Page 63 - Biblical Ethics Course

1 Thessalonians 5:12–22 (NASB95)
12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge
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over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their
work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted,
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help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after
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that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything
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give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic
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utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

2 Thessalonians 3:6–9 (NASB95)
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who
life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined
manner among you,

8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day
so that we would not be a burden to any of you;

9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would
follow our example
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We are to stay faithful in all we do, we are to work hard—ultimately for His purposes. We also have to exhort
others to do the same; this will, at times, result in us making difficult decisions in regards to our relationships. But
since we know that God is just and faithful, we can put our whole lives, present and future, in His hands.

1–2 Timothy and Titus-Pastoral Ethics.

Commonly known as the Pastoral Letters, these three letters encourage Paul’s co-workers Timothy and Titus in
their respective ministries in Ephesus and Crete. They were written at the end of Paul’s life during a Roman
imprisonment. These letters are perhaps best described as faithful sayings for faithful friends, and they set out
key Christian doctrines to be defended and describe the main qualifications for those in Christian leadership.

To some degree, each of the three letters seeks to reinforce a traditional understanding of salvation and the
manner of living that is appropriate to life in Christ

First Timothy shows the power of, and need for, Christ-focused teaching. It leads to godly conduct, peace, and
the advancement of God’s mission in the world. False teaching leads to conflict within the church and a bad
reputation in the wider community.

Paul instructs believers to counteract the bad example of others by being a good example. We have the
assurance that only our relationship with God, through Christ, can truly transform a person.

1 Timothy 3:1–10 (NASB95)
1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An
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overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable,
able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
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4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if
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a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not
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