Obedient life
2 Th 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2 Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
Some purposely cause problems in the Internet chats, they think its cool. As society becomes more and more removed from God, they will make sport of us, mocking and causing problems to those of faith. They did it to Jesus, they will do it to us. We can hide in our church, but that is not what God commanded. We are to go into the world as lights of God's truth.
1 Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
1 Pet 3:16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
2 Cor 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Cor 13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
2 Cor 13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
2 Cor 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
2 Cor 13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.
What of those among us who refuse to learn and or obey God's word? Some are immature, some are worldly, some are proud. We are told to withdraw from them, to not accept their behavior. Perhaps they will be convicted by the Holy Spirit and be ashamed.
2 Th 3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
It has been said that Christians shoot their wounded, those who stumble or act in a bad way. We arenot to disown them, or attack them, for they are our brothers and sisters. We are to admonish them. We are to warn them and seek to get them to obey God's word. They may say, "you are judging." To judge would be to condemn them, or to say there is no hope. Where there is life there is hope. If a brother or sister belongs to Jesus, he will respond to words of correction. If they are not of God, God will root them out.
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
We are not the Lord, let him root out the tares in his time. If we become the judges, we do not know as the Lord. Be careful who you correct and go to him, not to another as a gossiper.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
2 Tim 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2 Tim 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2 Tim 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Salutation
2 Th 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
Jesus is the Lord of peace. Isaiah spoke several names describing the coming Messiah:
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
2 Th 3:17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
Paul had another do the writing of the letters that he spoke from, God's heart. At the end of the letter he would write a salutation with his name. From the epistle to the Galatians, we see that Paul wrote in large letters, which has led many to believe that he had poor eyesight, perhaps this was his "thorn in the flesh."
2 Cor 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2 Cor 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
My thoughts of this, were that when Paul spoke of "the messenger of Satan to buffet me," that it could have been a bad spirit tormenting him about things of the past or perhaps other weaknesses. My dear friends, look in your own life at the ways the devil brings discouragement and be as Paul, as he repeats the Lord's words:" My grace is sufficient."
1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2 Th 3:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
This concludes our study of 2 Thessalonians
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