Let\u2019s give thanks to God for His kingdom and His power and His glory revealed in us.\u00a0 Let\u2019s show the world His kingdom and power and glory by leading holy, Spirit-filled, Word-filled lives!<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s passage is an interesting one because instead of praising the Thessalonians as he has done before, Paul gives thanks to God (verse 13).\u00a0 Specifically, he gives thanks to God because from the beginning God chose the Thessalonians for salvation.\u00a0 Notice that Paul doesn\u2019t praise the Thessalonians for obtaining salvation for themselves: he thanks God<\/i> for choosing and saving them.<\/p>\n
More specifically, God chose to save them through two things: sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.\u00a0 From the beginning, God not only chose the Thessalonians and us, but He also appointed two primary means by which He would produce this salvation: sanctification and belief in the truth.\u00a0 In his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul has been supremely concerned that the Thessalonians lead a holy or sanctified life.\u00a0 The way we live is supremely important in our salvation, and this is why the modern wedge (partially the fruit of the Reformation) that has been driven between faith and works is anathema to St. Paul and should be to us.<\/p>\n
For Paul, sanctification, being holy by producing good works, has everything to do with salvation.\u00a0 Those who teach the Gospel apart from Law are in reality antinomians who have the spirit of antichrist, because Jesus Christ Himself taught the importance of a holy life (after all, He did perfectly keep the Law and that must mean something).\u00a0 Those who say that Paul says that faith is apart from the necessity of good works make Saint Paul into Unholy Paul.<\/p>\n
The second means by which God saves us is by belief in His truth or Truth.\u00a0 Paul seems to have in mind the Word of God, meaning the Scriptures and the apostolic tradition that the Thessalonians and we have received.\u00a0 In verse 14 Paul says that God called the Thessalonians by our gospel<\/i>, and in verse 15 he exhorts them to stand fast and hold the traditions<\/i> which they were taught, whether by word or by epistle.\u00a0 Paul is saying, therefore, that the second means by which we God saves us is by His Word.\u00a0 The teachings of the apostles, now preserved for us in Scripture.<\/p>\n
Now you may have noticed that the will of the Father in saving us involves both the special work of the Spirit (sanctification) and of the Son (Truth.)\u00a0 This is yet another reason that we must never separate faith from faithfulness or holiness or our words from our deeds.\u00a0 Paul obviously thought that the Father saved us by both of them.<\/p>\n
Because of the salvation of the Thessalonians by sanctification and truth (which can\u2019t be separated), Paul gives thanks to God.\u00a0 For a moment, I thought Paul might stray from his obsession with God and speak of the glory of those who have been saved.\u00a0 In the Bible I happen to be using, verse 14 has a few words that I can\u2019t see until I turn the page.\u00a0 Actually, verses 13 and 14 are one long Pauline Behemoth of a sentence, but the last part reads: \u201cto which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our . . . \u201c \u2013 and here\u2019s where my Bible cuts off.\u00a0 I thought Paul might finish the sentence \u201csouls.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cFor the obtaining of the glory of our souls<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
But once again, it\u2019s all about God, for what Paul really says is \u201cfor the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0 As great as our salvation is, it seems to be the penultimate purpose of our salvation: the ultimate purpose is, once again, for God and His glory.<\/p>\n
As we should all know, the glory all belongs to God.\u00a0 He is glorified by the salvation that He<\/i> chose for us from the beginning by sanctification and by truth.\u00a0 But if we\u2019ve been listening carefully to Paul, we also know that the glory of God is hidden in these earthen vessels.\u00a0 The God who saved us is the God who shares His glory with us, for that is part of our salvation \u2013 to share in the life and glory of God.\u00a0 His is the kingdom and the power and the glory, but His kingdom, power, and glory are shown through us<\/i>.\u00a0 When we stand fast, hold the apostolic traditions, believe the truth, and obey God\u2019s will, all of which are our daily bread, then God is glorified and His kingdom and power revealed in us.<\/p>\n
In the end, Paul does end with a word directed to the Thessalonians and us, and not directly to God: \u201cNow may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even in this prayer in verses 16 and 17, Paul puts together both the good words and the good works that God requires for our salvation.<\/p>\n
Glory be to God that He has saved us, and glory be to us, because we are in Christ through sanctification and truth.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s give thanks to Him for His kingdom and power and glory in us.\u00a0 And let\u2019s show the world His kingdom and power and glory by leading holy, Spirit-filled, Word-filled lives.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work.<\/b><\/p>\n
Resolution and Point for Meditation:\u00a0 Meditate on how God has used His sanctification and truth in your life.\u00a0 Reflect on the various means by which He brought salvation to you.\u00a0 Resolve to give Him thanks throughout the day for your salvation, especially because it brings glory to your Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a9 2013 Fr. Charles Erlandson<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 Let\u2019s give thanks to God for His kingdom and His power and His glory revealed in us.\u00a0 Let\u2019s show the world His kingdom and power and glory by leading holy, Spirit-filled, Word-filled lives! Today\u2019s passage is an interesting one because instead of praising the Thessalonians as he has done before, Paul gives […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2856,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[154,265,266,268,301,4,917,1967,1972,2261,2328,2504],"class_list":["post-3008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-give-us-this-day","tag-anglican","tag-bible-commentary","tag-bible-devotional","tag-bible-study","tag-book-of-common-prayer","tag-daily-devotional","tag-glory-to-god","tag-salvation","tag-sanctification","tag-thanksgiving","tag-the-gospel","tag-truth"],"yoast_head":"\n