Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2Th.1: 11-12
There is a copulative and cumulative connection that this text has with 2Th.1:7-10 that is right before it. It is a connection of great significance in that in verses 7-10 is described the truth and certainty of the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ that is for certain going to take place on Judgment Day in eternity against all who do not truly know God, nor have genuinely obeyed the gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ.
It is in reaching the point of realizing this truth that the apostle declares from vs.11-12 that which has stirred him up into being so busy in always praying for those who have become the recipients of his pure truth gospel ministry. And, it is in this light that there are five specifics that are given for which he and his companions do pray will be accomplished by God on their behalf. They are:
1. That God would count them worthy — or, deem them entitled to and for — this, His effectual calling;
2. And next, that God would, in turn, then fulfill in them all the good pleasure of His goodness viz. His virtue and beneficence;
3. And, even more so, that He would fulfill in them His divine work of faith with power;
4. To the end that the Name — that is the very authority and the description of the character — of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in them; or, in their work.
5. And, they, in His transformation of them, in Him.
All of these grand things are accomplished in accordance with the bestowal, by God, of His grace upon us. This text plainly demonstrates how that the blessing of God’s grace is indeed an edifying and an empowering work that culminates in our bringing glory to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Ro.8:28-29, all things work for our good because we are predestined to be conformed to His image.
But even more than this, this text tells us that we, being, by grace, His saved ones become the substance of the glory of God in Him! Dear ones, this is indeed a very incredible thing! It’s easy to see how that He as our Savior is obviously our glory, but the fact that we become His glory emphasizes the exceeding riches of His mercy and grace toward us. These are the things that make up being in the ministry!
For Christ’s Glory Only!
-John Carpenter
