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1 Thessalonians 5 Doing Good
Week Three-October 19
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who
work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who
admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of
their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers
and sisters, to warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the
disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that
nobody pays back wrong for wrong but always strive to do what is
good for each other and for everyone else.
EP–Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel
is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the
stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be
patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that
when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for
the best in each other and always do your best to bring it out.
Church in Thessalonica and elsewhere had these three groups that needed
attention, the disorderly, the faint-hearted and the weak-these groups also
made it hard to get along with one another or were irritants-
Admonition addressed to all of us-all of us are to do this-each must do their
part. Imperatives in tense; admonish the disorderly, encourage the weak
and do not abandon them.
Barclay-word here for laziness is a word for a soldier who has left their
post-left the ranks-warn the quitters- Disorderly are those who are out of
line, out of step, out of order-fanatics, loafers and meddlers-
The fearful are literally those whose souls are too small-those who fear
the worst every time-who do not have hope- Help others to be brave-
Fainthearted-always worried-
Cling to the weak-do not let them slip away-put your arm around them-
Word for weak appears often, used for physical debility and spiritual
weakness– Weak-those who too easily give in to sin
Patience may be the hardest- Patience or longsuffering-makrothymia-
characteristic of God-
Ephesians 4:2-3- Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing
with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace.
Impatient people retaliate when injured. We are called to be patient and to
trust God with protecting and taking care of us.
Do not pay back wrong for wrong-Barclay—triumph in end by seeking what
is good for them- Stott—make sure or be sure to do this-
Romans 12-17, 19-21- Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do
what is right in the eyes of everyone… Do not take revenge, my dear
friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to
avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is
hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this,
you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil but
overcome evil with good.
1 Peter 3:9– Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary,
repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may
inherit a blessing.
All personal revenge and retaliation are forbidden to believers. Jesus is our
model for not striking back and for forgiving from the cross. Instead, we
are called to the positive action of doing good to all-or to do the best you
can-Do good to fellow believers and to others outside of the church as well
We must choose between patience and revenge, between doing good and
taking out anger on others.
Peace Presbyterian Church 