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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.

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KJV: 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:

WEB: To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith, with power;