B. Church discipline 3:6-15

The false teaching that had entered the church had produced some inappropriate behavior in some. Paul wrote what to do about this situation to guide the Thessalonians in bringing their behavior as well as their belief back into conformity with God's will.

"As important as it is to identify the cause and nature of the problem behavior addressed in vv. 6-15, we should not ignore the fact that our passage both begins (v. 6) and ends (vv. 14-15) with exhortations, not to the idle but to the rest of the church. The admonition addressed directly to those Christians who were living improperly (v. 12) is, in fact, rather brief."⁶⁷

 1. General principles respecting disorderly conduct 3:6-10

3:6 Paul introduced the words that follow to help the readers realize that obedience was essential. This was a command given with the full authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. The faithful majority in the church were to separate, probably individually and socially, from the unruly to alert the offenders to the fact that their behavior was not acceptable. The desired result was that they would repent. Paul had earlier warned those who were idle (1 Thess. 5:14), but evidently they had not responded. Now firmer measures were necessary (cf. Matt. 18:15-17). The offenders constituted a minority who lived undisciplined lives contrary to the teaching and example of the missionaries.

"The tradition to which Paul refers has a twofold character, as vv. 7-12 indicate. In vv. 7-9 the apostle elaborates on his and his colleagues' example as a guide for responsible behavior for their converts. The introductory words of v. 7 reveal that his and his fellow missionaries' behavior was intended to have the normative character of a received tradition. In addition, as a matter of course, Paul issued ethical instruction to new converts in order to regulate their behavior as Christians. In v. 10 he cites the specific tradition involved with regard to work."⁶⁸

3:7-9 Evidently some in the church were not working to support themselves but were living off the charity of their brethren. In Thessalonica as elsewhere Paul and his companions sometimes supported themselves by "making tents"to give their converts an example of responsible Christian living (cf. 1 Cor. 9:3-14; 1 Tim. 5:18). They had the right to receive monetary support in payment for their spiritual ministry (Gal. 6:6), but they often gave up this right for the greater needs of their converts.

3:10 Paul reminded his readers of his well-known instruction that he frequently repeated when he was with them. If anyone refused to work, his brothers and sisters in Christ should not provide for him. The idle in this case were not unable to work but unwilling to work.

 2. Specific instructions concerning the idle 3:11-13

3:11 The teaching that Christ could return at any moment had led some of the believers into idleness. They had quit their jobs and were simply waiting for the Lord to return. This interpretation seems justified and is certainly consistent with life. Such deductions have led other Christians to do the same thing at various other times throughout church history. When people are not busy with their own work they may tend to meddle in the business of others. They may become busybodies rather than busy, neglecting their own business to mind other people's, minding everybody's business but their own.

3:12-13 Paul commanded the idle to settle down and to support themselves (cf. 1 Thess. 4:11). The obedient majority he counseled to endure this added affliction patiently and to continue doing right.

"With quietness,' emphatic by its forward position [in the Greek text], points to the quality of mind that is to be associated with their working. It denotes a condition of inward peace and tranquillity reflecting itself in outward calmness; it is the opposite of their fussy activity as busybodies."⁶⁹

"Exemplary conduct serves as a constant reprimand to wrongdoers and is an incentive for them to turn from their delinquency."⁷⁰

Why were these Thessalonians not working? The answer probably lies in the phrase "in quiet fashion."

"The root trouble apparently was their excitability. The thought of the nearness of the Parousia had thrown them into a flutter, and this had led to unwelcome consequences of which their idleness was the outstanding feature."⁷¹

This clause, "in quietness,"". . . is to be understood as the opposite of . . . the feverish excitement of mind stimulated by the belief that the Parousiawas at hand . . ."⁷²

"It seems apparent, then, that these idle Christians believed in the imminent coming of Christ; however, they had concluded wrongly that imminent' equals soon.' Thus, instead of believing that Christ couldcome soon, they were convinced that He definitely wouldcome soon, and work was therefore no longer necessary for them.

"Why did the Thessalonian Christians believe in the imminent coming of Christ? It must have been because they had been taught the imminent coming of Christ by a person whose authority they trusted. It would appear that Paul is the one who taught them the imminent coming of Christ. His negative reaction to their actions, however, implies that their wrong conduct was the result of a perversion of his teaching (cp. vv. 6, 10). Contrary to them, Paul did not equate imminent' with soon' and think, therefore, that work was unnecessary."⁷³

 3. Further discipline for the unrepentant 3:14-15

3:14 Failure to abandon the idle lifestyle after having received the further warnings in this epistle should result in increased ostracism (cf. Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9, 11; Titus 3:10-11). This discipline would embarrass the offender into changing his or her ways.

". . . allowing a believer to persist in blatantly unchristian, exploitive, and disruptive behavior is not a kindness--neither to the church nor to the errant believer nor to the watching non-Christian public."⁷⁴

Paul put social pressure to good use here. It is regrettable that in our day social pressure often has very little influence on erring brethren. Rather than submit to church discipline many Christians simply change churches. Strong measures may be necessary in some cases so the offender feels the need to repent and to live in harmony with the will of God.

3:15 However, Paul warned against overreacting. The church should always treat the offender as a brother, not an enemy. We warn brothers, but we denounce and condemn enemies. The aim of all church discipline must be repentance followed by restoration.⁷⁵

"The situation is different from that envisaged at Corinth, where someone who is called a brother' (ean tis adelphos onomazomenos. . .) lives and acts in such a way as to give the lie to his Christian profession; that person is to be treated as an unbeliever, with no entitlement to the privileges of Christian fellowship (1 Cor 5:11)."⁷⁶