Not an Enemy, A Brother 2 Thessalonians 3:15

Paul the apostle continued his final exhortations to the Thessalonians as he completed his second letter to the church members. Among his instruction was to “note” any man who did “not obey” Paul and his companions' words in this letter. In chapter three and verse fifteen, Paul directed the Thessalonians not to “count” this disobedient one “as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” where we read:

Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

The verse begins, “Yet count him not as an enemy,...” Paul began with the word, “Yet” which means “and, also, even, indeed and but” “count him not” or “do not think, esteem, have rule over or be governor over him” “as an enemy” which means “one hated, odious, hateful, hostile and opposing another”. Even though the person was disobedient to the words of Paul and his companions, Paul did not want the Thessalonians to “hate” this person.

The verse goes on to say, “...but admonish him as a brother.” Paul continued with the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be stated takes precedence over what was previously written, “moreover, nevertheless, even, indeed, also, rather, notwithstanding or as a restriction to” “admonish” or “warn and exhort” “him” which refers to “the person who does not obey the words in Paul and his companions' letter” “as a brother” or “like a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother and a fellow believer who is united to another by the bond of affection”. Rather than being “an enemy” to the church members, the Thessalonians were to warn this defiant person as one of the family.

When we meditate upon Paul's words, we see his compassion toward those who reject the words he wrote. Rather than treat these opposing ones like “enemies”, they were still to be like a family. The person who openly refused to obey Paul's words was a problem within the church, and the church members were to “speak the truth” to him “in love”. We do well to examine the way Jesus “counts” every person who is disobedient to His words. Rather than reject them as an enemy, He compels them to “change their ways”, “be obedient to Him” and follow after the word of God. May we learn to give people a chance to change their ways, and should we be “counting” them “as an enemy”, let us obey Paul's words, and “exhort” them as family.

Next time Paul desires for the Lord to give the Thessalonians “peace always by all means” , so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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