6 Characteristics of a Faithful Church That We Sometimes Forget

Considering Paul's instructions from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22.

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It’s easy to get so comfortable in the way we’ve always done things that we may not even consider if we have forgotten or neglected something important.

As Paul wrapped up his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, he gave instructions about their relationships with others and their relationship with God.

Paul wanted the church to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, and these six characteristics would help them do just that.

Instructions for their Relationship with Others.

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15)

Paul’s instructions to the Christians in Thessalonica revolved around four commands regarding their relationships with others.

Respect the leaders.

Paul “asked” the church to “respect” (recognize) and “esteem very highly” (value) those who labored among them and were over them.

The shepherds have an essential role in the Lord’s church, and they serve under the authority of the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4). The members of the local flock are to respect the elders and value their work in watching out for their souls (Hebrews 13:17).

The elders of the church serve “as guardians of the community by urging its members to avoid improper behavior and guiding them into conduct appropriate to the gospel” (Victor Paul Furnish, 1 Thessalonians, 115).

In the Lord’s church, Christians should not get upset and leave because they didn’t prefer some decision by the elders or something was done that “hurt their feelings.” And yet, how many times have we seen this happen?

Respect and honor for the shepherds is one characteristic of a faithful church.

Be at peace with your brethren.

There should be peace among brothers and sisters in the local congregation. This is something that Paul mentioned frequently in his letters to various churches (Romans 12:18; 14:19; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:3; Colossians 3:15).

Every Christian is obligated to do everything within his power to promote peace in the congregation of which he is a member. - Edwards, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 182

Peace is something that Christians must actively pursue. How often are relationships between brethren strained, and instead of seeking to resolve the issue to bring about peace, they refuse to deal with it, leaving it simmering for years?

Can a church that may teach nothing but the truth but fails to encourage and promote peace among the members truly be said to be a faithful church of our Lord?

As Christians, you and I must do everything we can to cultivate and promote peace in the local church where we are members.

Peace among brethren is another characteristic of a faithful church.

Patiently help your struggling brethren.

Paul mentions three groups that the church needs to focus on helping.

• The idle, perhaps better translated as the unruly.

• The fainthearted or the discouraged.

• The weak, perhaps both the physically and spiritually weak.

A different approach is needed for each of these three groups of Christians. The idle or unruly must be admonished. Admonishing means “to counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct” (BDAG 679). The unruly need to hear their brethren counseling them to change their course.

The second group that needs the help of their brethren is the fainthearted or discouraged. These Christians may be going through a difficult time in their faith and might even feel like giving up. These brethren need encouragement from their brothers and sisters in Christ as they grow weary amid the Christian race.

The final group Paul mentions is the weak - which may include those who are physically weak (1 Peter 3:7), as well as the spiritually weak (James 5:14). Perhaps this group will require the most effort from the church to help because this is the group that tends to “disappear from the pews.” Special care, love and attention are needed from the church to help the weak in their struggles.

This should be done with patience - or longsuffering - toward all. Helping people is a challenging thing, and it’s often a long process. The church is to “suffer long” with those who are suffering and help them through their challenges.

Patiently helping our struggling brethren is another characteristic of a faithful church of Christ.

Do good to everyone regardless of how you’re treated.

Not only must Christians not seek vengeance - to repay evil for evil, but they must seek and pursue to do good to each other and to everyone.

Just as strongly as some tried to persecute Christians, Paul commands them to pursue doing good to others just as strongly. And this is to be not just to the people who treat us well - because everyone does that. But we are to pursue doing good to even those who mistreat us.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)

A church with a vindictive spirit is not in submission to the Lord. Doing good to everyone (Galatians 6:10), regardless of how they treat us, is a characteristic of a faithful church.

Instructions for their Relationship with God.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)

After focusing on their relationship among themselves and with others, Paul gives the church instructions for their relationship with God.

Be devoted to communicating with God.

Joy, prayer, and thanksgiving in all circumstances are God’s will in Christ Jesus for His people. This is only possible through Jesus Christ and because of what He has done for us.

He came to bring us joy (John 10:10), to make it possible for us to approach the Father in prayer (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-16), and to make it possible for his people to be thankful (rather than despondent) in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13) - Whitworth, Living and Longing for the Lord, 114

In communicating with God through prayer, we demonstrate our trust in Him.

The greatest weapon in the hands of an oppressed people is prayer. If it is not our first and regular response when challenged or persecuted, then we betray the fact that we do not feel a strong dependence on the Lord. - Whitworth, Living and Longing for the Lord, 115

Regardless of what we face, we still have joy because of what Jesus has done for us. Through our continued prayers, we show our trust in Him - regardless of our circumstances. Our praising of Him declares our thankfulness for what He has done and shows reverence for Him.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-21)

A church’s devotion to communicating with God through prayer and expressing joy and thankfulness to Him is another characteristic of a faithful church of Jesus Christ.

Be devoted to God’s communication with you.

Finally, Paul urges the church in Thessalonica to listen to what God says to them.

The Word of God is how He speaks to us and how the Holy Spirit works on our hearts today (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17). The Scriptures are the words of God Himself (2 Timothy 3:16-17), given by the Holy Spirit through the prophets and apostles (2 Peter 1:19-21). When we listen to the Bible, we are listening to God Himself.

If we neglect or reject what God says in His Word, we are “putting out the fire” of the Spirit and despising what God has revealed through His prophets and apostles.

Christians must test what they hear - comparing it with God’s Word. It’s possible to proclaim a “gospel of a different sort” that isn’t the genuine gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9). We must be able to tell what’s the “real deal” and what’s a “counterfeit” message. We do that by comparing what we hear to God’s Word to “find out whether these things” are so (Acts 17:11).

Once we know the truth of God’s Word, we must cling to what is good and right and avoid every type or form of evil. This isn’t what people think is evil, but what God has actually said is evil.

A faithful church is also characterized by its willingness to hear and obey what God has revealed in His Word.

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This was not meant to be a detailed list of everything that makes up a faithful church - but I think what Paul wrote here covers pretty much everything in a general way.

Some of the things mentioned in this article may tend to be emphasized rather strongly in the local church - while others may fall through the cracks or get brushed aside as mere afterthoughts.

The truth is that all of what the Holy Spirit mentions through Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 is important. A faithful church of our Lord will strive to be everything God has commanded - not just the parts we like or are more comfortable doing.