9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
God, in His grace, has decided that believers do not need to go through the Tribulation (not destined us for wrath). We will be saved from that time through our Lord Jesus Christ. Part of Jesus’s death for us is that whether we are awake and watchful as we should be (faithful, see yesterday) or asleep (less than faithful) we will be with Him when He returns. We should encourage each other and build one another up with reminders that Jesus is coming soon and will rescue us from God’s wrath when it is poured out on mankind. This should also cause you to think about those who do not have such a guarantee in Christ. There are many who will go through the Tribulation, let it not be because you failed to tell them about Jesus when you had the opportunity.
Paul’s final exhortations include respecting the church leaders who have been put in spiritual authority over you in the Lord. The church elders have a responsibility to admonish and encourage you to live in the light of Christ’s soon return. We should esteem them very highly in love because of their work. It can be very easy to grumble because they don’t lead the church the way we might prefer. Paul reminds us to value them and encourage them as they lead us.
We should live in peace with each other. Again it is too easy to grumble when things don’t go our way. Being at peace with each other requires that we are peacemakers, that we lay aside our preferences for the sake of others.
As we seek to build up the body of Christ, we need to deal with each person where they are spiritually. We need to warn those who are lazy that they need to do the work God has called them to do whether in ministry or in supporting themselves. For the fainthearted, we need to encourage them emotionally in their struggle. The weak need physical help. Everyone needs us to be patient with them as they move forward in the Christian walk.
Most importantly, do not repay evil for evil but always look for ways to do good. What are your relationships like with the church leaders and fellow believers? In what area do you need to make some specific changes in how you are dealing with people?