Paul the
apostle told the Thessalonian church members “When”
Jesus “shall come to be glorified in his
saints, and to be admired in all them that believe”,
He will “in flaming fire taking vengeance on
them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ”. Though the Thessalonians had
faced “persecution”
and “tribulation”
for their faith in Jesus, they had not done so in vain. In chapter
one and verse eleven of this second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul
told the church members how he and his traveling companions “pray
always” for them that they would be counted
“worthy of this calling”
where we read:
Wherefore
also we 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:
The verse begins,
“Wherefore also we pray always for
you, that our God would count you worthy of this
calling,...” Paul
began with the words “wherefore also” which is a conclusion
phrase and means “unto, toward, among, for, even and indeed”
“also we pray”
which refers to Paul and his companions “supplicating, worshipping
and directing words towards God” “always”
which means
“at all times and ever” “for you”
which refers to the Thessalonians, “that
our God”
who is “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God
the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “would
count you worthy”
which is the Greek phrase “axioō
hymas axioō” and
means
“meet, fit, right, and deemed deserving” “of
this calling” which
means “invitation” and in particular “the divine invitation to
embrace the salvation of God”. Paul and his companions “prayed”
that the
Thessalonian church members would be deemed as fitting and right for
the “invitation” of salvation which is offered by God through
Jesus Christ.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and fulfill
all the good pleasure of his
goodness, and the work of faith with power:” Paul
continued, “and fulfill”
or “make full and liberally supply” “all
the good pleasure”
which means “good will, kindly intent, benevolence, delight and
satisfaction” “of his goodness”
which refers to “uprightness of heart and life and kindness” “and
the work”
or “business, employment, enterprise, undertaking and anything
accomplished by hand, art, industry or mind” “of
faith”
which means “the conviction that God
exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and
bestower of eternal salvation through Christ”
“with power”
or “strength, ability and influence”. Paul's desire was not only
for the Thessalonians to be “worthy
of this calling”
but also to “fulfill”
God's “delight and satisfaction” by accomplishing “with
power” the
belief and trust they had in Him.
When
we meditate upon these words of Paul, we too may desire to “pray”
that we be “counted worthy of this
calling”.
There is no higher “invitation” than “salvation through Jesus
Christ”, and to be “deemed fitting and right” for “this
calling”
should be everyone's goal. There is, however, more to be added as we
think of Paul's challenge for the Thessalonians to “fulfill”
God's “delight and satisfaction” of “His
goodness”
by “accomplishing” or “undertaking” tasks which demonstrate
our faith and trust in Him. In other words, not only did Paul desire
the church members to be deemed “worthy
of this calling”
but also that they would outwardly demonstrate it with their lives.
Most people would rather “see” a sermon than “hear” one, and
we may be the only Bible some people ever read. As we think this
through, may the Lord Jesus not only help us to realize the value of
His “salvation”, but also empower us to live as witnesses “of
his goodness”
that has been placed within us.
Next
time Paul tells the Thessalonians the
reason he desires for them to be “worthy
of this calling”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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