Newsflash: Jesus didn't come to save some guy sitting all by himself in a corner—he came to save the whole world. Which means that Christians are all in it together, right? Enter Paul. He's really big on love and togetherness, which means that he has some input on how the Thessalonian Christians should be behaving towards each other. (Of course he does.) But Paul isn't just some distant authority figure. It's also pretty clear that he gets as much from being part of this community as they get from him.
Group hug?
Questions About Community
- Why do you think Paul feels so close to the Thessalonians? Is it because they're so good at following his word? Or is something else going on?
- So the Thessalonians are awesome at loving, right? Then why does their community have any problems at all?
- Do you think Paul asks too much of the Thessalonians? Or is he right to expect them to keep moving on up the ladder of holiness?