Grace Bible Church Gillette, Wyoming

Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd. P.O. Box #3762 Gillette, WY 82717 (307) 686-1516

- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 -

THE BLESSING OF BEING CHOSEN AND CALLED - 3

2Th 2:15-17 (05/06/12)

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

I. CHOSEN FROM THE BEGINNING FOR SALVATION (13)

A. Paul emphatically felt they “should” (present infinitive - ophei,lō - obligated or indebted) continually give thanks to God for the Thessalonians.

B. They were to give thanks first because the Thessalonians were “beloved” (perfect passive participle - agapa,ō) by the Lord.

C. The reason they were beloved of the Lord was because they were chosen by God “for salvation” (ei,s sōtêri,an - unto or for the purpose of salvation). The Greek word for “chosen” is hei,lato, aorist middle - haire,ō which means to “prefer to take or choose for oneself” in the middle voice in the NT.

1. Moses chose for himself ill-treatment rather than sin (Heb 11:25)

2. Joshua exhorted the people to choose for themselves (LXX Jos 24:15).

3. Paul was not sure what to choose for himself (Phil 1:22).

4. God chose Israel to be His people and set His love on them from His own preference (perfect middle - prohaire,ō, LXX, Deut 7:6-7; cp. Deut 26:18)

D. God’s Election for Salvation was from the Beginning

1. The Thessalonians were chosen from the “beginning” (aparchê,n). The Greek word is normally translated “first-fruits” but since they were not the first-fruits of Paul’s converts, the meaning is better rendered “from the beginning” (as in ap, archês).

2. This is a concept consistent with Paul’s teaching in Eph 1:4, which contains the word ekle,gomai (“select out”). It shows that God’s choice is independent from man because it took place “from the foundation of the world.”

E. God’s Election is brought about by the Spirit.

1. God’s election is made certain by the “Spirit” in the work of sanctification.

2. “Sanctification” is the process by which the Spirit saves (Heb 10:10), grows (Joh 17:17; 2Ti 2:21), perseveres (Eph 4:30), and perfects the believer in heaven (Eph 5:27).

F. God’s Election is the cause of the Believer’s Faith.

1. God’s election provides the grace of “faith” in Christ’s work on the cross (Eph 2:5).

2. The believer is saved only when he exercises his faith by God’s grace “in the truth” of Christ’s atonement (Eph 2:8).

II. CALLED EFFECTUALLY FOR GLORY IN CHRIST (14)

A. God works out that which He has predestined from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:11). If He chose the elect to salvation, then He would indeed “call” (aorist active - kale,ō) them effectually and draw them.

1. The Bible teaches a general call to all men (Mat 22:14; Joh 3:16) but also an effectual call which by definition means that this call will have God’s desired effect of salvation (1Co 1:23-24; 1Pe 2:9).

2. … Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our wills, He persuades and enables us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel (WSC 31).

B. It is “through [the] gospel” that God calls the elect. God uses the “gospel” (euange,lion - good news of the death and resurrection of Christ) to call the elect. The elect hear the gospel and believe because they are divinely called by Him and no one can thwart Him.

C. God not only effectually calls the elect for salvation, but He does so that they persevere to the end that they “gain glory” (i.e. are glorified cp. Rom 8:30, i.e. “the Golden chain”). This is called the “perseverance of the saints” or “eternal security” and is demonstratively taught in Scripture

1. God completes the work in the elect. (Phil 1:6)

2. None of the elect will be lost (Joh 6:37 “will certainly not be cast out”, 39 “will lose nothing”, 44 “will raise him up”).

3. No one is able to remove the elect from God (Joh 10:28-29).

4. Nothing is able to sever the elect from God (Rom 8:31- 39).

5. (Trinity): The Father keeps the elect (Jude 1:1, 24).

6. (Trinity): The Son is the Advocate of the elect (1Jo 2:1).

7. (Trinity): The Spirit seals the elect (Eph 4:30).

III. COMMANDED TO STAND FIRM IN THE TRUTH (15)

A. Since God has chosen them, called them, and secured them, the Thessalonians were to “stand firm” (present imperative - stêkō - from perfect tense of histêmi in the sense of “having stood and continue to stand”, i.e. stand firm, be steadfast; fixed, established. It could be literally translated, “you must keep on standing firm”).

B. They were to keep holding to the “traditions” (paradosis - hand over or hand down, i.e. teaching and instruction), not the traditions of men (Mat 15:3; Gal 1:14; Col 2:8) but traditional orthodox teaching “taught” by the apostles (1Co 11:2; 2Th 3:6).

C. This traditional orthodox teaching was handed down by “word of mouth” (apostles teaching in person) or by a “letter” (epistolê - Eng. “epistle”, i.e. The epistle to the Thessalonians etc.) from the apostles. The epistles to the Thessalonians gives insight on the traditions that were taught by Paul:

1. Teaching on Salvation (1Th 1:5, 9; 2Th 2:13)

2. Teaching on Election (1Th 1:4; 2Th 2:13-14a)

3. Teaching on Eternal Security (2Th 2:14b, 16)

4. Teaching on Persecution (1Th 1:6; 2:1-2, 14; 3:3-4, 7; 2Th 1:4-7)

5. Teaching on Evangelism (1Th 1:5, 8; 2:2, 4, 8-9; 1Th 3:1; 2Th 2:14; 3:1)

6. Teaching on Practical Sanctification (1Th 2:11, 13; 3:12-13; 4:1, 3-4, 7; 5:23; 2Th 2:13)

7. Teaching on the Tribulation and the Antichrist (2Th 2:3-10)

8. Teaching on the Rapture (1Th 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:15-17; 5:23; 2Th 2:1)

9. Teaching on the Second Coming (2Th 1:10; 2:7-8)

10. Teaching on the Day of the Lord (1Th 5:1-3; 2Th 2:2)

11. Teaching on Discipline (1Th 5:14; 2Th 3:6-8; 11-12, 14-15)

IV. COMFORTED ETRNALLY BY THE GRACE OF CHRIST (16)

A. In a prayerful benediction Paul prays that “the Lord Jesus Christ Himself” (emphatic auto,s) and “God the Father” will give them eternal comfort. This is another example of the deity of Christ who divinely dispenses eternal comfort as only God can.

B. The reference to “who loved us” would support the idea of God choosing for Himself and setting His love upon them.

C. “Eternal comfort” (para,klêsin aiōni,an) is the comfort a believer receives eternally in heaven after being glorified. But this hope begins the moment the drawn believer trusts in Christ (Joh 5:24).

D. For this reason it is the believer’s “good hope,” (elpi,da agathê,n) a hope that is real and comes to eternal fruition because of God’s saving “grace.” If a believer could lose his salvation, if the Father could not keep him secure in Christ, then it would not be an eternal comfort or a good hope.

V. COMFORTED IN HEART AND STRENGTHENED IN GOOD WORKS (17)

A. It is Paul’s prayer that such hope would literally “comfort their hearts” (“comfort” - parakale,ō - called alongside, i.e encourage; “the hearts of them”- humō,n ta,s kardi,as)

B. In addition, such hope would literally “strengthen (stêri,zō - set up or fix immovable) them in every good work and word.”

C. In essence, the prayer for the Thessalonians is to be so grounded in the grace of God that they are never discouraged from continuing in ministering in word and deed.

D. In spite of persecution and rumors that the Day of the Lord had already come, their election and security was to bring them comfort and strength.

VI. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

A. Because the believer is secure in Christ, he is to stand firm in spite of trials, persecutions, false teaching, and spiritual warfare (Eph 6:11, 13, 14).

B. Men, as spiritual leaders, especially are to stand firm in doctrine (1Co 16:13).

C. Believers must stand firm in conduct (Phil 1:27).

D. Believers are to stand firm in good works (2Th 2:17 cp. Tit 3:8)

E. Believers are to do everything possible to help others stand firm (1Th 3:8 cp. Col 4:12).