Amazing Grace

2 Thessalonians 3:14-18 – Amazing Grace

Authority – that’s how Paul spoke. With authority. He told it like it was, and he expected the church to listen because he was speaking with God’s authority. “If someone doesn’t obey what I’ve written in this letter,” said Paul, “then exercise church discipline.” Isolate him from the body of Christ so that he can come to his senses – so that his shame will get the better of him.

But notice how we are to do this: admonish him as a brother, not as an enemy. It seems we go to extremes in these situations. One extreme is that we either ignore someone’s bad behavior, pretending it didn’t happen or pretending it isn’t sin. And, folks, there is a lot of that going around. In the name of tolerance, we are fast re-writing God’s Word so that very few things are considered sin any more. The truth is that as a pastor, when I have tried to deal with some of these issues, I have been accused of being intolerant, unloving, and angry. Folks, let me remind you of something: to tolerate sin is unloving and all anger isn’t sin. The other extreme is that we become angry and aggressive, and we let our emotions go wild as we “discipline” our brother (that kind of anger is sin). Literally, he becomes our enemy. Paul said, “No!” We are to lovingly and gently restore someone who has stumbled into sin. Our goal is to bring healing, not to destroy another Christian.

So the key is that we must stand firmly for what is right, never condoning a brother’s sin, and never condemning a brother’s life. Have you ever heard that old saying, “But for the grace of God, there go I?” The only thing standing between all of us and an eternity in hell is God’s grace, and the only thing that keeps you from being the one undergoing church discipline will be the grace of God that strengthens you. Without Him, we would all continue to live in sin.

So Paul wrapped up his letter to the Thessalonian Christians in his usual way. He took the pen in hand and prayed a beautiful blessing of peace and grace into the lives of believers. Peace that comes only from His presence in our lives. Grace that flows freely from Calvary’s Cross to all who will receive it. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see!”