Saturday, 23 September 2017
…when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
2 Thessalonians 1:10
Here we have a sharp and resounding contrast to the previous verse. He just said that those who don’t know God, and who don’t obey the gospel of Jesus, will but punished. This will include their removal from the glory of His power. In contrast to that, it says, “when He comes.” This is speaking of Jesus. This defines the period of time that the punishment upon the wicked will occur. It is “in that Day” that the contrast for those who have believed in the gospel will come about.
In this he says that He is “to be glorified in His saints.” The glory spoken of is not “through” His saints, nor is it “among” His saints. Instead, it will be “in His saints.” He suffered and died so that we may live. In contrast, those who reject Him will suffer and die because He, in fact, lives. They ignored this willingly, and they will receive their just punishment for their failure to acknowledge His work which He accomplished for them. Thus, they are found unworthy of its merits.
But for the saints, they will reflect His glory, because they received His atonement and are covered in His righteousness. And along with this, He is “to be admired among all those who believe.” This reflects the state of what has occurred in us. We have, by a simple act of faith, been granted the righteousness of Christ. But it is His righteousness. We can claim no credit for this. Instead, we will always remember that the Lamb was slain so that we might live.
What is done is past, but its effects will endure forever. It is a one-time-for-all-time thing. When we behold Him in glory, we will give Him the admiration He eternally deserves because we have been eternally redeemed. As noted, this was by an act of faith, as Paul once again explains with the words, “because our testimony among you was believed.”
The Calvinist doctrine of election and predestination is shown, once again, to be wholly incorrect here. Nowhere in Scripture do we find the notion of being “regenerated in order to believe.” That is as nutty as a football bat. Paul and his associates shared the gospel, the people believed, and they were saved. The same is true with every person who has been redeemed since. Faith is excluded as a work according to Romans 3:27. It is something that comes from us, and it is what then results in our salvation.
Life application: If you are excited about Jesus, then imagine how great it will be when we see Him face to face. If you are saved, but not excited about Jesus, you have a serious problem with understanding the magnitude of what He has done for you. Reconsider your station, and be excited to glorify Him for the marvelous things He has done for you!
Lord God, help us never to lose our excitement over what Christ Jesus has done for us. May we be willing to share that excitement everywhere we go, and to be willing to provide the lost with the same chance of being saved as we once had. Help us to not sit on our hands and idly wait for the day of our passing. Instead, help us to be active and alive concerning the wonderful news that brought us to salvation. Amen.