![]() "Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right." (2 Thessalonians 3:13)."But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters." (2 Thessalonians 2:13)."Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss." (1 Thessalonians 5:26)."Concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another." (1 Thessalonians 4:9)."For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith." (1 Thessalonians 3:7)."You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you." (1 Thessalonians 2:9)."For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you." (1 Thessalonians 1:4).That means they're all brothers and sisters, right? But don't forget, Paul's also their brother. So Paul is the dad and Christians are the kids. It's the ancient equivalent of forging dad's signature on a report card. Heck, Paul has so much dad power, some guy even pretended to be him when he wrote 2 Thessalonians. When he preaches, they better be listening. But he obviously wants the Thessalonians to know that he has authority. Unlike some of his other letters, Paul doesn't lay on the dad lectures too thick. Parent of the year, right there.īut he also uses this relationship to justify his concern for them. He adores them and treats them delicately: "We were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7). It's clear that Paul uses this image to convey his love for the Thessalonians. Do as I say, kids!ĭoes this mean they have to get him a card for Father's Day? "You yourselves know how you ought to imitate us" (2 Thessalonians 3:7). ![]() "Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith." (2 Thessalonians 1:4)."We dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God" (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12).Paul (and his anonymous pretender) even occasionally uses this parent/child language to apply to describe his relationship with the Thessalonian Christians: Remember God the Father and Christ the Son? Family ties are powerful symbols. The New Testament uses tons of family imagery. Or at least that's what the early Christians thought. Family can be anyone that's important enough to join our inner circle. But family isn't only made up of the people we happen to share DNA with. Your relatives are people you have an obligation to love and care for (yes, even your weird Uncle Gene). For lots of people, there's nothing they wouldn't do for their nearest and dearest.
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