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2 Thessalonians 3:12
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12 Now [de] them that are such [toioutos] we command [paraggello] and [kai] exhort [parakaleo] by [dia] our [hemon] Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous] Christ, [Christos] that [hina] with [meta] quietness [hesuchia] they work, [ergazomai] and eat [esthio] their own [heautou] bread. [artos] KJV-Interlinear
12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. NASB
‘Now for such persons,’ is a reference to the busybodies of the previous verse. This then is Pauls advice and Gods command.
Stop promoting annoying activities, stop meddling, stop burdening others with your do-gooder attitude, stop your hypocritical pattern, stop spreading false or distorted ideas, and all of this is wrapped up in, stop eating the bread of others, but eat your own bread.
What is bread? That is the bread of life, spiritual food, Bible doctrine.
In other words, when a person interferes with someone else's life, uninvited, obnoxious and intrusive, with mis-information, then the other person will have a tendency to become defensive, and sour against Christianity. This diminishes their growth, and the busybody is in effect stealing the doctrine right out of their mouth (soul), so to speak.
Anytime you become an annoyance, anytime you promote false doctrines, anytime you mess up Christianity with your bothersome, burdensome, and annoying rhetoric or activities, this becomes a turn-off for others. That in turn delays or defers their spiritual life. What is their rightful food (doctrine), has been removed because the busybody has placed a bad taste in their mouth.
If the hearer is indeed positive, they may come around at some later date, when they hear correct doctrine, or when life’s circumstances, drives them to God.
But that is no credit to the one who has interfered with their previous opportunities at a spiritual life.
So Paul states clearly, stop, cease, desist with what you are doing, you busybody. Remain quiet (stop your activity) and eat your own food (correct food of doctrine), and thus grow up with the proper knowledge, gain correct understanding, and acquire the proper and legitimate wisdom, before you go back to face people.
A Christian who is clueless as to what they are doing, does more damage than a dozen unbelievers. God uses prepared believers, not do-it-your-selfers who do not know straight-up from straight-down. Can a doctor practice medicine before he has finished his training? Thus self-appointed busybodies lead only to trouble. Get prepared, first, and stay out of the way until you are prepared.
Eph. 4:28
28 Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. NASB
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