1 Thessalonians 4
v.3
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
v.7
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
v.8
Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who give you his Holy Spirit.
See 2022-08-22 21 56 Pages 1280-1300 for other proof-texts that the New Testament apostles were the counterpart to Old Testament prophets.
v.9
Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
What an affirmation. The Thessalonians did not learn to love each other by the world. No, they learned from the greatest lover and the one calls Himself love.
v.11
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependant on anybody.
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“There is a great difference between the Christian duty of putting the interests of others first and the busybody’s compulsive itch to put other people right.” (Bruce)
ii. “Paul, however, does not mean that every individual is to mind his own business in such a way that all are to live apart from one another and have no concern for others, but simply wants to correct the idle triviality which makes men open disturbers of the peace, when they ought to lead a quiet life at home.” (Clarke)
His exhortation to “mind your own business” implies that the meddlesome spirit that often goes with restlessness was troubling them. Busybodies were active (2Th 3:11) and needed a reprimand. But Paul means more than telling them to stay out of other people’s affairs; he also wants them to keep their own affairs in order. A third exhortation, “work with your hands,” suggests that idleness was likely a problem among the Thessalonians. In a Greek culture that degraded manual labor, Christianity joined with Judaism in viewing work as an honorable pursuit. Most of the Thessalonians believers earned their living with their hands. Paul tells them to continue supporting themselves and thus avoid the pitfalls of idleness.
v.12
so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
v.15
According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.