2Th 2:13 But we, brethren beloved by the Lord, ought and are obligated [as those who are in debt] to give thanks always to God for you, because God chose you from the beginning as His firstfruits (first converts) for salvation through the sanctifying work of the [Holy] Spirit and [your] belief in (adherence to, trust in, and reliance on) the Truth.
"brothers loved by the Lord,.."
Paul had only moments before been talking about the lawless one and those deceived by his signs, because they are perishing, essentially describing those attempting to live with out Christ, therefore not brothers in the Lord.
"because from the beginning God chose you.."
- We are talking about some point before God even created the worlds and time.
How would I know if I had been chosen? If I have a relationship with Him then I was.
Alright then, what about the others, those outside of his love?
Look at this verse:
The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9 AMP)
You should know that Gods desire is toward everyman, and though the decision is yours He knew the decision before you made it. Does that tangle your mind? It would seem that even though He knew your mind he still sent His Son to redeem you and make a way for you. My humanness sees that as wasted energy. God on the other hand sees you as something valuable and worth making the effort to rescue.
So, God knew me before, and knew my decision, then what did he choose me for?
I will say that my life has not been as spectacular as I had hoped, and yet He chose us to be saved.
How does that happen?
1. Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit
2. Through belief in the truth.
Let's look at point 1 for a moment. - To be sanctified really means to be set apart as something Holy for God's work. The priests had particular items, meant exclusively for God's service. Considering how we treat our bodies and God, I cannot even imagine what he sees in us, and yet he does. This tells me that there are dynamics going on that I do not see, and that he sees a future for me that I often cannot picture.
We are also chosen to be saved. Saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit. This is not the human spirit, but God's. There is nothing in man, except a rare case of fortitude, and none of that can change you. So God's spirit, the Holy Spirit is in the process of sanctifying.
If it had been a one time, done deal, wouldn't Paul have used the term sanctified, past tense. Instead he uses a not only active, but a proactive form. What I get from that is that I am in a constant state of change.
Point number 2. Chosen to be saved through faith. One translation puts it this way: through belief of truth.
Truth, this word has so many facets to it. Jesus said he was the truth, and we are told that his word is truth.
TRUTH, n.
1. Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be.
And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.
(John 1:14 MKJV)
For the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
(John 1:17 MKJV)
God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
(John 4:24 MKJV)
You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
(John 8:44 MKJV)
Consecrate them by thy truth: thy word is truth.
(John 17:17 Moffatt NT)
and for their sake I consecrate myself that they may be consecrated by the truth.
(John 17:19 Moffatt NT)
"So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
(John 18:37 Moffatt NT)
This is He who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by the water and blood. And the Spirit is He who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
(1 John 5:6 MKJV)
"brothers loved by the Lord,.."
Paul had only moments before been talking about the lawless one and those deceived by his signs, because they are perishing, essentially describing those attempting to live with out Christ, therefore not brothers in the Lord.
"because from the beginning God chose you.."
- We are talking about some point before God even created the worlds and time.
How would I know if I had been chosen? If I have a relationship with Him then I was.
Alright then, what about the others, those outside of his love?
Look at this verse:
The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9 AMP)
You should know that Gods desire is toward everyman, and though the decision is yours He knew the decision before you made it. Does that tangle your mind? It would seem that even though He knew your mind he still sent His Son to redeem you and make a way for you. My humanness sees that as wasted energy. God on the other hand sees you as something valuable and worth making the effort to rescue.
So, God knew me before, and knew my decision, then what did he choose me for?
I will say that my life has not been as spectacular as I had hoped, and yet He chose us to be saved.
How does that happen?
1. Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit
2. Through belief in the truth.
Let's look at point 1 for a moment. - To be sanctified really means to be set apart as something Holy for God's work. The priests had particular items, meant exclusively for God's service. Considering how we treat our bodies and God, I cannot even imagine what he sees in us, and yet he does. This tells me that there are dynamics going on that I do not see, and that he sees a future for me that I often cannot picture.
We are also chosen to be saved. Saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit. This is not the human spirit, but God's. There is nothing in man, except a rare case of fortitude, and none of that can change you. So God's spirit, the Holy Spirit is in the process of sanctifying.
If it had been a one time, done deal, wouldn't Paul have used the term sanctified, past tense. Instead he uses a not only active, but a proactive form. What I get from that is that I am in a constant state of change.
Point number 2. Chosen to be saved through faith. One translation puts it this way: through belief of truth.
Truth, this word has so many facets to it. Jesus said he was the truth, and we are told that his word is truth.
TRUTH, n.
1. Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be.
And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.
(John 1:14 MKJV)
For the Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
(John 1:17 MKJV)
God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
(John 4:24 MKJV)
You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
(John 8:44 MKJV)
Consecrate them by thy truth: thy word is truth.
(John 17:17 Moffatt NT)
and for their sake I consecrate myself that they may be consecrated by the truth.
(John 17:19 Moffatt NT)
"So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
(John 18:37 Moffatt NT)
This is He who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by the water and blood. And the Spirit is He who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
(1 John 5:6 MKJV)
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