2 Thessalonians 3:6-8 - We were not idle

3:6

Paul now turns to very practical advice and concerns. The practical and the spiritual go together, it is only us who tend to separate the two. In this verse is a warning against idleness and disruptiveness. This command is given “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”, it is a very solemn command, not a mew suggestion. And the command is to keep away from the idle and disruptive believers. “But that’s unloving” some might object, there is a time to be “unloving”. These people are not living according to the truth. But it is hard to do this. As well as being accused of being unloving by others, we will feel opposition from within ourselves as well.

3:7,8

Paul then cites the example of himself and his co-workers when they were with the Thessalonians. They were not idle in any way, but quite the opposite. They did not take food from anyone without paying for it, and worked hard to provide for themselves without being a burden upon the Thessalonians.