In 1 Thessalonians 5:13-15, Paul urges the church ( in the same way he did about dealing with its leaders (see post here) that they are to correct and help members who need it. Here is the passage in the Message version of the Bible:
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
There are three types of believers that they must correct and help.
First he teaches that they should admonish or correct the disorderly or idle people. The word “idle” means “out of order” and was use in the military for those who were not in line or did not fulfill their duties. These people Paul mentions are those who live disorderly lives and fail to fulfill their obligations. They are irresponsible. These people are the ones who do not work (“freeloaders”) and are dependent on others or do not fulfill their obligations in their work. There are people who change jobs often and whenever they do it’s because someone was to blame. They’re never responsible. The role of the church is to admonish, to draw attention to this matter and help this type of believer.
Second, the church should encourage the easily discouraged or stragglers. The word “discouraged” means “little spirit.” These believers are the ones who are likely to be discouraged because of the circumstances or because of their sinful weaknesses. These people are fatalistic (maybe they say they’re realistic) in their way of looking at things. They are also vulnerable to anxiety and worry. It is possible that some in Thessalonians suffered from this because of the persecutions they had experienced. Paul commands the church to encourage these believers. These believers need someone to be their cheerleader to move them forward on the Lord’s path. They don’t need to be warned like idle people, this won’t help them.
Third, the church must support the weak. They may be weak because they do not have enough spiritual maturity and have not learned to be strong in Christ. Their weakness is seen in their lack of faith in matters that are related to Christian freedom. They get offended quickly if they see something they don’t think is right. They get carried away by the wrong teachings, they often fall into the same faults and they need to learn self-control. They become spiritually exhausted. We must support them. When someone sprains a muscle or breaks a bone, they usually get something to support them until it recovers. Thus we must be that support for this type of believer until he or she can mature and grow and be firm on their own.
Finally Paul urges the church to be patient with everyone. This is how to show love to all (1 Cor. 13:4 “love is patient”) no matter what their spiritual condition is. We must be patient with all of them which is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). We are all in the process of spiritual maturity.
Application Questions:
- How are you admonishing those who are idle or irresponsible?
- How are you encouraging the discouraged?
- How are you supporting the weak in the faith?
- Are you one of three “types” of believers? If you are, seek help from someone in the church.
