Four Essential Qualities

And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all. (1 Thes. 5:14, NET)

Paul identified four specific qualities that every church leader, every church, and every Christian were to have. Albert Barnes wrote:

This earnest entreaty is evidently addressed to the whole church, and not to the ministers of the gospel only. The duties here enjoined are such as appertain to all Christians in their appropriate spheres, and should not be left to be performed by ministers only. (Albert Barnes, New Testament Notes)

The leaders of the church should lead by example in these areas, but every Christian has an obligation to help others — especially in these four areas.

Admonish the undisciplined: The command calls for all Christians to warn, to caution, to “admonish,” and to reprove gently those who are unruly or undisciplined. The word for “undisciplined” is atasso in the original, meaning something that is out of order. Tasso had a distinctly military context of orderliness, so atasso carried the idea, according to Vines, of not keeping rank, of being insubordinate to the Spirit of God.

This was not a command to enroll church members in any special class of study so as to become disciplined — although that might be a good way today to achieve this goal. Rather the emphasis was on living the Christian life under the gracious command of God’s Spirit — Bible study, private prayer and devotion, obedience, holiness in daily life. It also reflected on those who were stirring up dissension in the family of God, that they should not be insubordinate to the leadership of the church.*

In his second epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul was more direct about a specific problem they were having with the “undisciplined.” They had taken advantage of Christian patience and compassion to the point that Paul gave the very strict command, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thes. 3:10).

For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. (2 Thes. 3:11–12 NET)

So the undisciplined were causing a lot of problems in the church. “The one who is slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys” (Prov. 18:9). An undisciplined life is not an innocent matter, rather it causes problems both to the unruly person himself and to the body of Christ — and to society at large as well.

Comfort the discouraged: To comfort means to speak words that are calming, encouraging, and consoling to people. Paul had used this word earlier in the letter when he wrote:

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory. (1 Thes. 2:11–12)

The word translated “discouraged” is used only here in the New Testament. The KJV translated it “feebleminded,” which today (not then) means someone who is lacking some mental ability. It means those who are “fainthearted,” or “devastated” by a personal experience of loss or shame or something of a similar scale. The Greek word, oligopsychos, was used in the Septuagint** to describe a “broken spirit” (NKJV) or “broken spirit” (NET Bible) in Prov. 18:14, and to describe the “contrite of heart” in Isaiah 57:15.

We should be especially sensitive and caring to those who are experiencing devastating events, or who are discouraged due to their life situations. We are to speak wise, comforting, uplifting words to one another.

Help the weak: Paul wrote, “But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). The word “weak” in Greek was used much like our word “weak” is used in English — to describe people lacking strength, whether physical, emotional, social, or spiritual. This word was used commonly used for the sick, and is found in Christ’s teachings in Matthew 25:36, “I was sick and you visited me.” Peter used it when he described women as the “weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). Paul used it to describe our sinful helplessness, “While we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6).

We are to strengthen one another. Much of the help that we need is most effectively offered by other church members. It is every Christian’s business to strengthen the weak, to encourage the sick, to bear the failings of the weak.

Be patient toward all: Whether people are insubordinate, personally devastated, or sick and weak, we should be patient with them. Patience should be a trait of all of God’s people. We can be patient toward others because of God’s promises. It was to the Thessalonians that Paul gave the admonition: “Do not grow weary in doing good” (2 Thes. 3:13).

Some people try our patience, but patience toward other Christians is not merely a wasted effort to put up with their immaturity. It is, rather, a gracious investment in the ultimate outcome of their life — Christlikeness. More on that tomorrow.

Lord, help us to be faithful to warn the undisciplined, to comfort the discouraged, to help the weak, and to do it all with godly patience.

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*A word about church leadership: Paul wrote, “We urge you, brothers and sister,” and not just “pastors and leaders.” Yet, as in all things, the leaders should lead in the attitudes and actions mentioned here. All the duties of church leadership are not mentioned here. Personal qualities such as faith, holiness, biblical knowledge, humility, personal discipline, diligence, forgiveness, and marriage and family life, as well as the whole composite of personal spiritual maturity and the character of Jesus Christ, are addressed elsewhere. (Romans 12:1–21; 1 Tim. 3:1–16; 2 Tim. 4:1–5; Titus 1:10–16; 1 Pet 5:1–11)

But here are discussed four pertinent qualities that the church leadership were to lead out in, allowing the others to follow them. Peter said:

Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2–3, NKJV)

The pastors and teachers were to lead by example, not by lording it over those in their flock. It is notable that Peter wrote, “the flock of God, which is among you,” and not “which is underneath you.” The pastor also called the “overseer” (1 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 13;7; Acts 20:28), and Paul in addressing the Ephesian elders made it abundantly clear:

Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son” (Acts 20:28, NET).

So the pastor does have some administrative authority as the overseer. But he is not to abuse this authority by shunning accountability, nor by considering himself better than others. Rather as a compassionate leader he is to tenderly and patiently lead others: by example, by teaching, by instruction, and by faithful prayer.

This calls for both humility and courage in the pastor to obey the Lord in this matter. Just as a godly parent must teach his child to respect him, so a godly pastor must teach his people to respect the office of pastor and the person who holds it, even as he is the one holding it. The pastor himself should be accountable, first to the Lord and then to the people of the church, and he should be in utter humility before all. He should be deserving of respect in his character and devotion and commitment, he should love the people and be kind, but he must also not allow the church to disrespect him. It is a sobering thought that many pastors, as well as many parents, have allowed their charges to treat them with disrespect simply because they lacked the obedience and courage to teach them otherwise.

But, again, the pastor is to be the example for others to follow. He should respect his own position and not abuse his office. He should be the finest example of respect toward the office of pastor. And the people themselves should encourage one another to respect the office as well.

** The Septuagint was the Greek translation of the Old Testament (ca. 200 B.C.) that was commonly used by the New Testament writers when quoting the Old Testament.