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1 Thessalonians 2:3
3 For [gar] our [hemon] exhortation [paraklesis] was not [ou] of [ek] deceit, [plane] nor [oude] of [ek] uncleanness, [akatharsia] nor [oute] in [en] guile: [dolos] KJV-Interlinear
3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; NASB
Exhortation means to teach in order that the student may learn for their own benefit and use, to encourage, to give confidence. In other words, Paul and all good teachers of doctrine, or all teachers of any kind for that matter, are successful in their vocation if the student learns their material. And not to learn as only in memorization, but to learn in order to apply what they have been taught, for some practical aspect of their life.
Paul did not teach in order to simply crank out numbers, or to simply fill time. He did not teach in order to make his students compete for some arbitrary first or second position in a class.
These things are all too common in our public schools. Teachers have lost track of their objective and they use grading curves or some arbitrary grading system in order to categorize their students into some form of multiple grading level.
The only really good teacher, is one who will teach and teach, again and again, such that any and all students will learn and master the subject. There is no rule in life that says that all students cannot achieve an ‘A’ grade. The great teacher will work with students so that they can learn the material and master the material. And a great teacher will figure out ways to help all students achieve that goal.
Of course this presumes that the students want to learn. But that is a student problem and should never be a teacher barrier. There are always ways to bring the material to the most stubborn of students. You just have to rise to the challenge and figure out a better way to teach.
Likewise, Paul did not teach by using deceitful methods or gimmicks.
No mutual admiration clubs. No gimmick clubs or cults. No enticements to encourage memberships. No membership requirements. No false or misleading promises or implications. These are things that are common to politics, and to social clubs, or to church’s that do not teach doctrine, to religions that seek membership through enticements or social activities.
It is difficult to get members or followers if your methods or subject matter is boring. But then, Paul was not in the membership raising business. Only those who seek power, money, fame, notoriety and such, need a following, and the only way to gain a following, generally, is to mislead or entice people. And that is always a false approach to ones spiritual life.
If you have to be impressed, entertained or enticed or promised something, then your approach to your spiritual life is on the wrong path. You’ll never gain what you are after.
Your spiritual instruction is there, or should be there, to teach you doctrine, and to advance you in your spiritual life. The spiritual life is not there for your convenience, or to be molded to your beliefs or whims.
Jesus stated that He did not come to provide peace and harmony, but to drive families apart, to drive your personal beliefs from doctrine. And many times, your beliefs are not valid, and when doctrine is presented, you will rebel. The driving apart, means to challenge your thoughts, and to test your willingness to have an open mind. Only then can you see truth and thus learn truth. Truth will always disagree with the false. And the false will always argue with truth.
The positive person will stick with their studies even if they disagree with those studies. Time and study will reinforce the truth and allow the mind to separate from the old beliefs.
By learning truth, we all benefit. The spiritual life is not a competition whereby only one or a few will advance, but where all have the opportunity to be winners and become phenomenally successful.
If I were to promote gimmicks, if I were to promise certain things, if I were to advance various approaches in order to have a following, then my time would be spent on those gimmicks and not on doctrine. The entire study would then fail.
This study is not here to reach some artificial goal, but it is here to help myself, my family, and all of you, whoever you are out there in the world, to achieve the greatest life possible for both now in time, and especially in eternity.
Truth does not need a crutch or a gimmick or a membership, or top secret rules, to hold itself up. Truth will stand on its own.
