HOW YOU SHOULD FOLLOW US
6 BUT WE COMMAND YOU, BRETHREN, IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT YOU WITHDRAW FROM EVERY BROTHER WHO WALKS DISORDERLY AND NOT ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION WHICH HE RECEIVED FROM US.
7 FOR YOU YOURSELVES KNOW HOW YOU OUGHT TO FOLLOW US, FOR WE WERE NOT DISORDERLY AMONG YOU;
8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labour and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
9 NOT BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY, BUT TO MAKE OURSELVES AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU SHOULD FOLLOW US."
2 Thessalonians 3:6-9 (NKJV)
Scripture should be used to interpret Scripture. Another passage of the Bible says: "DO NOT BE DECEIVED: “EVIL COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD HABITS” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV).
Apostle Paul in our text admonishes that believers should withdraw from any brother or sister who is walking disorderly and not according to the tradition that was received from them, the apostles (2 Thessalonians 3:6).
The word translated disorderly is "ataktōs" in Greek word, and it means irregularly or disorderly (immorally). In other translations of the Bible, it was translated to be someone who lives
an undisciplined life; or someone who is leading a life of idleness; or people who loaf around.
Whilst the word tradition in the passage (2 Thessalonians 3:6) means a precept or ordinance—a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action for a group of people; or a statement by an authority of how people should behave.
Thus, believers are to live according to the precept or ordinance—commands or principles intended as rules of action for the believers.
The reason why believers in Thessalonica were admonished to withdraw from whoever is called a believer, who loaf around, is that they would not be contaminated or corrupted with the negative attitude of the person or people in question.
When you walk with a corrupted person, someone who is warped, you are tended or inclined to copy the person and started behaving like him or her; thus, the admonition: " . . . EVIL COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD HABITS” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
A believer should lead a disciplined life. A believer should be able to control himself or hersel(Galatians 5:24).
God is a disciplinarian and a perfectionist! Whatever would be done for Him had to be excellently done.
If you are lazy, you are a loafer or a laid-back person, you will not be able to walk with God. This is the reason why some who have a lazy mentality, who are lazy minded, in the secular work usually find it difficult to cope or excel when they are asked or called to serve in the ministry or kingdom work.
The work of ministry is for those who are up and doing; those who are able to do something quickly, unexpectedly, or abruptly, especially without warning or explanation. Those who can work under a tight schedule.
The ministry work is a work that does not have a resuming and closing time! You should be ready and willing to work whenever the call is made, anytime and any day.
Apostle Paul was citing how he was working, labouring and toiling, night and day, that he and those who were with him would not be a burden to the believers in Thessalonica (2 Thessalonians 3:7,8). Of course, he, Apostle Paul, also did that in some other places. When he was sharing a parting word with the leaders in the Ephesian Church, he had this to say:
33 I HAVE COVETED NO ONE'S SILVER OR GOLD OR APPAREL. 34 YES, YOU YOURSELVES KNOW THAT THESE HANDS HAVE PROVIDED FOR MY NECESSITIES, AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE WITH ME" (Acts 20:33,34 NKJV).
In the same vein, he did balance the message that what they were doing, by not demanding or collecting money or material things from them, the people; it does not mean that they, the apostles, did not have the authority to collect or receive gifts or monetary rewards from them, but they just wanted to set the standard, an example of a good work ethic, for every believer (2 Thessalonians 3:9).
Important things to note:
I. A leader or minister should be able to set a good example or standard for those who are following him or her (1 Peter 5:3).
II. You can only produce your kind as a leader, what those who are following you see you doing is what they would do. If you are the laid-back type, the people under your leadership would also be exactly that. In the other way round, if you are the fervent or agile and up-and-doing type, those under your leadership would be that also—like begets like (Matthew 10:24).
III. Whatever you would want the people under your leadership to know and do, you would have to teach them and also practice or do whatever you are teaching them. This is where teaching is different from training. Training involves both the teaching of the subject and the practicing of it. You do or practice whatever you are teaching them for them to see and be able to emulate or copy you, or imbibe—receive into the mind and retain—what you are teaching. Apostle Paul did show the Thessalonians the praticality of what he was teaching them, that was why he could refer to it in his epistle or letter to them (2 Thessalonians 3:7,8).
IV. For a leader to command followership, he has to be a doer or practicer of whatever he or she is teaching. People can easily be influenced through what they see you doing or practicing, even without telling them to copy you or do as you are doing, rather than what you are teaching them without practicing it in their presence.
What made Jesus' teaching unbeatable is the life He lived whilst He was here on earth. No religion leader had set that kind of standard or example for his followers. Most of other religion leaders had no good moral life which their followers could emulate, thus, their teachings are flawed; because they did not set a good example or standard for those who would be following them.
The standard set by Jesus Christ and the exemplary life He lived was impeccable; faultless, flawless, irreproachable and unblemished:
21 FOR TO THIS YOU WERE CALLED, BECAUSE CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR US, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YOU SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS: 22 “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH”; 23 WHO, WHEN HE WAS REVILED, DID NOT REVILE IN RETURN; WHEN HE SUFFERED, HE DID NOT THREATEN, BUT COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIM WHO JUDGES RIGHTEOUSLY; 24 WHO HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE, THAT WE, HAVING DIED TO SINS, MIGHT LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS—by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:21-24 NKJV).
Peace!