Accountability is a word the business and educational fields know a considerable amount. It is also found among the Christians that lived in Thessalonica. In chapter 3, the writer remarks, "If someone doesn't want to abide by what I have highlighted in this letter, then the rest of you should ostracize him so that he should feel ashamed. You shouldn't hate this person like you would an enemy, but you should send a message of clear warning like you would for a brother or sister" (verses 14,15).
In business and education people get chastised by having their pay docked, or by being suspended for a while, or by having a certification or license revoked, or by being fired. When people deal with a brother or sister whose life has spun out of control, that is, he or she shows blatant disregard for sound Biblical principles, then they have to find a way to send a clear message of warning to that person. That method may not be in the same way as this writer outlines, but some way needs to exist. Since business and educational principles and customs were different in Roman times from today, then probably showing distance from a brother or sister will not be shown in the same way as in this letter from Roman times. Even so, people use ostracism all the time—from elementary grades up to send messages to others.
Perhaps, the clear point of the passage is to shun someone with the intent to warn or advise rather than the intent to hate or "write off completely."
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