Do This

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.

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