Why does Paul give thanks for the Thessalonians? (v13-14)
- God used Paul to send the Good News to Thessalonians
- Why? Because God chose Thessalonian believers for salvation (Jonah 4:2)
- Does that mean God didn’t choose the non-believers?
- For whom he foreknew, he also predestined (Rom 8:29)
- Does that mean God didn’t choose the non-believers?
- Why? Because God chose Thessalonian believers for salvation (Jonah 4:2)
- Choose: Taking a step back to 2 Thess 2:10-14 for context: (also 1 Peter 1:1-2)
- Because some didn’t receive the love of the truth
- God allows them to continue believing a lie
- Then what about who did receive the love of the truth?
- God allows them to be saved, by their belief in the truth (v2:13)
- Because some didn’t receive the love of the truth
- Foreknew: Omnipresent God who is everywhere, at all times, at the same time.
- He knows us before we are even born (Jer 1:5)
- He knows every decision we make while still giving us free will to do whatever
What does Paul ask the Thessalonians to do? v2:15, 3:1-2
- Stand firm.
- That is, don’t be quickly shaken and let no one deceive you (2 Thess 2:2-3)
- Hod the traditions which they were taught
- Some teaching was in person by Paul, Timothy etc.,
- Some teaching was via a letter such as 1 and 2 Thessalonians
- Pray for Paul and his team
- That the Gospel may spread rapidly – just as in Thessalonica
- Not so that Paul gets the glory for being the best evangelist
- But to the end that God is glorified
- Not so that Paul gets the glory for being the best evangelist
- So Paul and his team may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men
- Unbelieving Jews were following and persecuting Paul and his team
- Just as in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-8)
- Unbelieving Jews were following and persecuting Paul and his team
- That the Gospel may spread rapidly – just as in Thessalonica
What is Paul’s prayer and confidence? v2:16-17,3:3-5
- Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who gave eternal comfort and hope to Paul and team
- Will comfort the Thessalonians
- Will establish them in every
- Good work
- And word
- Paul’s confidence is in the faithful God, that he would help Thessalonians
- Establish and guard the Thessalonians
- Which is out Paul’s control – but totally in God’s control
- To do and continue to do, the things that Paul and team commanded them to
- Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2)
- To direct them into God’s love
- Perseverance of Christ
- Jesus … endured the cross, despising its shame (Hebrews 12:2)
- Establish and guard the Thessalonians
Conclusion
- Chosen by God, according to His foreknowledge.
- Omnipresent and Omniscient: God is everywhere at all times at the same time and God knows everything past present and future.
- Our call: Stay firm holding on to what we are taught from the scriptures.
Main Passage 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 – World English Bible (WEB)
13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.
3 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love, and into the perseverance of Christ.
Notes / Cross References
2 Thessalonians 2:10-14 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; 12 that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your descendants,
Joshua 24:15 If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”
Jonah 4:2 He prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm.
Genesis 2:16-17 16 Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”
John 3:16-18 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Romans 8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
1 Peter 1:1-2 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
