But we ought to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of [the] Lord, that God has chosen you from [the] beginning to salvation in sanctification of [the] Spirit and belief of [the] truth
Paul has just described a world deceived and judged for refusing the truth. Now he turns and thanks God for the Thessalonians. One sentence holds God's eternal choice, the Spirit's work, and the believer's faith. How far back does that choice reach? And why does Paul name sanctification before belief?
Paul places this thanksgiving here on purpose. Just above, he described people who welcomed the lie. These believers are their opposite, so they need not fear the day of judgment.
The day of the Lord, then, will be a day of judgment, and those whom antichrist has deceived — willingly deceived — will be caught in it. But what were the people Paul wrote to? They were beloved of the Lord. God chose them from the beginning to salvation... How marked is the difference between them and those in Christendom who will be swept into the coming judgment. Could the beloved of the Lord be objects of His unsparing judgment? The refutation of the error was complete.
William Kelly takes "the beginning" as far back as it can go. He also weighs the verb "chose" itself.
The context appears to decide that we must take "from the beginning" in the largest sense. It does not mean only from the start of the gospel, or from Christ's appearing on earth. It means from of old, from everlasting. "Chose" is also somewhat unusual here: not so much chose out from others as chose for Himself. This is sweet and comforting to a believer whom true repentance has made nothing in his own eyes. If human nature takes it up, it turns into pride and hardness without a drop of real consolation.
Commentators differ on how far back "the beginning" reaches. Leslie M. Grant ties the phrase to the time the Son of God appeared on earth. He reads the stress differently: "it seems the emphasis is that there could be no change in their position, for they had been chosen long before." Greek copies differ here by a single letter, and the ESV follows the other reading: "as the firstfruits." William Kelly rejects that reading: "Of what could the Thessalonian saints be firstfruits? Not even of Macedonia, since the Philippians were earlier."
Paul names the Spirit's setting apart first, then faith. This is not holiness of life growing after conversion. It is what makes a sinner into a saint at the start.
Sanctification of the Spirit means that mighty separating act of the Holy Spirit that first sets a soul apart to God in a living way. And so faith of the truth goes with it. Practical holiness is the consequence... Here it is rather the great principle and power that goes with conversion to God, so generally overlooked... It is that work which meets a man while he is a sinner, and by grace makes him a saint. People are willing to allow it afterwards in practice, but are afraid to own it at the starting point.
Scripture uses the word "sanctification" in two other senses too. Keeping them apart clears up much confusion.
Salvation is in view here. God accomplishes it through sanctification of the Spirit (His internal work in the soul) and belief of the truth (the soul's response to Him in faith)... Sanctification by the blood of Christ is positional. God sets the believer apart in his position by the shedding of the blood of Christ (Heb. 10). Sanctification by the truth (John 17) is progressive, dealing with a daily, practical setting apart of the saints to God.
The verse has three layers: what God intended, what He produced, and how He did it.
"Chosen you to salvation" — that is the object God purposed in Himself. "In sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" — that is the effect produced in the elect, in keeping with God's purpose. "Our gospel" — that is the means God used to produce that effect.
What does this choice mean for the person who believes? W. T. P. Wolston answers with a picture of a gate.
Suppose I go up to a gate. On it I find written, "Whoever will may enter." I say, "That's free enough; I'll go inside." "But how do you know it means you?" It says "whoever" — that means me, and anybody. I touch the door and it swings open. I enter, and the door closes. On the inside I see written, "Whoever gets inside this door never gets out." Election secures this. God takes good care that the soul who believes His word will never be lost... The two things, sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, are inseparable; where one is, the other must be.
- Chosen — God's choice runs back before time, and the verb means chosen for Himself. It comforts a humbled believer, but human nature turns it into pride.
- Separated — the Spirit's act meets a man while he is a sinner and sets him apart to God. Practical holiness follows later.
- Believing — the Spirit's work and faith are inseparable. Where one is, the other must be.
- Called — salvation is God's purpose. Sanctification and faith are the effect. The gospel is the means He used.
- Secure — the beloved of the Lord are the opposite of the deceived. They cannot be objects of the judgment Paul has just described.
whereto he has called you by our glad tidings, to [the] obtaining of [the] glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul has just described a world that believes the lie and comes under judgment. Now he turns to the Thessalonians and traces the opposite path: God chose them, the gospel reached them, and a glory that belongs to Christ waits for them.
The words "to this" tie the verse back to God's choosing in verse 13. One writer shows how a purpose formed before time reached these people inside time.
So, if we have God's purpose in Himself before time, we have the object He proposed for the saints for eternity. He chose them from the beginning for salvation. He brought this about in time for the saints, in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
Many people stop at forgiveness. The same message that announces rescue also announces a destination.
It is clear then that believers are not only "saved" but "called." We find salvation through faith in Christ and His finished work. Then we are too often content to rest in the knowledge that our sins are forgiven and that we are safe from judgment and hell. We are slow to see that the same gospel that brings the good news of salvation from judgment proclaims the call of God to the glory of Christ.
The phrase is unusual — a preacher calling the message his own. It points to the fullness of what he had to preach.
The glory of Christ on high is the answer to His humiliation below, whatever else may follow. So the apostle speaks of "my gospel," and "our gospel" where he names his companions along with himself. God gave him the gospel of the glory of Christ to preach in all its height of blessedness. So there is danger in letting it slip, if someone who once knew it starts to preach grace at a lower level only, true as that lower message may be.
The word translated "obtaining" appears in other New Testament passages. Its root meaning is worth knowing.
In three other passages the word is found much more in its primary meaning of what remains over, is saved, reserved for oneself, and acquired and preserved. We have it applied in this way to salvation in 1 Thess. 5:9, and to glory in 2 Thess. 2:14; and in Heb. 10:39 to the contrast between those who "have faith and preserve their souls" and those who "shrink back and are destroyed."
Note whose glory is named. One writer sets it beside a promise made to Israel.
"God has called us into His own kingdom and glory"; "To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." But to Israel the word is, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you" — not that they obtain the glory of the Lord. In a word, their glory is distinct from the Lord's glory; that glory is something outside them, but the glory of the church is identical with that of the Lord.
So who will the day of the Lord fall on? Paul answers by contrast.
The day of the Lord, then, will be a day of judgment, and it will sweep up those whom the antichrist has deceived — willingly deceived. But what were those really to whom Paul wrote? They were beloved of the Lord. God chose them from the beginning for salvation, by sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, and called them by the gospel to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. How marked is the difference between them and those in the Christian world who will be swept into the coming judgment, as the contrast between verses 10-12 and 13, 14 shows. Could the beloved of the Lord be objects of His unsparing judgment? The refutation of the error was complete.
A calling can be forgotten. One writer weighs the care people give their daily work against the care they give this.
Every Christian has been called by the gospel to the obtaining of eternal glory, and that glory is as sure as the love that brought the gospel to us. But by that same gospel we have been called into Christian fellowship, and our business is to attend to this with all our hearts. Yet many Christians never give it a thought. They are most careful about all the obligations their earthly jobs lay on them; but this, the calling of God, their divine calling, seems to have escaped their notice.
- Chosen — God formed the purpose before time. The call is that purpose reaching a person in time.
- Called — the gospel does two things at once: it saves from judgment and it calls us to the glory of Christ. We are slow to hear the second half.
- By the gospel — the call comes through a preached message. The message Paul carried was the gospel of the glory of Christ on high.
- To glory — "obtaining" means something reserved and kept. The glory is not a light shining on us from outside; it is the Lord's own.
- Therefore secure — the chain runs from God's choice to Christ's glory. The day of judgment cannot fall on those the Lord loves.