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2 Thessalonians
The Problem: Idleness
The cause of the problem
As we may recall from our study in 1 Thess.
Paul did not accept payment for his ministry among them even though it was his right.
There were times that he did receive financial support.
It seems that Paul discerned that idleness was such a problem that he was concerned to set example.
False doctrine & teachers
apparently false teachers were teaching that Christ had already come.
They thought the the kingdom of God had come in its fullness and they were experiencing it.
They were experiencing persecutions, but perhaps they assumed they marked the beginning of the end.
b.
Their own inclination to sin
And if they thought the the beginning of the end had come, working and being productive was not as essential as it once was.
Bad theology can be used to justify what people want to do.
It’s not like the Thessalonians were unwilling to stope working.
So a combination of bad teaching and their own inclination to sin contributed to their idleness.
2. The Evolution of the problem
In the present
Paul wanted them to understand that Christ had not returned yet.
What’s important now is their relationship with God.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:16 (ESV)
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,
The facts that God chose them, loves them, saved them and grants to them good hope through grace all make clear they have a relationship with God, and this is what is important now.
b.
In the future
Christ will win
The lawless one will be destroyed.
We do not know who the lawless one is.
But we do know that he will oppose God and he will deceive.
Jesus will overthrow the man of lawlessness, but the man of lawlessness will come first.
All this to say, for the sake of this introduction, Paul’s point is that there will not be any mistaking the second coming of Christ and it has not happened yet.
Christ will judge
Paul also makes clear that when Christ does return, He will sit in judgement.
Christ will punish those who afflict His people and their punishment will be ultimately with everlasting destruction.
(see 1:9)
Christ will save
This includes anyone of us who have placed our trust in Christ.... Who have believed the testimony of the gospel.
This is what distinguishes Christ’s people from everyone else.
Not superior morality or virtue, it’s that we recognize our sinfulness before and we therefore trust God for what He has done for us in Christ.
God will gather His people to Himself (2:1) and grant them relief (1:7)
The Take-aways
A theology of work
We were made to work
The work of multiplying, filling, subduing, exercising dominion was work.
Harvesting the plants that God had provided was work.
And this work was good
b.
Work is not the result of the fall
God established that work is good in His act of creation.
Resting from the work that God has given us to do is also good, but this is not idleness or laziness.
2. A theology of living
stand firm in the word
This is what we do now.
We hold our position, and the position we are to hold is made clear in God’s word.
We do this until the Lord returns
3. A theology of waiting
a. know the truth while we wait
Paul’s frustration is seen in v. 5: Do you not remember…?
You were taught the truth.
Know the truth.
b. live faithfully while we wait
Titus
Author & Date
Authorship by the Apostle Paul is essentially uncontested
Written while the apostle ministered in Macedonia from either Corinth or Nicopolis
Titus most likely served with Paul during the 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys
All of this dates the epistle around 62-64 AD
The Need: Righteous Teachers & Right Teaching
The circumcision party were those who taught and believed that Jesus was the Messiah but also require that the Jewish laws be observed, including circumcision in order to be right with God.
Paul was concerned that Titus would:
“put what remained in order” comes from the greek term ortho which means to make straight that which is broken or crooked.
Again, this direction centered on the need for right leadership
The righteous teacher’s office
Paul left Titus on the island of Crete while doing missionary work to take care of the unfinished work of setting up the churches on there.
This word centered around the concern for godly leaders.
The characteristics of elders
b.
The number of elders
a plurality
every church should have a number of leaders who are recognized and respected as having outlined above.
2. The righteous teacher’s students
false teachers
clearly there were people in the churches of Crete who were problematic.
They taught error and as a result they lived error.
They are:
insubordinate
empty talkers
deceivers
teaching for shameful gain
denyers of God
detestable
disobedient
unfit for any good work
But notice what Paul tells Titus to do in v. 13: rebuke them. in other words, don’t just declare them to be wrong, and don’t just tell them they are wrong, but tell them why they are wrong.
And this is crucial also because of what can happen in the church
Paul was concerned that the spread of false doctrine would cause division in the churches.
And what Paul’s advice makes clear is that pastors (elders) can’t waste their time engaging in anything unprofitable and useless.
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