Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Pulling Your Weight

Introduction

            I prayed long and hard before I started this lesson. I’m pretty sure everyone will be able to find at least one thing they won’t like about what I have to say this week but I am, nevertheless, compelled to say it. If I offend you early in the lesson, make sure you read to the end of the lesson. If you’re applauding at the beginning of the lesson, brace yourself for the end. Anyway, I believe that America is on an economic path that is unsustainable. I’m going to try really hard to keep this lesson at the street level as opposed to presenting ivory-tower political philosophies—I’m a pastor not a politician. I’m not an anarchist; I believe that government is given to us by God to maintain proper order in society (Rom 13:1-7). However, there is something going on in our country that some of you have experienced in your country and others my yet experience in theirs. Tens of millions of Americans receive some form of government assistance while a significant percentage receive everything from the government: Food, housing, education, day-care, cell phones, medical services, and many other services for which they do not pay because many do not work. Instead, the government, through taxation, takes from those who do work and gives to those who, in some cases, can’t work, but more often, to those who won’t work. The latest statistics reveal that 80% of Americans claim to be Christians. If that’s true then there are a significant number of Christians among those who are accepting goods and services for which others are paying. If that describes you, then perhaps this lesson will give you something to think about.

            My parents immigrated to the United States from Germany after World War II. My dad was trained as a metal ornamentalist when he was still in Germany and my mom was a seamstress. Neither of them knew English when they came here but both found jobs in a plastics factory through the local German community. However, they had to learn the language before they could go much farther. My dad had a number of jobs until he eventually settled at a metal factory where he put his original training into practice. My mom stayed at the plastics factory for a long time until my dad was able to support the family on just what he was earning. I tell you this because in all the years before my dad retired, he was never unemployed for more than a couple of days, if that. Working hard was something we were taught at an early age. Working was something you did to care for yourself and for your family. My dad would never, ever have taken something he didn’t earn. His work ethic is something me and my sisters continue in our lives and have passed on to our own kids. This dynamic works the other way around as well. Many Americans currently taking full advantage of the government welfare system are second and third generation welfare recipients. Someone at some point in time taught them that living off of someone else’s hard work is an acceptable way of life. What’s sad is the Church has been a partner in perpetuating the problem. The Church allowed the government to take over its responsibility to care for those in need. It was perfect really. The government takes care of the poor and needy and leaves the Church with more money to do, you know, church-stuff. Except the arrangement came with one little catch, it wasn’t really in small print or anything and the Church went right along without any real objection—the Church must remain silent about the activities of the government. At first the arrangement didn’t appear to be a problem but then the government began manipulating those who they said they would care for and allowed unspeakable atrocities against the most innocent among us and all the while the Church must remain silent. But it’s ok because now the Church has extra money to do, you know, church-stuff. The only problem is that the Church has the solution to the problem that the government perpetuates. Tens of millions of people are now dependant on the government to take care of every aspect of their lives and the government is perfectly happy to keep them there because those who are dependant will be loyal to the end; still poor and in need but loyal to anyone who will take care of them. You see, tens of millions of people are nothing more than children who have never been taught how to be independent adults. Millions of people who claim to be Christians yet refuse to be independent adults who can care for themselves. The problem is that the Church has forfeited its leverage to do something about this problem because it has allowed the government to do what the Church was called to do. Therefore, since I have made no such deal with the government, I am free to do precisely what the Church was called to do and that is to ask difficult questions in the hope you will think about not only your beliefs but also your behaviors. For those of you who claim to be Christians yet are dependent on government handouts: Are you Pulling Your Weight? Lest you think the idea of someone living off the hard work of others is a new idea, the Bible addresses this matter directly and that’s what we will look at in this week’s lesson.

Subject Text

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
            6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” 11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. 14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Context

            This is actually Paul’s second letter to the Church in Thessalonica. In his first letter, Paul wanted to encourage the Thessalonians and strengthen their faith about Christ’s eventual return and the events that would signal that return. Paul’s mission is clearly defined in 1 Thes 3:13 when he writes, “May he [the Lord] strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with his holy ones.” Later in Paul’s first letter he tells them that there was no need to go into detail about the date and time of Jesus’ return warning them that the day Jesus returns will come like a “thief in the night.” Paul was therefore encouraging them to always be prepared for Christ’s return; to live as though he would return at any moment. However, somewhere along the way Paul’s instruction was either misunderstood or purposely misrepresented and some decided they would just sit around and wait. And while they waited, they depended on the hard work of others to take care of them. Some scholars believe some of the Thessalonians interpreted from Paul’s letter that Christ would be returning quickly and there was no longer any need to participate in the normal functions of daily life. I don’t know about you but I’ve read Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians many times and I can’t, for the life of me, figure out how anyone could conclude that from what Paul wrote. Perhaps they believed the persecution they were experiencing was one of the signals for Christ’s return or perhaps some saw this as an opportunity to kick back and relax while others took care of them. Nevertheless, the confusion about what Paul meant must have been causing some problems in the Thessalonian community because word got back to Paul that there were some in the community that were becoming a burden for the rest of the Christian community. Some quit working and contributing to the productivity of the Christian community or the community at large. Consequently, Paul sends his second letter to the Thessalonian Church to clear up any confusion from his first letter. I can’t say for sure whether there was a sincere misunderstanding or not but Paul’s clarification in his second letter sounds much more like a reproach than clarification. Let’s see what you think.

Text Analysis

            If the purpose of this second letter is to clarify a misunderstanding about Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians then v. 6 seems strange to me. If there were some in the community who disengaged from the community because they were anticipating Christ’s return, wouldn’t Paul simply make a general statement that all people should remain engaged in their everyday lives? Wouldn’t he simply say something like: ‘Just to clarify, since no one knows the time or day of Christ’s return, you should all diligently live your lives as productive members of your community so that you will not become a burden to one another. At the same time, you should live faithfully and obediently in anticipation that Christ may return at any moment.’ That seems much more like clarification language, don’t you think? Instead, Paul makes an abrupt command not to have anything to do with someone who is idle and disobedient to Paul’s teachings. That’s not clarification language. That’s disciplinary language. I think Paul is addressing something more sinister than a simple misunderstanding. I think there were some in the community that were using Paul’s teaching from his first letter to take advantage of the others in the community. I don’t believe there was a misunderstanding at all. I think there were some in the community who used the opportunity to kick their feet up at the expense of the hard work and diligence of others in the community. Paul calls these people “idlers.” The Greek word means to live an unruly or undisciplined life. It is a military metaphor for soldiers that aren’t aligned as they should be or not following orders from their superiors. Therefore, Paul tells the faithful and diligent community to shun those who are idle and have become a burden and troublemakers for the Christian community. “We do not really know why these believers were not engaged in fruitful labor…The group is now strong enough to exercise internally the same sort of social control that the society had been attempting, however unsuccessfully, in its effort to call believers back to conformity with the dominant culture’s norms. The strategy of shaming becomes a tool for promoting adherence to the values of the group and to Paul’s directions in particular. The goal of such pressure is, of course, to reincorporate the deviants back into the group—the very goal that the unbelievers no doubt had for their shaming of their Christian neighbors.”[1]

            As usual, Paul never commanded anyone to do something he hadn’t done or wasn’t willing to do himself. In vv. 7-8, Paul reminded them that he didn’t allow the Thessalonian Church to support him and provide for him. Instead, he worked diligently to support himself for a couple of reasons: 1) To avoid being a burden on an already poor community, and 2) To give the community an example for how they should behave themselves. “The apostles had not been idle or hare-brained enthusiasts, and their example of an orderly, self-supporting life is held up as a pattern. Insubordination of this kind is a breach of the apostolic standard of the Christian life, and Paul deals sharply with the first symptoms of it.”[2]

            We might need a little refresher course as background for Paul’s comments in v.9. When Paul wrote his first letter to another church he planted, the Church in Corinth, he gave a careful explanation of the rights of the apostles. It was nothing extraordinary but primarily an explanation that Paul and Barnabas, his travel partner at the time, had the right to be supported financially for their work in planting churches and spreading the Gospel (1 Cor 9:4-14). Paul very clearly states that, “the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1 Cor 9:14). However, Paul did not insist on this right from the Corinthian Church because he didn’t want his message to be compromised in any way because of monetary considerations or lack thereof. Paul’s motivation in v. 9 of his letter to the Church in Thessalonica was different. Paul worked and supported himself while he was with them not because he was concerned that receiving money to preach the Gospel might dilute the message or be received with skepticism because money was involved, Paul worked diligently outside of ministry to support himself to set an example for the way the Thessalonians were supposed to conduct themselves in their daily lives. “It would have been more difficult for the church to discipline its members who lived ataktōs [Gk “disorderly”], at the expense of their fellows, if they could have pleaded that this was what their missionaries did. But if those who were entitled to be supported by others chose rather to support themselves, how much more should those who had no such entitlement earn their own living!”[3]

This matter is very near and dear to me. Some believe that I think pastors of the Gospel should earn a living outside of their ministry efforts because that’s the way I do it. I want to officially go on the record that pastors of the Gospel deserve to be supported financially and otherwise for their ministry efforts. Having said that, I want to challenge all pastors to consider if accepting compensation for their ministry efforts advances the Gospel message or compromises that message. In some undeveloped or developing countries, unemployment is so rampant that being compensated for ministry work actually makes it possible for ministry to exist and the Gospel message to advance. However, this is usually not the case in fully developed countries like the United States. Therefore, I want to challenge all pastors in fully developed countries and especially here in the United States to consider the message they are advancing and what example they are setting when they accept compensation for their ministry efforts. I know this is a radical concept especially in light of the fact that a seminary education, which I insist is essential for anyone pursuing a ministry vocation, costs tens of thousands of dollars. Some insist that forfeiting the right to be compensated is completely unreasonable and that we would immediately suffer a shortfall of ministry workers if they could not be compensated for their ministry work while at the same time spending tens of thousands of dollars for a theological education. I don’t deny that this model is terribly difficult but imagine the character of pastors who enter ministry knowing in advance that it will be a costly endeavor and willingly forfeit any opportunity for financial gain resulting from their ministry. What would their example say to you about them? What would it say to you about the value of the Gospel message? What would it say to you about the depth of their love affair with Jesus Christ? How would this model shape the attitude of people toward the Church and its mission? Something to consider—maybe a shortfall of “compensated” ministry workers wouldn’t be so bad.

            To think that Paul is dealing with a new issue resulting from a misunderstanding of his first letter is called into question when we get to v. 10. If the problem of people being idle and placing a burden on the rest of the community were a new issue then why did Paul have to address it when he was previously with them? Instead, I contend that Paul was reiterating something he taught them previously because it was already a problem within the community. Paul gets right to the point: If a person isn’t working then they shouldn’t be rewarded with support at the expense of those who are working. Note here that Paul isn’t talking about those who are not able to work. Instead, Paul is talking about those who are unwilling to work and care for themselves. The implications of Paul’s instruction are far reaching when you think about it. Consider how Paul often took up offerings from various churches around the Asia provinces in order to care for persecuted Christians in Jerusalem and elsewhere who were cut off from any opportunities to earn a living because of their Christian faith (2 Cor 8:1-5). Now consider how those offerings and opportunities to care for those who are unable to care for themselves are limited when the Church is burdened with caring for those who are perfectly capable of caring for themselves—resources are diverted away from those who truly need help and go toward those who are perfectly capable of helping themselves. “Paul directed his disdain toward those who sponge off others, whatever their stated reasons—misguided asceticism, work beneath their ability or desire, or too busy. Paul’s point was that no one within the Christian community should presume upon the charity of others, nor should they shrink from work. Every person was responsible to provide for himself and his family. For those capable of work, any other course was wrong.”[4]

            How bad was the problem for word to get back to Paul? Although we don’t know how Paul found out, we learn in v. 11 that Paul has received disturbing news that there were some within the Christian community who were “idle.” Instead of being productive contributors to the community, Paul calls them “busybodies.” As if creating a financial burden on the rest of the community wasn’t enough, these “busybodies” were causing trouble as well. When I was a kid, one of the things I often heard when one of my friends got in trouble was that they didn’t have enough to do; they had too much time on their hands. Of course that probably wasn’t the case every time my parents said it (which was often), but the principle was that when humanity is not engaged in society as productive contributors, they tend to be controlled more easily by their sinful nature and become a burden and troublemakers to the rest of the community; meddling in other people’s business, gossips, cynics, critics, complainers, etc. “Paul’s opinion of such behavior is blunt: rather than ‘working hard,’ they were ‘hardly working.’ It is not that these people were inactive, but that they were active in an unproductive, irresponsible, or disruptive manner.”[5]

            We don’t fully appreciate the seriousness of this matter especially here in America where living off the hard work and productivity of others has become a way of life for tens of millions. However, the matter is so important that Paul makes his command in v. 12 for the second time by invoking the authority inherent in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul is not flippant in his command for those who are idle when he commands them to get to work! Invoking the name of Jesus Christ, while a form of profanity in our degraded culture, was serious business for Paul and nothing to be trifled with. Paul demands that those who are idle are to get to work and take care of themselves. “Paul’s interest in this section is not primarily in the economic policy of the church. It is, rather, in mutual responsibility within the church, which some Thessalonians were threatening by being disorderly and meddlesome. His own behavior was exemplary for its orderliness and self-giving concern for others, and constituted the tradition by which they were to conduct themselves.”[6]

            Paul does something very important in v. 13 when he commands the “brothers” to continue doing what was right. Based on the grammatical structure of the verse, Paul is certainly talking to those not included among those he previously identified as being idle troublemakers. Paul wanted to head off any confusion about whether or not the congregation should continue helping those in need. It is human nature to resist helping people at all after being taken advantage of over and over again. However, Paul wants to make sure they understand that even though some people have taken advantage of their hard work and generosity, there are still those who are truly in need of help and Paul is encouraging them to continue to help those who are truly in need. “These hard-working believers should not let the idlers cause them to become dispirited in their work. Paul knew that the believers could become discouraged when they tried to do right and received no word of thanks or saw no tangible results.”[7] This is really not that unusual if you think about it. It can be very frustrating to work diligently to care for yourself and your family and to give to those who are less fortunate just to find out that some of those “less fortunate” are actually able to care for themselves but refuse to do so for whatever reason. It can turn even the most generous person into a cynic and a cynical person can be just as destructive to a Church community or overall society as a lazy person. Paul is making a universal ethical command that all those who are able to work and contribute to the productivity of the community should do so and all those who work should continue to care not only for themselves but also for those who are truly unable to work and care for themselves.

            Paul does not shy away from taking or insisting that the churches under his care take corrective measures to deal with problems within the community of believers. Specifically, Paul is very fond of disassociating with offenders (cf. 1 Cor 5:9, 11; Tit 3:10; Rom 16:17). Paul’s objective in this method of discipline is twofold in many cases: 1) It isolates the offender so that he or she can consider their actions and/or attitudes and decide if they will repent and be readmitted to the believing community or continue their inappropriate attitude and/or behavior and remain outside the community; and/or 2) Protect the innocent within the community from becoming contaminated by sinful actions and attitudes. The goal is correcting sinful behavior and creating a barrier to protect, encourage and elevate proper behavior. “The church should take note of him, recognizing who the person was and taking special note of him. Having identified and marked who the disorderly are, the next step that the church should take is: Do not associate with him. The command means that they should not mingle with such people. At times this verb appears in contexts where a group is exhorted not to associate with others so they will not be defiled morally or cultically. But here the church is called to disassociate from the unrepentant brothers with a redemptive goal in mind.”[8]

            Paul doesn’t want the community to discard the offenders altogether. Paul seems to soften his position somewhat; understanding that the situation could quickly become volatile. Those who are offended might turn their backs on those who have offended them and what is intended to be corrective discipline turns into hurt feelings and irreconcilable division. Instead, Paul says that the offenders should be treated as family. “The point Paul wishes to make does not include precise details about how to deal with a recalcitrant individual or where admonition should take place. Instead Paul attempts to moderate the attitudes of the community toward the person and give the community a positive action to carry out in an effort to restore the individual to fellowship. By this Paul implies that exclusion from the community should not be understood as irrevocable.”[9]

A Balanced Perspective

            Some will see in this teaching the freedom to build and retain wealth for selfish gain since everyone has a duty to care for themselves. But if living off the hard work of others is one extreme, building and retaining wealth for selfish gain is the other extreme. Instead, in Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he provides a perspective that balances against the instruction contained in our subject text. In Paul’s letter to Timothy he writes:

1 Timothy 6:17-19
            17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 
Application

            Addressing this problem can be very difficult particularly in societies where the Church has relinquished its responsibility to care for those in need to the State as is the case here in America. Adding to the problem is the fact that reliance on the State has been going on for such a long time that it’s hard to imagine how effective it would be to remove someone from the Church community especially since they could just go down the street and be accepted into the next community without question. Of course, this reveals another more complicated matter with respect to constantly changing church communities. However, that is not the focus of this particular lesson. Nevertheless, the Church can’t simply throw up its hands and relinquish even more of its authority and responsibility. Instead, perhaps the Church needs to engage in some hard teachings and lessons about the importance and value of hard work and diligence. Additionally, I think it is time that pastors confront the people in their congregations they know are purposely milking resources from the State or any other charitable organization that will give them free handouts. People who are capable of working yet refuse to work cannot simply come and go freely among the Church community without question. There are some people who are fully accepted in our Church communities who are living better on free handouts from the State and other charitable organizations than those who diligently work hard to care for themselves and their families. This is not a healthy Church community; they are pretending that nothing is wrong. There is an underlying resentment that is unspoken yet is always festering like a slow growing cancer that kills sincere communal love. People who are supported by the State are at ease at Church because they don’t associate the aid and support they receive as creating a burden on the Church. However, the only difference between what was occurring in the Thessalonian Church and in our churches, at least here in America, is that the money earned by those in the Church who are diligent and hardworking today is taxed by the State who then redistributes that money to those who are not diligent nor hardworking as they see fit. In exchange, the State buys the allegiance of those to whom they distribute those resources. Of course the Church is happily codependent because the same State does not require the Church to pay anything to the State for the money the Church receives. In return, the State buys the Church’s silence about any illegal or immoral activity engaged in by the State. It is a happy and evil cycle where supreme allegiance is paid to the State (or to money and other considerations received from the State) instead of to God.

            Something must change if the Church is going to have a hand in solving this problem in our churches specifically and perhaps influence the behavior of our society generally. In order to do that, perhaps some dramatic measures are in order. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at Paul’s model and see if following it more closely might ignite the renewal of a stronger work ethic within our Christian communities and a greater allegiance and dependence on God as opposed to the State. It won’t be easy but like eradicating cancer it will take more than simply applying a band-aid and calling it good. Paul said that while he was with the Thessalonians he didn’t burden them with any of his personal needs even though he had the right to do so. Instead, he said he worked and toiled day and night while he was with them in order to care for himself. Instead of focusing our attention primarily on those sitting in our pews, perhaps it is time our pastors followed Paul’s example to the Thessalonians more literally. Oh I can hear pastors everywhere howling already. I suspect most pastors will argue that my suggestion is simply unreasonable; unrealistic; they work hard for what they earn! They’ve spent thousands of dollars on and invested thousands of hours in a theological education and not receiving compensation for their ministry efforts is untenable. Mind you, I’m not saying pastors don’t work hard for what they earn nor am I say that they are not entitled to be paid for that hard work. I also want to reiterate what I said earlier: Payment for ministry efforts is essential for some pastors in countries where employment is otherwise scarce. What I am saying is if we want to inaugurate radical change to deeply entrenched destructive behavior in our churches specifically and in our society more generally, then pastors must be prepared to take drastic measures to reverse that destructive behavior by their own example first. And that’s not the only radical change I’m suggesting. I suggest that churches everywhere sever any and all financial ties, arrangements, agreements or affiliations it has to receive benefits from the State. The Church must not be silenced or encumbered in any way because of any financial benefit or other consideration it receives from the State or from anyone else for that matter (see previous lesson, The Church is Silence for 30 Pieces of Silver at: http://seredinski.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-church-is-silenced-for-30-pieces-of.html). There is another reason why this dramatic shift is so important: Our churches should be an example of behavior for the rest of society. However, if those in our churches behave just like those outside our churches, what does that say about our churches? In fact, if our church organizations themselves receive financial considerations from the State, what kind of example is that for our society and culture? If we want to influence the behavior of our society and culture then shouldn’t we as pastors make sure our institutions aren’t guilty of accepting financial handouts and other considerations that we condemn in the people who attend our churches? I fully realize that what I’m suggesting is radical. In fact, it may be too radical to be considered reasonable or acceptable for many of our churches today—especially our churches here in America. However, I contend that until pastors begin supporting themselves in some way other than being compensated by their churches and until we sever all financial ties between our churches and the State then we will never earn the right to look into the eyes of those who attend our churches and confront them with the question, are you Pulling Your Weight?




[1] David A. deSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004), pp. 548-549.
[2] W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Vol. 4, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983), p. 52.
[3] F. F. Bruce, 1 & 2 Thessalonians—Word Biblical Commentary, (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1982), p. 206.
[4] Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timolthy, Titus, Philemon—Holman New Testament Commentary, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2000), p. 128.
[5] Michael W. Holmes, 1 & 2 Thessalonians—The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998), p. 273.
[6] Abraham J. Malherbe, The Letters to the Thessalonians—The Anchor Bible, (New Haven, CT & London, England: Yale University Press, 2000), p. 457.
[7] Bruce Barton, Philip Comfort, Grant Osborne, Linda K. Taylor, Dave Veerman, Life Application New Testament Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), pp. 923-924.
[8] Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians—The Pillar New Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), p. 354.
[9] Charles A. Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians—The New International Greek Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990), p. 290.

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