2 Thessalonians
3:14-15
How do you define sin, or a better question, do you even
have the word sin in your vocabulary?
I worked with a young man named Cory and he often would say that is just
wrong, is wrong sin? If we were to
ask the apostle James this question, this would be his reply; “Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and
doesn’t do it, sins.” (James 4:17) If we were to interview John the apostle these would
be his thoughts; “Everyone who sins break the law;
in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) But John had more to say and my young friend Cory must have
learned from John, look at this; “All wrongdoing is
sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.” (1 John
5:17) I’m not sure it is proper to
interview apostles without asking the apostle Paul his thoughts, so this is
from Paul, “But the man who has doubts is condemned
if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not
come from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23) I also thought it might be wise to ask King Solomon his
thoughts; “When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19)
What does that have to do with 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15? Before answering, let me ask you this
question, “Do you have Christian friends in your church who know what they are
doing is wrong, but have an in your face attitude about the matter? There are many examples, a husband or
wife who is unfaithful to their mate, a son or daughter, who is living in total
rebellion toward their parents, a deacon or his wife, a pastor or his wife, a
teacher or his wife who is a gossip.
This list can be very long, but the sin that is being referred to in 2
Thessalonians 3:14-15 is a brother or sister in Christ who understand and it is
known by others that they are living outside of the will and desires of God,
outside of the knowledge they have in Scripture.
One of the great teachers of Scripture is when it is applied
to your life, so let me get personal; in my early thirties I believed a lie and
that lie took me down a road I would never have chosen. I was a novice at living the Christ
life, but was also very enthusiastic so the local body wrongly put me in the
office of deacon. I went from
having a humble spirit to having a proud spirit, and God hates a proud spirit. I opened my life up to judgment and
pride took over and I almost lost my family. The local church did not have to worry about not having
anything to do with me my shame and sinful life caused me to run from that
group of people; that is most of those people. But Mickey Johnson was not one I could run from, others in
that local church saw me as the enemy, but not Mickey, he saw me as a
brother. To this day, I remember
that phone call from Mickey, “Bob I totally disagree with what you are doing,
but I love you, and if you will let me I will help you.” Those words were the words of God,
spoken by his servant Mickey Johnson, a man of faith and integrity.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, “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. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a
brother.” This truth
has become so real to me, the church needs people with the spirit that Mickey
demonstrated to me, he stood and confronted me about sin, but he also showed
love, he was willing to invest his life in a failed person, who was redeemable;
and that was Christ living His life out in Mickey. Do you have some failed person in your life, in your church,
if so they are redeemable?
Form the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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