1 Thessalonians 5:14 English Standard Version (ESV) And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,^[a] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

Footnote ^[a]  Or disorderly, or undisciplined

Here is a little secret that is not said about this verse; submission.

Romans 13:5 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

1 Peter 5:5 English Standard Version (ESV) Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

We should make it clear to everyone who is a disciple or teaching a disciple that submission is required, what that entails, and what is expected of both disciple and teacher.

The footnote is added to help us distinguish the issue of idle. Idle can mean that the motor is running but the transmission is not in gear. Disorderly means one has received the rules and is in violation. Undisciplined means one has not learned self-control. All three are different and must needs be addressed differently.

How we encourage the fainthearted needs to be tempered by why they are fainthearted. How can we know what that might be if we are not subject one to another? Submission.

The same might we said of the weak. Weak of body, weak of will, weak of spirit, how are they weak? Once again, submission.

Be patient with them all. Teacher with disciple and disciple with teacher. If the lessons have not addressed all the issues for each disciple yet, be patient, our training does not end for any of us, because we learn every day.

It does not matter how mature you are in Christ, there is always room for growth.

As promised, here is a listing in order of the things associated with the exact phrase “by faith”.

Acts 15:9 tells us that our hearts are being purified by faith.

Acts 26:18 that we are being sanctified by faith.

Romans 1:17 tells us the God’s righteousness is revealed to us by faith so that we can live by faith.

Romans 3:22 tells us that the righteousness of Christ is upon us and is the same for everyone who believes by faith.

Romans 3:28 tells us we are justified by faith.

Romans 5:2 tells us we have access into His grace by faith.

Romans 11:20 tells us we stand by faith but not to be high-minded about it.

2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us we walk by faith.

Galatians 3:22 tells us we receive the promises by faith.

Galatians 3:26 tells us we are children of God by faith.

Ephesians 3:17 tells us Christ dwells in our hearts by faith.

I find it interesting that the most important truth is last on the list. It is because of the indwelling that all the others have been made possible. Without that we are only deceiving ourselves that we can hold those promises to be true for us. Christ makes all of it possible.

Perhaps the listing is ordered in such a manner because we can receive and believe the Word of truth before we recognize His presence. He is gentle and kind. He cares very much about this relationship and does not want to scare us or do any harm. He reveals Himself as we are ready to receive that knowledge in the way that we can receive it.

Once again, we must study His Word to discover the truth of what “by faith” is doing for us and in us.

Romans 12:3 English Standard Version (ESV) For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.