Bible Study--Thessalonians

 

A1 Scriptures

B1 But concerning brotherly love you don't need that I write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. Indeed, you do this toward all the brothers who are in Macedonia, but we plead with you, brothers, to increase more and more. And be eager to be quiet, mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you may live honestly towards outsiders and that you may be financially dependent on no one. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, WEL) 

B2 "But concerning brotherly love, I do not have need to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, for indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to progress even more, and to aspire to live a quiet life, and to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you may live decently toward those outside, and may have need of nothing." (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, LEB)

A2 Outline

B1 Brotherly love

C1 Taught by God

C2 They are doing this

C3 They are encouraged to have more love

B2 Brotherly work

C1 Be quiet

C2 Be in your own business

C3 Be working with your hands

C4 So you can live honestly towards outsiders

C5 So you can live financially dependent on no one

A3 Notes

B1 Brotherly love

C1 The Greek word is philadelphía and means the love, concern, loyalty that would be found in brothers and sisters.

C2 See Romans 12:10 and Hebrews 13:10.

C3 Doing so is following the rule/command of Jesus Christ in John 13:34.

B2 Taught by God

C1 God is a teacher, if we are willing to learn.

C2 Jesus spent most of His ministry teaching.

C3 Consider

D1 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him. " (James 1:5, EMTV)

D2 "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; " (Proverbs 2:6, NKJV)

D3 "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. " (Matthew 9:35, NKJV)

C4 Most of what we need to know, God has already placed it in a book--the Bible. For Christians the teaching is in the New Testament mainly with principles and examples from the Old Testament. So we need to read and study the Bible every day.

B3 "...you do...increase..."

C1 We do this by being aware and acting upon our brothers.

C2 Taking the high road of assuming the best but also being aware of deceit.

C3 We need to take pity on our fellow believers but not to such a degree as to overlook most or everything they do or say.

B4 Quiet life

C1 The opposite of a quiet life is one who stirs up trouble.

C2 We should strive to be at peace with everyone as much as in possible.

C3 It is not a hysterical life full of go, go, go.

C3 Compare 2 Thessalonians 3:11

B5 Work

C1 It is thought that since the nearness of Christ's Second Coming there was no need to work.

C2 The Apostle tells them God wants them working and to be found quietly busy.

C3 Consider Paul's example. "...and because he was of the same trade, he remained with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade." (Acts 18:3, EMTV)

B6 Live decently (honestly--KJV)

C1 The same word is used "Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelries and drinking bouts, not in orgies and debaucheries, not in strife and jealousy." (Romans 13:13, EMTV). "Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day—no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy. " (Romans 13:13, GNB92)

C2 Living honestly, decently, etc. is contrasted to living doing/practicing

D1 Orgies

D2 Drunkenness

D3 Immorality

D4 Indecency

D5 Fighting (includes bullying and all types of abusive behavior to others including verbal abuses)

D6 Jealousy (this word means zeal, which in this case would be zeal for yourself instead of others and anger)

C3 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envies, murders, drinking bouts, revelries, and the like; which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. " (Galatians 5:19-21, EMTV)

C4 "...for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal, and walking according to human principles? " (1 Corinthians 3:3, EMTV)

C5 These things are the opposite of the love that God is and wants us to do.

C6 Contrast the above to God's way of living. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, EMTV)

B7 Outside This is those who are not Christians, so outside the church (the people of God, not a building).

B8 Need of nothing

C1 This has the idea of working for your/our needs instead of living on handouts.

C2 Some people cannot work because of health or other reasons. This passage does not speak about them. It speaks to those who can work but won't.

C3 Compare "I did not charge you a thing when I preached the Good News of God to you; I humbled myself in order to make you important. Was that wrong of me? While I was working among you, I was paid by other churches. I was robbing them, so to speak, in order to help you. And during the time I was with you I did not bother you for help when I needed money; the believers who came from Macedonia brought me everything I needed. As in the past, so in the future: I will never be a burden to you!" (2 Corinthians 11:7-9, (GNB92)

B9 The basic ideas of this passage deal with God's rules for dealing with the brethren and those who are not Christians.