2 Thessalonians 3:13-15

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.  If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.  Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

 

Sin can be a subtle enemy in the life of a believer, or it can be an overt rebellion.  We must constantly be on the alert to make sure our hearts are not being drawn away from the love of the Lord.  We must also be faithful to call other believers into a life of obedience.  We are members of the same body and should be faithful to hold one another to the high standard of Scripture.

 

PERSERVERE IN OBEDIENCE: Working with people is not an easy thing, especially those who are not walking in obedience.  Most people do not like to confront others who are being idle or disobedient.  Typically, these confrontations do not go as we hope.  A brother in Christ who has been disobedient will usually either not be aware of what he or she is doing or have already justified their sin in their own mind.  When we confront them, it is likely that they will not respond well.  This can result in hurt feelings, anger, resentment, retaliation, and/or broken relationships.  In short, it is exhausting.  However, it is the right thing to do.  No matter how difficult it might be, we must be zealous for purity of the body of Christ and the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is truly a demonstration of love to confront and counsel one another.   

 

PRACTICE CHURCH DISCIPLINE: When believers fail to obey the Word of God, we cannot simply ignore the problem in hopes that it will go away.  Paul mentions four aspects of church discipline in this passage: take note, avoid, shame, and warn.  I don’t see this as a sequential process like Jesus taught in Matthew 18.  Rather, I see these as being components of the process of discipline.  We must take note of the fact that a member of the body of Christ is walking in disobedience.  We cannot ignore it in hopes that it will resolve itself.  The implication is that we will confront the person and encourage them to walk in obedience.  If they fail to respond in repentance, we are to avoid them, or “have nothing to do” with them.  They are not to be invited to participate in the table fellowship with other believers.  It must be made clear to them that living in sin is not acceptable for a believer.  The hope is that this avoidance will make the ashamed of what they have done and lead them to repentance.  This kind of warning is not to be a harsh or judgmental process motivated by hatred.  It should be done with gentleness, kindness, firmness, and be motivated by love.  The goal of this process is repentance and restoration for the glory of God and the good of the entire body of Christ.  

 

APPLICATION: Be courageous and kind in confronting one another when we perceive that a fellow believer is walking in disobedience.  Even if they do not respond in a positive way or become angry, we must persist in this ministry.  Be open to the possibility that others may need to confront us and respond with repentance.  Love one another like brothers.