Don’t Be Lazy in the Church - 2 Thessalonians

 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 (ESV)

Warning Against Idleness

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

The above passage is the crux of the enter letter Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica.   The members there had been lead to believe (by false teachers) that the return of Christ had already happened and Paul wanted them to be aware that it had not. But, also, that in waiting for His return we were not to become idle.  We were to be diligent in our work for the Kingdom of God.   In the above passage we have several things that we can hold on to:

Verse 6:  We are to stay away from others who want to choose idleness as their life style.   Note we are not only to refuse to join them we are to stay away from them. 

Verse 7 & 8: We are to follow Paul’s example of having a strong work ethic for the Kingdom while the Lord delays His return.  We are to WORK for the Kingdom, not just WAIT for the Kingdom. 

Verse 9: We are not to claim our “rights.”  This is such a great truth for today’s world.   Believers, today, are stuck in a world of “my rights.”   Paul was willing to lay his own rights down in order to demonstrate the character and lifestyle of a believer working and waiting for the return of Christ.  It is not our rights we should be fighting for. It is His way!

Verse 10:  Those that are not going to fight for the way of the truth and do the work for the truth should not benefit from provisions of the church.  That is a tough balance to strike.  The church is to help those in need.  But, those who refuse to work for the Kingdom are not to benefit from the Kingdom.   

Verse 11:   The failure to work for the Kingdom creates a character of laziness and gossiping.   This is the “talk, don’t walk the walk” group.   When we are not actively fighting for the mission of the church we will end up fighting agains the mission of the church.   

Verse 12:   We are to both COMMAND and ENCOURAGE those who are being idle.   There is an admonition portion of our ministry to them, as well as a consolation portion.  We are not to condemn.  We are to move them along in love and accountability.   

The return of Christ is imminent.  We are not to be idle.  We are to stay awake and work for that Kingdom:

Matthew 24:42 (ESV)

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.