2 Thessalonians 3 - "An Idle Mind is the Devil's Workshop"

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Request for Prayer

3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Whenever Paul asks for prayer, he almost always asks for it in connection with spreading the Good News. You might say this was Paul's singular focus. He not only wanted it to spread but spread rapidly. While Paul is delivering the Good News, he encounters "wicked and evil" people. If you were the devil the last thing you would want is for a person to come to Christ and be delivered from sin, death, and his own power. 

The devil knows his time is limited on this earth, so he wants to take as many down with him as possible. When someone comes into the light, he knows that they will live forever with Jesus and he will live forever in the pit of the judgment of hell. 

But as we face the devil and all his empty promises, we know the Lord is with us. We never have to be afraid of the evil one. We always need to remember that, 

"Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." - 1 John 4:4 

Though we need to be aware of the devil's schemes, we don't need to be afraid of him. Paul's confidence for them comes from his confidence in the Lord. He knows that God is with them, and Jesus will help them to persevere through this trial. We never go through a trial alone. Jesus knows what we are going through, and we are never tempted in a way that he was not tempted and that he will not give us the power to stand up under it. 

Warning Against Idleness

6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

Paul also has words for those in the church who are divisive or lazy. or both. These people are "not living according to the teaching Paul gave them." Though teaching helps us to understand what it means to be a disciple of Christ, it is also lived out in the relationships in the church community. Someone may acquiesce to biblical truths, but have no intention of honoring them and living them out. 

Paul was categorically against laziness. Paul set an example that he didn't not take advantage of anyone's hospitality or assume someone would pay his way. Being a hard worker is a good witness of what it means to be a Christian. Being lazy is not. Though Paul had a right to such help, he wanted to model for others. 

Paul gives them to the motto that we would do well to use today, "The one unwilling to work shall not eat!"

Like me, I am sure you live in places where you meet homeless people on the street. One never knows if they should give them money, or food, or a gift card. While it is always good to be sensitive to the Spirit's leading to help those in need, many people on the streets could and should  be out working.

Paul's context is a little different because he is talking about those in the church, who they know, whereas when we meet a homeless person asking for food, we don't really know their backstory. 

Regardless, the point is the Paul is for hard work and not giving handouts to those who should be working and earning a living. 

11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. 14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.

One of the reasons why people were idle and disruptive was because they didn't have "day jobs". The more time one has on one's hands can often lead to not only being unproductive but also acquiring unhealthy habits. Like the saying goes, "And idle mind is the devil's workshop!"

Perhaps these busybodies thought that if Jesus was coming soon, it made no sense to work. It would then be easy for them to intrude into the lives of others and take advantage of Christian generosity. - Guzik

As for those who are using their time to help others and live out their faith, he encourages them to not tire of doing what is good. Sometimes doing good things do not get the attention of others, or possibly you may be taken advantage of. Sometimes we don't see the fruit of the good works we are doing and wonder if it is worth it. But we need to break through quitting points and keep on doing the things Jesus commanded us to do by loving our neighbor and thinking more highly of them than ourselves.

This was a proper encouragement for those who were working as they should. Few things are more wearying than seeing others take advantage of Christian generosity. But we should never let the manipulations of some discourage us from doing good to the truly needy. - Guzik 

Paul teaches the Thessalonians to set boundaries with those who continue to disobey these basic rules of living together in Christian community. He actually goes as far as to say, "Don't associate with them!" This might seem harsh, but the goal is to help these wayward believers to get back in line. 

So often in the church we tolerate bad behavior in the name of grace. While we all need grace and need to give it out liberally to others but that doesn't mean we dismiss blatant disregard for the ways we have agreed to live by in our life together. When we confront people in their bad behavior, they are more likely to change their ways than if we continue to "push it under the carpet". When there are no consequences for bad behavior and bad attitudes things usually do not change. 

To not associate with them is that same as "withdrawing from them". 

To withdraw means to note that person, and to not keep company with him, with the purpose of causing him to be ashamed. Yet, the purpose is not to make him an enemy of the church, but through the severity of the withdrawal from fellowship, to warn and admonish him as an erring brother.

Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Paul ends this letter but praying the Lord's peace would be upon them, and the Lord would be with them. Paul notes that he wrote this letter with his own hand. Then, he says it is the distinguishing mark of all of his letters. 

What does this mean?

As was his custom, Paul himself wrote the final words of the epistle with his own hand. This was both a personal demonstration of affection, and proof that the letter was authentic (a sign in every epistle). - Guzik

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all: For Paul, God’s grace was the beginning and the end of the Christian life. It was appropriate that this letter – and most – of his letters began and ended with a mention of grace.