The Expositor's Bible: The Epistles to the ThessaloniansDenney, James
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Epistles to the Thessalonians
Denney, James
Bible. Thessalonians -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
go on unadmonished; and esteem very highly in love the brother or
sister who has been so true to you. Nothing is more un-Christian than
fault-finding, nothing is more truly Christian than frank and
affectionate admonishing of those who are going astray. This may be
especially commended to the young. In youth we are apt to be proud and
wilful; we are confident that we can keep ourselves safe in what the
old and timid consider dangerous situations; we do not fear
temptation, nor think that this or that little fall is more than an
indiscretion; and, in any case, we have a determined dislike to being
interfered with. All this is very natural; but we should remember
that, as Christians, we are pledged to a course of life which is not
in all ways natural; to a spirit and conduct which are incompatible
with pride; to a seriousness of purpose, to a loftiness and purity of
aim, which may all be lost through wilfulness; and we should love and
honour those who put their experience at our service, and warn us
when, in lightness of heart, we are on the way to make shipwreck of
our life. They do not admonish us because they like it, but because
they love us and would save us from harm; and love is the only
recompense for such a service.
How little there is of an official spirit in what the Apostle has been
saying, we see clearly from what follows. In one way it is specially
the duty of the elders or pastors in the Church to exercise rule and
discipline; but it is not so exclusively their duty as to exempt the
members of the Church at large from responsibility. The Apostle
addresses the whole congregation when he goes on, "Be at peace among
yourselves. And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly,
encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be longsuffering toward
all." Let us look more closely at these simple exhortations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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