2 Thess 1:11-12, Living Today In Light of the Future Glory.

Class Outline:

Wednesday July 26, 2023

 

2TH 1:11-12

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Paul prays that the future would impact the present reality of our hearts.

 

The many scriptures about the second coming of Christ shows us that eschatology is presently ethical.

 

The first petition is that we would live worthy of our call.

(not become worthy people)

 

Paul’s first petition is praying that we would live a life that is worthy of such a calling, and part of that must always be humility in reference to how we were called - by grace, through faith.

 

God works in us:

When our purpose is His

and we apply faith.

 

Even as believers in this age are made new in the image of Christ who created us, can we do the works of God? We can, but not on our own.

 

Php 2:13

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

 

God is really doing the work, and so, yes, it is divine or worthy of the divine calling.

 

Php 2:12-13

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

 

Obey and keep maturing in the fear of the Lord. Our part is to faithfully obey God’s will.

 

Paul links our present worthy conduct to our future glory in Christ.

 

This worthiness to which Paul is praying is in light of the future glorification of Christ at His coming and our being revealed with Him

 

Paul’s second petition:

“and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power,”

 

These are two thoughts that cannot be separated.

 

The purpose for good in the Scripture is almost always in reference to God.

 

Faith (the second part of the petition) is always ours in the Scripture.

 

God’s desire for goodness would not be fulfilled in us if we did not also desire it, and especially, desire it more than we desire sin.

 

Paul’s wording is the “work of faith” meaning that faith in the new life (not faith for salvation to receive the new life) manifests itself in deeds.

 

The ultimate goal or living worthy is not the works themselves but the glory of Christ.

 

God’s higher and much more noble motive is the glory of Jesus Christ.

 

When by God’s power, God’s people live a life worthy of His call, and when they resolve issues in goodness and do good in works of faith, then Jesus Himself is seen and honored in them.

 

That God would honor our choices to do what He does and give power to do them is a function of grace, not of merit.

 

So Paul ends the paragraph on the note of grace.  

 

2TH 1:11-12

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

When the believer lives by the desire for goodness and works of faith by God’s power, the image of God (of Christ) is seen. There is no better clothing than that.

 

ISA 43:21

“The people whom I formed for Myself

Will declare My praise.”

 

When Jesus is glorified in you, you are glorified in Him.

 

“It is a breathtaking concept that even now, before the end, this double glorification can take place - though only according to grace.” [John Stott, The Message of 1&2 Thessalonians]

 

Glory is the goal and grace is the means to it. God is the only one worthy of glory and so it cannot be that we would glorify God or share in His glory but by the favor and love of God alone.