Thursday, January 25, 2007
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
BE ENCOURAGED . . . AND GIVE THANKS
You may recall that of all the places that Paul visited during his missionary journeys, the unbelievers in Thessalonica were among the most dangerous and ruthless of all. Paul speaks of the trials that they were facing, saying, "for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen" (1 Thessalonians 2:14). The believers to whom Paul was writing had many reasons to be discouraged and even depressed because of what they had been through since becoming Christian. No doubt many of them were greatly discouraged. Yet in spite of all that was going wrong, and all the horrible things they were facing, Paul reminds them that they had far greater reasons to be encouraged, to rejoice and be thankful!
The first reason for us to be thankful is the work of salvation that God has brought about in us as believers. That is certainly something to be thankful for! Especially when we realize that there is nothing that we can do to earn it, and there is nothing that we can accumulate to give in exchange for it. Our salvation from sin and eternal death is something that only God can accomplish for us.
Salvation from the punishment of your sins in hell is made possible through the work of the Holy Spirit called "sanctification" and "faith." The Holy Spirit has begun the work of salvation in us by bringing us to believe in the truth -- the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
If thou but suffer God to guide thee
And hope in Him thro' all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength, what e'er betide thee,
And bear thee thro' the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.
(TLH 518:1)
