“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.It was for this He called you through our gospel,that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”-{2 Thess 2:13-15}
“Stand firm,”– Paul calls the believers who in verse 3 he warns against been shaken due to the difficulties they face! And his concern is their spiritual stability, to be able to stand against all the onslaughts they face and he gives them reasons to be able to stand and be inwardly strengthened, which what is needed and called for, through various aspects of God’s provision for them. “Stand Firm” is a command and not a one time but continuous.
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast: Therefore means that Paul wants us to consider what he has written up to this point. In this letter, he has given compelling reasons why Christians must stand fast and not be moved.
- – Stand fast because the current distress (the persecutions and tribulations described in 2 Thessalonians 1:4).
- – Stand fast because of the coming judgment of this world (in flaming fire taking vengeance, 2 Thessalonians 1:8).
- – Stand fast because of the strength of coming deception (all power, signs, and lying wonders, 2 Thessalonians 2:9).
- – Stand fast because of our glorious destiny (the glory of our Lord Jesus, 2 Thessalonians 2:14). “-{David Guzik}
The first thing in the trial is to “stand firm” in the Lord, who He is and His and His Word. It does not mean there are no difficulties, persecutions in life, false teaching seeking to seduce and bring you under bondage for the follower of Christ, or no tears from the pain of difficulties though somehow you are to suppress your emotions, but it does mean you by faith look to Him and what is revealed about Him and who you are in Him and His Word. LOOK TO Him, His character as revealed in His Word and take your stand in Truth!He turns them to Him and His truth for them! David speaks to himself and ‘stands firm’ as he says ” My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! “-{Psalm 57:7} In Psalm 103 he says “Bless the LORD o my soul, Bless HIS Holy Name and do not forget His benefits” and he goes on to speak of the blessings…He speaks the TRUTH to himself and like a general arousing his army, he speaks to himself to think and praise the Lord and specifically so! In times of difficulties we need to speak the truth to ourselves and so “Stand Firm!” Often in trials and difficulties we tend to “listen” to ourselves or those who like the spies that brought back the bad report and rejected that God had promised He would bring the people into the land and defeat the giants. And the “majority” won, though they were wrong! Be careful who you listen to in times of difficulties! Listen to His Word!
He begins with what he sees as their responsibility, delight in Thanking God “always” in light of who God is and what He has done. Paul said we are Indebted, ought, obligated {opheilio} which means ” should, ought, to owe, indebted” “Always…ALL Times“-{pantote} to stress the obligation to focus, recognize the gracious work of God in saving people!
Thanking God! He gives specific reasons for thanking Him. He is not vague but specific in his giving of thanks to God for them- His followers. Note, he thanks God first, for them. For whatever “good” in a person’s life has, and is brought about by Him. {Read Phil 1:6;2:13}.God is the source of change in a person’s life and therefore the Object of the giving of thanks!
He thanks God for them, and HE informs them that they are…
1. LOVED of God –
“brethren beloved of God.”
He begins with a tender affectionate term, “brethren,” coming forth from the same New birth, which God has caused through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – {Read 1 Peter 1:3}. “Beloved” literally, “having been loved” (agape). This is a perfect tense, which indicates past action that has continuing results. Whatever has been done for the believers come forth from the Love of God and we continue to be recipients of His love! They are Loved by God and they need to know and as we, have need, to be reminded. This will help them in their being strengthened and standing firm and to “hold on,” – God Loves them! You can do alot if you know you are loved, you can “stand firm,” you can hold on, you can withstand, you can go forward, if you know you are loved and you are loved by God. Before the world began, before history, before your birth, “I have loved you with an everlasting love”-{Jer 31:3}. In the heart of God, you, as they whom he writes to are the object of the love of the Creator. Love is the foundation, God is the One who imparts this gift of love! And He is the reason for Paul to give thanks for them, who are recipients of the Love of God!”Stand Firm,” hold onto the truth you are His “Beloved!”
2. CHOSEN by God –
“Because God has CHOSEN you from the beginning.”
{haireomai) = literally, “He chose you for Himself” (middle voice). The typical word for “choosing” in the sense of God’s election is eklego (His selection), but here Paul uses haireomai with the idea of God’s eternal purpose of adoption — taking them to become His own (see Deut 7:7-8; 10:15 in the Septuagin”{high peaks bible fellowship}. How marvelous that neither they, nor you, were not a second choice, but selected, elected, picked out from available alternatives and this by God HIMSELF, WHO INITIATED THIS LOVE OF CHOICE TOWARDS YOU AND NOT AFTER YOU WERE PHYSICALLY Born, or His waiting to see if they or you would “choose” Him! But He chose them “before the foundation of the world,”– {Read Eph 1:4}. And this for Himself ” God has CHOSEN you from the beginning…” Think on His love, His intimacy with you, before He spoke the world into existence, before the birds first flew in the expanse of the heavens, before the oceans were called into being and teemed with fish, God already had chosen you for Himself! He did so because of His own great love, His desire, influenced by no one or nothing outside of Himself. His choice of… you!! In tough times think on that. You are not alone, you have not been abandoned, you have been selected by Him, for Him and one day will end up seeing Him face to face. -{Read 1 John 3:1-2}. “Stand firm” in His Choice of you! “Stand Firm” in His Love for you. Stand firm in His choice of you. “Hold on” to His Word concerning you and every believer! Consider these verses,… 1 Thessalonians 1:4, “knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you.” In Ephesians 1:5-6, Paul says, “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself.” The concept goes back to Deuteronomy 7:7-8: “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” God chose you for HIMSELF! “Adopted ” by Him and into His family! His love and His choice of you is reason for Paul to give thanks to God, and indeed reason for them to “Stand Firm!”
3. SAVED by God –
” … has chosen you from the beginning forsalvation …”
“For Salvation,” in contrast to condemnation, “And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned “-{2 Thess 2:12 NLT}. “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” -{2 Thess 1:9}. Salvation from the power and bondage of sin. Salvation from satan’s evil, wicked authority. Salvation from the penalty of sin. Salvation from the “wrath of God.” Salvation from… to a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ including forgiveness of all sins through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, adopted into the family of God accepted totally, irrevocably forever “in The Beloved.” God Saved, rescued, delivered them from the danger of sin’s penalty and satan’s grip …to… reconciliation with God Himself! Saved by God… should produce Gratitude, thanks to God and strengthened to “stand firm!” “Hold On” to this truth!
John Newton, who wrote “amazing Grace,” who once was a drunken sailor, cruel man and slave ship captain, whom the Lord saved and later became a pastor, painted above the mantle in his study Deuteronomy 15:15 (KJV), “But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee.” (Brian Edwards, Through Many Dangers [Evangelical Press], p. 181.)
Remember what God saved youFROM! And Remember what He saved you TO! “God is faithful who has called you into fellowship with His Son!” -{Read 1 Cor 1:9}. Paul wants the believers to be assured that God who chose them before the foundation of the world, who loves them will not abandon them or allow evil people to have the final word with their lives for He who began a good work IN THEM will complete it and that completing will be when the Father gives the Son the desire of His heart is that they “might be with Me to BEHOLD My Glory …”- { John 17:24!}. The Gift of Salvation, by God who has and does love them and chose them and delivered them from spiritual danger to Himself and the word “For…” gives the reason, “for… salvation!” “Stand firm” in that truth,”Hold On” to the truth and Thank Him!
4. SANCTIFIED by God {“Set Them Apart “}-
” salvation through sanctification by the Spiritand faith in the truth.”
This salvation comes through “sanctification by the Spirit.” The Spirit of God is not an “it,” but a Person and is involved in your life, convicting of sin, opening your mind to understand the truth , residing and presiding within and empowering you to live this new life. Sanctified by Him and “Exactly how God chose them for or by Himself is now amplified. First, it was “through the sanctification by the Spirit.” “Sanctification” is the Greek hagiasmos from hagiazo, “to consecrate, set apart, sanctify.” It carries the idea of a “setting apart” from the secular to that which is holy or reserved for God’s special purposes. ..the context here, Paul refers to the preliminary work of the Spirit to illuminate, convict, and lead a person to faith in Christ (cf. John 16:8f; Acts 1:8; 16:14; 1 Pet. 1:2). This reminds us of the principle that we may (and should) sow and water the seed of the Word, but ultimately, it is God who brings the increase or enables the seed to germinate and sprout up in the heart of those to whom we witness.”-{Hampton Keathley 3} …”…faith in the truth,” His Word is used to bring about salvation and this sanctification that changes a person. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the words of Christ…if you continue in My Word them you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you Free… His Word is able to Build you up…” His Word Jesus said is what He used to reveal Himself to the two despondent disciples on the road to Emmaues! Upon receiving and submitting to His Word, salvation is sealed. “Stand Firm” in God’s provision of His Spirit and Truth. His Word reveals Him, His ways, and reasons to be Thankful To God… and strength to “stand firm.” “Hold On” to the truth!! NOTE it is the SPIRIT of GOD and the TRUTH go together! The Spirit of God stirs up the reasons through the Word of God to inform us of reasons for gratitude!
5. CALLED of God –
” “Call” is aorist of the verb kaleo, “call, invite.” The aorist tense looks back to the time when the missionaries visited Thessalonica and they heard the gospel in what the missionaries preached. “-{Hampton Jeathley 3th}. He called them to Himself, and this through the message of the…
6. GOSPEL of God –
“…It was for this He called you through our gospel..” … “The Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus.” -{1:8}.
His Person, work, The Gospel is the message God uses to rescue, deliver people from spiritual bondage to newness of life and eternally in a right relationship with God through the work of Jesus Christ! The Glorious good news to those who sat in spiritual darkness is the Gospel. ” For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”-1 Corinthians 15:3-4 }. Paul wrote, ” For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. {Rom 1:16}.
It is…
“(A) The gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1; 1 Cor. 9:12) and the gospel of His Son (Rom. 1:9). These two descriptions speak of the good news of salvation that comes through the person and work of Jesus Christ who is the very Son of God in human flesh. Again, this is a good news of deliverance from sin’s penalty, power and presence through the two advents of Christ.
(B) The gospel of the grace of God(Acts 20:24) emphasizes that salvation in all of its aspects is on the basis of grace rather than on some meritorious system of works.
(C) The gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14) is the good news that God will establish His kingdom on earth through the two advents of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(D) The gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15) describes how this good news of salvation in Christ brings peace in all its many aspects (peace with God, the peace of God, peace with others, and world peace) through the victory accomplished by the Savior.
(E) The eternal or everlasting gospel (Rev. 14:6)…”-{Hampton Keathley 111}…”In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. “-{Col 1:6}. “…the Gospel of Hope“-{Col 1:23}… The Gospel of Truth {Col 1:4}…Thanking God… for salvation and the Gospel… Stand Firm in The Gospel!
7. THE GLORIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER! –
“To this He called you through our gospel, SO THAT you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“That is the goal of our salvation: sharing in the glory of Christ forever and ever.”-{Piper} “It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul has already mentioned this in 2 Thess. 1:10 & 12, “when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day,” and, “so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Since we are so closely identified with Christ that we are “in Him,” when He is revealed in power and glory, we also will be revealed with Him (Col. 3:4). “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”-{Rom 8:17}. Persecution and trials do not and cannot change the end! Paul wants them and we too need to know, you need to know your future is bright… brilliantly so…that you too, we who are “In Christ,” will share His glory! The end of the process of salvation is sharing life with Him! What began in eternity past, “Chosen…” He shows us the glorious eternal future as it were. culminating in being with the LORD Jesus….
“Both “stand firm” and “hold on”are in the continuous present tense and the imperative mood, the mood of command. In this context, where some had been shaken from their composure (2:2), it carries the force of “begin and continue to stand firm and hold on.”
The verb “stand firm” is steko, “to stand,” but it is used figuratively in the sense of “standing firm” or “being steadfast.” It calls for believers to become spiritually stable because of the many and strong winds of false doctrine that always blow across the landscape of human history (see Eph. 4:14). The means for stability is found in the command to “hold on.”
“Hold on” is the verb krateo, which first means, “to be strong, mighty,” hence, “to rule, be master, prevail.” From this it came to mean “to hold on to something strongly or tightly so that it cannot be lost or taken away.” The focus, of course, is on the object to be held tightly, “the traditions that we taught you” because this provides the source of stability like a sailor clinging to the mast of a ship in rough seas. “-{Hampton Kethley 3th}
To “Stand Firm…” keep looking to Him and His Word. “Hold on” don’t let go of the truth! Maintain His perspective in your difficulties. How? Psalm 1:1-2 is good to show how, Meditate upon His Word consistently. Phil 4:8 –Think right; Phil 4:9 Do Right;
And in this passage Paul shares with them through communicating through a letter these reasonsto ThankGod for them.
His Love,
His Choice of them,
His Salvation of them,
His Sanctification by The Spirit,
His Truth,
His Call of them,
His Gospel for them,
His Destination for the believer is their Glorification the end!!!
“Stand Firm!” Keep thanking God specifically for His Work, His glorious salvation for you!
Recount the Blessings of God for you in this passage!”Count your many blessings, name them one by one, …and see what God has done!” “Hold on” to the truth of God’s Word!
Share with someone else the truth of 2 Thessalonians 2 :13-15, in order to comfort, encourage and strengthen them to THINK on truth in time of difficulties and persecution, and continuously THANK God for His salvation and the attributes listed in this passage! TRUST HIM!
Choose to memorize and meditate upon these verses so the Holy Spirit can recall so you can fan the flame of gratitude to God and also to strengthen your own heart in difficult times and remembering also to be able to share with others to strengthen them in their times of difficulties! You never memorize or study just for your self as Ezra teaches us in{Ezra 7:10} and in Nehemiah 8 it was he whom God called upon to share with others!
“STAND FIRM,” implies a location and in trials we must stand firm on the Word of God!THE MEANS FOR STABILITY IS TO...“HOLD ON!” TO THE TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD… which is the means to remaining spiritually stable, “standing firm”- {v15}
Both “stand firm” and “Hold On” are in the continuous tense and are commands!
“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.It was for this He called you through our gospel,that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”-{2 Thess 2:13-15}