The Responsibility of Christians: (chap.3):
Paul says that since the secret power of lawlessness is already at work and is keeping checked by the Holy Spirit, the situation is quite ambiguous. At this time, the role of the Christian is very important. Incidentally some of the believers at Thessalonica were seem abusing the doctrine of Christ’s return. So Paul gives special instructions to the church and to one and all.
Pray earnestly and wait upon the Lord: (3:1-5)
What a tremendous power the believer has in prayer! Although Satan is at work in the world, we can still pray to God and get answer from Him. The only way to counteract Satan’s lies is to share the truth of the Word of God. The Word is living and active and sharper than 2-edged sword (Heb. 4:12).
Paul also prayed that God’s servants might be delivered from wicked men. Wherever we take the Gospel, Satan will raise up unreasonable (perverse) and evil men to oppose us (Acts 18:1-12). These unbelievers oppose the Word itself and those who preach the Word! We cannot trust men, but we can trust our faithful God. So Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for 2-reasons:
- The message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured: In Paul’s first letter he uses the proclamation of the gospel to a trumpet blast or peal of thunder (1 Thess.1:8). But here he asked them to pray that the gospel may run well, run fast and that wherever it goes, it may a glorious reception. Here Paul is also referring to the evangelization of the Roman empire. After leaving Thessalonica and then Berea, he evangelized Athens, the intellectual capital of the empire. He is now in Corinth, its commercial capital and is experiencing some opposition to the Word. Now he is beginning to dream of evangelizing Rome, the empire’s administrative capital.
- His companions may be delivered from wicked and evil men: It is one thing to win friends who embrace gospel and another thing for the evangelists to be rescued from its enemies who oppose it.
God’s wonderful promise is always with us through (Isa. 55:10-11) “My word … will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Believers need to be patient when they pray and give out the Word. God is able to give us this patience as we grow in our love for Christ. The steward who became impatient as he waited for his Lord had trouble with his heart and obedience (Matt.24:42-51). Where there is love, there will be patience and hope.
Do not be idle but work for the Lord: (3:6-13):
Some of the believers in Thessalonica were misguided that since the coming of the Lord is imminent there is no point in working. So they left their jobs and became a burden to other believers. Down through the ages, many groups have made this same mistake. They have left the world, gone off to a mountain, and waited for the Lord to come back, only to return home embarrassed. How foolish people can be when they resist the clear teaching of the Word of God! Paul admonished the true believers to withdraw from these lazy Christians who were disobeying the Word, that the offenders might be ashamed and correct their foolish ways (3: 6, 14). He also pleaded that the believers must treat the offenders as brothers and sisters, not as enemies, but must not follow their sin.
He gave a stunning example from his life that while he was with them, he worked with his own hands and supported himself and his co-labourers (1 Thess. 2:9-12; Acts 20:33-35). He had repeatedly taught them to work faithfully as Christians and care for their own needs. “If any man does not work, he should not eat!” was the principle Paul followed. Of course, the church cared for those who had honest needs and could not work (Acts 6; 1 Tim 5:1); but the church is not obligated to help those who are able to work but who will not. Those who refuse to work become busybodies, they have time on their hands, and they interfere with other people’s business. This creates a bad testimony to the unsaved (Col. 4:5). The truth of the second coming of Christ ought to compel us to work harder and to be faithful to obey His Word. The believers must be role models to others so that when unbelievers see us, they must be encouraged to follow us and come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.