Daniel P. Barron

Taken from a conversation about working, false teachers, and fruit.

What does 1 Thessalonians 4:12 mean?

It means to not be a burden on others, if you can do this. ⁱ

I see. I've been believing falsely then.. I was telling my pastor that we should all use each other more, because we can.. (in reference to him paying to leave his car parked at the airport, rather than getting me to drive his family and pick them up)

It's not wrong to help fellow saints, as the passage indicates. But, you have a pastor? Who is he?

What is the balance then? Between being a burden, and helping each other? He's somebody that you wouldn't think is in the truth.. but anyways.. you still have knowledge that can help me..

The key word is "aspire." When you can't "work with your own hands" to "increase more and more," you can rely on the "love" of "one another." Do you think this man is in the truth?

I see, that makes sense, thank you for clearing that up for me, I appreciate it. I think he like most who profess to be Christian, has some truth, mixed with some falsehood, along with the depth of his obedience to God stopping when obeying God would mean compromising the individualism the North American life prescribes.

If you think that he teaches falsehood, why do you listen to him? ⁱⁱ

Because he teaches some truth.

No, he is a "well without water." ⁱⁱⁱ

Question about Matthew 7:15-20. ^iv What if a tree produces bad fruit, then repents from the bad fruit, does it become good fruit?

Fruit is the things we say. ^v If you say bad things, they remain bad after you have repented of saying them. The bad things said and done by the elect will not be remembered. ^vi

Oh, that makes sense. But if you stop saying the bad things, you are no longer a bad tree right?

If the tree no longer produces bad fruit, it is no longer a bad tree.

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:
   

   9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

    ^

2. John 10:
   

   5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

    ^

3. 2 Peter 2:
   

   17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

    ^

4. Matthew 7:
   

   15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

    ^

5. Luke 6:
   

   39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

   43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

    ^

6. Ezekiel 33:
   

   12 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ 13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. 14 Again, when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

    ^