2 Thessalonians 3 ~ and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us

2 Thessalonians 3

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Benediction

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Politically correct Christian behavior. The Scriptures do not rest in one angle. Jesus sat with the woman in adultery.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

Matthew 9:12
But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."


How are we to relate all of this together? It's the same as turn the other cheek. Different situations call for different responses.

Jesus sat with the woman caught in adultery. We learn a lot from Scriptures with similar passages, which only seemingly, point away from each other.

We know Jesus chose to be born in a time period where Israel, the lands influenced and controlled by the Roman Empire were saturated with money. People working hard at trades and jobs, like selling purple to get ahead. Two people were in the adultery, one was shamed. This speaks to the time frame of Herod picking the priests and living with his brother's wife. When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, working with Moses in Numbers 25, saw a Midianite woman brought forth to be killed for worshiping Baal - who demanded infant sacrifice for prosperity - both the man and woman were killed. Jesus' story of the woman caught in adultery is also a sign of selective punishment from the Temple. The Essenes left Jerusalem saying the Temple had abandoned the Holy Spirit.

And we hear from Jesus, at Matthew the tax collector's party; He is calling sinners to repentance, in mercy.

Later, we hear from the same Holy Spirit asking us to mourn & an action removing sinners. This verse for idle ability to stir up trouble. We are encouraged in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Do not grow weary in doing good. This idleness creates trouble in opinions outside the Word of God. This is Gossip.

1 Corinthians 5:1 states there is sexual immorality among you. Surely today we tend to look the other way. Jesus encouraged the woman caught in adultery not to sin.

This is the same Holy Spirit. Jesus sitting with the woman to help her. Mercy over sacrifice. Yet not when sin becomes accepted as part of the Church. Jesus does not ask sin itself to become part of the congregation. We are never to abuse grace by saying this is all covered. Surely 2 Thessalonians 3 is not our favorite part and we remember the work ethic more than the way this starts out:

Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

We are told to have confidence in those working towards the LORD. Let us to remember to direct our hearts to love that Jesus Christ did give us. At the same time, not accepting sin. Joshua was told not to go to the right or the left. We are to be salt, light and find the balance He gives us.

Paul, I have been told in lean to the left Bible Studies, is too harsh and he is obviously clueless on meeting Jesus personally. Not so.

2 Corinthians 2 - in verses following:
For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you.

For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you.

so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.

so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Which seems important to stress this again:

that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.


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