2 Thessalonians 3 | How Laziness Can Destroy Your Christian Witness

What does the Bible say about laziness?
What did Paul mean by "if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat"?
How should Christians handle idleness in the church?

In 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul addresses the issue of idleness, urging believers to maintain both spiritual and physical diligence. He uses his own example, reminding the church that even though he could have been supported by them, he chose to work hard to not be a burden. Paul stresses that those unwilling to work should not expect to be sustained by others, emphasizing the importance of taking personal responsibility.

The chapter serves as a strong reminder that being spiritually active should be accompanied by physical responsibility. Believers are called to care for themselves and others, living out their faith in practical ways. Paul highlights how spiritual discipline is closely tied to physical effort and warns against the dangers of laziness within the church. While compassion for those in need is important, a lifestyle of dependency without effort is discouraged. The idea of mutual support within the church is central, but it is rooted in active participation, both in work and in faith.

Paul also makes it clear that when someone refuses to contribute or heed instruction, they should be warned and distanced from the community, but not treated as enemies. This form of discipline is intended to encourage repentance and restoration, allowing the individual to return to the fold once they align with biblical teachings.

The final verses provide encouragement to believers, reminding them not to grow weary in doing good. Despite the difficulties they might face from those who disrupt the community through idleness, Paul reminds the church to persevere in righteousness. He closes the chapter with a personal touch, authenticating the letter with his own handwriting, and leaves the church with a blessing of peace and grace from Christ.

This chapter serves as a powerful call for personal responsibility, community integrity, and the importance of maintaining a diligent and active Christian life, both in spiritual and physical realms.

#HardWork #NoToLaziness #BiblicalDiscipline #SpiritualAndPhysicalWork #SecondThessalonians #WorkEthic #ChristianResponsibility #IdleNoMore #SupportTheChurch #BusyBody

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Transcript

 2 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 3

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to God's plan, your part year two, where this year we're reading through and studying the entire new Testament one chapter at a time. Thanks again for joining us in discovering God's plan and your part in it. Today, we are talking specifically about lazy. Christian. So if you are a lazy Christian, beware, I suppose, uh, I promise we'll be talking about it in context.

I do feel like it's a topic that we don't kick around very often or address directly very often. Uh, but Paul is not afraid to deal with this issue here in second Thessalonians, uh, chapter three. I guess my main question coming right off the bat is what kind of work. Is being addressed here because I think it can be a little bit of both because it's like there's spiritual work that needs to be done.

There's actual physical work that needs to be done and it seems like it could be addressing both and mixing the two. Like what is, what is the problem? I think we can easily use some con context clues if [00:01:00] that feels like elementary school. I think we can easily use some context clues to figure that out because um, to me it seems like when Paul's writing, the spiritual work is assumed.

Always. And the fact that he just assumes that everyone is doing the work of the gospel there, they are doing what they can to walk in Christ, um, that already lends itself to actual work. Uh, but then he also talks about not burdening others. Where is that at? Oh, sorry. I should have been ready. Um, because, because he said that we set, he set an example, um, if you look at, so verse seven, we'll start with for yourselves know how you ought to imitate us because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it.

But with toil and labor, we work night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you that like that is obviously not spiritual work because spiritual work was not generating an income for him at that time. Um, so, and also I. I suppose, keep in mind that, um, paid pastors was [00:02:00] not really a thing, though.

Paul also makes a point to say that it's, it is a, it is appropriate to pay a pastor. He's not against that, but he does have this pattern of when people are not able to pay him for the work of the gospel, he does other jobs. And it's clear here as he appeals to his own, um, Example that he was working hard for his specifically for his bread, for his meals to care for himself.

And he's telling the Thessalonian believers, like you, you need to work actually the, probably the most pointed thing he says, um, verse 10 for even if, even when we were with you, we would give you this command. If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. Um, I've actually, I've actually heard people quote that and say, that's not what the Bible, that's not in the Bible at all.

That's like an old school, Ben Franklin thing. It's like, well, it actually. Is in the Bible, uh, and it essentially does say, if you don't work, you don't eat. Um, so of course we are supposed to care for people again. We're trying to understand, uh, these passages within the context of the whole Bible. [00:03:00] Um, obviously we are supposed to care for widows and orphans.

We're supposed to take care of those who cannot currently take care of themselves. Um, but you do get the feeling that that period of time should end. End, and people should be able to sustain themselves and care for themselves. So we are not against caring for people that need help. We're not against distributing food to people who do not have their own food.

However, if that becomes a way of life and you're constantly coming to the church because you need your food, there is a problem and we should deal with that problem. I guess it just is like, it's also coming down to like don't be, I guess it's like a complacency thing. Like don't fall into. Laziness, just expecting people to take care of you because, I don't know, if, if you think of any, this might be tricky, any pastor that's just like, well, whatever, that'll, that'll get taken care of because that is an assumed thing sometimes.

Um. Like, I don't know, that to me just feels so wrong, [00:04:00] uh, when you're, or even I guess like missionary style work, like, you're depending on other people for sure, but like, people aren't supporting you to just go and like, sit around and not do anything, or, you know what I mean? So, and I think that goes far beyond too, what people can do for you and also what God is willing to do for you as well.

Like his, um, his provision, I'm sure like, God would love to see us actually like working for his kingdom and providing for us in miraculous, crazy ways. And not just being like, Oh yeah, just, just you go down to wherever you're going for missions work. And I'm just going to plop everything in your lap. You know what I mean?

Like there's the expectancy of I'm going for this mission period. That should be the first and foremost thing. Certainly God cares for us and God supernaturally provides for us. Um, I think what's going on here, and again, we can set it in context. Like we know. Um, from 1st and 2nd [00:05:00] Thessalonians that there were a group of believers, most likely who had assumed that Jesus had already returned or that they were like, or that his return was so imminent that like their lives, how they live their lives didn't matter.

And Paul's consistently telling them, like, don't be lazy. And I think that this is, I guess, because it's not. I don't know, culturally appropriate, or it's a little bit of a hot take, I suppose. We don't talk about laziness very often, um, but the, the early church actually did. So I, I would say that 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, I don't know if you would agree with this or not, but, uh, Jenny, 1st seems to have talked about laziness quite a bit.

Like it seems like it's being alluded to often and here it's explicitly being stated, like, don't be lazy. Um, and, and even in the early church, and I'm talking like, First, second, third century. Um, some of that early writings, like they, they took this very seriously. Um, they, they did not want to fall into sloth.

That is laziness. They did not want to become, [00:06:00] um, unproductive sitting around, assuming that people would support them. Um, if they were, if they were part of this believing community, uh, contributing to that community and also caring for themselves was a critical piece of who they are. And I think this has been lost a little bit on us because we, uh, Um, a lot of times don't understand or even know that the Bible teaches against laziness.

Um, but also because it like, it feels good to be constantly compassionate. Um, but it is not always actually that helpful to be constantly compassionate. So again, um, we don't want you to just not be compassionate, but also we don't want you to be foolishly and carelessly compassionate because people are supposed to work to support themselves.

And Uh, second Thessalonians chapter three is very clear about that. And I think again, my confusion is just like, where is the, it's like that seesaw balance of ones he talking about, like actual physical laziness and spiritual, I think he's talking about, and I think it probably is hand in hand because of what comes up in verse 11, when your eyes and mission are off [00:07:00] focus and you are being lazy in either physical or spiritual parts of being Within the body because you your focus is shifted and you begin Doing dumb things or getting caught up in sinful things the word they use here Is busy bodies which we'll hear also in Timothy as well first Timothy But in verse 11 it says for we hear that some among you walk in idleness not busy at work But busy bodies now, such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

So I guess there's like, there's consequences of it. And Paul is telling them go quietly. I don't, I don't even know what that's alluding to, but it's worth noting that in first Timothy five 13, Paul combines that word busy bodies with gossips. And that, that is where my mind goes because I've, I've had.

Like I've had work scenarios in my life, like [00:08:00] actually in a couple of different organizations where there's just a lot of drama going on and I will fully confess that there have been times in my life where I have been a busy body and a gossip. I've, I've actually learned from being disciplined for those situations, uh, not to be like that.

Um, it is easy to fall into, and it's very easy to fall into when you are being lazy, actually. And what's interesting, if, if somebody would have come to me and said, Hey Ryan, you're uh, you're being kind of lazy, like, do you want to get back to work? I, I probably would have been wildly offended, to be honest.

Um, and it, like, again, like, it's worth noting that Paul here is saying, like, hey, Don't be lazy. Um, because oftentimes when you are lazy, um, you become a busybody, you become a gossip and you create all kinds of sideways energy that draws attention away from the mission at hand. And you do get the feel from first and second Thessalonians that that is very much happening, um, that they are becoming susceptible to false teaching, believing things that aren't real.

Um, they are [00:09:00] becoming susceptible to becoming more Selfish believers expecting the church to care for them when they should be caring for themselves because they're very capable of caring for themselves. And I would say that I have been a part of that and seen that, and I can confirm that it is easy to fall into that.

And certainly it is a thing. And so I would say one of the things Jenny and I've been talking about this past, probably this past year is oftentimes physical disciplines, uh, affect spiritual disciplines. And I don't know that that was as clear to us as it has been in this past year. Um, but I got pregnant.

Yeah, we became less physically disciplined as we couldn't exercise as much. But, um, yeah, that's true. Maybe it's not fair to say we, uh, we could not motivate each other to get up early. How about that? Um, it's, it's interesting to me. How actually being physically disciplined and I would put laziness in that category actually has helped us to keep stronger spiritual disciplines and they are hand in hand.

And again, if you look [00:10:00] at some of the early church writings, um, sometimes in the Bible and sometimes in some of the early fathers, um, they actually cared very much about, um, like laziness and obesity, um, because they did clearly connect those things. You know, like a lack of physical discipline leads to a lack of spiritual discipline.

And I think that's what Paul is clearly teaching here. So essentially, yes, he's saying, don't be lazy. Your laziness is affecting your, your spiritual witness. And actually he advises that if somebody refuses to get to work, uh, that they should actually be removed from the church. If you look at it, I was talking about, if you look at, I'll pick it up.

It. As for you brothers, do not grow weary in doing good if anyone does not obey what we say in this letter referring to not being lazy. Take note of that person and have nothing to do with him that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, that is important, but warn him as a brother. So he is actually talking about like formal church discipline, essentially like ex communicating people, uh, [00:11:00] who refuse to get to work, which again, Feels like would be a pretty scandalous message in today's world.

Yeah, but at the same time, like if you, I think the enemy part is very important because if you excuse that person from your life. And just be like, hey, listen, like, I know you're not taking this seriously, and I need people around me that are taking this seriously. Because if you let that in, it's like a disease.

Right. Because it just slowly infiltrates. And so that one person, or that one part that says to make them, or that he may be ashamed, it's not like, Well, shame on you. It's like the Holy Spirit is prompting them like, Hey, you actually have a higher and more like righteous calling than what you're up to.

Yes. And that is for them and the Holy Spirit to like work through and hopefully make a change so that the body can continue to work together. The way that it's designed to, and I would add to that, frankly, um, we are called to care for other people. And if you are working so little that you cannot even care for yourself, how [00:12:00] would you even be getting the means to care for others on top of that?

So it, I think Paul is referring to like real. actual church discipline for this. I think it's clear that his intent was to enforce church discipline for this. Uh, but again, always with reconciliation in mind. So you're drawing attention to the problem. You're doing what you need to, to help that person address the problem.

And the hope is that the person would address that problem and come back into fellowship with the believers. So often this kind of church discipline gets a bad rap. Because people don't do it well, like they don't pursue reconciliation. They just do the cut and move on. Um, so here he's saying, Hey, like, I don't want to affect your witness, but you need to tighten these things up.

And again, specifically, don't be lazy, tighten it up, get to work, support yourself, care for the church. Be a positive witness. And again, Paul says, imitate me because apparently when Paul was there, he made a point of working very hard to support himself even while spreading the gospel [00:13:00] as an example, as an example, and he, he intentionally did that.

Um, so here we are rounding out first and second Thessalonians. Uh, it was a, you know, Interesting ride, I would say, uh, lots of, uh, the return of Christ kind of language, actually a lot of get to work kind of language, uh, so I think these are important letters. We don't hear about them very often, probably.

Uh, so it's been interesting to dig into them and I know I will be taking some things away from them and I've appreciated them. So we'll be back again tomorrow, uh, starting with first Timothy, uh, heading into some of the pastoral epistles. So, uh, Thanks for joining today's episode of God's Plan, Your Part.

As always, please consider partnering with us as we are a listener supported podcast that we hope to continue to grow with support from listeners just like you. We've made it super easy to partner with us, and you can support us by following the link in our show notes or our description. You can support us with as little as 3 a month.

Every little bit of this helps so much, and we're so [00:14:00] thankful for your support. With that in mind, we'll see you next time. Here's today's reading. Second Thessalonians chapter three. Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men for not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful.

He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. 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 receive from us.

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 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. It was not because we do [00:15:00] not have that right. But to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command. If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busy bodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

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. Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

The Lord be with you all. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine. It is the way I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of God's Plan, Your Part. Don't forget, you can find us [00:16:00] on just about every social media platform and YouTube.

Let us know what you thought of today's episode, and if you have any questions, go ahead and post them there. You can also reach out to us directly at GodsPlanYourPart at gmail. com. As always, If you don't have a Bible, or if you'd like to use the one that we use, uh, reach out to us via email and we'll be happy to send one to you.

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