Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church 2nd Letter Volume 7

Paul Prays for their Faith to be Worked out in Power

2 Thessalonians 1:11 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: KJV

Prayer for this man Saul of Tarsus who has been changed into the Apostle Paul was like breathing to every other human being. It was not something that was wearisome or done out of duty, it was for Paul his very spiritual life line, his spiritual umbilical cord, for it is where he received all of his spiritual nutrients from our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. It is where all of His adopted children receive nutrients. Therefore, it is no wonder that we find Paul breaking into prayer in the middle of one of his letters or in this case right here, he is making known to these believers in  the Church @ Thessalonica how much or often he prays for them and these specific things he list here that he prays for them as he begins with these words, "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:" (2 Thessalonians 1:11) (KJV).

Because our Lord Jesus Christ will return to be glorified in His saints or to receive glory, praise, and honor because of the work of His redeemption for them, Paul declares that he prays they would be counted worthy by God of such a great salvation as this, let us clarify that Paul is not saying that these Thessalonian believers earned their salvation by some form of merit or goodness on their part, but on the contrary Paul prays that they are as he said to the Philippian believers with these words, "Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence {and} awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure {and} satisfaction {and} delight." (Philippians 2:12-13) (Amplified Bible).

The little English phrase 'would count you worthy' is translated by one Greek word axioo derived from the Greek word axios which means deserving, comparable or suitable (as if drawing praise): to deem entitled or fit: In other words, Paul as he declared to the Philippian believers above is declaring to these Thessalonian believers and we believers today that the reception of the Gospel and the working out of the Gospel in the life of the sinner that has been made a saint by God the Holy Spirit is also worked out by God the Holy Spirit, through the believer that yields to Him and does not grieve Him with sin, disobedience, and rebellion. Example: An earthy Father or Mother has a 5 year old child that they tell go pick up your toys in your room and the child immediately responds by obeying their parent and  that parent shows them great love and affection with hugs and kisses, but one day this same child rebells and refuses to hear the words of their Mother or Father and shouts, screams, and sulks to avoid doing what they were told and the same parent then must discipline the child, but their love for the child remains constant and never changing.

So is it with God the Father with His adopted sons and daughters, those that are obedient are rewarded with more grace, more joy, more peace, more patience, more faithfulness, etc., but for the rebellious son or daughter His love must respond in chastening just as Paul made this comparison when he wrote his letter to the Hebrews with these words, "You must submit to {and} endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train {and} correct {and} discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction {and} left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring {and} not true sons [at all]. Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] {and} respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live? For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time {and} chastised us as seemed proper {and} good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous {and} painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]." (Hebrews 12:7-11) (Amplified Bible).

The little English phrase 'of this calling' is translated by one Greek word klesis meaning an invitation (figuratively): calling. The English word 'fulfill' is translated by the Greek word pleroo meaning to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc. The English phrase 'the good pleasure' is translated by one Greek word eudokia meaning satisfaction, that is, (subjectively) delight, or (objectively) kindness, good pleasure. The English phrase 'of His goodness' is translated by one Greek word agathosune meaning goodness, that is, virtue or beneficence: - goodness.

In other words, Paul is again saying here that the call to salvation is not made by human choice or decision (even though we humans have free will), for it is the Holy Spirit that responds to the inner man or inner woman of every sinner that wants their sins forgiven and covered by the Blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ (the inner man or inner woman is where free will takes place), sadly I must say that no infant child has the capacity (yet) to desire God in their inner person, so infant baptism never has saved one child, that child must at the age of accountability (with God) turn to Him in their inner man or inner woman.

Paul goes on to declare that it is God the Father by virtue of God the Son's Shed Blood through the 'power/dunamis' of God the Holy Spirit that the diffusing and influence of faith in every born again believer is worked into the inner man and inner woman and God's very own virtues, that is, His goodness can then be worked out in the life of every believer, i.e. loving our enemies, not repaying evil against us with a response of evil, loving not the things of this world, and doing good to all men especially those of the household of faith.

"So, then, we are brought face to face with this thought of an actual, stringent judgment which God will apply in the future to the lives and characters of professing Christians. Now, that is a great deal too much forgotten in our popular Christian teaching and in our average Christian faith. It is perfectly true that he who trusts in Jesus Christ will 'not come into condemnation, but has passed from death unto life.' But it is just as true that 'judgment shall begin at the house of God,' and that, 'the Lord will judge His people.' And therefore, it becomes us to lay to heart this truth, that we, just because, if we are Christians, we stand nearest to God, are surest to be searched through and through by the light that streams from Him, and to have every flaw and corrupt speck and black spot brought out into startling prominence. Let no Christian man fancy that he shall escape the righteous judgment of God. The great doctrine of forgiveness does not mean that He suffers our sin to remain upon us unjudged, ay! or unavenged. But just as, day by day, there is an actual estimate in the divine mind, according to truth, of what we really are, so, at the last, God’s servants will be gathered before His throne. 'They that have made a covenant with Him by sacrifice' shall be assembled there—as the Psalm has it—'that the Lord may judge His people.'" Alexander MacLaren

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…