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Bible Study
1 Thessalonians 5:13b-25


How do we get on with each other?

Week of prayer for Christian Unity urges Christians of all denominations to come alongside each other, but sometimes it also has to be Christians within the same denomination or even within the same Church!

Do you like the person you sit beside in Church? The answer is probably yes, because if you didn't you would sit elsewhere or they would.

However we do hold opinions about others and there place in Church life. Comments may include "I don't like her hat!", "Watch out, he's here again, he doesn't know how to behave in Church", "Why can't these young people do things properly, like we did?" or alternatively "Why can't these old people do things our way, instead of theirs?"

Its very easy for people to feel excluded from Christian circles because of how they look, what they wear, their language, their behaviour, etc.

What is the end result? A church which is divided; a church which cannot move forward because its pulling in different directions; a church which looks unattractive to the community and therefore cannot bless the community it belongs to; a church which ultimately looks quite foolish.

Notice the opening words to this passage, "Be at peace amongst yourselves" By this Paul isn't referring to the absence of disagreement, but is seeing peace as a positive step forward; a growth model. And that growth comes from a Christian community upholding each other with its gifts and graces, its encouragement and support, so that ALL members may feel at peace with each other.

So Paul calls for all members of that community to exercise particular gifts and instructions. These are contained in verses 24 to 22 and they are:-

  1. Pursuade the idle to work for others
  2. Encourage the shy ones amongst us
  3. Support those who are weaker, for whatever reason
  4. Be patient
  5. Do not exact revenge
  6. Do good to all people
  7. Be joyful
  8. Be in a constant prayer relationship with God
  9. Develop a life of thankfulness
  10. Let the Holy Spirit do his work
  11. Allow God to speak through his people
  12. Test everything against the model of God in Jesus
  13. Avoid evil
Quite a list isn't it, and we know that we'll get it wrong and make mistakes, but the important thing is to set the target. This is what St. Paul tells us we should be aiming for.

Verse 23 moves the relationship forward. So far it's all been about what we should do, but this verse shows Gods side of the bargain, as it implores God to give peace by building up his holiness within us, and protect every part of our being from sin. God's part of the bargain is to help us in our quest to find his peace in every area of our lives. I find it incredibly encouraging that we worship a God who doesn't simply give out a list of demands but stands alongside us in relationship with us and helps us to become more of the people he wants us to be.

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