Relating to Our Fellow Man
I Thessalonians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsPaul here gives us some concise instruction for dealing with several specific classes of people.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Paul began this section with instruction to the church regarding their response to the Spiritual leaders God has placed in positions of authority in the church.
He continues now with instruction for relating to several other classes of people that we may come into contact with as we live out our lives in service to the Lord.
As we live our Christian lives within the context of the local church we will come into close contact with a wide variety of people and we must be prepared to respond to each in the way that God would have us to.
The instructions that Paul gives certainly apply to our relationships within the church, but they would also extend more broadly to all those that we come into contact with in our daily lives.
Notice the response required towards each class of people:
The Unruly- disorderly, undisciplined
The Unruly- disorderly, undisciplined
A person who is “unruly” has refused to submit to the god-given authority in their life. They have refused to discipline themselves and are thus living and life that lacks proper order. This is an individual who knows what the Word of God says but simply refuses to heed its counsel.
How should you and I respond to those who are unruly? We certainly do not berate them or deliberately make them to feel inferior.
Instead Paul instructs us to warn them. This is the same word that is translated admonish in verse 12. This word means that we are to instruct them and to advise them of the destructive consequences of their behavior.
This is not to be done in a mean-spirited attitude but gently in love. - in meekness instructing
We must never give our approval to sinful behavior, but there is a proper approach to dealing with those who are involved in it.
It is our responsibility to make sure that they are aware of the consequences of their actions and to instruct them regarding how they may gain victory over sin.
Teens enters the church listening to inappropriate music. What would be our response?
Paul gives this instruction for good reason. It is so that we do not destroy an opportunity for restoration and reconciliation. Our goal is not just to point out sin but to salvage the lives of those who are bound by it.
The Feebleminded- discouraged, timid, fainthearted
The Feebleminded- discouraged, timid, fainthearted
We will often cross paths with those who have become discouraged or disheartened. The Christian life is not a life of ease, but involves trials, difficulty, and sometimes strong opposition.
When we encounter those who have become discouraged how do we respond? We do not shame them or ridicule them for being discouraged!
Instead we should offer comfort and encouragement to them. All of us will experience times when our courage has faded and we will need someone to help us to recover our strength to continue to live for the Lord. - two better than one
We should never emulate the world’s mentality of kicking someone while they are down. Instead when we see someone struggling we should be a source of strength and encouragement.
Our brothers and sisters in Christ should know that if they come to us and share their heartaches or pain, that we will do our best to offer comfort and encouragement to them.
The Weak- those with limited ability, those without strength
The Weak- those with limited ability, those without strength
There will also be those among us who are weakened due to sickness, age, of physical disability. Paul instructs us to support them.
The word support here carries the connotation of devoting ourselves to helping those who are weak. This weakness may be physical or spiritual but either way we ought to be committed to providing support to those who are in such a condition.
When we come into contact with those who are weak in the faith it is our duty to support them until such a time as their faith can be strengthened.
We must never neglect those who are weak, be it physically or spiritually, because they need our help and support to a greater extent than those who are strong.
Conclusion
Always be patient- patience is to be extended to all men, not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are to be long-suffering, maintaining control of our spirit even in the presence of trying circumstances.
Never be vengeful- we are never to act out of vengeance. We do not repay wrong with wrong.
- love your enemies
Again this statement is broadly applied, not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ, but to all men.
Instead of returning negative treatment with the same, we are to exercise restraint and return good even to those who have treated us unfairly or unjustly. - do good to all men especially fellow beleivers