2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

Discipleship in an Undisciplined World

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Misinterpretation and misapplications of the truths of God’s Word can cause endless trouble. History records the foolishness of people who set dates, sold their possessions, and sat on mountains waiting for the Lord to return. Any teaching that encourages us to disobey another teaching is not Bible teaching.”

In chapter three of Second Thessalonians the apostle Paul deals with people who had lots of “time on their hands and gossip on their lips,” who defended their misapplication of God’s Word by arguing, “The Lord is coming soon!” 

J. Vernon McGee once said:

I have been simply amazed at some intelligent people who have sat in church, heard the gospel, rejected it, and then turned to the wildest cult imaginable. They will follow some individual who is absolutely a phony––not giving out the Word of God at all. Why? Because God says that is the way it is: When people reject the truth, they will believe a lie.

God is separating the sheep from the goats. God uses the best way in the world to do it. If people will not receive the love of the truth, then God sends them a “strong delusion,” that they should believe a lie.”

We can expect more of it in the days to come because most American churches have abandoned church discipline out of fear of lawsuits, or they don’t take sin seriously, or no depth of self-sacrificial love for one another, or the desire to avoid conflicts and turmoil or they just want to avoid the stigma of being called “legalistic,” or “fundamental.” But the real issue in our day is simply because the person who is disorderly has no commitment to the body of Christ and will move on and join another congregation and continue to act out their misbehavior when the truth gets too close to home. As a result what has happened to integrity, body life, meaningful discipleship and spiritual growth? Instead of confessing sin and repenting we get mad with the messenger if we do not like the message God places on his heart, pitch a temper tantrum and quickly move to another location so we can be in the comfort and ease of “no guilt” and “make me feel good preaching.”  Just don’t preach on my favorite sins or confront me with Biblical truth that makes me feel uncomfortable or I won’t come back. I want to be fed one-minute sermons and please no doctrine because it always divides.

In the first century church, as in many parts of the world, the body life and “dynamic of the Spirit was so real that exclusion could be genuinely redemptive action,” says Michael Homes. How tragic when that is missing in the modern church.

PAUL’S PRAYER REQUEST (3:1-2)

The apostle Paul had a humble dependence upon God to accomplish His eternal purposes in his life and in the lives those to whom he ministered. Paul believed that God was at work all about him and that He is constantly pursuing an intimate love relationship with His disciples. The apostle was constantly making adjustments in his daily life to the call of God upon his life. That humble dependence upon God is seen in his appeal for prayer in verse one.

“Finally, brethren, prayer for us . . .” Paul valued the prayers of other believers (Rom. 15:30; 2 Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:19-20; Phil. 1:19; Col. 4:3-4). The imperative “pray” is in the emphatic position. He doesn’t want them to just pray once in a great while, but “prayer continually.” It is in the present continuous tense. His appeal is for the believers at the church in Thessalonica “to continuing, prevailing prayer.”

The spread of the Gospel

It is not for general prayers, but specific prayer requests that Paul has in mind. Pray continually “that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly . . . “ (v. 1). The “word of the Lord” is the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The imagery is that of a strong man running in the Olympics. In the church in the Greek city of Thessalonica there were many who were speedily converted. The Word of God had “spread rapidly,” literally “run,” in Thessalonica. Now Paul asked them to pray that the Word of God would have a similar result of progressing swiftly and without hindrance in his present work at Corinth. Perhaps things were going slow at Corinth; it definitely was a troubled church. He had faced dismal failure according to church planters at Athens and had been compelled to leave at Beroea. There had been short, but good days at Thessalonica and Paul covets their prayer for the preaching of the Gospel and that it will be “glorified.”

That the Word of God will be glorified

Paul’s emphasis is on the message, not the messenger. His confidence is in God and His Word. What does he pray to be “glorified”? God’s message, and thus God Himself is to be honored, magnified and praised. We glorify the Word of God when we see it taking hold in people’s lives. We need to faithfully preach the Word of God and pray the Lord will bring men to believe in Him. It is critical that we as a body of believers pray for God to use the preaching and teaching of His Word. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Everything we do is in vain if God the Father is not drawing men unto Himself. Pray that His Word will be glorified. “Paul is not looking for a single striking manifestation of the word,” writes Leon Morris, “but for its continuous swift advance, and for its continual arousing of admiration.”

Paul is not ministering with confidence in human plans, promotions, programs or personalities, but in the power of the living God through His Spirit. He wants to see God’s Word preached in its fullness that it would be glorified. It is the message that transforms people.

Deliverance from his enemies

Another thing Paul asked the church to pray for was that he would be delivered from his enemies, “ . . . and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith” (v. 2). These enemies were probably the Judaizers who constantly dogged him everywhere he went (cf. Acts 18:12ff).

It is easy for us to forget that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare. All the powers of hell are arrayed against every believer. When you are involved in the kingdom of God you are fighting a spiritual war. You can never win such a battle alone. Paul asked for prayer. Paul told them, I cannot do it alone; I need your prayers. It is the privilege of every believer to go to God in prayer interceding for others. Pray for your pastor, for those who minister to you in the Word of God. Every believer has equal access to the throne of grace.

The word “perverse” is literally “improper,” and signifies “what is out of place.” As we shall see there were those individuals who were setting themselves up in opposition to Paul. They are “perverse and evil” because they have no faith or trust in the Lord. Their behavior simply reveals what they really are inside. We need divine deliverance in the spiritual warfare we face.

Paul is saying to these believers, don’t forget that I need your daily prayers, too.

PAUL’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S FAITHFULNESS (3:3-5)

Paul turns to the Lord’s faithfulness to His servants. “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” (v. 3). Everything depends upon the Lord in spiritual warfare and the spread of the Gospel. It is common for Paul to refer to God’s faithfulness in his letters (1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18). Our context has been speaking of God’s faithfulness in salvation, preservation, protection, the coming of Christ, etc. It is an ever-present reality. God is faithful. He has been faithful down through the ages to His people, and He is still faithful and we can depend upon Him to be faithful to us, as well. It is His character to be faithful. He wants what is best for His kingdom and His people. God will always do what He has promised to do.

The Lord is faithful to deliver them

It is interesting that Paul does not say that the Lord will deliver him, “But the concern of the pastor for his flock rises above any personal considerations. Paul speaks of what the Lord will do for them and not for what He will do for him . . . The faithfulness of the Lord means that His people will not be left to the mercy of any and every temptation that may assail them, but they will be settled in their faith” (Morris, NIC, 1 & 2 Epistles to Thessalonians, p. 247).

The Lord can be depended upon to “strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” The Lord will safeguard them.

Who is this “evil one”? Calvin wrote, “I prefer to interpret it of Satan, the head of all the wicked. For it were a small thing to be delivered from the cunning or violence of men, if the Lord did not protect us from all spiritual injury.”

Confidence in the Lord that the believers will remain true

Paul is setting the scene for verse six when he calls for discipline in the body. He wants them to obey his injunction and he begins by expressing his confidence in them. “We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command” (v. 4).  Remember, both of these letters are filled with appreciation and thanksgiving for the believers at Thessalonica. His confidence is in the faithfulness of the Lord. Moffatt translates, “we rely upon you in the Lord.” Paul is putting his trust in the Lord to work in their hearts to do the right thing. He is expecting the Lord to work in their lives to respond to the commands. Ultimately that is what every ministry of integrity must do. We are not to be field marshal generals, or manipulators, but to trust the Holy Spirit to change people’s hearts.

Paul often breaks out in prayer or doxology in his letters. Here he expresses a prayer in his heart, “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ” (v. 5). The word “Lord” is referring to Jesus Christ who is working in the whole inner life of the believer to effect changes. Paul’s confidence is focused on Christ. Patiently wait for the Lord. “Lord Jesus, will I see You today?” He is constantly pursuing an intimate love relationship with us every day of our lives.

Morris says, “In Paul’s writings ‘the love of God’ always seems to mean God’s love for man.” The primary idea is God’s love for us, and the secondary idea of our love to Him. If their lives are filled with God’s love then they will answer that loving appeal from Paul.

F. F. Bruce, “The writers pray that the risen Lord will lead their Thessalonian friends into a growing appreciation of God’s love for them (which will inevitably increase their love for him and for one another) and into a still greater participation in the steadfast endurance of Christ.”

John Walvoord reminds us, “The Lord is more interested in our hearts than He is in what we do, or what we give, or what we say. He wants most of all our love. If He has our love, everything else will fall in line. This is why Paul exhorts them, ‘Direct your hearts into the love of God.’” The emphasis thus far is on fellowship with those who are in obedience to the Word of God. We become like those with whom we associate.

PAUL’S PLEA FOR DISCIPLINE (3:6-15)

Paul’s brief exhortation in his first letter (4:11f; 5:14) had not done its work. He had urged the believers to admonish the unruly and undisciplined. It is now clear the disorderly folk had not obeyed Paul or heeded the admonishments of the church body. Now he addresses the issue clearly of disorderly conduct in vv. 6-13. He begins by stating a clear principle for everyone in the church. “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us” (v. 6). As Barclay notes, “Paul disliked the busybody intensely. There may be greater sins than gossip but there is none which does more damage in the church. A man [or woman] who is doing his own work with his whole strength will have enough to do without being maliciously interested in the affairs of others.”

This is the second longest section in the epistle; therefore let’s note its importance to Paul and the church. It should be as important to us, as well. “Paul is most anxious that these friends should come to their senses,” writes Morris. “It is noteworthy that he continues to treat them as friends.”

Paul now gets to his point. Paul doesn’t give them advice, or a sanctified whine. Paul is dead serious.  He commands them “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Responsible body life

What is his command? In verse six, “keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.” The church is to withhold intimate fellowship from those who are disrupting the body life. Obviously, Paul took, body life seriously. Fellowship is possible only when there is complete harmony in the body. We can disagree without being disagreeable. We must assume our responsibility for the life in the body. What is our attitude toward the body? What is our attitude when there is something going on that disrupts the fellowship, or quenches the Holy Spirit?

The brethren as a whole are responsible for the few who disrupt the fellowship. What a different cry from that we often hear today, “Let’s no offend so and so, or don’t’ hurt somebody’s feelings because they won’t come back.” Paul wasn’t offensive; he was tactful. He has been tender in his appeal, but he has not been irresponsible.

The issue is literally “walks disorderly” (v. 6; cf. 1 Thess. 5:14). The same people are involved in the disruption and the issue is busybodies. The problem is not that they had not been informed. They knew “the tradition which you received from us.” They had already received instruction on how their conduct was affecting the fellowship and witness of the church. They were choosing to be “undisciplined,” literally “out of order,” “out of rank.” They were acting like soldiers who were out of step or in disarray. It is the way they were conducting their lives. They were unwilling to change their behavior.

Moreover, Paul had been a role model for them when he was with them in Thessalonica.

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (vv. 7-10).

Paul didn’t live disorderly among them. His life had integrity. His life was a rebuke to their disorderly conduct. Perhaps the problem was enhanced by the Greek idea of labor being degrading and menial occupations were for slaves. Paul was going against the culture of these “free men.”  But the Gospel is always going against the culture of the world.

Verse eight helps us to grasp the situation because they weren’t out just for a free meal, but to “get a living” off the other believers. They were free loaders. Paul gladly accepted hospitable invitations, but he did not depend on others for his means of livelihood. He taught that our Lord ordained that preachers of the gospel might live from their preaching (1 Cor. 9:3-14). There is all the world difference between living to preach and preaching to live. I live to preach; it is my life, my love, but I do not preach to live. Some people have adopted the humanistic philosophy that the world owes them a living. The world does not owe us anything. We owe the world the message of grace and salvation.

I think we need to state clearly what Paul says in verse ten. “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat.” That was a simple method of getting folks to eat. If they didn’t have anything to eat they had to do something. An empty belly helps you get your priorities straight. Get busy, Paul says.

It is the refusal to work that is emphasized by Paul. He is not casting out the person who is unable to work. The question was unwillingness to work. We live in a day when people have learned how to beat the system. “The Christian should be a more conscientious workman than anyone else” (Barclay). 

In verse eleven Paul states the problem in the clearest terms.

For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

Paul is describing specific, observable behavior that is going on in the church. He is writing to correct known errors. Moffatt catches Paul’s play on words: “Busybodies instead of busy.” They were loafing and busy tending to other people’s business instead of working for a living. They were using the excuse that the Lord was coming so why bother themselves with work. It is not that they were just idle, but they were meddling in the affairs of other members of the church and the community. They were being busybodies instead of being busy in the right things.

The corrective behavior

What is the solution? It is found in the next verse. “Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.”

For those who minister to the disobedient here is a word of caution and encouragement. “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good” (v. 13). And you thought that the verse was for worn-out, burned out Sunday School teachers! Nothing will wear your nerves and spiritual stamina as trying to deal with the disorderly in a church. It will eat you alive spiritually.

What do you do when those who will not obey such admonition? Verses fourteen and fifteen are specific: “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” Is this discipline to be done with hostility, bitterness or as punishment?  No. It is done out of love with the view that restoration and reconciliation will take place in the disorderly person.

I think Galatians 6:1-5 should be kept in mind when trying to restore the fallen.

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.             But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.

The corrective behavior of the congregation was intended to bring him back into fellowship with the body. However, at the same time it was to be considered punishment because he has ignored the teaching of the apostle and must be disciplined. The purpose is that “he may be ashamed” in order to bring him to repentance. Paul’s prayer is the offender will see the results of his behavior on the body of Christ and change. Hopefully these individuals will not have the attitude, “Who are you to tell me what to do?”

Paul’s line of thought is consistent in that this offender is a brother in Christ. It is the rebuke of a friend to another friend, yet it is to be firm. 

Commenting on verses 13-15 Ray Stedman wrote in summary:

First, do not give up on them. That is because they really are brothers. Do not be impatient. Spend a little time working on this. That is what he is saying. "Do not be weary in well-doing."

Second, do not evade a confrontation: "note that man." Do not just hope that the problem will pass away and so do nothing about it. Take note of it.

Third, try to make him feel ashamed of himself. Everyone has a conscience, that little voice inside that protests when we do not fulfill what we were intended to do or be. We may not admit it, but we know inside us that there is something wrong. Therefore Scripture addresses its appeal always to the conscience, to the inner witness that will urge us to do it. Paul's advice is to make him feel ashamed of freeloading, of depending on others for food that he requires but is unwilling to do anything about himself.

And, fourth, do not carry it too far. Do not make him feel like an enemy. Do not make him feel that he is not even a Christian. He is a brother confused, and he needs help, but he is not an unbeliever.

Warren Wiersbe helps keep perspective: “There is a difference between acquaintanceship, friendship and fellowship; for fellowship means ‘to have in common.’ For obedient saints to treat disobedient Christians with the same friendship they show to other dedicated saints is to give approval to their sins.” 

It is rare in our day in the U. S. for Christians to have that kind of commitment to the body of Christ. Today, church members would just change churches to avoid such discipline and responsibility to the body. And in most cases the body would rather see them leave than assume their responsibility!

Harry Black said to me recently, “I think there is a special punishment before the judgment seat of Christ for the irresponsible church members who destroy the fellowship and ministry in the body of Christ.”  As Michael Homes says, “The impression left by Paul’s discussion here is that these reasons were fundamentally self-centered in their perspective. That is, the ‘disorderly’ seem to have focused primarily on their needs or desires rather than on the needs and concerns of the congregation.” It seems to always boil down to pure selfishness. It “stands in sharp contrast to a contemporary culture characterized by a narcissistic sense of individualism and an atrophied sense of social responsibility.”

PAUL’S CLOSING PRAYER (3:16-18)

 It is not uncommon in Paul’s letters to have a short prayer to close out his letter. He takes the pen from his amanuensis and scratches across the parchment words in his own handwriting so his readers will know that it is authentic (v. 17). I had a lady tell me recently while I was writing a check to pay for some tires, “Signatures are to be read, not seen.” The typical reaction is “You must be a doctor.” Paul had a distinguishing style of writing and he used it to authenticate his writings (Rom. 16:22; Gal. 6:11; 1 Cor. 16:21; Col. 4:18). It is his way of saying, “See, this is my handwriting. You will be able to recognize it as coming from me.”

Paul often, in his conclusion refers to “the God of peace.” Here he says “the Lord of peace Himself” referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a solemn reminder that the solutions to the problems in any given congregation are found in the Lord. Lightfoot said, “Without the help of the Lord all your efforts will be in vain.” How often we try to solve these kinds of inter personal relationships in our own power and efforts, rather than committing it to the Lord for His help.

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” (v. 16). Regardless of the circumstances may you experience an unchanging continually abiding peace that is produced by the Lord Jesus Christ. Although the circumstances do not promote peace we can retain our inner peace. We can be stabilizing factors instead of the cause of instability. How tragic when we become part of the problem rather than a part of the solution. Yes, Paul writes, even in these circumstances!

Thus, Paul brings to a close these words of encouragement to the congregation. Everyone in the church were included in his closing prayer” “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all” (v. 18).