Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(2Th 3:6)  “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”  Adding to what was said yesterday regarding withdrawing from one who says they are saved yet walks disorderly, is the importance of Christ’s reputation. The only evidence that salvation is real is the changed life of the professing Believer. If you think like the lost and act like a lost person – chances are you are a lost person. They will conclude the same, in their minds making Christianity a sham.

(2Th 3:6)  “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”  There are two reasons for this. First, for your own sake; we are influenced by those we spend time with it. They “rub off on us”:  (Pro 22:24) “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: (25)  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.”; (1Co 5:5) “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (6)  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (7)  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.” God’s desire is holiness in us which brings communion with Him. Continued – tomorrow.

 (2Th 3:5) “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”  We need the Lord to direct us in the patient waiting for Christ. Although we know He can come today, very few people expect it, or look for it. That is why you and I put off doing what we should do today, rather than live today as if tomorrow may never come. I don’t know about you, but my heart convicts me this moment.

(2Th 3:5) “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” 1) Direct us to love Him as we should. 2) To love others through Him. Remember the Lord Jesus said the law could be summed up with this: (Mat 22:37) “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38)  This is the first and great commandment. (39)  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (40)  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” We are not to dismiss this as impossible, for once you say “God” all things become possible. It is for us to practice by faith.

(2Th 3:5) “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” There are two meanings to the first part of this verse. We will take one each day. The first is to love God Himself. We are to love Him to the degree that we love Him more than ourselves. Tall order. By our very nature we love ourselves first and foremost. That is why the verse reads, “And the Lord direct your hearts…” Remember, the Lord never makes us, overcomes our free will, to make us love Him. He desires a freely given love. God help us to love Him more!

(2Th 3:4)  “And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.”  Today’s professed believers look at the Bible as a set of suggestions, to be accepted or rejected as they will. They are not! The Bible is the Word of He Who made us, continues to give us life, Who gave His Son to die on Calvary Cross to pay for our sins, and Who will one day judge each of us – “the quick and the dead”(2 Tim 4:1). His Word of instruction is therefore a command. Do you see it as such?  

 (2Th 3:3) “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”   From the context, we know the evil the Lord is asked to keep them from was persecution. We can rightly say, though, the Lord wishes to keep all His children from evil: evil ways and evil things. The problem is God’s children don’t always desire such. Since we haven’t obeyed the Lord in reprogramming our thinking (Rom 12:1-2), we don’t see sin as God sees it. To us, it is not such a bad thing. Yet, it was for that “not such a bad thing” Jesus suffered the cross.

(2Th 3:3) “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”  “Stablish”: to set fast.Yes, we each are to determine in our hearts to stand for the Lord, living for His glory. But we must understand that the ability to stand comes from the power of the Lord within us, keeping us, strengthening us. As you live and stand for the Lord, be careful of the deceitfulness of pride. We still have the fallen nature within us. Its foundation is pride. Think right. Pride is of the devil. Your ability to think right and live right comes through the Holy Spirit (God the Spirit) Who lives within you! Give Him all the glory!