God Bless You with His Strength

Paul continues in 2 Thessalonians 3:16b, "The Lord be with you all." Not only does Paul want God to bless you with His peace, but with His strength as well. Here Paul simply requests that God fulfill in us what was previously guaranteed for us as believers—the assurance that God will never leave us nor forsake us.

In Hebrews 13:5-6, when listing the ways in which we should conduct ourselves, we have this promise: "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" Here Paul is reminding us that there is more to God's presence within us than meets the eye. Not only does He reside in us, but He gives us His strength. It is that empowering strength of God within us that Paul here prays for.

It is that strengthening presence of God in us that the Psalmist rejoiced over when he said, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1, NASB). This is the essence of Paul's prayer. He prayed that God would not only give you peace in all circumstances of life, but that He would grant you His strength in all circumstances, so that you might stand firm in Him at all times.

So Paul prays that when Satan attacks, you will have God's strength to fight. When temptation comes, you will have God's strength to resist. In the face of trials, you will have God's strength to persevere. When called upon to serve Him and evangelize for Him, you will have God's strength to do so effectively. In short, as Paul said in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That is his prayer for you. Amen.

God Bless You with His Peace

In 2 Thessalonians 3:16a, Paul begins his benediction, "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way." "Now" (v. 16a) marks the transition from command and exhortation to prayer. The prayer itself recognizes that only God can accomplish His desires in your life. Only He can bring about the results intended by His Word. So Paul's first request is for God's peace to permeate every area of your life. But what is peace?

The world defines peace like this: "A state of tranquility or quiet" (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, [G & C Merriam Company: Springfield, Mass., 1973], 842).  "The sense of calm… contentment, and well-being that comes when everything is going well" (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, [Moody Publishing: Chicago, 2001], 312).

But that definition is quite shallow. A calm, tranquil feeling can be produced by any number of things. Such a feeling can be produced by lies, self-deception, or unexpected good fortune. In fact, simply the absence of conflict and trouble produces this feeling, as do drugs and alcohol. However, this kind of peace is only temporary and can easily be destroyed.

When any kind of conflict or trouble arrives, such peace quickly ends. Any kind of failure, doubt, or fear will also destroy such peace in your life. Bitterness, anger, pride, any kind of difficulty, guilt, regret, sorrow, or anxiety over circumstances beyond your control destroys this kind of peace. Even being disappointed or mistreated by others, or simply making bad decisions, brings the world's peace to a sudden end. If any threat is made to your security there is no longer any such peace.

God's peace, true spiritual peace, is completely different. As John MacArthur said, God's peace "is the deep, settled confidence that all is well between the soul and God because of His loving, sovereign control of one's life both in time and eternity. That calm assurance is based on the knowledge that sins are forgiven, blessing is present, good is abundant even in trouble, and heaven is ahead. The peace that God gives His beloved children as their possession and privilege has nothing to do with the circumstances of life" (Ibid, 313).

God's peace is divine. It is derived directly from "the Lord of Peace Himself" (v. 16a). "Himself" (v. 16a) is in the emphatic position in the Greek text, enforcing the fact that the God who is peace grants peace to believers. It is all of God! God is the one who gives you peace, not the circumstances of life or anything else—only God.

First and foremost, this is peace with God. Yet this peace that God gives us with Himself provides the basis for our peace with one another. Only He can make harmony among believers a reality.

"Always" (v. 16a) asks that there be no break in the flow of God's peace. "In every way" (v. 16a) asks that this peace with God continue to exist within you no matter what the outward circumstances might be in your life. With Christ in your life, no matter what you may encounter in life, there is peace. The peace of God Himself is always within you giving you comfort and strength. Amen.

Seek to Restore the Disobedient

In 2 Thessalonians 3:14, Paul reinforces his command to avoid those believers who are deliberately disobedient to the Word of God (2 Thess. 3:6): "And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed." Here Paul restated the command (v. 14a), then went on to give the purpose for following this command: "that he may be ashamed" (v. 14b).

Anyone who "does not obey" the words "in this epistle" (v. 14a), does not obey the Word of God. You are to take "note" of that person and "not keep company with him" (v. 14b). "Note" (v. 14b) refers to a sign or token. It signifies to mark or to note for oneself. Here it is "an injunction to take cautionary note of one who refuses obedience" to the Word of God (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia], 798). "Keep company" (v. 14b), or "associate with" (NASB), is a strong double compound verb meaning "to mix up together with" (MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, [Moody Publishers: Chicago], 309). You are not to "mix it up" with such persons. As John MacArthur says, "The church individually and collectively was to withdraw fellowship from such persons and avoid them. They were probably to be denied the privilege of taking communion. Surely they were not to be allowed to participate in the love feast, since feeding them a meal would condone and perpetuate their indolent behavior. The pressure of isolation was to be brought to bear on them to produce repentance" (Ibid).

Note the purpose: "that he may be ashamed" (v. 14c), or "so that he will be put to shame" (NASB). "Be put to shame" (v. 14c, NASB) literally means "to turn in on oneself" (Ibid). The idea is that the person being avoided would do some inner reflection, recognize his sin and disobedience to the Word, and repent. Such repentance would then lead to his restoration to complete fellowship. Such is always the intent of church discipline.

That is why Paul concludes with verse 15: "Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Paul is not talking of complete excommunication as in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11. There verse 11 says, "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. The offense here in 2 Thessalonians 3:14 does not rise to that level. The person avoided here is not to be treated as "an enemy" (v. 15a) who is cut off from all contact. Rather, he is still to be treated as a brother, and you are to admonish him as a brother to bring him to repentance. Galatians 6:1 puts it all in perspective—"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."

Remember verse 13 and you will do well in living up to these commands: "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good." Whether it be helping those who are truly in need, or admonishing those who are unruly and disobedient to the Scriptures, always follow Christ in helping them. The end result will be a certain harmony and unity in the church. Amen.