Paul's Exhortations to the Thessalonian Church 2nd Letter Volume 15

Paul Exhorts the Believers to Stand Strong in Christ Jesus our Lord

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto He called you by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. KJV

It is a surety that every man and woman in this Church in the city of Thessalonica were confident in their faith in our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and that it was real and not the product of 'the lie' caused by the strong delusions sent to those who did not truly believe the true Gospel of Grace, but having said this, they too (as well as we true believers today) are still subject to frailty and feebleness, therefore, because Paul knows this he now whats to reassure them in their faith causing them to feel sure of their salvation 'in Christ' and to give them even further confidence and certainty that they belong to Christ Jesus our Lord by writing these words, "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:" (2 Thessalonians 2:13) (KJV). Opposite to those who have resisted, refused, and even rejected the truth of the Gospel and have fallen into and under strong delusion, these believers in the Church @ Thessalonica are believers of the truth, that is, again as we have said over and over is only One. The praise, honor, and glory for this reality is not due to the saved men and women in the Church @ Thessalonica, but it goes to God the Father.

The Apostle Paul declares to them that they 'are bound' to 'give thanks' always to God for them. The little English phrase 'are bound' is translated by one Greek word opheilo meaning  figuratively to be under obligation (ought, must, should). The little English phrase 'give thanks' is translated by one Greek word eucharisteo meaning to be grateful, that is, (actually) to express gratitude (towards). In other words, the Apostle has a strong obligation (in his prayers, sermons, and teaching) to at all times express his gratefulness to God the Father for their salvation even as he did at the very beginning of his first letter to them, so he continues to do so even in this the second letter (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10). When Paul says here that 'God hath from the beginning chosen you for salvation', he does not mean that they were somehow deserving of salvation above others in the city of Thessalonica or somehow better than others in the city, but he means that every sinner everywhere that hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ and responds in their inner man or inner woman, then these are the 'chosen' of God and this little English word is translated by the Greek word aihreomai which means to lift, by implication to take up or away; figuratively to raise; to take for oneself, that is, to prefer.

In other words, it is God the Holy Spirit that can see the inner man or inner woman of every sinner upon the earth and when any sinner hears the Gospel of Grace and their inner man or inner woman responds to the truth, then God the Holy Spirit immediately enters and regenerates, rebirths, and resurrects that dead in tresspasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) soul and makes us alive to God now for the first time and adopted by God the Father as a son or daughter, for it is just as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman believers with these words, "Because if you acknowledge {and} confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) {and} confirms [his] salvation." (Romans 10:9-10) (Amplified Bible) also these believers and we believers today now belong to our Lord Jesus Christ and are preferred by Him, that is, we are valued more than those who are not His own, that is best-loved or beloved by Him and now taken out of the world through 'sanctification of the Spirit', meaning they and we are purified and continually being purified by God the Holy Spirit through the washing of water by the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26).

The Apostle Paul now affirms to them the means by which they are the chosen of God and that is by the preaching of the Gospel of Grace to them as he declares here with these words, "Whereunto He called you by our Gospel, to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:14) (KJV). The salvation of these believers in the Church @ Thessalonica and we believers today was determined before the foundation of the world just as Paul wrote with these words to the believers in Ephesus, "Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, {even} above reproach, before Him in love. For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]--[So that we might be] to the praise {and} the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:4-6) (Amplified Bible).

These Thessalonian believers and we believers today will partake of the same Glory as belongs to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ as even He declared in His prayer to God the Father before His Crucifixion on the Cross for our sin, "I have given to them the glory {and} honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one {and} perfectly united, that the world may know {and} [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:22-24) (Amplified Bible). Now having said all of this to them and to us, there remains nothing better for us to do than to hold our ground in that which we have received no matter the opposition from the devil through his invisible devils and the two-legged devils on the earth, so Paul writes these words to them and to us, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle." (2 Thessalonians 2:15) (KJV).

The little English phrase 'stand fast' is translated by one Greek word steko meaning to be stationary, that is, (figuratively) to persevere: - stand (fast); abide, continue, or remain. The English word 'hold' is translated by the Greek word krateo meaning to use strength, that is, seize or retain (literally or figuratively): - hold fast, keep, lay hold on, obtain, retain. The English word 'traditions' is translated by the Greek word paradosis meaning transmission, that is, (concretely) a precept; in this case the transmission of the Gospel of Grace or of Christ and all of its truth. In other words, because (as we have learned) there are evil men and imposters out and about purporting, proclaiming, and even pretending to be sent from God, but they are actually the products of a lying spirit dispensing error and lies to all who listen, therefore, the Apostle Paul exhorts these Thessalonian believers and we true believers today to persevere in the truth of the Gospel and of the Word of God keeping all of the truth or precepts, principles, commandments, and teachings in our inner man and inner woman, that is, the things they/we were taught by Paul, Silas, and Timothy in person (by word) and from a distance by these letters.

"In your calling, God has shown the purpose that He had formed from the beginning, to call the Gentiles to the same privileges with the Jews, not through circumcision, and the observance of the Mosaic law, but by faith in Christ Jesus; but this simple way of salvation referred to the same end - holiness, without which no man, whether Jew or Gentile, can see the Lord. They were to hear the truth - the doctrines of the Gospel. They were to believe this truth when they heard it preached. They were to receive the Spirit of God in believing the truth. That Spirit was to sanctify their souls-produce an inward holiness, which was to lead to all outward conformity to God. All this constituted their salvation - their being fitted for the inheritance among the saints in light. They were to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ - that state of felicity for which they were fitted, by being saved here from their sins, and by being sanctified by the Spirit of God." Adam Clarke

"As they were chosen to salvation, so they were called thereunto by the Gospel. Whom He did predestinate those He also called, (Romans 8:30). The outward call of God is by the Gospel; and this is rendered effectual by the inward operation of the Spirit. Note, Wherever the Gospel comes it calls and invites men to the obtaining of glory; it is a call to honour and happiness, even the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glory He has purchased, and the glory He is possessed of, to be communicated unto those who believe in Him and obey His Gospel; such shall be with Christ, to behold His glory, and they shall be glorified with Christ and partake of His glory." Matthew Henry

"Paul draws here no distinction between oral tradition and written tradition as was done later. The worth of the tradition lies not in the form but in the source and the quality of the content. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:23 says: 'I received from the Lord what I also handed over (paredōka) unto you.' He praises them because ye 'hold fast the traditions even as I delivered them unto you.' The tradition may be merely that of men and so worthless and harmful in place of the Word of God (Mark 7:8; Colossians 2:6-8). It all depends. It is easy to scoff at truth as mere tradition. But human progress in all fields is made by use of the old, found to be true, in connection with the new if found to be true. In Thessalonica the saints were already the victims of theological charlatans with their half-baked theories about the second coming of Christ and about social duties and relations." Robertson's Word Pictures

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…