Saturday, August 17, 2013

Marsha's Musings: Called, Believe, Sanctified

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 ESV)

One of the first things I see here is that our salvation includes belief in the truth and sanctification by the Spirit.  I also see that God has called us to this through the gospel.  The gospel is the means of salvation and how God calls his people to Himself.

The exhortation is for those who have been called, believe and are being sanctified, to stand firm in the truth.

Verse 17 is our comfort.  God will do the work in our hearts.  We can't do it by our own self efforts but through His doing.

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