Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Paul's instruction concerns believers who refuse to work and persist in idleness and disorderly conduct, and such a disorderly course is not to be supported. The instruction they disregard calls them to give up sloth and aimless excitement and with quietness to work and eat their own bread. It met those who neglected duties and resigned themselves to idle waiting for immediate deliverance at Christ's coming, instead of steadfastness in faith and perseverance in well-doing.
One who persists in disregarding this instruction is to be marked and separated from fellowship, left without fellowship. Even while fellowship is withdrawn, he is not to be counted as an enemy but warned and admonished as a brother. That warning is to be given with brotherly love and kindness and a continuing brotherly relationship rather than hostility.
The separation and warning aim to bring him to shame so that he will change to a better course. They aim to turn him from conduct that brings reproach on the gospel. Such idleness is sin that disgraces the profession and places a stumbling block by inconsistent conduct, bringing reproach on the gospel and leading others away from righteousness and truth and turning those who would believe away from the truth.
While this discipline is carried out, the faithful are to keep to their God-given work and communicate to others the light received. They are to join diligence in temporal matters with untiring zeal in the cause of Christ, and not become weary in well-doing. In this course the peace of God and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ are consolation and support amid life's toils and trials.
If he refuses the brotherly warning and follows his own will and judgment with Satan as his leader, he brings ruin on himself and must bear his own sin. As a broader duty, every professed Christian is his brother's keeper and, having accepted Christ's sacrifice, is pledged to give special care to an erring brother and not leave him unwarned. This is because wrongdoing often comes from spiritual blindness and deception, and because the Lord has bought the erring one with a price by giving His only begotten Son. Workers who gather all classes to the gospel feast must carry out this rule toward disorderly members. Though the guests who come are a mixed company including apparent believers who have never put on Christ and lack the robe of His righteousness, human servants must not take the work of final separation upon themselves nor take responsibility for refusing admittance to any who may come.
Paul's instruction concerns believers who refuse to work and persist in idleness and disorderly conduct, and such a disorderly course is not to be supported. The instruction they disregard calls them to give up sloth and aimless excitement and with quietness to work and eat their own bread. It met those who neglected duties and resigned themselves to idle waiting for immediate deliverance at Christ's coming, instead of steadfastness in faith and perseverance in well-doing.
One who persists in disregarding this instruction is to be marked and separated from fellowship, left without fellowship. Even while fellowship is withdrawn, he is not to be counted as an enemy but warned and admonished as a brother. That warning is to be given with brotherly love and kindness and a continuing brotherly relationship rather than hostility.
The separation and warning aim to bring him to shame so that he will change to a better course. They aim to turn him from conduct that brings reproach on the gospel. Such idleness is sin that disgraces the profession and places a stumbling block by inconsistent conduct, bringing reproach on the gospel and leading others away from righteousness and truth and turning those who would believe away from the truth.
While this discipline is carried out, the faithful are to keep to their God-given work and communicate to others the light received. They are to join diligence in temporal matters with untiring zeal in the cause of Christ, and not become weary in well-doing. In this course the peace of God and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ are consolation and support amid life's toils and trials.
If he refuses the brotherly warning and follows his own will and judgment with Satan as his leader, he brings ruin on himself and must bear his own sin. As a broader duty, every professed Christian is his brother's keeper and, having accepted Christ's sacrifice, is pledged to give special care to an erring brother and not leave him unwarned. This is because wrongdoing often comes from spiritual blindness and deception, and because the Lord has bought the erring one with a price by giving His only begotten Son. Workers who gather all classes to the gospel feast must carry out this rule toward disorderly members. Though the guests who come are a mixed company including apparent believers who have never put on Christ and lack the robe of His righteousness, human servants must not take the work of final separation upon themselves nor take responsibility for refusing admittance to any who may come.