Thursday, November 10, 2016
2 Thessalonians 1:5 You will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God.
ME ... WORTHY?
A notable phrase in the passage above is "counted worthy." What does that mean? Well, we all recognize, don't we, that in and of ourselves we are unworthy of the least of God's mercies? Because of our sins against God's holy Law we don't merit any kindness from Him during our sojourn on earth. Nor do we deserve to be received into the joys of His presence in the world to come. We deserve to be shut out from His presence forever, just as much as the rankest of unbelievers and most dyed-in-the-wool atheist. As people who by nature are sinful we have reason to ask with the hymn writer:
How will my heart endure The terrors of that Day
When earth and heaven before His face Astonished shrink away?
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 610:4)
The wonder of the Gospel is that our heavenly Father IS going to COUNT US WORTHY to receive His kingdom, for the sake of the One who was "delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification" (Romans 4:25). In fact, He has already placed Christ's worthiness, His merits, His righteousness to our credit by faith! So we may look forward for the Last Day with eagerness, singing as we go:
My Savior paid the debt I owe
And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know
My name has now been written.
I will not doubt, for I am free,
And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
(Lutheran Service Book, 508:5)
