Pauls Instruction for the Church
Paul's letter to Thessaloniki • Sermon • Submitted
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1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (NASB95) — 12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
This the church leadership, Namely Pastors Teachers and others who are diligently working to feed the flock.
The Local assembly of believers called the church is an institution. As with every institution it is governed by an authority. The primary purpose of the Church leadership is in the preparation of the Saints for good works. Those works grow out from the teaching of God’s word. It is also beholden to the Church leadership to protect the flock from wolves. Those who are plants of Satan to tear down and destroy an effective church.
οἶδα [eido, oida /i·do/] v = know, Consider
corrected translation But we request of you, Brethren, that you consider those who diligently work among you.
κοπιάω [kopiao /kop·ee·ah·o/] v
Hebrews 13:17 (NASB95) — 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
Remember that Satan will work through the wolves to get to the leadership. Once the authority breaks down in any institution then it fails to be an institution and begins to bread down.
The consideration for the Pastor and for the leadership of the Church is not for the sake of the men themselves but for the spiritual Health of the Church.
The very reason for the church cannot be fulfilled without its pastor who faithful studies and teaches.
1 Thessalonians 5:13 (NASB95) — Live in peace with one another.
εἰρηνεύω [eireneuo /i·rane·yoo·o/] v to live or be at peace
Namely this is the relationship with in the body of Christ. as it is that Order does not come out of Chaos and within the assembly while there is discord and conflict this is not good. Not on is the Christian himself herself that is set part holy unto God in spirit reflected in one’s conduct so must the Members of the church come together in a holy Assembly. Conflict within the body causes distraction from the word of God. Leaves the people with much more to think about after each meeting than what they learned.
This is why Church discipline Matthew 18 proceedings exist, It is a legal proceedings to maintain order within the local assembly of believers. It is there to maintain the peace within the body. A Church of a given size, such measures are not optional but a must, if that assembly is going to continue.
Genesis 13:5–8 (NASB95) — 5 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
WE have a God of Peace and order
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians that is the image of many Churches today was full of strife and conflict. Set up in cliques, faction, taking each other to court, getting drunk on communion wine, arguing about spiritual gifts. It was a mess
Paul writes
1 Corinthians 14:33 (NASB95) — 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
He goes on to speak about the women, that they should remain silent in Church. We might expound more about this but understand that it was Satan that worked through Eve to undermine her Husband and God’s plan. There is a Jezabel spirit where Satan is working through the vulnerable woman to undermine and tear down a growing church. It has been my experience that in every church there has been that one prominent woman that would be the instigator of 90% of the problems within the church.
This is not to say we do not respect and welcome the grace of the Ladies, but what the assembly cannot tolerate is the Jezebel spirit for that Spirit will plant and cultivate the seeds of dissension within the church through a woman and a feminine male.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NASB95) — 14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
παρακαλέω [parakaleo /par·ak·al·eh·o/] v to encourage to implore
3560 νουθετέω [noutheteo /noo·thet·eh·o/] v. From the same as 3559; TDNT 4:1019; TDNTA 636; GK 3805; Eight occurrences; AV translates as “warn” four times, and “admonish” four times. 1 to admonish, warn, exhort.
2 Thessalonians 3:6–7 (NASB95) — 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you,
2 Thessalonians 3:11 (NASB95) — 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
To tolerate that within the body, is to allow it to fester. And while our loving and compassionate welcoming and tolerating all in this culture if the unruly are not admonished and the longer it is allowed to tolerate the undisciplined the church is on its way out.
The weak refers to those who are struggling with sin.
Now a distinction has to be made between the one who is struggling with sin and the one who is surrendered to sin. Every given church has different levels of spiritual growth. Ours is not in the business of Judging others but in helping others.
These are the spiritually Sick
Romans 14:1 (NASB95) — 1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
1 Corinthians 8:7–11 (NASB95) — 7 However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
Romans 15:1–3 (NASB95) — 1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NASB95) — be patient with everyone.
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NASB95) — 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
μακροθυμέω [makrothumeo /mak·roth·oo·meh·o/] v. From 1b2 to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NASB95) — 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
Here is one of those instructions that we find often in God’s word. Don’t do this but do this.
First we do not repay evil for evil. The initial insult is a provocation. It is a lure that seeks for one to step out of the boundaries of fellowship.
1 John 1:5 1 John 1:5–7 (NASB95) — 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The light is our place of harmony, strength, fellowship. All growth in the spiritual life for individuals and the body is done within that framework. It is a place of invulnerability. You can’t be touched.
Trading evil for evil is stepping out of the boundies the light that we are to walking in to confront evil on our own terms which is participating in the evil.
There is the old adage. To wrestle with a pig in the mud you get both get dirty and the pig likes it.
One cannot meet the enemy on his own grown without leaving the sanctify of one’s own spiritual life.
Matthew 5:44–48 (NASB95) — 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Romans 12:17–21 (NASB95) — 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
1 Peter 3:9–12 (NASB95) — 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Matthew 5:9–12 (NASB95) — 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NASB95) —but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
18 ἀγαθός, ἀγαθοεργός [agathos /ag·ath·os/] adj Good of intrinsic value. That is the good which God seeks for all. It is the Lord that wishes none to perish the Agathos.
Our primary mission is to win others to Christ.
The ultimate good is to Share God and His Christ with others. If that means to show love in the midst of hostility, then so be it.
By maintaining our position in Christ, refusing to yield to the temptation to react to injury but to continue to responding to the word of the Lord under his authority we allow our enemy to let down his own guard in order that we might win another for the kingdom.
Now you might say that this is contradictory to the earlier statement when it comes to Church discipline. Matthew 18 ultimately expels the unrepentant.
It is not out of malice that such has taken place but for the well being as the church as a whole. Where Patience was exercised each step of the way seeking after the good for one another even for the unruly, there comes a time when its time when corrective action must be taken.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NASB95) — 16 Rejoice always;
χαίρω [chairo /khah·ee·ro/][1]1 to rejoice, be glad. 2 to rejoice exceedingly. 3 to be well, thrive. 4 in salutations, hail!. 5 at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute.
Like faith there is an object to rejoice over. There is no rejoicing for rejoicing sake. There is a forward view which is the very reason for that rejoicing. This is the brunt of the Sermon on the mount where the word blessed is Makarious = happy
It is the blessed state of the soul where a happiness a rejoicing is not depended upon one’s general state.
WE have all heard it in the past
“What is there to be happy about? what is there to rejoice about?”
Grace demands a response. And no better response is to rejoice.
We live in a time where events the world the forward motion of evil is threatening the very countenance of that which should be seen in the light of the Believer.
[1]Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.