2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
Warning Against Idleness
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Benediction
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Following Christ means we pursue Him in willing obedience and with desire to please God. We are warned here not to be disorderly, deviating from the word of God. We are also not to make association with unbelieving sinners so frequent that we indulge in their behavior contrary to scripture. Such idle living apart from pursuing the things of God and Christ Himself lead to disorderly lives that echo the sin we have been snatched out of in our old lives of darkness apart from God. Those who follow sound biblical teaching should be our primary associations and deepest friends because we have the same goal to live for and the same Lord to please in the way we now live. We are not to live to take from others instead of working for our own sustenance as the warning here goes. No, we are to set the example by hard work and not to burden others to provide for us as many still do in the name of the Lord to our shame. We have been given these examples to follow that we may be well-pleasing to the Lord; as the saying goes, If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. Responsible living and not taking advantage of others is our call. Likewise, we are not to be gossips and busybodies who talk badly or even slanderously about others behind their backs, but speaking truthfully in love in front of them! Those who are caught doing so must be told to be quiet and work for their own sustenance instead of criticizing others and maligning them in the process. Those who are warned and continue in such sin are to be avoided until they come to their senses in Christ. These are not our enemies, but brethren who need shining for correction for their own good in love. The God of Peace Himself gives us peace as we willing follow in obedience in His grace and in true godly love to one another. Paul wrote with a heart of genuine concerned love as he pointes out in his signature written by himself and not by a scribe that the distance between him and the readers would be minimized. This grace of God is our example on how to live.
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