His wish was that they would undergo the necessary preparatory work in anticipation of their future glorification. It was a double prayer.

I. A PRAYER THAT HIS CONVERTS MIGHT APPROVE THE REALITY OF THEIR CALLING BY THEIR FAITH AND LIVE. "Whereunto we pray always for you, brethren, that God would count you worthy of his calling."

1. The nature and intent of the calling.

(1) It is the effectual call of the Spirit in conversion (1 Corinthians 1:24).

(2) It is according to the Divine purpose (Romans 8:28).

(3) It is

(a) high (Philippians 3:14);

(b) holy (2 Timothy 1:9);

(c) heavenly (Hebrews 3:1).

(4) It is a call

(a) to fellowship with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9);

(b) to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7);

(c) to liberty (Galatians 5:13);

(d) to peace (Colossians 3:15);

(e) to glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3);

(f) to eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12).

2. A walk worthy of such a calling. "That God would count you worthy of this calling." How can any sinful man be accounted worthy of it? He is already called, and God's counting him worthy proceeds on the supposition of that pre-existing fact. It supposes:

(1) That their life would be found at the last day in harmony with the call (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

(2) That they would meanwhile "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called" (Ephesians 4:1), and "make their calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10).

(3) That they would have occasion to praise God for the call (1 Peter 2:9).

II. A PRAYER THAT HIS CONVERTS MIGHT FULLY REALIZE THE BLESSED PROCESS THROUGH WHICH THE APOSTLE'S OBJECT MIGHT BE SECURED. The process is twofold.

1. That God would work in them every delight in moral goodness. "Fulfil every good pleasure of goodness."

(1) Good men delight in goodness and in doing good.

(2) It is God who implants this delight in them; for they are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Ephesians 2:10). They are, therefore, to be "zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14), and to provoke one another to "good works" (Hebrews 10:24). This goodness is one of the Spirit's fruits (Galatians 5:22).

2. That God would fulfil the work of faith with power.

(1) Faith is an operative grace; it "worketh by love;" it justifies itself by good works.

(2) It is a Divine work. Therefore, as something may have been lacking therein, the apostle prays that he who is the Author of their faith would he the Finisher of it (Hebrews 12:2).

(3) It is a work done with power. At their conversion, the Thessalonians felt the "greatness of his power to usward who believe" (Ephesians 1:19), and the same power is needed to make it triumphant as a principle of action and as a principle of endurance. "Our sufficiency is of God;" we are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation" (1 Peter 1:5).

III. THE ULTIMATE OBJECT OF THE APOSTLE'S PRAYERS FOR THE THESSALONIANS. "That the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him."

1. The very Name of Christ is to be gloried in the saints.

(1) Because it is "a Name that is above every name, at which every knee should bow" (Philippians 2:10).

(2) Because it is the Name for the sake of which the saints are now "hated of all nations" (Matthew 24:9).

(3) Because it is the Name by which the saints are called (James 2:7),

(4) It is glorified in the saints

(a) in their holiness of life;

(b) in their victory over the world and sin;

(c) in their steadfast loyalty to him;

(d) in their final exaltation to "his kingdom and glory."

2. The saints will be glorified in Christ.

(1) In his wearing their nature on the throne; for "he is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:11).

(2) In their being clothed with his righteousness - "comely with the comeliness he has put upon them."

(3) In their "reigning with him," and "being glorified together" (2 Timothy 2:12; Romans 8:17). They shall be "partakers of his glory."

3. The spring or source of all the blessings of the saints. "According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

(1) The whole work of salvation till it ends in glory illustrates "the exceeding riches of his grace."

(a) The purpose of the Father is of grace;

(b) the mediation of the Son is of grace;

(c) the blessings of the new covenant are all of grace.

(2) This grace has a unity of source - "in our God and the Lord Jesus Christ;" implying oneness of essence and the coequal Godhead of Father and Son. - T.C.

I. IT FLOWS FROM THE PLEASURE OF GOD'S GOODNESS. In the whole course of our salvation this is to be observed:

1. The coming of Christ (Luke 2:14).

2. The covenant of grace (Colossians 1:19, 20).

3. The ministry (1 Corinthians 1:21).

4. The grace to embrace the covenant offered (Matthew 11:26).

5. The blessings of the covenant.

(1)By the way (Deuteronomy 33:16),

(2)at the end of the journey (Luke 12:32).

II. IT IS ACCOMPLISHED BY HIS ALMIGHTY POWER. The power of God is necessary —

1. To bring us into a state of grace. Nothing but it can overcome man's obstinacy and change his heart (Job 14:4). The work is called a "new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:24), and creation is a work of omnipotence, whether physical or spiritual.

2. To maintain us in a state of grace. Here consider —(1) The necessity of God's power (1 Peter 1:5). None but this Almighty Guardian can keep and preserve us by the way, that we may come safe to our journey's end (Acts 17:28; Hebrews 13:21). Remember the adversaries (Galatians 5:17; 1 Peter 5:8); but remember the assurance (Matthew 19:26).(2) The sufficiency of this power (Jude 1:24).

(a)To enable for all duties (Philippians 4:18; Ephesians 3:16).

(b)To support in all trials (Deuteronomy 33:22).

(c)To resist all temptations (1 John 4:4; Ephesians 6:10).

(T. Manton, D. D.)

I. WHAT IS THIS CALLING? The Christian calling is holy (2 Timothy 1:9); heavenly (Hebrews 3:1). The one relates to the way, the other to the end; hence it is a calling to virtue and glory (2 Peter 1:3). Both may be considered either as they are represented —

1. In the offer of the Word. There God is often set forth as calling us —

(1)From sin to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

(2)From misery to happiness (1 Peter 5:10).

2. As impressed upon us by the operation of the Spirit (Romans 1:7), by which we have a right to the heavenly blessedness (Hebrews 9:15).

II. WHAT IS IT TO BE COUNTED OR MADE WORTHY OF THIS CALLING? There is a threefold worthiness —

1. Of desert and proper merit (Revelation 4:11). God deserves all that the creature can give Him, and infinitely more (Revelation 5:12). The workman is worthy in this sense of His meat (Matthew 10:10). When preachers are sustained by hearers, it is not our alms but a debt (1 Timothy 5:17). But it is not so between us and God (Genesis 32:10).

2. Of meekness and suitableness (Colossians 1:10: Ephesians 4:1). In this sense God makes us worthy when He makes us more holy and heavenly (1 Thessalonians 2:12; Colossians 1:12). This meetness consists in —(1) Holiness (1 Peter 1:15). The calling —

(a)Puts a holy nature into us.

(b)Obliges us to live by a holy rule.

(c)Offers us a holy reward.

(d)And all to engage us to the service of a holy God, who will be sanctified to all who are near to Him. Therefore, to make His people such who were once sinners, He has appointed means (Galatians 5:26) and providences (Hebrews 12:10), and all accomplished with the operation of the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13).(2) Heavenliness; for God, by inviting men, draws them off this world to a better. The more they obey His will, the more heavenly they are. It is heaven —

(a)They seek (Colossians 3:1, 2).

(b)Hope for (1 Peter 1:3).

(c)Count their portion (Matthew 6:20, 21).

(d)Their home and happiness (Hebrews 11:13).

(e)Their work and scope (Philippians 3:14).

(f)Their end, solace and support (2 Corinthians 4:18). Their course becomes their choice (Philippians 3:20).

3. Acceptance (Acts 5:41), which notes liberality in the giver but no worth in the receiver (Luke 21:36; Revelation 2:4).

III. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BENEFIT, AND THE MERE FRUIT OF GOD'S GRACE.

1. It is an excellent benefit. By this calling —(1) Our natures are ennobled (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Holiness is the beauty of God. His image impressed on us.(2) We are brought into an estate wherein not only are we amenable to God, but He to us all John 3:1; Romans 1:6).(3) We are under the special protection of God, so that things work together for good (Romans 8:28).(4) We are admitted to ever-lasting blessedness (Ephesians 1:18; Philippians 3:14; 1 Peter 3:9).

2. It is the fruit of God's grace (Romans 9:11; 2 Timothy 1:9).(1) For the beginning. He was pleased to call us at first. From what a state of sin and misery He called us (Colossians 1:21).(2) For the progress. God that began the good work continues it (1 Peter 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:24).(3) For the end. God must count us worthy to the last. Consider —

(a)The infinite disproportion between our best services and greatest sufferings and the promised glory (Romans 8:18).

(b)The imperfection of our best obedience (Isaiah 64:6).

(c)Our unprofitableness to God, who is above our injuries and benefits (Job 22:23; Job 35:7, 8; Luke 17:10).

(d)The interruptions of our obedience (James 3:2; 1 John 1:10).Conclusion: Behave as a people called by God, because your calling is —

1. A peculiar favour (Ephesians 5:8).

2. A great honour (1 Thessalonians 2:12).

3. A rich talent, faculty and power (2 Peter 1:3).

4. A special trust (1 Peter 2:9).

(Ibid.)

Let us conceive a chemist experimenting along a certain line, and presently beginning to suspect the existence of some great unknown law. He pursues his investigations. There are certain converging lines of evidence pointing to this conclusion. He stands on the verge of a great discovery. He multiplies experiments, and his suspicion becomes now a conviction — not a certainty. His mind has overleapt the interval and fastened upon the truth before the labouring processes of reason have verified it. This is faith. Nothing remains but to make the crowning experiment. All hangs on this, and we can conceive with what breathless interest he watches its development. It is successful, and a great tide of joy rushes in upon his soul that a new, great truth is born into the world, which shall forever live, bearing his name imprinted upon it. We, then, are in the condition of that chemist in the interval between the conviction and the making of the last experiment. We see lines of evidence leading up to God. Faith overleaps the interval and fastens upon the truth. The crowning experiment shall be made in eternity, when sight shall set the seal to faith, and give us the last conclusive evidence which shall forever silence question. We shall then leap all at once unto the full assurance of the things in which we believed. We shall have issued from the realm of faith into the serene everlasting certainty of heaven.

(W. Sparrow.)

Paul, Silas, Silvanus, Thessalonians, Timotheus, TimothyThessalonicaAct, Always, Asking, Calling, Complete, Constantly, Continually, Count, Desire, Faith, Fulfil, Fulfill, Fully, Goodness, Gratify, Mighty, Pleasure, Power, Prayers, Prompted, Purpose, Reason, Resolve, Seem, Truly, View, Wherefore, Worthy, Yours1. Paul certifies the Thessalonians of the good opinion which he had of their faith, love, and patience;
11. and therewithal uses various reasons for the comforting of them in persecution.

2 Thessalonians 1:11

     5457   power, human
     6620   calling
     8369   worthiness
     8492   watchfulness, leaders
     8618   prayerfulness

2 Thessalonians 1:9-11

     1105   God, power of

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

     5109   Paul, apostle
     5691   friends, good
     7027   church, purpose
     8440   glorifying God
     8619   prayer, in church
     8660   magnifying God

Sanctification
TEXT: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification."--1 Thess. 4:3. It is quite significant that the Apostle Paul writes explicitly concerning sanctification to a church in which he had such delight that he could write as follows: "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

Twenty Sixth Sunday after Trinity God's Judgment when Christ Returns.
Text: 2 Thessalonians 1, 3-10. 3 We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth; 4 so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; 5 which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Christ Glorified in Glorified Men
'He shall come to be glorified in His saints; and to be admired in all them that believe.'--2 THESS. i. 10. The two Epistles to the Thessalonians, which are the Apostle's earliest letters, both give very great prominence to the thought of the second coming of our Lord to judgment. In the immediate context we have that coming described, with circumstances of majesty and of terror. He 'shall be revealed . . . with the angels of His power.' 'Flaming fire' shall herald His coming; vengeance shall be …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Worthy of Your Calling
'We pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power; 12. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him.'--2 THESS. i. 11, 12. In the former letter to the Church of Thessalonica, the Apostle had dwelt, in ever-memorable words--which sound like a prelude of the trump of God--on the coming of Christ at the end to judge the world, and to gather His servants into …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Lecture for Little-Faith
And now, beloved, having thus given you two thoughts which seemed to me to arise naturally from the text, I shall repair at once to the object of this morning's discourse. The apostle thanks God that the faith of the Thessalonians had grown exceedingly. Leaving out the rest of the text, I shall direct your attention this morning to the subject of growth in faith. Faith hath degrees. In the first place, I shall endeavor to notice the inconveniences of little faith; secondly, the means of promoting …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Approbation and Blessing.
"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."--2 THESS. i. ii, 12. Two words sum up the Christian life--Grace and Glory; and both are associated with the two Comings of the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace particularly with the first Coming, …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Meditations for the Morning.
1. Almighty God can, in the resurrection, as easily raise up thy body out of the grave, from the sleep of death, as he hath this morning wakened thee in thy bed, out of the sleep of nature. At the dawning of which resurrection day, Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints; and every one of the bodies of the thousands of his saints, being fashioned like unto his glorious body, shall shine as bright as the sun (2 Thess. i. 10; Jude, ver. 14; Phil. iii. 21; Luke ix. 31;) all the angels shining …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Of the Practice of Piety in Holy Feasting.
Holy feasting is a solemn thanksgiving, appointed by authority, to be rendered to God on some special day, for some extraordinary blessings or deliverances received. Such among the Jews was the feast of the Passover (Exod. xii. 15), to remember to praise God for their deliverance out of Egypt's bondage; or the feast of Purim (Esth. ix. 19, 21), to give thanks for their deliverance from Haman's conspiracy. Such amongst us is the fifth of November, to praise God for the deliverance of the king and …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

How the Forward and the Faint-Hearted are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 9.) Differently to be admonished are the forward and the faint-hearted. For the former, presuming on themselves too much, disdain all others when reproved by them; but the latter, while too conscious of their own infirmity, for the most part fall into despondency. Those count all they do to be singularly eminent; these think what they do to be exceedingly despised, and so are broken down to despondency. Therefore the works of the forward are to be finely sifted by the reprover, that …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Perfect in Parts, Imperfect in Degrees.
And the very God of peace sanctify, you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. -- 1 Thess. v. 23. The Scriptural doctrine that sanctification is a gradual process perfected only in death must be maintained clearly and soberly: first, in opposition to the Perfectionist, who says that saints may be "wholly sanctified" in this life; secondly, to those who deny the implanting of inherent holy dispositions in God's children. …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

"There is Therefore Now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. "
Rom. viii. 1.--"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There are three things which concur to make man miserable,--sin, condemnation, and affliction. Every one may observe that "man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward," that his days here are few and evil. He possesses "months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed" for him. Job v. 6, 7, vii. 3. He "is of few days and full of trouble," Job xiv. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
In the discussion of this subject, I shall show-- I. What constitute the sanctions of law. 1. The sanctions of law are the motives to obedience, the natural and the governmental consequences or results of obedience and of disobedience. 2. They are remuneratory, that is, they promise reward to obedience. 3. They are vindicatory, that is, they threaten the disobedient with punishment. 4. They are natural, that is, happiness is to some extent naturally connected with, and the necessary consequence of, …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Extracts No. X.
"Dear sir and brother--In remarking on your reply to my 8th number, as in a former case I shall follow the arrangement which you have made; taking up the articles in the same order. "1st. I did not suppose but that the method which I proposed to account for the absence of the body of Jesus would be liable to serious objections; and these objections are increased by connecting with them, circumstances which, if the resurrection be false, must be considered equally false. Because, if the resurrection …
Hosea Ballou—A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation

"And the Life. " How Christ is the Life.
This, as the former, being spoken indefinitely, may be universally taken, as relating both to such as are yet in the state of nature, and to such as are in the state of grace, and so may be considered in reference to both, and ground three points of truth, both in reference to the one, and in reference to the other; to wit, 1. That our case is such as we stand in need of his help, as being the Life. 2. That no other way but by him, can we get that supply of life, which we stand in need of, for he …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Of Meditating on the Future Life.
The three divisions of this chapter,--I. The principal use of the cross is, that it in various ways accustoms us to despise the present, and excites us to aspire to the future life, sec. 1, 2. II. In withdrawing from the present life we must neither shun it nor feel hatred for it; but desiring the future life, gladly quit the present at the command of our sovereign Master, see. 3, 4. III. Our infirmity in dreading death described. The correction and safe remedy, sec. 6. 1. WHATEVER be the kind of …
Archpriest John Iliytch Sergieff—On the Christian Life

Wisdom and Revelation.
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Paul a Pattern of Prayer
"Go and inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth."--ACTS ix. 11. "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting."--1 TIM. i. 16. God took His own Son, and made Him our Example and our Pattern. It sometimes is as if the power of Christ's example is lost in the thought that He, in whom is no sin, is not man as we are. Our Lord took Paul, a man …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Of the Nature of Regeneration, and Particularly of the Change it Produces in Men's Apprehensions.
2 COR. v. 17. 2 COR. v. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. THE knowledge of our true state in religion, is at once a matter of so great importance, and so great difficulty that, in order to obtain it, it is necessary we should have line upon line and precept upon precept. The plain discourse, which you before heard, was intended to lead you into it; and I question not but I then said enough to convince many, that they were …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

Growth in Grace
'But grow in grace.' 2 Pet 3:38. True grace is progressive, of a spreading and growing nature. It is with grace as with light; first, there is the crepusculum, or daybreak; then it shines brighter to the full meridian. A good Christian is like the crocodile. Quamdiu vivet crescit; he has never done growing. The saints are not only compared to stars for their light, but to trees for their growth. Isa 61:1, and Hos 14:4. A good Christian is not like Hezekiah's sun that went backwards, nor Joshua's …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

How to Make Use of Christ, as Truth, for Comfort, when Truth is Oppressed and Born Down.
There is another difficulty, wherein believing souls will stand in need of Christ, as the truth, to help them; and that is, when his work is overturned, his cause borne down, truth condemned, and enemies, in their opposition to his work, prospering in all their wicked attempts. This is a very trying dispensation, as we see it was to the holy penman of Psalm lxxiii. for it made him to stagger, so that his feet were almost gone, and his steps had well nigh slipt; yea he was almost repenting of his …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

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