“Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power…“
Paul prays for four things for the Thessalonians. First, he prays about their walk in relationship to their calling.
that our God would count you worthy of this calling,
The words “count worthy” mean deem it suitable. Paul prays that God would find of the Thessalonians worthy so that He would look on them favorably.
This word does not mean make you worthy. It is a causative word in Greek. God is the cause of worthiness, not us.
The Christian’s walk should suit his salvation. The Christian is headed for heaven. The best is yet ahead, but his present life should reflect his future life.
“…which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer…” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).
Principle:
We should live Christian lives in keeping with our eternal destiny.
Application:
No Christian is worthy of salvation, but we can live lives consistent with our eternal future.
“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).
“Does your life reflect ‘the upward call of God in Christ Jesus’? When you arrive in heaven, will God be grieved by the way you lived, or will He say, ‘Well done. You have walked worthy of me.”
“So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:41-42).
“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” (Colossians 1:9-10).
“…that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
