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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | September | September 12, 2019

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Paul is graphic and direct in 1st Thessalonians 4.  Verses 1-8 focus on our responsibility to God in our behavior: sexually, socially and spiritually.

In verses 11-12 he focuses on our behavior vocationally: “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, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 

Notice, he goes back to our relationship with others socially.  Our ambition should be to lead a quiet life.  Don’t try to make a big impression through what you do so you become the focus.  If you do, what Christ does might be obscured. 

Rather, “Mind your own business.”  Evidently some of the Christians were meddlesome.  It’s easier to focus on what others should be doing than what you should be doing.  Instead of being busybodies, get involved in selfless industry: “To work with your hands.” 

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary says, “Greeks shunned manual labor, and Paul had taught the Thessalonians by word (the Lord was a carpenter) and by example (the apostle was a tent-maker) that the Christian doctrine of creation implies the Christian doctrine of vocation: God made everything good; therefore, man can perform even the most menial tasks knowing he is in touch with the Creator’s handiwork; further, he can do them to God’s glory.”

 

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