1 Thessalonians 2:3
3 For [gar] our [hemon] exhortation [paraklesis] was not [ou] of [ek] deceit, [plane] nor [oude] of [ek] uncleanness, [akatharsia] nor [oute] in [en] guile: [dolos] KJV-Interlinear
3 For our exhortation does not
come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; NASB
Exhortation means to
teach in order that the student may learn for their own benefit and use, to
encourage, to give confidence. In other words, Paul and all good teachers of
doctrine, or all teachers of any kind for that matter, are successful in their
vocation if the student learns their material.
And not to learn as only in memorization, but to learn in order to apply
what they have been taught, for some practical aspect of their life.
Paul did not teach in
order to simply crank out numbers, or to simply fill time. He did not teach in order to make his
students compete for some arbitrary first or second position in a class.
These things are all
too common in our public schools.
Teachers have lost track of their objective and they use grading curves
or some arbitrary grading system in order to categorize their students into
some form of multiple grading level.
The only really good teacher, is one who will teach and teach, again and again,
such that any and all students will learn and master the subject. There is no rule in life that says that all
students cannot achieve an A grade.
The great teacher will work with students so that they can learn the
material and master the material.And a
great teacher will figure out ways to help all students achieve that goal.
Of course this presumes
that the students want to learn. But that is a student problem and should never
be a teacher barrier.There are always
ways to bring the material to the most stubborn of students. You just have to rise to the challenge and
figure out a better way to teach.
Likewise, Paul did not
teach by using deceitful methods or gimmicks.
No mutual admiration
clubs.No gimmick clubs or cults. No enticements to encourage memberships. No membership requirements. No false or misleading promises or
implications.These are things that are
common to politics, and to social clubs, or to church s that do not teach
doctrine, to religions that seek membership through enticements or social
activities.
It is difficult to get
members or followers if your methods or subject matter is boring. But then, Paul was not in the membership raising
business.Only those who seek power, money,
fame, notoriety and such, need a following, and the only way to gain a
following, generally, is to mislead or entice people. And that is always a false approach to ones
spiritual life.
If you have to be impressed,
entertained or enticed or promised something, then your approach to your spiritual
life is on the wrong path.You ll never
gain what you are after.
Your spiritual
instruction is there, or should be there, to teach you doctrine, and to advance
you in your spiritual life.The spiritual
life is not there for your convenience, or to be molded to your beliefs or
whims.
Jesus stated that He
did not come to provide peace and harmony, but to drive families apart, to
drive your personal beliefs from doctrine.
And many times, your beliefs are not valid, and when doctrine is presented,
you will rebel.The driving apart, means to challenge your thoughts, and to test your
willingness to have an open mind.Only
then can you see truth and thus learn truth. Truth will always disagree with the false. And the false will always argue with truth.
The positive person
will stick with their studies even if they disagree with those studies. Time and study will reinforce the truth and
allow the mind to separate from the old beliefs.
By learning truth, we
all benefit.The spiritual life is not a
competition whereby only one or a few will advance, but where all have the opportunity
to be winners and become phenomenally successful.
If I were to promote
gimmicks, if I were to promise certain things, if I were to advance various
approaches in order to have a following, then my time would be spent on those
gimmicks and not on doctrine.The entire
study would then fail.
This study is not here
to reach some artificial goal, but it is here to help myself, my family, and
all of you, whoever you are out there in the world, to achieve the greatest
life possible for both now in time, and especially in eternity.
Truth does not need a
crutch or a gimmick or a membership, or top secret rules, to hold itself up.Truth will
stand on its own.