BIG IDEA:
SPIRITUAL FRUIT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD RIGHT NOW
INTRODUCTION:
Edmond Hiebert: “The eschatological picture just held before the readers to encourage them in their affliction now furnishes motivation to pray for them. It is characteristic of Paul thus to turn his teaching into prayer. His teaching was given in a spirit of prayer. He felt no inconsistency between the assurance of the divine working in them (1 Th 2:13; 4:9) and fervent prayer for them (1 Th 5:23-24). He regarded such intercessions for the elect (1 Th 1:4) as necessary links in the chain of salvation stretching from eternity past to eternity future.”
Gordon Fee: The prayer itself picks up three concerns from what has just preceded:
- first, echoing the concern of verse 5, he prays that “God may make you worthy of your calling”;
- second, echoing verse 3, he prays that God by his power will bring to fulfillment their every desire for goodness and work that flows out of their faith;
- and third, echoing verse 10, he prays that the eschatological “glorying in [God’s] holy people” will begin to be accomplished in a mutual way in the present.
With this prayer, therefore, Paul basically ties together the whole of these opening concerns.
Grant Osborne: As God brings his work in us to completion, he reproduces his goodness in us, and that stimulates our desires to conform with his. This in turn deepens our faith, leading to good deeds that magnify him. The purpose of this is that the glory of Christ is manifest in us as we faithfully live for him. The glory of the saints is both present and future, and our sharing of his glory in the here and now is but a foretaste of the eternal glory that awaits us.
G.K. Beale: The observation that Paul intends 1:11-12 to summarize and elaborate 1:5 and 10 confirms the parallelism of the two verbs: count you worthy of his calling. . . that. . . Jesus may be glorified (1:11-12) recapitulates “you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God [1:5]. . . on the day he comes to be glorified” (1:10). The reiteration of 1:5 and 10 by 1:11-12 is enhanced by recalling Paul’s earlier statement, where he combines the elements from these four verses into one verse: that the readers “live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” (1 Thess 2:12).
I. NEED FOR INTERCESSORY PRAYER
“To this end also we pray for you always”
Michael Martin: Verses 5–10 deal with God’s future judgment, while vv. 11–12 primarily return attention (as in vv. 3–4) back to the believers’ current Christian life. Thus the “this” that Paul had “in mind” probably was the Thessalonians’ perseverance until and participation in the future glory of the day of the Lord (vv. 5–10). Mindful of achieving that goal, he prayed for the character of their current Christian lives. Even as God had called them, so they must live as people worthy of his kingdom, anticipating its full and final coming (cf. 1 Thess 2:12).
Timothy Brookins: the relative pronoun refers generally to the eschatological scenario described across verses 5–10: God will punish and reward. Introduced by the preposition eis, the relative clause then indicates the grounds of Paul’s prayer activity: he prays because not all will be among the saved. After stating the grounds of his prayer, Paul finally indicates to what end he prays: in order that they specifically (with the pronoun “you” fronted for emphasis) might not be among the objects of the Lord’s vengeance but rather among the saved: thus, that our God might make you worthy of the calling (1:11b).
II. NEED TO MEASURE UP TO THE STANDARD
“that our God may count you worthy of your calling”
Michael Martin: Paul’s prayer requests that the kind of “evidence” (v. 5) of membership in the kingdom already displayed among the Thessalonians would continue in abundance and further validate God’s call in their lives.
G.K. Beale: What is the basis of our happiness and self-image? Are we happy because we believe that God loves us as a result of finding something innately valuable and worthy in us? Can we do anything by ourselves, apart from God, to deserve being considered worthy and honorable by him? Paul indicates in 1:11-12 that God counts us worthy and glorifies us in Christ because of what he is doing and will do in us. This is the biblical version of how Christians are to have a good “self-image.” We need to trust God and not our own supposed power for doing “good works.” Whatever our situation, we need to realize that we are unworthy apart from Christ and that our worthiness lies in being vessels that can reflect his glory by his empowerment.
Jeffrey Weima: God is the one who will make them worthy of their election and who will complete their good desire and work, thereby ensuring that both the Lord Jesus Christ and they will be glorified. That which Paul asks God to make his readers worthy of is “the calling.” The noun klēsis is used in the NT “almost exclusively . . . of the divine call” (BDAG 549), and so several translations add the personal pronoun “his” before the word “calling,” even though it is not found in the Greek text (so ESV, HCSB, ISV, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV). Paul’s use of the noun “calling,” therefore, is yet another way in which he stresses the divine initiative. Many exegetes—especially those who take the verb axioō as “consider worthy” and who are influenced by the concentration of eschatological references in the preceding verses—have located this divine call of God in the future: the eschatological prize that Paul anticipated receiving at the close of his life and ministry (Phil. 3:14) or the end-time call to attend the wedding or kingdom banquet (Matt. 22:3, 8). With one exception (Phil. 3:14), however, the divine call—whether expressed in the noun klēsis, the verb kaleō, or other terms—for Paul always refers to God’s action in the past. For example, in his opening thanksgiving to the Corinthians, he reminds them: “Faithful is God, through whom you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9). He similarly opens the Letter to the Galatians by expressing his astonishment that “you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ” (Gal. 1:6). More important are the examples that come from his Thessalonian correspondence. Later in this letter, Paul will remind them that God “called you through our gospel . . . so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:14). In his previous letter to the Thessalonians, at strategic places the apostle makes repeated references to the theme of God’s call or election (1 Thess. 1:4; 2:12; 3:3b; 4:7; 5:9, 24). All this suggests that the first petition of Paul’s intercessory prayer, “that our God may make you worthy of the calling,” refers to the apostle’s desire that God will so work in the lives of the Thessalonian believers that their present conduct will demonstrate in clear and tangible ways that they have responded positively to the past call of God. By letting his readers hear this petition, Paul indirectly challenges them to live in such a way that is worthy of their divine calling.
III. TWO ASPECTS OF SPIRITUAL FRUIT
A. Its Intrinsic Character – Providing the Motivation
“and fulfill every desire for goodness”
Michael Martin: The good purpose may be God’s (cf. Phil 2:13) but must also be owned by the believer if it is to be fulfilled. Whereas “purpose” in other biblical authors refers to the divine will, Paul also used it of the human determination or resolve to do something (cf. Rom 10:1; Phil 1:15). Since in this instance the phrase is parallel to “every act prompted by…faith,” it probably refers to the righteous resolve within the Thessalonians to live in a godly manner.
Grant Osborne: God’s is the enabling power to find victory over the flesh and the world’s temptations (1 Cor 10:13), and he is absolutely faithful in giving us the strength to carry on and live the life God wants.
There are two areas in which we need that divine strength—the internal and personal desires (desire for goodness) and the resultant external actions (every deed prompted by faith). We always act on the basis of our inner wants, and Paul prays that God will control the process and give us strength to live rightly before him as a result. The first phrase is literally “desire of goodness,” and while some might see this as God’s desire, it is more likely their desire that is in view. Another issue is whether the thrust is objective (desire to do good) or subjective (desire prompted by goodness). This second view would see their desires stimulated by a life of goodness, and on the basis of parallels with the second phrase, most recent commentators opt for this. God and the Spirit perform their sanctifying work in us, and the life of goodness that results urges us to alter our internal desires to conform with his.
B. Its Powerful Dynamic – Providing the Execution
“and the work of faith with power”
Jeffrey Weima: The second petition, in keeping with the fact that it is grammatically parallel to the first petition, similarly deals with God’s action in bringing about what the Thessalonians ought to do. Paul prays that God—the subject is still “our God,” from the first purpose clause—“may complete” (plēroō here likely has the sense of “bring to completion that which was already begun, complete, finish”: BDAG 828.3) two things connected with the Thessalonian believers: first, their inner desires (“every desire of goodness”); second, their outward actions (“[every][work of faith”).
IV. ULTIMATE GOAL = DOUBLE GLORIFICATION
A. “in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you”
Michael Martin: To glorify a name is to praise and/or enhance the reputation of the person represented by that name. But when would this occur? Was Paul referring to the glorification of the Lord by his saints at the parousia? “Be glorified” does repeat the unusual verb from v. 10, which in that context is clearly a reference to the day of the Lord. Also it is true that “the whole tenor of 2 Th. 1:3ff is eschatological.” In addition, the prayer that God would consider the church worthy (v. 11) may refer to the final judgment. However, as we have already noted, the focus of the passage has shifted to the present in vv. 11–12, as is indicated both with the mention of works of faith (v. 11) and with the reference to grace in v. 12. It is far from certain that the reference to the name of the Lord being glorified is another citation from Isaiah 66. More likely it is an echo from v. 10, but in the context of vv. 11–12 Paul was concerned that the church in the present bring glory to the name of the Lord as a result of God’s grace toward them and their works of faith. With this understanding, “in you” may be locative (meaning “in your midst”) but more likely is instrumental, “by you,” meaning as a result of your words and works. God may be “glorified” or praised for his great works (cf. Gal 1:24). He is also “glorified” by the actions of his people when they are obedient and generous (2 Cor 9:13), sexually pure (1 Cor 6:20), and when they live in harmony with one another (Rom 15:6). In short, Christlike behavior is more important than words of praise in the glorifying of the Lord. For praise from a life transformed by the power of the Spirit rings true and sweet, but godless living makes a mockery of praise.
Grant Osborne: The message is that Christ is glorified in the goodness and faith-based works of the Thessalonians (v. 11) that are defining their present walk with the Lord.
B. “and you in Him”
Hubbard: “… points up the intimacy of union between Christ and his Church. As Christ reveals his glory in the Church, so the only glory the Church can claim is in him. That such a sharing of glory can take place is due to (according to) divine grace.”
G.K. Beale: In the same manner that God will be glorified in his people because of what they have become through his handiwork, so they will be glorified in their Messiah because of what he is and has accomplished for them.
V. SUPERABUNDANT RESOURCE
“according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ”
G.K. Beale: That the glory ultimately falls back on Christ because the saints’ character has ultimately been shaped by him is underscored by the concluding phrase that the glory of Christ that believers reflect is based not on their own autonomous efforts but on the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (1:12).
Leon Morris: “Paul is not seeking for some merely human reformation, nor for some pious thinking. He wants to see that fruit of goodness that can come about only when the power of God is operative in men’s lives.”