could already discern a sense of entitlement in some of the Thessalonians, where they felt others should support them. Often when the gospel was preached in the ancient world (as in today), it was the poor who were attracted to it. That’s why Paul commonly addressed slaves in his letters (Eph 6:5-8, Col 3:22-25). It’s possible some of those who accepted the gospel were poor and homeless, not just because they couldn’t find labor but because they didn’t want to work. Consequently, this motivated him to give them a godly, dynamic example of working hard, as a witness to them, and to quiet any who might potentially accuse him of greed.

Likewise, we should be godly, dynamic examples of hard work in our families and workplaces. Parents teach their children hard work by modeling diligence at home, church, and the workplace. They teach their children how to have a proper balance in their work by prioritizing their faith and family, instead of idolizing it. With that said, outside of our home may at times be our greatest place of witness because of the amount of people we encounter. It is our mission field. Daniel was a godly, dynamic worker who helped lead Nebuchadnezzar to a profession of faith in the Jewish God (Dan 2:47, 4:27, 37). Joseph was a godly, dynamic worker as a slave, prisoner, and governor in Egypt. In every place, his light shined to others through his hard work, integrity, and boldness. Pharaoh said this about Joseph to his officials, “Can we find a man like Joseph, one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” (Gen 41:38). Likewise, we must be examples in our workplaces, demonstrating godly ethics like hard work, being on time, practicing integrity, humility whether in success or failure, and wisely sharing our faith at appropriate times. As we do this, we demonstrate our faith, even without words, to both unbelievers and believers. In Matthew 5:14-16, Christ said this, which no doubt applies to our work:

You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

As we faithfully work in education, business, government, or the home, we should seek to be an example and witness of the light that is in us, which comes from Christ.

Are we being an example and witness of our faith in our workplaces? When Christ said, “People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket” (Matt 5:15), he probably was metaphorically referring to work. Often people snuff out their light because of work. They don’t want to be perceived as religious, different from others, or skipped over for promotions, so they become quiet about their faith. Others snuff out their light in the workplace through their ungodly conversations, constant complaining, conflict with others, laziness, or lack of integrity. Instead of pushing people to Christ, they push them away from Christ. Instead of work being a place of missions where Christ’s light shines, it becomes a place of darkness, which pushes people away from God instead of toward him. While Paul was in Thessalonica, he worked to be an example and witness to the Thessalonians. Likewise, we should work, in part, to be an example and witness as well, to our families, churches, and those in our workplace.

Application Question: Who set the greatest example of hard work in your life that you desire to model and why? In what ways and why do believers commonly dim their light in the workplace? Why is it important for believers to be a godly example and witness in the workplace? How have you at times dimmed your light in the workplace? How is God calling you to be a better example and witness in the workplace for him and to others?

To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Recognize Our Responsibility to Provide for Ourselves and Others and to Not Be a Burden to Others

For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” … Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right.

2 Thessalonians 3:10, 12-13

When Paul said, “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat” (v. 10), it should be noted that this text should not be applied to those who are actively seeking a job but can’t find work. It also should not be applied to those who can’t work because of age or disability. Those who can work, should work and not live off the generosity of family, church, or government. Paul was focusing on individual responsibility. When God gives children to parents, it is their responsibility to train them, so they can be responsible family and church members, workers, and citizens. They should be trained socially, emotionally, spiritually, academically, and vocationally, so they can work and make an income to take care of themselves, their families, and others. When parents spoil their children, don’t give them responsibility, nor discipline them for unfaithfulness, they hinder their children’s development and ability to complete God’s plan for their lives. Without learning to be disciplined, handle responsibility, communicate with others, work through conflict, and respect those in leadership, their lives will be more difficult and less productive. Maybe, that is why some believers in Thessalonica were not responsible citizens and church members. Often the parenting we receive greatly affects our ability to be responsible later in life.

Whether the undisciplined had complacent or overly protective parents or not, it was still the adult children’s responsibility to work and provide for themselves. In Scripture, we have four levels of responsibility. (1) First, there is personal responsibility. This is what Paul referred to in this text. “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat” (v. 10). For able-bodied adults, an unwillingness to take personal responsibility delivers others from needing to support them.

(2) The second category is family responsibility. When counseling the church who was caring for widows in 1 Timothy 5:4 and 8, Paul said this:

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God … But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Parents should faithfully provide for their children, and one day, children should provide for their parents in old age. This doesn’t remove the responsibility of parents to provide for themselves. Parents should aim to be good stewards of their health and finances, so they can take care of themselves in retirement. However, when health or financial problems come, children should support their parents and grandparents, as a way of repaying them and honoring God.

(3) Third, there is church responsibility. As a spiritual family, we have a responsibility to care for one another. Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.” We should do good to all, but we should prioritize our spiritual family. First John 3:17 says it this way: “But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?” If we are true believers, God has put his love in us and that love should motivate us to love one another. Romans 5:5 says, “And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” If we are not loving other believers, then according to Scripture, we may not have experienced God’s love and therefore may not be saved. First John 3:14 says, “We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.” And Christ said this way in John 13:35: “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” We have a corporate responsibility to care for one another in the church. With that said, an individual and their family, have the first responsibility to care for one another. Again, when Paul was giving instructions in 1 Timothy 5 for caring for widows, he said the church should first make sure they are “truly in need,” meaning that they didn’t have family who could support them and that they weren’t living in sin (which might have brought God’s discipline). First Timothy 5:3-6 says,

Honor widows who are truly in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to fulfill their duty toward their own household and so repay their parents what is owed them. For this is what pleases God. But the widow who is truly in need, and completely on her own, has set her hope on God and continues in her pleas and prayers night and day. But the one who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

With the undisciplined in Thessalonica, if the members kept supporting them, then the Thessalonians would only be contributing to their laziness and sin. By experiencing the consequences of their sins, which would be not eating, that would motivate them to get a job and work. This is also at times true with adult children who are being lazy, not taking personal responsibility, and just living off their parents. As in the story of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32), often parents need to allow their irresponsible, older children to suffer the consequences of their decisions to help them grow up and become responsible. Again, the third category of responsibility is church responsibility. When a person is truly in need, including the individual and his family not being able to adequately support him, the church should help out when possible.

(4) The final area of responsibility is that of government. As we pay our taxes, which Scripture commends, the government commonly utilizes them to support the poor and those who have disabilities. Romans 13:6 says, “For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing.” With that said, some would argue Scripture never calls for government to support the poor or those with disabilities. Though it may not be explicit, Scripture clearly says the government is “God’s servant for your well-being” (Rom 13:4), which includes our ability and inability to provide for ourselves and others. If Scripture is not explicit enough about the government’s role in that area, it certainly teaches general principles about caring for those in need that should be applied first to individuals and then to government, as a collection of individuals. As mentioned, Proverbs 19:17 says, “The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.” Also, Proverbs 28:27 says, “The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.” Certainly, these directly apply to individuals as God call us to be gracious, but they also were given directly to a nation, the nation of Israel. God called for Israel to be gracious to the poor and the foreigners among them, who were often marginalized in other nations. Part of the tithe was to be given to the poor (Dt 14:28-29), and God called farmers to allow the poor to pluck from the sides of their fields. When they were harvesting, they were not allowed to go over the field twice, so the poor and the foreigners could get the leftovers (Lev 23:22). If they did this, God would bless them, the same promise that God gave to individuals in the Proverbs and other Scriptures.

Though we are not under the law, it still demonstrates principles about God’s character. He blesses people and communities who take care of the poor. Again, this doesn’t mean we should support those who are not willing to work, because suffering the consequences of their laziness is how they will learn. But we as individuals and as a community should support those who are poor or disabled but want to work. And when an individual, community, or nation does so, God blesses them. They are lending to God who has a special care for the poor (Prov 19:17, Jam 2:5). Again, Scripture commends giving taxes. In Mark 12:17, Christ said, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Government is the final level of responsibility in caring for the poor and disadvantaged. The first responsibility is that of the individual, then family, then church, and then government.

Supporting Others

As we consider the four different tiers of responsibility, we must remember that God has not only called us to care for ourselves but also others. In Acts 20:34-35, Paul said this to the Ephesians elders:

You yourselves know that these hands of mine provided for my needs and the needs of those who were with me. By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

As we give to the poor and needy, we not only follow Paul’s example but specifically Christ who cared both for the poor’s spiritual and physical needs.

When Paul told the believers in Thessalonica who were supporting the loafers to “not grow weary in doing what is right” (v. 13), he seemed to, in part, be encouraging them to continue to work hard and be generous in supporting those with genuine needs. Because of frustration with the loafers who were not responsible, the Thessalonians were probably tempted to harden their hearts towards those with genuine needs and cease to give to them. Many today have become that way from dealing with the poor and homeless in our societies, who at least seem to not be trying to work to provide for themselves. Again, Scripture calls us to demonstrate God’s love by caring for those in need who can’t take care of themselves. We should care for those who are lost by sharing the gospel with them. We should care for those who are struggling financially by lending a helping hand. Certainly, we do this by supporting helping organizations such as the church through tithes and offerings, other ministries that focus on caring for the poor, and the government through taxes, but we should also do this on a personal level, as God brings individuals with needs to us. We may not always be able to perfectly discern the person’s level of personal responsibility and if they have pursued other resources, like their family. In those cases, it’s probably better to prayerfully err on the side of generosity.

From a pragmatic standpoint, as far as being ready to help others financially, it’s wise for us to budget above our giving to the church to meet genuine needs that arise around us. In fact, in Ephesians 4:28, Paul said this to those in the church who previously used to steal: “The one who steals must steal no longer; instead he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.” To have something to give to the needy, we must budget above our expenses and church offerings, so we can be prepared for needs that arise—a friend, family, or church member with financial struggles, a student going on missions, or supporting an excellent outside ministry organization we are passionate about. If we are going to be God’s hands and feet to the needy, as the Thessalonians were aiming to do, we must plan for it and not become weary when those we help, need help again, struggle to get on their feet, or are not being responsible, like the loafers in Thessalonica. Either way, God has called us to be generous givers who seek opportunities to give and who do not become weary in doing so. In Luke 14:12-14, Christ said this:

When you host a dinner or a banquet, don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Also, Galatians 6:9-10 says, “So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.”

Are we being responsible by aiming to faithfully provide for ourselves and others and seeking to not be a burden to others? God blesses those who do. Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” God promises to bless those who not only provide for their personal needs but the needs of others, even as Christ sought to do when he came to the earth.

Application Question: Should people only give their tithes/offerings to the church? Why or why not? What is your view on the role of government in supporting the poor? Is it good, bad, or neutral? How can the government do it better? Should we give to homeless people who we cannot vet? Why or why not? How is God calling you to grow in generously helping others financially?

To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Stay Busy as a Protection from Various Temptations

For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.

2 Thessalonians 3:11-12

To make matters worse, the undisciplined were not just skipping work and mooching off the other church members, they were also falling into various sins (v. 11). Instead of being busy working for the Lord and making a living, they were busy “meddling in the work of others” (v. 11), which, no doubt, included gossiping, spreading rumors, false teaching, and misinformation. This is a reality of life. It’s been commonly said that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” If we are not busy thinking about the Lord, his will, and how we can best serve God and others, an idle mind will commonly become busy with negative thoughts, which lead to negative actions. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV) says it this way: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Essentially, Paul said if we are not living wise lives by using our time to know and do God’s will, we will fall into the evil of the day. We’ll be prone to fall into lust on the Internet, reading and spreading misinformation that causes conflict with others, depressive thoughts, getting drunk on the weekends, and falling into various other sins. If we are not aiming to know and do God’s will, we will tend to fall into various types of evil, including meddling in others’ business, like the loafers in Thessalonica were doing. In a sense, we have two options: (1) be busy about knowing and doing God’s will or (2) think about and eventually fall into the devil’s will (which is any time we’re not doing God’s will). An idle mind and body are the devil’s workshop.

Are we busy doing God’s will—including reading his Word, being involved in a Bible preaching church, using our gifts and skills to provide for ourselves and others (or preparing to do so)? If not, we will tend to fall into various sins. Certainly, what was happening in Thessalonica is happening throughout the world, especially with youth. When youth are not busy cultivating their mind, gifts, and abilities, they tend to fall into sexual sin, unruliness with their family and at school, breaking laws, stealing, and even gang violence. Many communities are being destroyed by youth who are not busy learning and doing God’s will for their lives. This is a special challenge to parents to make sure our kids are not having too much unstructured time (especially after-school and on vacations), which opens the door for them to fall into Satan’s trap. With that said, falling into the devil’s trap and becoming busybodies was apparently also a struggle for single widows in the early church. In 1 Timothy 5:13-15, Paul said this about them:

And besides that, going around from house to house they learn to be lazy, and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not. So I want younger women to marry, raise children, and manage a household, in order to give the adversary no opportunity to vilify us. For some have already wandered away to follow Satan.

Following Satan is something we are all vulnerable to when not appropriately using our free time or the time we should be working. In contrast with meddling with others and falling into various sins, Paul told the Thessalonians to “work quietly and so provide their own food to eat” (v. 12). “Work quietly” seems to mean minding one’s own business by faithfully serving one’s family and God and not being a burden to others or in conflict with them. When we are faithfully following God and doing the work he has called us to, we have less time for political, Hollywood, and local gossip or other sins people are getting into. We’re too busy and excited about what God has called us to. Consequently, we should learn to see work and serving others, as not only a way to serve God but also as a means of protecting ourselves from Satan and various temptations he desires to lead us into. We all need to be appropriately busy as a protection from the evil one.

Are we protecting ourselves from temptation by being busy at work, having structured free time, and redeeming all our time for God’s purposes? If not, Satan will try to use our time for his purposes, including developing addictions, spreading various types of gossip and misinformation, and fighting with and dividing people.

Application Question: How have you seen or experienced the saying, “An idle mind is a devil’s workshop”? How is the devil destroying many youth around the world through their unstructured and unproductive use of time? In what ways are you especially tempted when not using your time wisely or being appropriately busy? How is God calling you to better use your time or help others, including youth, use it in an edifying manner and as a protection from temptation?

To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Fear God’s Discipline

Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

2 Thessalonians 3:12-15

Interestingly, throughout this entire passage, there has been a military tone. In verse 12, the word “command” was used of an officer commanding a subordinate. It’s given in the name of “the Lord Jesus Christ” which makes it an especially authoritative command. Even the word “undisciplined” (or unruly) in verse 6 was used of a soldier that was out of rank or disorderly. God sees the church as not only a body and a family but also an army meant to fight off Satan, protect each other, and save people from eternal darkness. However, when somebody in an army is being disorderly and undisciplined, the other members, especially the leadership, will first admonition them, and if that does not work, they will discipline. Likewise, in verse 15, Paul said church members should admonish the undisciplined as a brother. If that did not work, according to verse 10, the Thessalonians should not feed them, so that their hunger might bring them to repent and seek employment. Along with that, in verse 14, he called the Thessalonians to not “associate closely” with the undisciplined. This meant they should not invite them over for dinner, hang out with them casually, and certainly not eat the Lord’s Supper with them. In those days, communion was part of a love feast. If they fed the loafers, it would condone their behavior instead of motivating them to turn from it. Through admonition (v. 15), not providing them with food (v. 10), and socially ostracizing the loafers (v. 14), the hope was that they would contemplate how bad their sin of not working and burdening other believers was, repent to God, and begin to work and provide for themselves.

Paul’s exhortation to the Thessalonians was one of the steps of church discipline, which Christ taught churches to practice. In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ said:

If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.

When a person is walking in sin, we should approach him one-on-one, not sharing his fault with others. The hope is after the private conversation, it will lead to his repentance or the resolving of some miscommunication or bad information. However, if he does not repent, we should approach the erring person with another church member to try to convince him to turn away from his sin. If he still doesn’t repent, it should be brought before the church. The church will then urge the person in error to repent as well. However, if the person doesn’t repent, the church should treat him as a Gentile or a tax collector. Essentially, tax collectors were considered traitors to the Jewish community. They typically were Jews who worked for the Roman government. Instead of only taxing according to the government regulation, they would charge exorbitant taxes to fatten their own pockets, which made it very difficult for poor Jews to make it financially. Therefore, tax collectors were shunned, as traitors and thieves. In addition, Jews also shunned Gentiles, more because of Jewish ethnic and spiritual pride. Christ was not endorsing how they treated tax collectors and Gentiles, but he was giving them an example of how to treat those in the church who would not repent. By separating from them and shunning them, the hope is that they will repent. Through the fourth and final step, the church was essentially recognizing the erring member as an unbeliever who was not a true follower of Christ. We become Christians by repenting of our sins and believing in Christ’s death and resurrection for our sins, which includes following him as our Lord and Savior. However, repentance and belief are not just one-time occurrences, they should continue throughout a believer’s life. Therefore, if a person stops believing in Christ as his Lord and Savior, he should be recognized as no longer a Christian (and having never been a true one; cf. 1 John 2:19) and therefore removed from church membership. The person is certainly welcome to visit and attend services as all unbelievers are, but membership is for those who believe and follow Christ. Likewise, if a person is no longer living a life of repentance, he has decided to follow his heart and pursue a homosexual relationship or commit adultery, instead of staying committed to his wife, that person should be repeatedly admonished and if he still doesn’t repent after repeated appeals, according to Christ in Matthew 18:15-17, he should removed from the church and shunned. By choosing to no longer live a life of repentance, which is proof of salvation, he is saying (by his actions) that he is no longer following Christ, and the church is called to recognize that and help him recognize it and, Lord willing, repent.

Because in verse 15, Paul implored the Thessalonians, “Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother,” many believe he was commanding them to inact the third step of church discipline and not the final one, which is excommunication. The Thessalonians should treat him as a brother in Christ, not a Gentile and tax collector—someone who was not a true believer. This reminds us that the process of church discipline should be done in a loving and gentle manner, like dealing with an erring family member, and not a harsh one, like dealing with an enemy. Galatians 6:1 says: “Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.” Many believers (and nonbelievers) have been pushed away from the few churches that practice church discipline because their practice of it was unnecessarily harsh and unforgiving. Again, church discipline should be done in a loving and gentle manner with the hope of repentance, instead of being rude and harsh with the hope of punishment. Church discipline should also be handled with humility, as we realize we could also stumble in that sin or other sins, as Galatians 6:1 warns. However, if the unrepentant continues to rebel and not respond to the church’s admonition and social ostracization (the third step of church discipline), then the unrepentant should be excommunicated from the church (the fourth step)—treated as not true believers and removed from church membership—so they might be “ashamed” and repent of their sins (v. 14).

When Paul calls for believers to “not grow weary in doing what is right” in verse 12, he may, in part, be referring to believers not growing weary in admonishing and challenging undisciplined believers to do right. It's a difficult ministry. One that is commonly avoided both by members and leaders of churches. However, when church discipline doesn’t happen, it blurs the line between the world and the church and destroys the purity and power of the church to be salt and light to the world. Eventually, churches just become cesspools of sin (just like the world, if not worse than). Paul said when sin is not corrected and disciplined, it spreads throughout the church and becomes accepted as normal and maybe even celebrated. It seems like that was happening in Corinth over sexual sin. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-7, Paul said:

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough—you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

The church had tolerated sexual immorality for so long, they were boasting about it (1 Cor 5:6). Like some churches today, they, no doubt, declared, “Sexual immorality, homosexuality, adultery, and even changing one’s gender is welcome as long as you profess to love Jesus! The only requirement is that you do not judge another’s relationship with Christ!” However, that’s exactly what Paul warned against. When he said, “Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough” (1 Cor 5:6), he was saying sin spreads, therefore, you must get rid of it. Christ died not so we could hold onto our sin, but so we could be forgiven for it, get rid of it, and pursue righteousness (1 Cor 5:7). Healthy churches practice loving discipline so they can honor God, protect the saints from corruption, and bring erring members back to God. Again, repentance and faith are the beginning of salvation, and they continue throughout a true believer’s life. Therefore, healthy churches help their members continue to believe and repent as they follow Christ. In line with this, in 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, Paul said:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.

Therefore, to be faithful workers, we must fear God’s discipline and be motivated to avoid it. When healthy churches discipline their members according to Scripture, they are just enacting God’s loving discipline. However, this discipline will continue even after the final step of church discipline, excommunication. Paul described excommunication this way in 1 Corinthians 5:4, “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” By being removed from the fellowship of God’s church, it opens the door for Satan to discipline the professing believer. Even as God initially disciplined him through the church, after excommunication, he will continue to be disciplined through Satan. Satan will be allowed to attack the erring believer in various ways, including possibly through his physical and mental health, relationships, and the experience of natural consequences of his sin. Satan desires to ultimately destroy the person, but God allows the extra suffering so that they might ultimately repent and be saved. Like the father allowing the prodigal son to enjoy sin, lose all his money, and eventually eat pig slop, so that he might come to his right mind and return home (Lk 15:11-32), God will allow the same by having an unrepentant believer removed from the church’s protection and experience demonic attacks. Again, if this person never repents of his lifestyle of rebellion, he may be proving that he was never truly saved in the first place and that he will ultimately experience God’s eternal judgment. To those who professed Christ but lived a lifestyle of sin in Matthew 7:23, Christ said this to them: “Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’” Their lifestyle of unrepentance, even though they attended and served the church, proved they were never truly born again. With that said, by the church disciplining those who live like unbelievers, they will have a chance to recognize they are not truly saved so they can repent before it’s too late. When the church doesn’t discipline, the unrepentant may only experience eternal judgment instead of the temporal church discipline which might have helped to save them.

Again, as we consider Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonians to discipline the loafers among them, we must be challenged to be faithful workers in light of it. Unfaithful workers will experience God’s discipline, temporarily and possibly eternally. Even the wicked, lazy servant in the Parable of the Talents ultimately was disciplined by God. In Matthew 25:30, the master (Christ) said this about that servant’s judgment: “And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This certainly refers to eternal judgment for those who profess faith but by their slothful and sinful lives prove they never were truly saved.

Are we faithful workers? If not, we must consider that God has given us gifts, talents, abilities, relationships, and a calling to use them for his glory, and one day, Christ will return to judge us, as his servants. Are we being faithful with our gifts and talents and diligently using them to build God’s kingdom whether at home, work, or church? Or are we being unfaithful with them? If so, judgment awaits unfaithful workers (whether temporal or eternal or both). To be faithful workers, we must fear God’s discipline, even when exacted through a secondary medium such as a parent, boss, church, or Satan. God uses temporal discipline for believers to keep them from his eternal judgment. First Corinthians 11:32 says, “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.” To be a faithful worker, we must fear the Lord’s discipline.

Application Question: Why do many churches not practice church discipline? How have you seen or experienced church discipline? What are healthy and unhealthy ways to practice church discipline? Why is it so important for church members to practice church discipline? What does the fact that Christ called the church members to enact church discipline and not the elders say about church government (Matt 18:15-17, Heb 13:17, 1 Tim 3:1-7)? How is God calling you to be more diligent in challenging your brothers and sisters in Christ to be holy or becoming holy yourself?

Conclusion

How can we be faithful workers? In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, Paul addressed the undisciplined who were not working and therefore sponging off the generosity of the other church members and causing conflict. Through Paul’s exhortation to the Thessalonians and the unruly members, we learn principles about being faithful workers, whether at home, church, or work.

1. To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Work as an Act of Obedience and Worship to God

2. To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Aim to Be Dynamic Examples and Witnesses at Work

3. To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Recognize Our Responsibility to Provide for Ourselves and Others and to Not Be a Burden to Others

4. To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Stay Busy as a Protection from Various Temptations

5. To Be Faithful Workers, We Must Fear God’s Discipline

Application Question: Which aspect of the text and study stood out most and why?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to give us wisdom and an anointing to be excellent in our work and opportunities to witness and glorify him.

• Pray for God to give us wisdom and discipline to use our time well—at work, with family, at church, and in our free time—to protect us from temptations from the evil one.

• Pray for God to bless those we work with at work, church, and in our family—for them to know God more and for God to bear much fruit through them

• Pray for God to give our church grace to lovingly care for one another, including challenging and encouraging each other to be righteous and supporting each other when in need.

• Pray for God to graciously provide for the needy among us and around the world by providing opportunities to work and meet their needs, delivering them from any hindrances to do that, including by providing physical and mental healing, and/or providing generous support through others, including family, church, and government.