United

Reading:  1 Corinthians 1:10-13
    
    After his brief introduction, Paul launches into the problems in the Corinthian church.  “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment”(1 Cor 1:10).  Jesus longs for unity among his people (John 17:21-26) and Paul urges the Corinthians to live out this divine desire by thinking in the same way.  “United in the same mind and the same judgment” does not mean that we agree on every issue, but that we have the same earnest desire to follow Jesus, not man.  

    “For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.  What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ’”(1 Cor 1:11-12).  The “quarreling” shows that these differences of opinion are significant and hold the potential to permanently divide the brothers.  It is hard to pinpoint precisely what “I follow Paul” and “I follow Apollos” imply, but the allegiance seems to go beyond a preference for one man’s preaching over another.  What may begin as preference easily slides into exclusive loyalty, wrecking the spirit of teamwork that should characterize all Christian service.  No man deserves such allegiance.  “Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”(1 Cor 1:13).  Only Jesus saves, so only Jesus should be followed.

     The applications here are manifold.  All Christians must remember that only Jesus was crucified for us and we were baptized in the name of Jesus.  This means that only Jesus deserves our spiritual loyalty.  Many denominations have begun--separating believers from one another--on the basis of one man’s interpretations and theological musings.  Modern American churches often center around a charismatic preacher who draws people to himself and his idiosyncratic way of presenting the gospel.  We still tend to gravitate toward people who like who and what we like.  All of these situations demand careful thought in light of God’s will “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”

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One Thing to Think About:   How am I contributing to unity—or division—right where I am?

One Thing to Pray For:  A sense of teamwork with other Christians
 

Blameless in the Day of Christ

Reading:  1 Corinthians 1:1-9
    
    Paul has deep concern for the Corinthian church and the series of problems among them, but we would not guess it from his warm words of introduction here.  Despite their flaws, he still sees them as “sanctified in Christ Jesus” and “called to be saints”(1 Cor 1:1).  He insists that “I give thanks to my God always for you”(1 Cor 1:4) for their acceptance of the gospel (1 Cor 1:6) and the way God has supplied them with all sorts of gifts (1 Cor 1:5, 7).  Even when they tax or disappoint us, our brethren are worth celebrating.

    Yet Paul also wants to direct the Corinthians’ attention away from themselves and toward the goodness of the God they trust.  “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge”(1 Cor 1:4-5).  God has given and given, again and again.  The Corinthians, as we will see, are overly focused on their own gifts and status; Paul turns their focus back to the giver of the gifts (see 1 Cor 4:7).  He is also confident that the God who has so richly blessed them “will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”(1 Cor 1:8-9).  “Sustain” here is the same word as “confirmed” in v. 6; just as the spiritual gifts they have confirm the gospel, so God himself will confirm that the Corinthians are his, all the way to the end when Jesus returns.  “God is faithful”; he will not fail them.

    Biblical authors often reason from how Jesus will find us when he returns:  pure and blameless (Phil 1:10), confident (1 John 4:17) or shrinking in shame (1 John 2:28).  Paul here assures the Corinthians that God is faithful to keep them “guiltless” or “blameless” in that day.  He is not saying that it doesn’t matter how they live (this letter will contain a lot that they need to urgently correct), but that God is fully capable to forgive and deliver those who remain tender to his word, willing to repent and obey him.  If we want to be found blameless, we put our trust in a faithful God rather than our own fickle works.

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One Thing to Think About:   How will Jesus find me when he returns?

One Thing to Pray For:  A deeper confidence in God’s goodness and faithfulness
 

Warn Him as a Brother

Reading:  2 Thessalonians 3:13-18
    
    Paul wants the Thessalonians to respond to the unruly, idle brothers among them by excluding them from the Christian community.  He wants them to “keep away from” such people (2 Thess 3:6) and not support them in their laziness (2 Thess 3:10) and to “take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed”(2 Thess 3:14).  We cannot sit idly by while disorderly people take advantage of others, spread discord in the church, and ruin our reputation in the community (see 1 Thess 4:12).  There is also the deeper problem that such people are repeatedly flouting express apostolic commands (1 Thess 4:11-12, 2 Thess 3:6, 12, 14); this is not a new problem in Thessalonica.  By keeping our distance from such people, there is hope that they will be “ashamed” of their behavior and prompted to change.  

    But there is a tone that is important when such steps are necessary.  “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother”(2 Thess 3:15).  This is not an action borne of anger or annoyance.  We do not recategorize them as enemies instead of friends.  We warn them like we would our brothers—with deep concern and strong love.  “Warn him as a brother” also indicates that Paul does not want us to refuse to talk to such people.  We care about our brother and want him to change and our speech should reflect that.  Meanwhile, in this climate of disappointment and challenging relationships, Paul wants them not to lose sight of their goal:  “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good”(2 Thess 3:13).

    Love must be tough.  When a brother or sister is consistently not living as they should, we may have to challenge them, correct them, or even remove ourselves from them.  Yet we are not simply trying to hurt them.  We are willing to have hard conversations, risk offending them, and patiently wait for change.  “Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.”

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One Thing to Think About:   Why does the tone with which we speak and act matter so much?

One Thing to Pray For:  That I not grow weary in doing good
 

The Christian Work Ethic

Reading:  2 Thessalonians 3:6-12
    
    Having encouraged the Thessalonians to “hold to the traditions” of the apostles (2 Thess 2:15), Paul now calls attention to a specific tradition some of them are ignoring.  “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”(2 Thess 3:6).  The word “idleness” contains the idea of disorderly or unruly living, not just laziness.  “For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies”(2 Thess 3:11).  With little to do and time on their hands, they spread one another’s business and cause disharmony within the Christian community.  Then they come to their Christian brothers and ask them to support them.  Paul stresses that while he was with them, he did not act this way.  “We were not idle…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”(2 Thess 3:7, 8).  They did not learn this lifestyle from the apostles.

    Paul is also concerned about how the other Christians are supporting them.  He wants them to “keep away” from such people (3:6) and stresses that “if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat”(2 Thess 3:10).  This last saying means that we should not feed and support those who refuse to take care of themselves.  This is not discussing injuries, tragedies, or downturns in the job market, but those who reject work and choose idleness.  As much as it might feel like a kindness to feed them, Paul insists that we are encouraging them in their unruly behavior.

    Laziness and idleness are no part of Christianity; it is “not in accord with the tradition that you have received.”  Christians have a strong work ethic.  We work to take care of ourselves and have something to give others.  We also understand that our laziness and irresponsibility often makes us a burden on others.  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”(Col 3:23).

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One Thing to Think About:   Am I a hard worker?

One Thing to Pray For:  God to bless my work so that I can provide for myself and others
 

The Speedy Word

Reading:  2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
    
    Paul begins to wind down his letter with a prayer request.  “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”(2 Thess 3:1-2).  He wants them to pray that the message about Jesus will “speed ahead”—the word means to run—and in its speeding, to find new receptive audiences like the Thessalonians.  He also asks their prayers for the potential encounters he will have with “wicked and evil men” who may attempt to restrain the spread of the gospel and harm its proclaimers.  Paul has had his run-ins with this type before—stoning him, jailing him, and conspiring against him.  “For not all have faith.”

    Yes, there are faithless people in the world, “but the Lord is faithful”(2 Thess 3:3).  Jesus will not treat us the way evil people do.  “He will establish you and guard you against the evil one”(2 Thess 3:3).  He consistently watches over us and answers our prayers for safe-keeping from Satan’s attacks.  Paul adds that just as he is confident in Jesus, so “we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command”(2 Thess 3:4).  Paul has a command that he is about to give (3:6, 12) and expresses his certainty that his words will be taken in the best way.

    I am intrigued by the idea that “the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored”(2 Thess 3:1).  Paul views the gospel as a dynamic force moving throughout the world.  It goes from place to place, setting people free and leaving pockets of new believers in its wake.  It goes with us, but it is not limited by us; it “speeds ahead” whether we do or not.  Glory goes to God as his word is “honored” by people who humbly receive it, offer themselves to Jesus, and begin to live differently.

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One Thing to Think About:   How have I seen that Jesus is faithful—even when people are faithless?

One Thing to Pray For:  That the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored