2nd Thessalonians 3:14-15, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
This Scripture opens a can of worms, because it can be interpreted so many
different ways and is heavily susceptible to personal prejudice. It's not a
difficult passage of Scripture to interpret if we cross-reference it with
the rest of the Bible. You never base a doctrine of just one Bible Verse. If
one's interpretation is in agreement with all of the Bible, then you know
that you've got the correct interpretation.
The Bible says to mark a man who lives in sin against the Bible and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Most people would consider that condemning someone for their sins. The difference is whether or not the person made a mistake or is still living in unrepentant sin. There are people who boast of committing sin, and have intentions of committing more sin, and have no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:18). We are commanded not to keep company with such people. This Scripture doesn't mean to blackball somebody just because they used bad judgment.
David in the Old Testament committed adultery and murder. What he did was deliberate, calculated and evil. Yet, David repented immediately when admonished by Nathan the prophet. David's enemies condemned him to his grave for the sins that he had committed. Thankfully, only God can condemn a man to Hell for all eternity and there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1,34). That's why David said in Psalm 51:4, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. against Thee and THEE ONLY have I sinned.” People will condemn you to your grave, but they cannot condemn you to Hell. Aren't you glad that your future is solely in God's hands? Only a fool would live a second more without receiving Jesus Christ as payment for their sins. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again for our justification. These three things compose the Biblical gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
2nd Corinthians 6:14-17 commands believers not to keep company (yoke together) with unbelievers. This especially means in holy matrimony. You'll be living in unholy hell on earth if you make the Devil your father-in-law by marrying an unsaved person. Just because you meet somebody in Church doesn't mean that they're safe to marry. What you see is what you get. If there's any cause for concern before you say I DO, you'd better say I DON'T.
Please understand that 2nd Thessalonians 3:14-15 is only telling us not to keep company with bad company. It doesn't mean to shun somebody because you're jealous of them, or don't like them for some reason. I am convinced that 90% of the things people do are motivated by sinful selfish reasons, and not by obedience to the Bible. If you shun somebody because of past sins or mistakes they've made (or gossip that you don't even know is true), then you're sinning against that person. You are a hypocrite and are condemning them (Matthew 7:1-5). You probably don't like them and are looking for any excuse to be mean to them, destroy their name, and hurt their feelings. People do it all the time, even to their own loved ones. It's wicked sin.
If you have heard a rumor about a person and you're diligently asking around and hoping to confirm the gossip, then your heart is not right with God. Jeremiah 17:9 proclaims that the human heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all else, who can know it? God knows it! Hebrews 4:12 teaches that God's Word is sharper than any double-edged sword, and can pierce even to the dividing asunder of our soul and spirit, to reveal the thoughts and intentions of our heart. Search your heart my friend concerning the people in your life and how you treat them. Since we are all sinners, no one should ever take joy or feel glad in shunning somebody's company. God will judge every deed we do (Colossians 3:25), every word we idly speak (Matthew 12:36), and every thought that we choose to think (Proverb 24:12; Matthew 5:22,28).
I felt it necessary to write this article because some Christians love to use this Bible passage to shun people they don't like. Shame on you if that is you. If the shoe fits, wear it! The Bible says not to keep company so that some may be ashamed. This doesn't mean over past sins. It doesn't mean if you THINK someone is still living in sin. It doesn't mean posting crap on the internet because you feel it's your Christian duty to slander sinners. God is going to hold everyone accountable for what they post on the internet. This Verse means not to keep company with people while they're committing evil. It plainly refers to open public sin and a shameless attitude about one's sins; such as going around telling everyone that you're gay. Hebrews 3:13, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Anybody can criticize anyone for anything if you try hard enough. I believe great caution must be used when refusing to keep company with someone. If you carefully read the Scriptures, it clearly says not to count that person as an enemy. It says to admonish (verbally caution them as a friend). The Bible also teaches in Galatians 6:1 to restore a fallen brother or sister in the spirit of meekness. It doesn't say to abandon them and gossip about them like most people do today.
Galatians 6:1-2, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Hardly anyone obeys this Scripture these days. People break apart other people's marriages, hating one spouse over the other, taking sides in matters that are none of their business. If they really cared, then they would express love for BOTH spouses, working to reconcile the couple's relationship instead of destroying their marriage. In my ministry for the Lord online, I have always tried to save marriages instead of ruining them. That's what every Christian ought to do. If you can't rebuild, reconcile and salvage; then shut up, sit down and mind your own stinking business.
All over the internet, wicked people are condemning, slandering, gossiping and tearing others down. I don't like Wikipedia because of all the damage it causes. I recently read about a famous politician who's wife gave birth prematurely to a dead baby. They brought the dead baby home only to introduce it to his siblings. It's posted on Wikipedia, trying to make the couple look insane for doing that. People can be such jerks!!! I think they did a proper thing by bringing the dead baby home, because it is a person. The parents wanted their children to see their brother at least once before they buried him. What a precious testimony in comparison to the filled abortion dumpsters of our wicked generation.
I'm not challenging the Scriptures in any way. We are commanded as Christian believers not to keep company with unruly people. Actually, the context of 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 3 is not to keep company with busybodies who are idle. You could say they are good for nothing and up to something! Granted, this Bible truth applies to all sins, that they may be ashamed. The Apostle Paul's intention by not keeping company, was that it be used as a tool (a means) to help someone straiten up their act. It wasn't intended as an act of cruelty, hospitality or rejection.
The Bible plainly says to speak with the person to warn them (Hebrews 3:13 also), and not to count them as an enemy. Galatians 6:1-2 says to restore them with a spirit of humility and meekness, but be careful about temptation. Hatred has no place in reconciliation. Our desire ought to be to bring people closer to God, not drive them away by causing discord, divorces and hatred.
Albeit this has nothing to do with contending for the faith. We ought also to REBUKE THEM SHARPLY (Titus 1:10-13) who subvert men with false doctrines, false Bibles, false gospels and false Christs. When we consider all of the Scriptures in the Bible, then we obtain a clear perspective of what God expects from us. Everything we do should be in a spirit of love, but must also include an uncompromising stand against heresy and falsehoods that damn men's souls to Hell.
