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2nd Thessalonians 2.14-3.end
October 4th 2020
Milk
END OF THESSALONIANS
So, we got through the first line of verse 13 last week where Paul said:
2nd Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation . . .
But we didn’t finish the verse where Paul adds that God had from the beginng chosen you to salvation . . . through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
And then where he adds (verse 14)
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to cover these lines before we go on and finish the chapter.
We established pretty firmly that God calls, God elects according to His purposes, and then Dave pointed something out that was pretty insightful, I thought, which was that God elected the Nation of Israel (let’s just say as a whole) but not all of the Nation of Israel were elect, and that God elected the Bride of Christ, but not all called were part of the Bride.
The insight simmered with me over the week because one, I see the insight as being true, and two, it removes the staunch idea of each and every individual “ELECTED” as a must, when the two lane highway of freewill is always in effect between God and Man.
In any case Paul adds:
Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
This line teaches us how we are chosen . . . “THROUGH the sanctification of the Spirit AND belief of the truth.
Again, this, to me, gives yet another nod of the Two lane highway as God sanctifies us, makes us holy and righteous by His Spirit but it occurs hand in hand with our decision to “believe the truth.”
For this reason we have so many scriptures that talk about the import of our believing, our choosing to believe, our willingness to believe and our belief.
The members of the chosen Nation of Israel we given the choice to believe, to walk in faith, to serve the Lord or not – some did, most did not.
The members of the bride were given the apostolic reminders to believe, many did, some did not, and such were pointed out as having fallen or walked from the faith.
So, election is there, and God’s willingness to sanctify by the Spirit is there, but the willingness to believe is always on our end – always.
He has elected, established, He will sanctify by His Spirit, we will choose to believe . . . or not. And . . . since faith comes by hearing the Word, we fortify our walk, our faith, our “will to believe” in doing what we are doing right here and now – reading and studying the Word by the Spirit.
Paul adds:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In other words, he made the gospel, as preached, the “means” of calling pwoplw to salvation.
This highlights the import of the Gospel preached. Again to reiterate, the Gospel, the Good News, is preached and believed (or not) and then the Bible is taught as a means to fortify faith and encourge.
The simple Gospel message – preached – and willingly received or not.
For years we have been teaching believers the Word here at CAMPUS – verse by verse – equipping you who hear insights that hopefully lend to the Christian life and walk.
You will not find many people walking in here and getting saved. That comes through the preaching of the Good News.
I was recently interviewed, thanks to Danny, on Radio Free Mormon, and the spirit of the interview led me to believe that I needed to share the essential Gospel message that led me, a sinner, to faith; a message I heard from Dr. Charles Stanley over the radio in 1997.
In any case, I recited the salvation story and how and why it happened, and in that retelling was the fresh eternal beauty of the Gospel Message – that Jesus came and lived in a way that I could not and would not and because of Him I could be right with God.
In the retelling, the high notes of the Gospel played for the first time in a long time in the ministry, and even though the tune is old, even ancient, you cannot get away from the power of the simple message – Jesus saves.
The irony that I was truly a Mormon who had become truly Free over the Radio was not lost on me.
So again verse 14, “Whereunto he called you (believers at Thessalonica) by our gospel (the Gospel Paul preached – and an important line), “to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
It’s a line the LDS will talk about in principle and it’s not too much spoken of in Christian circles, but the reality is this:
God the Father, with His only human Son overcoming sin and death, shared His Glory with Him at the resurrection and beyond – all of that glory, placing all things in His worthy hands.
And the Son, shares that glory with those who are His by faith, making Sons and Daughters “JOINT-HEIRS” with Christ.
Romans 8:17 says it folks, plainly:
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
I could talk all day about this passage and feel driven to push the message out now to as many as have come to faith as will hear:
God wants to make all believers heirs to all He has given to Christ.
I believe that this is the grand purpose of the creation, the Fall, the crucifixion, the death, resurrection, ascension, the Christian life and purpose of all that we endure as believers here on earth – so the faithful will enter into life eternal as scripture says, “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.”
I am astounded by the plan of love for all people instituted along the way, but I sort of feel an driving obligation to encourage and remind and nourish true sons and daughters of the eternal realities that await those who choose life, and light, and love while here.
And while I am not devastated by those who do not care, or those who turn from the plow and look back (as I know God loves and will care for them) I strongly suggest that the reality of glorification in His kingdom by God in becoming Joint Heirs with His Son will mean something incomprehensibly important to believers afterlife.
And I cannot help but believe that there will be regret in the souls of those who chose alternative paths.
So admittedly, I think there is great wisdom in choosing “the better way” toward things in life now. And the better way is often contrary to what the world constantly promotes as important, good, and necessary.
I have a person prejudice against all things that stand against “the better way,” against Him and His light, and see them as wholly inferior when weighed out relative to the promise of becoming an heir of God and Joint Heir with Christ.
I suppose that is it, isn’t it? That whatever approach to living here hinders becoming “an heir of God and a Joint-Heir with Christ” is mud and I want nothing to do with it.
And this is what I think Yeshua was talking about when he said “straight is the gate and narrow the way that leads to eternal life and broad is the way that leads to loss.”
Why settle? Why compromise? Why take the easy way, the short-cuts, the inferior path to authentic Christian living?
I see the temptations as real, and fall prey to them time and again, but the reality is:
“ . . . if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
God has Glory incomprehensible to the rest of all things in the Universe.
Christ was given all that incomprehensible Glory when overcoming sin and death.
And all true children, sons and daughters, are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ IF . . . they suffer with him.
That is why Paul says:
“Whereunto he called you by our gospel “to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
And so then he adds at verse 15
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
I have had Christians in this modern age cite this passage to me as justification for holding fast to the religious “traditions” passed down through the ages since Christ. You know, the old Ancient paths, right?
But Paul was telling these believers to hold up the precepts they had learned and in all likelihood he is talking about the things he (Paul) had taught them (because he says hold fast the traditions you have been taught) “whether by world or letter.”
Paul would never tell them to hold fast to the traditions passed down to them by Jewish or pagan fables and so the term tradition here is misleading.
“Teachings, truths, instructions” are all suitable synonyms for the word, “traditions” used here and using them would help avoid such misapplication of the verse.
“Cling to what we have taught you,” is what he is saying. And we know this, in part, from what he says in verse six of the next chapter, which we will get to shortly. So he ends the chapter with
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Again, I must point out Paul’s ever constant decision to describe God as the Father and Jesus Christ as the Lord. Over and over again.
And here he describes them as having given them, “everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,” which would “comfort their hearts and establish them in every good Word and Work.”
Which is a fantastic summary of what God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ hope to see from those who are theirs –
“Every good word and work.”
And this brings us to the last chapter of 2nd Thessalonians.
Now, I want to remind you the reason we have a second epistle to the church at Thessalonica – they had misunderstood Paul’s message in his first epistle about the second coming of the Lord.
As a result, they were responding to the first message, and/or to other messages, in an unfavorable manner. So this is the basis for the epistle: to correct the misunderstandings and set the record straight – so that the church-bride would continue to function.
Keep all of this in mind as we move forward into the last third of the letter beginning at verse 1 where Paul says
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
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.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
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.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Okay, so Paul begins with, “Finally brethren.”
1 . . . “pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
Pray for me Paul, and Silas, and Timothy who were engaged in labors at Corinth at this time. And “pray that the word of the Lord would have free course, that the sharing of the Gospel would not be inhibited by anything – in other words, that it could run free, “as it is with them,” he adds. (verse 2)
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
Pretty self-explanatory, but the interesting thing is the prayers of the Saints appear to have the power to hinder the evil works of intruders to the Gospel and this causes me to wonder about the prayers of believers.
I used to think that God can do what He wants but I wonder about that belief relative to his established free will, and so to me there is the notion that evil can reign (in certain things among us) and God may have his hands tied so to speak but perhaps by and through the freewill prayers of others, his hands are freed to act and thwart such, where without such, the evil may prevail. Something to think about.
In any case, Paul adds:
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
So, while men cannot be trusted, God is faithful to his promises and his purposes and can and will keep those who are His from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
Again, pretty self-explanatory.
5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
Here Paul returns to the subject of the Lord and His coming to them/then – let the Lord direct their hearts into the love of God and into the “patient waiting for Christ,” who promised to return and save them while bringing judgment upon their enemies.
He of course adds that their waiting be accompanied with patience because in the previous chapter he informed them that there would be no Second advent of Christ without the falling away first and the man of sin be revealed as the Son of Perdition.
At verse 6 he downshifts and slips into some advice (for this part of the bride) saying
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.
Notice that this is an apostolic command, given in the name of Jesus Christ.
Remember! The living apostles were guiding the bride and overseeing her as a means to keep her unspotted from the world, unblemished by sin, and holy before the Lord.
The Bride of God was originally the Nation of Israel – whom he is about to give a bill of divorcement – and this bride, unlike the whore of Babylon, which was Jerusalem, would fit the bill once and forever more.
As a means to keep her pure, they are commanded by Paul, in the name of Jesus Christ, to
“withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”
Here is the proof that the “traditions” spoken of in the previous chapter, were not what they received of old but from Paul, and they better mean teachings or instructions.
So remembering the purpose for the second epistle it seems that some had given up on maintaining the everyday requirements of life and were walking disorderly.
It is believed that this was because they thought Yeshua was coming immediately so they stopped laboring and started preying on others for food and money, becoming idle and busybodies. Hand in hand with such comes trouble like too much drinking, and all that comes with that.
So, as a means to keep the bride pure, Paul commands them to part ways with those who have abandoned the teachings that they had received on how to walk the Christian life from him.
Again, I maintain that IF Jesus is coming back in our future, then we are “doing” Christianity all wrong and we ought to be living out and acting out all of these apostolic directives too.
This would include a tightly, legalistically run ship, it would include policing the body for sin, excommunicating people for transgression, rigidly adhering to all the teachings the Apostles had written and the like.
And if someone is a futurist I wanna know why they are not attentive to all of these things in the faith described here in the New Testament.
I stress this because there if Jesus is coming to take us (his bride), she has to be holy, righteous, without spot and ready to go.
The apostles advice to part ways with those who walk contrary to their teachings are seen in a number of other places.
In Romans 16:17, Paul writes:
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
In 1st Corinthians 5:11he says
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
In 1st Thessalonians 4:11 he wrote
“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;”
In 1st Timothy 6:3-5 Paul said to Timothy
3 “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”
Today, the import of withdrawing from such souls in the faith is not as a means to keep the “body pure, undefiled and ready to be taken,” but to protect weaker individual believers who may not have the capacity to remain strong in their presence.
I mean its basic human stuff here – we often adopt the ways of those we hang out with. In Paul’s day, this was not possible for believers as a collective bride to be soiled, and in our day, the teaching is predicated on the individuals involved and the Spirit leading.
Bottom line, if your Kingdom is of God from the heart it gets pretty taxing to hang with those whose Kingdom is of this world. And most believers will automatically part ways with such because there is so little in common. It doesn’t require an apostolic edict.
The part I find unfortunate about these passages is when institutes of religion insist that the collective group still tells their congregates to part ways with believers who struggle with sin.
I don’t see this as a requirement for individual sanctification nor do I see a fornicator as a spiritual threat to a room full of seekers of truth who are in the Word.
In any case, people can always say that Paul commands this here to them/then and therefore it is a command to churches today. Have at it.
And at this point (verse 7) Paul says
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
“You know how you ought to imitate us for we behaved well in your presence and not disorderly.” And he adds:
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
This admission was important for Paul to make as there were those who were doing the opposite and he wanted to use his example of laboring with his own hands for his own keep as the way for them to live.
It’s a passage I use when talking to pastors who preach tithes to their congregates – if Paul chose to work so as to not burden the believers in his day, who are you to impose giving upon people in God’s name.
They never care. But Paul clarifies his position in this self-imposed work and adds:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
The power that Paul is speaking of here was the power to partake of church offerings to sustain himself.
Paul makes his argument for having this power (more clear) in 1st Corinthians 9 where he says:
1st Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, can not we? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
So, there are several points to giving and receiving here in the New Testament and I will summarize them here:
The freewill giving is never called a tithe (meaning ten percent) ever.
This is important.
Any giving must be from the heart and never by compulsion, guilt or threat.
Freewill giving is not imposed upon the poor – they are to benefit from the giving.
Those who work in the Gospel are permitted to live off the freewill donations.
But taking from freewill donations is not mandated – as Paul chose here to not take from the Saints but to instead live by His own means so as to not be brought under power of them and to make himself an example for them to follow.
For nearly 2000 years the material church has built itself around money. And what we have as a result is apparent that many of those five observances from the word have been ignored.
Paul then reminds them of a principle he once shared with them, saying:
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
Again, because of mentioning this here it seems that the practice of “idle living” had crept into the church and many suppose it was a result of poor eschatology.
So, he reminds them that he taught them that if any “would not work neither should they eat.”
This was a belief among the Jews as it was also included in the writing of Homer, Demosthenes, and Pythagoras.
Quite frankly it hearkens back to the Fall where God says in Genesis 3:19 to a fallen Adam
“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread.”
I have thoughts, long-forming, deep seated thoughts on work, pay, and giving, as I was once a stockbroker, once a communist (in theory), and now a pastor dealing with people who are often in the need of financial help.
In the end, I think there are an amalgamation of factors that lead to the way we might see labor and giving or not and bottom line – there are always exceptions to every rule. May the spirit guide.
But now to the point as Paul gives us more insight, adding (at verse 11):
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
We don’t know how Paul heard this, but he was privy to the facts that some were:
Walking disorderly
Working not at all
Were busybodies
We’ve already talked about being disorderly and working not at all but the Greek word transalated busybodies (per-ee-er-gad’-zom-ahee) means a “meddler.”
People who got lots of time on hand to meddle? And these are people who are not working and were walking disorderly.
Paul speaks of busybodies in his letter to Timothy, so there appears to have been issues with it in the Bride at Ephesus too.
So, he says, to those non-working, disorderly meddlers
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Again, Paul appeals to Christ Jesus in his exhortation and tells them to work and to stop eating off the bread or food of others.
And he adds:
13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
Don’t faint in the face of these troubles, carry on doing good in the world. Don’t be discouraged from doing good to those deserving of help in the face of these users and abusers. And he adds:
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.
Though some believe Paul is telling them to actually record the name of that person and to send the names to Him, it appears this just a phrase. Can’t really tell by the Greek. But in the end, “take note” – whether literal or mental, means have no company with him so that he will become ashamed and change his ways.
In that day and age, I am sure this would work on individuals caught up in being idle.
In our day, all the person would do is leave the church angrily, and seek out another to supply their every want, while calling the former church unloving.
The advice was to them/then – but may still have a place in our lives – may the spirit lead.
Finally, Paul adds some important words to this advice, saying:
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
In other words, do not see him as a foe to the faith but with love, admonish the brother or sister to redirect themselves and the path that they are on.
So important, even in this day and age, when dealing with difficulties and believers who get mislead in life. Our treatment of them, through love, is always to encourage change and to assist them kindly along the way.
Paul wraps the letter up with
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (The second [epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens.)
16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
The prince of Peace in this world is the only one who can impart peace, and so Paul appeals to Him on their behaf.
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
Here, Paul may have penned this or he could be referring to a scribe or emanuensis. Hard to tell. But this saluation was shared also in 1st Corinthians 16:21. And when he says that this “is the token in every epistle,” he is saying that this is the sign or proof that it came from him. Apparently there was some sort of identifiable mark that was well known to come from him in the original.
Lastly, he signs off with
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
And then we read, at least in the King James <
While the subscription to this epistle, says it was “written from Athens,” but there is stronger evidence that it was written from Corinth.
Subscriptions are often incorrect.
And this leaves us here in meat with Titus, Philemon, two very short letters, and Mark, the shortest of the Gospels.
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