Recently, Pastor Andy Stanley used 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 to chastise Christians and to apologize to non-Christians for believers’ inappropriate behavior. Paul told his readers to “aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands…that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” Taking Paul’s admonition totally out of context, Stanley condemns Christians for not minding their own business by leaving unbelievers alone. God’s “rules” or law, Stanley said, are for family members, not for unbelievers.
Many Thessalonian Christians had become so focused on Christ’s return that they quit their jobs to wait for it. These people quickly became burdens on society and hurt their testimonies. Paul wasn’t saying Christians should never assert that God’s “rules” apply to unbelievers, for His moral laws are absolute and applicable to all. He was telling his readers to work hard and live responsibly.
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