SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 12/11/2014 8:50 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Love
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference:
2 Thessalonians 3:15
Message of the
verses: “15 Yet do not regard him as
an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
We are at the last verse from John MacArthur’s outline in
his next to last chapter in the book of 2 Thessalonians, and then we will have
only three more verses before we conclude these two wonderful letters that Paul
penned to the young church in Thessalonica.
I am thankful to the Lord for the things that I have learned from these
two letters, and now we will look at this last component that Paul speaks of as
he deals with those who were disobeying the Lord by refusing to work in order
to support themselves and their families.
I mentioned in yesterday’s SD, or perhaps the one before
that that I believed that this was the last step in the disciplinary process of
believers who continually sin and have no desire to repent, but this is only
the third step as the fourth step is that the congregation gives the person
over to Satan. Paul spoke of this in 1
Corinthians: “1Co 5:5 I have decided to
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” The case that Paul is speaking of here is
that a son was actually living with his father’s wife, his step-mother and
would not repent of it. The problem was
that the Corinthian’s were actually proud of the fact that they were tolerant
with this man’s sin. Even this final
step is done in love, and it is believed that this man finally did repent of
this sin and Paul had to write to them again and tell them to allow him back
into fellowship with them. Now we
believe that this is the same person that Paul is speaking of in 2
Corinthians. When the person was given
over to Satan Paul is not saying that this person would lose their salvation,
but that they would be in the place like an unbeliever and people were to treat
him as such, that is that they should be praying for him to repent of his sins.
In this third step Paul is saying not to treat this man
like and enemy, but love him and admonish him as a brother. This man had not yet been put out of the
fellowship like the man in 1 Corinthians.
I say this man but we don’t actually know how many Thessalonians were
involved in this discipline.
“John MacArthur writes:
“This point provides a much-needed balance to the discipline process,
noting that the motive for disciplining sinning believers is love. Galatians 6:1 gives the proper attitude for
those engaged in the discipline process:
‘Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are
spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to
yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.’”
MacArthur concludes the chapter writing these words: “Our culture’s work ethic has eroded, but the
biblical work ethic remains constant.
When Christians diligently pursue the vocation to which God has called
them, God is honored. Therefore, ‘All
who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of
all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against’
(1Tim. 6:1).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: When I look at
the different lists of sins that are mentioned in the NT in different places I
know that I will have problems with one or more of them, and perhaps not the
same ones as others and so I desire to have compassion for those who struggle
with different sins that I don’t struggle with even though I don’t struggle
with the same ones. A very long time ago
I was on picket duty with a fellow believer and he told me that if he were in a
room with millions of dollars in it that he would not be tempted to steal any
of it. However if he was in a room full
of women he would be strongly tempted to lust after them. He had no trouble with stealing, but lusting.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Colossians 3:2 “Set your mind on the things above, not on the
things that are on earth.”
Memory verses for the
week: 2 Peter 1:1-4.
1 Simon Peter, a
bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of
the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus
Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied
to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine
power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through
the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His
precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakes of
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Martha” (John 11:39).
Today’s Bible
question: “Where was Paul born?”
Answer in our next SD.
12/11/2014 9:30 AM
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