For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10
The apostle Paul would not be very popular with today’s socialists, those politicians and their supporters who believe that those with wealth should share everything with everybody, even those who are too lazy to work for themselves. He would have agreed with Sir Winston Churchill’s assessment that socialists believe it is better for everybody to be on half rations than for anybody to get a second helping. Today’s text sounds rather blunt, but it is in line with all of Scripture.
When God evicted Adam and his wife from Eden, He reminded Adam that in the sweat of his face he would eat bread (Genesis 3:19. If our first parents were to eat, they must work for it. The ancient Israelites were told that their diligence in working the land and their obedience to God’s commandments would result in prosperity. Even today, the diligence of the Jews in their homeland has led to Israel being far more wealthy than their Arab neighbours. An honest Christian is one who uses the abilities God has given to make a living for himself and his family. But this verse does not give us license to neglect the needs of the poor.
Remember how the Lord Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and give to the poor. He often spoke of supporting the poor, the widows, and the fatherless children. With no social safety net like our nation has, people in Bible times with no means actually died of starvation. One of the reasons why Christians are to work for our living is so we will have something to share with the truly needy.
The apostle Paul had no use for the lazy. Neither has God, and neither should we. -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/DHuXU5yhSC0