2Thess 3:6 Shun the Lazy Christian

[bcbsr]

Shun the Lazy Christian

2Thess 3:6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

Besides the issue of "Bad company corrupts good character." 1Cor 15:33, shunning the idle is a way of correcting their behavior. Too much toleration of idleness is not love; it is neither edifying to oneself nor to the idle. So in 1Thess 5:14 Paul wrote, "we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle." It is written that "If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks." Ecc 10:18 Let that not be the state of your local Christian fellowship. For applications of faith require diligence. Consider the parable of the Talents in which the lazy man simply hid his talent, burying it in the ground, rather than applying it. The master said of him, "you wicked, lazy servant!" Mt 25:26 So, "we do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." Heb 6:12

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

 

[SongOnTheWind]

Shalom.

I don't think idleness here means a general laziness in the physical, but rather a spiritual one which manifests itself in lack of right standing with God, a life compromised by sin rather than a life committed to God through Christ, and a conformity to this world and the lusts of the flesh over conformity to God and His kingdom.

We are all imperfect, but we strive to conform to the image of Christ. We work out our salvation in fear and trembling. It doesn't do us any good to be lazy and lax in other areas of our lives as well, but there's always aspects of life that we could all do better at, and stronger areas for some will be different in others.

Don't forget we also to be long suffering with others, and preferring each other too. But if someone isn't really bothered or burdened by the things which concern God, we certainly don't want to be influenced by such an attitude which diminishes our own walk with God.