1 Thessalonians 4:12

“that ye may walk becomingly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing”

“Walk becomingly”: “Walk reputably” (Rhm). “Your conduct may win respect” (TCNT). “Live influentially” (Wms). “The believer must always bear in mind the impact of his line of conduct on those who are without faith” (Morris p. 134). “Toward them that are without”: That is, non-Christians (Colossians 4:5). “When we Christians prove that our Christianity makes us better workmen, truer friends, kinder men and women, then and only then are we really preaching” (Barclay p. 234). “Christians will never please everybody, but at least they can avoid bringing themselves into disrepute by failing to live up to the accepted standards of the society in which they live. Paul concludes, Christians must aim not to be dependent on anybody, especially those outside the church who will take. poor view of them if their religion makes them. public nuisance and burden” (Marshall p. 117). “His argument is that to work for one's own living is. mark of love, because then we do not need to depend on the support of fellow Christians, while deliberately to give up work is. breach of love because then we become parasites” (Stott p. 88). Idle people who live off the goodness and generosity of others are not living in love

Closing Comments

Stott concludes this section by saying, “The first is the call to unselfishness. Similarly we are to develop. spiritual sensitivity towards God, through His Word until in every dilemma it becomes safe and practical to ask ourselves, ‘Would it please Him?' On the other hand, love for others leads us to serve them. Whatever we wish others would do for us, we shall want to do to them. It is. wonderfully, liberating experience when the desire to please God overtakes the desire to please ourselves, and when love for others displaces self-love. True freedom is not freedom from responsibility to God and others in order to live for ourselves, but freedom from ourselves in order to live for God and others. Christian complacency is. particularly horrid condition. We have constantly to be on our guard against vanity and apathy. In this life we never finally arrive (1 Peter 3:14)” (p. 91).

First Thessalonians