The verse calls believers to keep doing what is right and good without growing tired and giving up, continuing faithfully in diligent, honest, quiet labor and obedience rather than falling into disorderly idleness. It urges them not to abandon ordinary duties because Christ's return is expected soon, but to follow Paul's example by working quietly and eating their own bread instead of waiting in idle excitement and sloth. It is Christ's charge to all who unite with Him in saving perishing souls to stay at every outpost without release, because there is no pause in the warfare against agents of destruction. That unwearied good means proclaiming the gospel to save a world, laboring faithfully and patiently for neighbors with living faith and love for Jesus, rather than enjoying truth for self and leaving the work to others and to ministers. Strength to continue without tiring or being provoked to wrath comes not from one's own efforts but from union with Christ and dependence on God's wisdom and grace, guarded by watchfulness and prayer over every avenue to the soul.
Meaning and Original Setting
Doing good in this verse means continuing faithfully without tiring in diligent, honest, quiet labor and in obedience to apostolic command, in contrast to disorderly idleness. The surrounding instruction is to pray that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, to trust the faithful Lord to establish believers and keep them from evil, and to let the Lord direct their hearts into the love of God and into patient waiting for Christ. It is also to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not after apostolic tradition, and to follow Paul's example who was not disorderly and ate no one's bread for nothing but worked with labor and travail night and day so as not to be chargeable to any, though having power to claim support, in order to be an example to follow. The rule is upheld that if any would not work neither should he eat, and busybodies who work not at all are required to work with quietness and eat their own bread.
The verse urges honest, persevering work rather than giving up ordinary duties because Christ's return is expected soon. Those able to work should earn and eat their own bread, and Christians should not support those who refuse to work. It was spoken to believers disappointed in hoping for immediate deliverance at the second coming, calling them when daily life and opposition seem doubly forbidding not to neglect duties or resign to idle waiting and aimless excitement and sloth. Instead they are to take up their God-given work bravely and in the fear of God, remaining steadfast in the faith and faithfully sharing the truth received to give light to others. Continuing in good without tiring means joining diligence in temporal matters with untiring zeal in Christ's cause after Paul's example of working with quietness and eating one's own bread, despite opposition, daily responsibilities, and delayed expectations. It is a simple exhortation to brethren to keep doing what is right and good without growing tired and giving up.
Christ's Call to Unwearied Service
The call not to grow tired in doing good is the word of Christ as man's Redeemer from eternity, given ever since the fall to all who unite with Him in His great work of saving perishing souls from ruin. It commands continued doing of good without growing weary because there is no release in the warfare against Satan's agents who never pause in destruction. Those in His service must therefore watch every outpost and unite with the divine Worker to gain success in a work of infinite greatness.
It is spoken to those who seek God with the whole heart and with humble souls and earnest purpose strive to follow Christ's example in order to become partakers of the divine nature. Upon such prayerful seeking rests the Lord's blessing whose influence reaches to eternity. The command is not to be weary in well doing but to always abound in the work of the Lord by laboring in faith and humility and holding fast to God's promises without mingling self-sufficiency with efforts to gain eternal life. Those who so prevail will be given the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven.
That work of the Lord is proclaiming the gospel message in order to save a world, devoting every capability and talent to representing Christ before the world out of thankfulness for God giving His Son so believers may have everlasting life. Those who have received truth must labor for those in their neighborhood and fulfill their covenant to do Christ's work in His place without growing tired, taking perseverance in doing good as the motto for winning souls. Faithful, patient effort with entreaty and urgent persuasion to flee to safety will result in precious souls standing before the throne of God, and those who so labor together with God to save a world will receive their reward.
The verse forbids a contented state in which those who have the truth enjoy it as if the Saviour had no work for them in the salvation of souls, leaving the Lord's work to others and to ministers. God's people are instead to go on from strength to strength with living faith, fervent piety, melting love for Jesus, warm affection for brethren, and fruits that please God. To grow weary is to relax effort and fall into an indifferent, formal state, losing activity and zeal and patience in seeking to lead others to the truth though souls to save are all around, shutting up to self, shunning burdens, and folding the hands in peace at home as though having no part in advancing God's work. Persevering in doing good without losing interest or stopping means continuing steadily and faithfully to circulate Christ's Object Lessons to relieve school debts and build a fund for schools in needy fields, with the work to continue beyond the special efforts of 1900 and 1901, for years to come.
Strength Against Satan's Opposition
The power not to grow tired in doing good does not come from personal effort but from union with Christ and reliance on divine wisdom and grace. To keep on in good works without tiring means to persist even while Satan continually works to provoke to anger so that Christ will be misrepresented. When Christ's impress is upon the soul, goodness becomes as prominent in life as Satan's evildoing is prominent in his own sphere. The believer is to labor as untiringly for the Master as Satan labors to multiply wickedness.
Satan's untiring aim is to win the world to disloyalty, to gain acceptance for his pleasing fables, and to make himself monarch of the world by making men like himself. His designs are defeated only by watchfulness and prayer, which is the sole power able to withstand his devising. Eternal vigilance is the price of safety, requiring careful guarding of every avenue to the soul.
The verse calls believers to keep doing what is right and good without growing tired and giving up, continuing faithfully in diligent, honest, quiet labor and obedience rather than falling into disorderly idleness. It urges them not to abandon ordinary duties because Christ's return is expected soon, but to follow Paul's example by working quietly and eating their own bread instead of waiting in idle excitement and sloth. It is Christ's charge to all who unite with Him in saving perishing souls to stay at every outpost without release, because there is no pause in the warfare against agents of destruction. That unwearied good means proclaiming the gospel to save a world, laboring faithfully and patiently for neighbors with living faith and love for Jesus, rather than enjoying truth for self and leaving the work to others and to ministers. Strength to continue without tiring or being provoked to wrath comes not from one's own efforts but from union with Christ and dependence on God's wisdom and grace, guarded by watchfulness and prayer over every avenue to the soul.
Meaning and Original Setting
Doing good in this verse means continuing faithfully without tiring in diligent, honest, quiet labor and in obedience to apostolic command, in contrast to disorderly idleness. The surrounding instruction is to pray that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, to trust the faithful Lord to establish believers and keep them from evil, and to let the Lord direct their hearts into the love of God and into patient waiting for Christ. It is also to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not after apostolic tradition, and to follow Paul's example who was not disorderly and ate no one's bread for nothing but worked with labor and travail night and day so as not to be chargeable to any, though having power to claim support, in order to be an example to follow. The rule is upheld that if any would not work neither should he eat, and busybodies who work not at all are required to work with quietness and eat their own bread.
The verse urges honest, persevering work rather than giving up ordinary duties because Christ's return is expected soon. Those able to work should earn and eat their own bread, and Christians should not support those who refuse to work. It was spoken to believers disappointed in hoping for immediate deliverance at the second coming, calling them when daily life and opposition seem doubly forbidding not to neglect duties or resign to idle waiting and aimless excitement and sloth. Instead they are to take up their God-given work bravely and in the fear of God, remaining steadfast in the faith and faithfully sharing the truth received to give light to others. Continuing in good without tiring means joining diligence in temporal matters with untiring zeal in Christ's cause after Paul's example of working with quietness and eating one's own bread, despite opposition, daily responsibilities, and delayed expectations. It is a simple exhortation to brethren to keep doing what is right and good without growing tired and giving up.
Christ's Call to Unwearied Service
The call not to grow tired in doing good is the word of Christ as man's Redeemer from eternity, given ever since the fall to all who unite with Him in His great work of saving perishing souls from ruin. It commands continued doing of good without growing weary because there is no release in the warfare against Satan's agents who never pause in destruction. Those in His service must therefore watch every outpost and unite with the divine Worker to gain success in a work of infinite greatness.
It is spoken to those who seek God with the whole heart and with humble souls and earnest purpose strive to follow Christ's example in order to become partakers of the divine nature. Upon such prayerful seeking rests the Lord's blessing whose influence reaches to eternity. The command is not to be weary in well doing but to always abound in the work of the Lord by laboring in faith and humility and holding fast to God's promises without mingling self-sufficiency with efforts to gain eternal life. Those who so prevail will be given the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven.
That work of the Lord is proclaiming the gospel message in order to save a world, devoting every capability and talent to representing Christ before the world out of thankfulness for God giving His Son so believers may have everlasting life. Those who have received truth must labor for those in their neighborhood and fulfill their covenant to do Christ's work in His place without growing tired, taking perseverance in doing good as the motto for winning souls. Faithful, patient effort with entreaty and urgent persuasion to flee to safety will result in precious souls standing before the throne of God, and those who so labor together with God to save a world will receive their reward.
The verse forbids a contented state in which those who have the truth enjoy it as if the Saviour had no work for them in the salvation of souls, leaving the Lord's work to others and to ministers. God's people are instead to go on from strength to strength with living faith, fervent piety, melting love for Jesus, warm affection for brethren, and fruits that please God. To grow weary is to relax effort and fall into an indifferent, formal state, losing activity and zeal and patience in seeking to lead others to the truth though souls to save are all around, shutting up to self, shunning burdens, and folding the hands in peace at home as though having no part in advancing God's work. Persevering in doing good without losing interest or stopping means continuing steadily and faithfully to circulate Christ's Object Lessons to relieve school debts and build a fund for schools in needy fields, with the work to continue beyond the special efforts of 1900 and 1901, for years to come.
Strength Against Satan's Opposition
The power not to grow tired in doing good does not come from personal effort but from union with Christ and reliance on divine wisdom and grace. To keep on in good works without tiring means to persist even while Satan continually works to provoke to anger so that Christ will be misrepresented. When Christ's impress is upon the soul, goodness becomes as prominent in life as Satan's evildoing is prominent in his own sphere. The believer is to labor as untiringly for the Master as Satan labors to multiply wickedness.
Satan's untiring aim is to win the world to disloyalty, to gain acceptance for his pleasing fables, and to make himself monarch of the world by making men like himself. His designs are defeated only by watchfulness and prayer, which is the sole power able to withstand his devising. Eternal vigilance is the price of safety, requiring careful guarding of every avenue to the soul.