Articles
Commandments of the Lord - 2 Thess. 3:4
Commandments of the Lord - 2 Thess. 3:4
"And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command" (2 Thess. 3:4).
Paul had written to the Corinthians that the things he wrote were the commandments of the Lord (1Cor. 14:37). Paul had earlier given instructions to the Thessalonians and warned that "whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you” (1Thess. 4:8).
Now Paul introduces the practical living section of his letter by stating his confidence that are doing and that they will continue to do the things that he commanded them. Hence he writes:
"Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us” (2 Thessalonians 3:6).
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:12).
Then again he concludes these commands saying “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed” (2 Thess. 3:14).
Commands and obedience seem to be religiously incorrect concepts in our religious world today. People approach God’s word as being only suggestive teaching. We then become the judge of how good and proper such ‘suggestions’ are. We agree and do some but feel little compunction to obey what we find difficult or distasteful. We thus displace Jesus as Lord and assert our own authority as the rule of our lives. In this way we become not doers of the law but judges of it (cp. James 4:11).
These things are not suggestions; they are the commandments of the Lord. As we read them we are faced with the choice of obedience or rebellion. Yet, as Paul said to them, “we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that’ are commanded.
Hugh DeLong
