Wasn't there also something about some stopping work because they believed the return of Christ was imminent? (Sorry I did not get time to check this up!) God bless, Jeff > -----Original Message----- > From: Joseph Krygier [mailto:pasjk@...] > Sent: Wednesday, 25 October 2006 6:38 AM > To: soundofgrace@... > Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] NCT and Politics > > The Thessalonian passage I believe also carries with it some strong > cultural connotations. > Everyone did not work like we work jobs in our culture. > It may well have been that Paul was addressing some who were supported > by underwriters for their crafts and that carried with it all kinds of > obligations to the benefactor, especially if you were an artisan. Your > supporter could make all kinds of "demands" on you to continue to > receive their favor. Paul and the apostles could "demand" being taken > care of by the church as their benfactors, but did not. They paid their > own way. Paul is admonishing that those are disorderly if they are now > , after the first warnings in the first letter, still continuing in a > client status with a benefactor. Therefore these, who are now idle > without a patron were being disobedient. Patonage usually lasted for > life, unless one angered the patron. > Joe > On Oct 24, 2006, at 4:17 PM, John Reisinger wrote: > > > Moe: This is another example of hermeneutics. Government, by its very > > nature and by God's ordination,is to protect and care for its > > citizens. I think most people would assume that "caring for" would > > include a soup kitchen during depression or a time of a disaster. > > JGR > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: Moe Bergeron > >> To: soundofgrace@... > >> Sent: Monday, October 23, 2006 12:54 PM > >> Subject: Re: [soundofgrace] NCT and Politics > >> > >> > >> On 10/23/06, Someone wrote: > >> "But my observation has been that when government takes on the task > >> of feeding the hungry ( a mandate BTW which God has never assigned to > >> civil government) it always ends up feeding those whom God says > >> should NOT eat! i.e. those who will not work! See II Thessalonians > >> 3:10." > >> > >> Moe - thinking out loud: > >> Governments are use of God to bring judgement to those peoples within > >> and without of their respective borders. There is no biblical mandate > >> stating they may or may not redistribute the wealth of those > >> governed. I've heard it said that the world's governments put the > >> churches of Christ to shame when it comes to generosity. > >> > >> 2Thess 3:10 is addressed to the church and not to the nations. > >> > >> 3:10 For even when we were with you we used to give you this command: > >> "If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat." 3:11 For > >> we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not > >> doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. 3:12 Now > >> such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work > >> quietly and so provide their own food to eat. 3:13 But you, brothers > >> and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. 3:14 But if > >> anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of > >> him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. > >> 3:15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a > >> brother. > >> > >> moe > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > Read the Sound of Grace pages at > > http://www.soundofgrace.com > > > > To unsubsc > > ribe, send ANY message to: soundofgrace-unsubscribe@... > > > > To view o > > ur online archive go to our web page at > > http://www.associate.com/groups/soun > > dofgrace > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Read the Sound of Grace pages at > http://www.soundofgrace.com > > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: soundofgrace- > unsubscribe@... > > To view our online archive go to our web page at > http://www.associate.com/groups/soundofgrace > >