Pastor's Desire for Their People's Obedience to do What is Taught (2 Thess. 3:4)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/9/2014 9:00 AM

My Worship Time                Focus:  Pastor’s Desire Their People’s Obedience to What is Taught

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  2 Thessalonians 3:4

            Message of the verses:  “4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.”

            When we were studying 1 Thessalonians we saw a phrase where Paul would tell the Thessalonians to do something, and then affirm that they were doing it and then tell them to continue to do better in what he was teaching them.  Now we see in this third pastoral desire that Paul gives to the Thessaloians that they were to continue to do what was commanded of them from Paul’s teaching, and from whoever was teaching them at their church.  We have to do the same in our churches today, but we also are to be as the Bereans and that is to search the Scriptures in order to confirm that what is being taught is correct. 

            We can see from verse four that Paul had confidence in the Lord that they would continue doing what he was teaching them, and that is a good thing.  We know from reading these two letters that Paul had spent much time with them explaining many Biblical truths to them, including the doctrine of the end times, and now he has confidence that they will believe and live out what he taught them. 

            MacArthur concludes this short section with the following “Scripture is full up with such commands for obedience.  In fact, David described the entirety of God’s Word as a command:  ‘The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes’ (Ps. 19:8).   In the Great Commission, Jesus defined as commands the many things He taught, and He expected believers to obey them:  ‘Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you’ (Matt. 28:20).  Even the gospel contains the twofold command to repent and believe (Mark 1:15; cf. 6:12; Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 26:20).  Thus it is the duty of all believers, as it was for the church at Thessalonica, to obediently follow the divine commands (Scripture) their pastor gives them—whether he is present or absent (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1, 11; 13:2, 10; Phil. 2:12).”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I stated above we are to obey what our Pastor’s teach us as long as he is teaching the correct thing, and it is up to us to make sure that he is doing this.  When a believer is looking for a church to attend and to join he must make sure that he finds on that has a Pastor who is teaching truth from the Word of God, and by doing this he will same himself much grief in the long one.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am thankful that the church that I attend is teaching the truth, and thankful that God has led me to this church.

Memory verses for the week:  Colossians 3:10-11.

10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Balaam” (Numbers 22:38).

Today’s Bible question:  “Where did Hannah and her husband go to worship?”

Answer in our next SD.

11/9/2014 9:22 AM