Monthly Archive for October, 1999

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2 Thessalonians 2:13f

Published on October 22, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 0 Comments
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“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…”
 
and belief in the truth
 
The second way whereby God chose us for salvation is “belief in the truth.” This is the human side of salvation. However, God ordained even the human side of salvation by giving us the capacity of faith. It takes two simultaneous actions for salvation to occur: 1) the ministry of the Holy Spirit and 2) the execution of our faith in the finished work of Christ.
 
We enter into the state of sanctification by faith in Christ (Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 6:11). Our sole entitlement to sanctification is through faith in the cross of Christ (Ephesians 5:25,26; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 10:10,29; 13:12).
We see in this passage both the responsibility of God and the responsibility of man in salvation. While Paul’s team preached the gospel, the Holy Spirit convicted the hearts of the Thessalonians that the cross of Christ is the only means of salvation. That work of the Holy Spirit launched their faith.
Principle:
God places responsibility on the individual to believe in the death of Christ to forgive sins.
Application:
The Bible offers salvation to “whomever.” Although God elects certain people for salvation, He extends the offer of salvation to everyone.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 ).
Dwight L. Moody, the founder of Moody Bible Institute used to say, “The whosoever wills are the elect and whosoever won’ts are the non-elect.”
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
“…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…” (2 Timothy 1:9).
If you make a decision to receive Christ death as your only hope of salvation, you will know that you are elect! Why not come to Christ now? Settle the issue once for all. God has allowed you to continue to live for this moment, the decision to receive Christ as your Savior. God from eternity providentially brought you to this point. What will you do with this decision? You have everything to gain from embracing Jesus as Savior.
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2 Thessalonians 2:13e

Published on October 21, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 0 Comments
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“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…“
 
through sanctification
 
Paul now shows how God chose us by two dynamics: the divine and the human, the dynamic of the sanctification of the Spirit and the dynamic of trust in God’s provision through Christ’s death on the cross.
 
First the divine side, God set us apart from others for salvation by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11; Acts 1:8; 16:14; 1 Peter 1:2). This is the Divine responsibility in salvation.
The basic idea behind the word “sanctification” is set apart, separation. God sets us apart for a special purpose. The Holy Spirit separated the Thessalonians unto God by their belief in the truth.
Sanctification is the eternal state God predetermined for believers (1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Peter 1:2). He calls people so designated “saints” [separated ones unto God]. As saints, Christians are to live a course of life befitting those separated unto God (Romans 6:19, 22; 1Thessalonians 4:3, 4, 7; 1 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 12:14).
by the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the agent of sanctification (Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Peter 1:2). The sanctification of the Spirit both elects us to salvation and progressively sanctifies us.
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
“…elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…” (1 Peter 1:2 ).
Principle:
The Holy Spirit sanctifies us eternally and thereby seals our salvation.
Application:
There is both a positional, progressive and ultimate sanctification.Positional sanctification is our eternal position of being set apart unto God. This is the idea in our verse. Progressive sanctification is the daily-dealing-with-sin issue. One day, God will completely set us apart from the presence of sin in the eternal state.
Because Christians hold the unchanging position before God of being completely set apart for Christ, they should sanctify themselves. It is God’s will (1 Thessalonians 4:3) and the purpose of their calling by the gospel (1 Thessalonians 4:7). The Christian is to pursue sanctification earnestly with undeviating determination (1 Timothy 2:15; Hebrew 12:14).
The Holy Spirit seals the Christian’s salvation until the day of redemption.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
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2 Thessalonians 2:13d

Published on October 20, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 0 Comments
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“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…“
 
for salvation
 
This phrase states the purpose of God’s choosing us–eternal salvation. He saves us from the penalty, power and, ultimately, from the presence of sin. We do not have to pay the penalty for our sin because Jesus paid that price for us.
 
Principle:
Salvation is a present possession.
Application:
Either we have salvation or we do not. There is no in-between state. God will give it to you as a present possession. You can know now that you have life with God eternally.
It is impossible to be married and not know it. If you have salvation, you will know it and show it.
God cannot wink at your sin. If He did, He would not be just. Because God must maintain His integrity, He must deal with the sin issue. He chose to deal with it by the death of Christ. He chose to accept Christ’s death as our substitute for hell. Jesus took our hell and gave us His heaven. We do not have to reform ourselves; we simply accept the regeneration of Christ. He is the Author of our salvation. The only thing we offer Him is our sin; He offers salvation in Christ.
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3 ).”He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26).
“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit…” (1 Peter 3:18).
If you operate under the delusion that you do not commit gross sins, this could cost you your soul. The standard for salvation is the “glory of God” (Romans 3:23). None of us measures up to being as good as God is good. Therefore, there is no hope in ourselves. Our only hope is that Christ’s death on the cross is sufficient for our salvation.
“So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household’” (Acts 16:31).
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2 Thessalonians 2:13c

Published on October 19, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 3 Comments
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“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…”
 
because
 
The word “because” indicates the incentive for Paul’s thanksgiving: God chose the Thessalonians for salvation. Paul is thankful that God takes the initiative in salvation. His thanksgiving centers on what God does, not man.
 
God from the beginning
The word “beginning,” primarily, denotes an offering of firstfruits–”God chose you as firstfruits.” This referred to setting aside the first portion of something and offering it to God before using the rest. The “firstfruits” were the first of a set. The New Testament uses this word for foretaste, pledge and pledge of blessing to come. Our salvation has an eternal date. God chose us from eternity. The origin of our salvation began in eternity past.
chose you
God chose us for Himself. The word “chose” means to take or pick. God picked the Thessalonians, not because of any merit on their part, but because of His sheer, unadulterated grace. We do not initiate salvation. God does all the initiating. He loved the Thessalonians based on His character. He loved them because of who He was, not who they were.
The New Testament uses this Greek word for “chose” only three times in the New Testament (Philippians 1:22; Hebrews 11:25). The other two times, it is a person who does the choosing. This is the only usage whereby God is the chooser. God selects certain people for Himself; they are God’s aristocracy. These are His privileged people.
Principle:
God chose us for a reason known only to Himself.
Application:
Why did God select you? Why are you so special? He could have selected someone smarter and with better qualities of character but He didn’t. He chose you. God chose a rascal like you. As God went over the list of those whom He would choose, He did not bypass you; He picked you out from a number of people.
God never explains why He chooses some and not others. This is especially difficult when we think of some of the scoundrels He does choose. “Why did God spare my life in that accident? He spared me because He wanted to save my soul.” God takes great interest in you. He shows enormous concern for you.
God did not choose us because He knew beforehand that we would receive Christ. He chose us then He foreknew. As human beings, we cannot know that something is going to happen unless we make a choice that it is going to happen.
“…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…” (Ephesians 1:4).
”No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44).
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2 Thessalonians 2:13b

Published on October 18, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 0 Comments
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“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…”
 
Brethren beloved by the Lord,
 
The Thessalonians possess an undying, unadulterated, undiminished love from God. They did not earn or deserve this love because God chose them from eternity. The Greek tense of the word “beloved” indicates that God loved them in the past with the result that He persists in loving them (Romans 5:8; 8:39). He never gives up loving His own.
 
Principle:
God loves us with an undying, unadulterated, undiminished love.
Application:                                
Many people find it difficult to believe that anyone could love them. We hide our sin from ourselves, and from others. “How could God love me since I do not even respect myself?” This misses the point that God loves me because of who He is, not because of who I am (John 3:16).
Would you rather be loved by God more than the apostle Paul? Would you rather be loved by God above fellow Christians? No human being can love us as well, as persistently and as indefatigably as God can. You cannot be better loved or more extensively loved than you are. No one on planet earth can love you this much.
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3).”Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1).
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
“…to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…” (Ephesians 5:25).
“…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood…” (Revelation 1:5).
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2 Thessalonians 2:13

Published on October 17, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 0 Comments
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“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…”
 
With this verse, Paul shifts from dealing with the Day of the Lord to a prayer of thanksgiving (2:13-15) followed by exhortations to walk with the Lord because of the teaching of the first two chapters.
 
But
In contrast to the unbelievers of the previous verse, Paul carries a sense of thanksgiving for the Thessalonians because they have a radically different future than non-Christians do.
We are bound to give thanks to God always for you,
Paul is “bound” to give thanks to God for the Thessalonians. He views himself as under a sense of obligation to do this because of the dynamics in their faith. Paul had a sense of duty to thank God for His work among the Thessalonians. He knew that his ministry there was not due to his intelligence, determination or strategy. It was due to the unadulterated grace of God at work among them.
“…giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:12).
Principle:
The function of our thanksgiving depends on our capacity to appreciate God’s grace.
Application:
Have you considered it your duty to thank God for your fellow Christians? God brought the blessing of their lives into your life. He deserves the credit. If God did the doing, then He deserves the glory.
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2 Thessalonians 2:12

Published on October 16, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 1 Comment
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“…that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness“
 
that they all may be condemned
 
The word “that” indicates result. God will execute justice on those who do not believe the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness. Paul does not indicate the nature of this judgment in this passage.
 
who did not believe the truth
There is a great accountability in freedom. Non-believers in the Tribulation will pay a heavy price for their unbelief. They will have no excuse.
but
The word “but” in the Greek indicates strong contrast. In strong contrast to believing the truth, their true motive is pleasure in unrighteousness.
had pleasure in unrighteousness
The antithesis of believing the truth is having pleasure in unrighteousness. “Unrighteousness” is literally “unrightness.” There is an outcome of not believing the truth. Non-belief leads to paying a price for our thinking and attitude. It ends in something that is not right, an unjust system of thinking. Rejection of truth is a precursor of injustice and taking pleasure in unrighteousness. This is the unjust system of the lawless one in the Tribulation.
Principle:
A great obstacle to believing the truth is love of unrighteousness.
Application:
A central reason for unbelief is pleasure in unrighteousness. God places responsibility on everyone because He gives everyone the freedom to accept or reject Christ. Those who reject Christ will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
People go to hell because they reject God’s remedy for sin–the death of Christ on the cross as a substitute payment for sin. If people reject that provision for salvation, then there is no hope for them. They consign themselves to the Lake of Fire.
People love unrighteousness over the truth. There is no sense rationalizing as to why people reject the gospel for it is not because they do not understand, were born in a different religion, are confused, etc. It is because of the bald fact that they take “pleasure in unrighteousness.” They love their life and they do not want anyone to change it.
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2 Thessalonians 2:11

Published on October 15, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 3 Comments
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“And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie…”
 
And for this reason
 
Because people did not love the truth that God might save them (2:10), God sends them a “strong delusion.” God will not send them a “strong delusion” until they make it clear that they have gone into negative volition toward the gospel. The choice of error over truth is serious business because it leads to deep delusion.
 
God will send them strong delusion,
The word “delusion” means wandering. These people wander off the right path of truth into paths of religious invention. The people led astray roam all over the place in religion.
“Delusion” is stronger than deception. Deception means that a person can be fooled about something. Delusion is a way of life in which one is perpetually deceived. People under delusion harden their heart permanently.
The word “strong” is the same word we found in 2:9 in the phrase “the working of Satan.” The New Testament always uses this word for supernatural working.
that they should believe the lie
When people “believe the lie,” God consigns them to a state of delusion. This is the lie of verse 4 that the man of lawlessness is God. People in the Tribulation cannot take a neutral stand. Either they believe God or they believe the lie. God will ultimately give people in the Tribulation exactly what they want–to believe the lie. “The lie” is the opposite of the truth of Jesus and His death on the cross.
Principle:
Ultimately, God will give non-believers what they want.
Application:
People given over to lies will enter strong delusion. God will give them over to their volition, their heart’s desire of believing the lies of Satan. People say they want truth but they really want Satan’s lies. They have a vested interested in believing lies.
God gave Pharaoh what he wanted (Exodus 7:14; 9:12). God will give us over to what we truly want (Romans 1:18-32). If we truly want hell, God will give it to us.
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2 Thessalonians 2:10b

Published on October 14, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 1 Comment
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“…and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved“
 
among those who perish,
 
The idea of “perish” is not extinction but ruin, not loss of being but loss of well-being. We can see this from the parables of the lost items in Luke 15 that the idea is not extinction but ruin. The phrase “among those who perish” refers to the condition of those without Christ. If we do not embrace Jesus’ work on the cross, we lose everything. False religion always trashes the cross as the only way of salvation.
 
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
 
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
because
The word “because” means in requital for. They will get just retribution for rejecting God’s truth as it exists in Christ.
they did not receive
The word “receive” in the Greek is the word welcome. They did not welcome the love of the truth. They were not cordial to truth but treated it roughly. They were more interested in lies than truth. Negative volition, choosing against God, makes it harder to receive the truth.
the love of the truth,
The reason people perish is that they do not “love the truth.” Some will believe the lies of the man of lawlessness and some will believe God. They heard the truth but they did not embrace it. They view the Word of God as so much drivel.
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
that they might be saved
The main reason people do not come to Christ for salvation is that they do not love the truth. They have vested reasons for not believing it.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:18-21).
Millions will come to Christ in the Tribulation but it will be very difficult because of the dissemination of lies throughout the world. Negative volition opens people to lies and deception.
It is difficult to persuade a person that they are headed for hell. When a person is religious and moral, they do not deem that they need salvation. Only the Holy Spirit can convince them of this.
Principle:
The best defense against error is the love of the truth.
Application:
No one ever comes to God without a love for the truth. No one can become a Christian without first understanding the claims of Christ. The foundational claim is that He died on the cross to pay for our sins. When we trust His work on the cross as our only hope for eternal life, we have eternal life.
There is no such thing as being a little lost. Either we are lost or we are not. Either we are completely saved or we are completely lost. There is no middle position. If you are almost a Christian, you are totally lost.
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 ).
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Are you “saved?” Have you come to the place in your life where you embrace Jesus’ death on the cross as your only hope of salvation?
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2 Thessalonians 2:10

Published on October 13, 1999 in 2 Thessalonians. 1 Comment
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“…and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved“
 
and with all
 
The lawless one will not only use some but “all” “unrighteous deception,” deception that comes from unrighteousness. Satan will employ many forms of deception some of which are propaganda, spin, portraying himself as religious, etc. These things appeal to people but they will destroy their eternal future.
 
unrighteous deception
The word “unrighteous” means injustice or a falsehood. Everything that the “lawless one” does misrepresents the truth. He will have every appearance of God. He is a religious fraud making him even more dangerous. Paul characterizes religious fraud as “unrighteous deception.”
“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3 ).
“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9).
Principle:
Unrighteousness always begins with some falsehood or injustice.
Application:
Unrighteousness always begins with a falsehood or injustice. A person who loves truth inevitably always has a sense of fairness, of truth. Unjust people always inevitably reject the gospel. Injustice always has an element of tyranny.
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