Let us turn now to God's Word
in the portion of Scripture that we read I want to draw your attention
this morning for our text of words that we find here in 2
Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 11 2 Thessalonians chapter 1
verse 11 where for 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. Here we have a prayer of the
Apostle Paul and we see that it is a threefold prayer in the
sense that there are three particular petitions. He says, 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. And I want us to consider each
of those particular petitions, but we'll consider them in the
reverse order. So, we begin with that that we
have at the end of the verse where he speaks of the work of
faith with power. What is this work of which he
is speaking? Is it not that great work of
salvation? We see how it is associated with
the calling mentioned in the center of the text that God would
count you worthy, he says, of this calling that is the effectual
call of God and that effectual call is clearly associated with
the work of faith with power as he expresses it here at the
end of the verse. Effectual calling of course has
to do with the application of salvation and it was that surely
that the Thessalonians had experienced, he says as much when he writes
to them in the first epistle there in chapter 2 verse 13 he
says for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because
when you receive the word of God which you heard of us you
received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the
word of God which effectually which effectually worketh also
in you that believe For ye brethren became followers of the churches
which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered
like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews."
He speaks then of how the Word had so come in an effectual manner
and so wrought in their souls that they had become followers
of other churches which were in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now
what do we see there in what he says in that previous epistle? Do we not observe how that the
salvation that they know is the work of the triune God? He speaks of the words of God
that they had received, and they received it by that mighty and
effectual working of the Spirit of God. He says something very
similar here in the second chapter of the second epistle. Again,
there is the giving of thanks to God. He says, 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. And we see each of the
persons of the Godhead clearly being spoken of. We see how that
the salvation is obtained in the Lord Jesus Christ there at
the end of that 14th verse. And then in the previous verse,
we see how that they are those who were elected by the Father
who from the beginning had made choice of them, and how that
they were brought to believe the truth by the gracious working
of the Holy Spirit. The salvation is in Christ. But
it is God the Father who made choice of them, and it is the
Spirit Himself who quickened them, all true Christians. This
may boast a truth from nature never learned, that Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost to save our souls are all concerned. And so here, in the words that
we've announced this morning as our text, and this particular
petition that we find at the end of the verse, that work of
faith with power. we see how that in order for
that purpose salvation, that salvation that the Father had
planned from eternity, that salvation that was purchased and procured
in time by the Lord Jesus Christ, can only be made a reality in
the soul of the sinner where there is that power of God. It is the work of faith with
Power and the particular word that we have here is certainly
a strong word, dunamis. We see something of it as it
in many ways is conveyed into our English language in various
words, a dynamo or dynamite. These are from the same roots. this particular word that we
find at the end of this text this morning, the power of God
in bringing salvation into the soul of the sinner. Remember
out of the Ephesians, Paul speaks of it as the exceeding greatness
of his power, not just power, not just great power, but the
exceeding greatness of his power to usward Ubi-Li, and he said
it's according to the working of that same power that was wrought
in Christ when he was raised again from the dead. This faith
then, that he's spoken of, that Paul is praying for with regards
to these Thessalonians, this faith is that that comes from
God, it comes by the operation of God. It is the work of God
in the soul of a man. The Lord Jesus himself says in
prophecy, does he not, to his people, thy dead men shall live,
together with my dead body shall they arise. And so we have those
words, as it were, re-uttered in the course of his earthly
ministry. What the prophet Isaiah says
there in chapter 26 and verse 19 is in answer the same truth
that is uttered by Christ in John 14 and verse 19 when he
says, because I live, ye shall live also. How Paul then was
so encouraged here by what he had already witnessed amongst
these Thessalonians. He had seen the effect of his
ministry there in that city, as we've already said in the
opening epistle, the first epistle. And there in chapter 2 at verse
13 he can say, For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,
because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of
us, ye received it, not as the word of man, but as it is in
truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you
that believe. It was that effectual word of
God. He says something very similar.
when he writes to the Corinthians, that your faith should not stand
in the wisdom of men, he says, but in the power of God. And this is what he is praying
for them constantly, that they might have that faith that is
by the mighty working of God. The work of faith. Now, the believer,
you see, He doesn't have a store of faith that he is able to be
drawing upon. He must know from day to day
the renewings of that faith. He must have that faith constantly
wrought in his soul by God. That that comes with such effectual
power in the first place. As he did to those Thessalonians
again in the opening epistle, the first epistle, he says, our
gospel came not unto you in word only but in power and in the
Holy Ghost and in much assurance and so it must keep on coming. This is Paul's prayer for them
that they might ever know that faith that is from God, that
faith of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the author, but not
only the author, but also the finisher of. Oh friends, is that
our understanding of what saving faith is? What confusion there
is today in so many circles with regards to the very nature of
that faith that is truly saving faith, justifying faith. There's so much easy believism,
is there not? so much faith that is little
more really than a certain assent with the mind. People speak in
terms of the need to make some sort of a commitment, even talking
about the sinner giving his heart to the Lord. How can those who
are dead in trespasses and sins do such a thing? God must work. God must work that faith in the
soul of the sinner. As we see it there in Colossians
2.12, it is faith of the operation of God. Or as we have it in Ephesians
2.8, it is that faith that is the gift of God. But it's not
only amongst those whom we might dismiss as being simply Arminian
in their theology, but even amongst those who would claim to be believers
in the doctrines of sovereign grace, where we hear so much
of duty faith and duty repentance, as if men somehow or other have
the ability. They are responsible, they say,
but they speak of that responsibility as if men almost have an ability
to respond. And they do not, of course. It
must be that faith that is altogether from God, altogether by God,
and by His mighty working repeatedly, as we sought to show when Paul
speaks of this faith, he associates it with this power of God. And so we have it here in our
text. His prayer is this, we pray always for you, that our
God, would work the work of faith with power. And we are just as
those Thessalonians if we have faith. We need that the Lord
himself should come to us and renew our faith. We need to come,
do we not, many times with that man who came to Christ in the
gospel who could say, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. It is only the Lord himself who
can do such a thing. Here then, we see this particular
petition as the apostle addresses himself to these Thessalonians.
These who he is constantly giving thanks for because he sees amongst
them something of the fruit of his labors in the gospel. But then, the second petition that we have
is that that lies at the very heart of the text. We pray, he
says, that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his
goodness. Well, what a prayer is this?
That God would fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness. What are we to understand when
he makes such a petition as this one? Well, this good pleasure
of God is very much bound up with the doctrine of predestination. And we see that. We see it so
clearly in the language of the Apostle when he writes in Ephesians,
in chapter 1 of Ephesians, and there at verse 5, having predestinated
us, he says, unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself according to the good pleasure of his will. Okay, and
we have the expression, the good pleasure. Predestination is according
to the good pleasure of his will. Again in verse 9 there, having
made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. What is this good
pleasure that God hath purposed in himself? It is the great doctrine
of predestination is enormous, what God Himself has purposed
and purposed from all eternity. And this also we see here is
the very subject matter of Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians.
We pray that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of His
goodness, or that doctrine, that much despised doctrine of God's
absolute predestination. It is that that is associated
with the goodness of God. That God should never have a
purpose of salvation for those who are only deserving of his
eternal wrath. Those who of themselves are the
transgressors, who are worthy then to be condemned and to be
dismissed from his presence forever. And yet, we have here the good
pleasure of His goodness. You see, some would say that
this doctrine of predestination, the truth of God's divine sovereignty,
makes prayer so meaningless. That's what they say. If God
is sovereign, if God has purposed all things, and if God is constantly
executing his decree and doing the thing that he had planned
from eternity what is the point of crying? Is it not meaningless? Well, it's not so, of course.
Rather, is it the very reverse of that? It's because God is
an absolute sovereign that prayer is that that is useful to us
because God himself in his wisdom as ordained prayer. What does
he say in Ezekiel 36 to the children of Israel languishing there in
the captivity, removed now into exile, taken from Jerusalem,
lying in ruins, and yet the Lord God would encourage them and
he says this, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house
of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men as a flock
and he goes on to speak of Jerusalem again being peopled that's what
he goes on to speak of how there will be those who will be brought
again out of the captivity restored to the promised land the city
of Jerusalem rebuilt. And then, of course, in the very
next chapter, the beginning of Ezekiel 37, the prophet is caused
to see that remarkable vision of the valley that is full of
dry bones. And yet, he is to prophesy unto
the bones, and the bones become a mighty armor. It's the restoration. But it's that that God will be
inquired of, I will be inquired of, he says, to do it for them. Oh God, you see, is that one
who in his goodness, his mercy and his grace has ordained prayers
to accomplish his great purpose. It's interesting when we consider
the words of that opening chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians.
We've already made some reference to it just now. And Ephesians
1, in many ways comparable to what we have in Romans 9, these
are chapters that stand out so strikingly in Scripture in which
we see God's absolute sovereignty, we see the great doctrines, of
grace unfolded in those chapters, God's purpose of salvation, God's
predestination in Romans 9, and again there in Ephesians chapter
1. Now there in Ephesians chapter
1, in a chapter which says so much of predestination, what
do we find Paul doing? He prays. in the midst of all
that he is saying there concerning God's great eternal purpose. He prays. Look at what he says
at verse 15. Wherefore I also, after I heard
of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in
my prayers." Previously, he's been saying so much about God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the great plan of redemption,
the great purpose of salvation subsequently will go on to speak
of that faith that is by the exceeding greatness of God's
power and yet here he tells them how he is constantly in prayer,
he ceases not to give thanks he prays for them day and night
you see divine sovereignty was no embarrassment to poor Rather
was God's sovereignty a very real encouragement to him. He
would pray. He would pray there for the Ephesians.
And here we see how he will also pray for the Thessalonians and
pray in terms of God's good and gracious purpose. Wherefore also,
he says, we pray always for you. that our God would fulfill all
the good pleasure of His goodness. Prayer then is clearly in Scripture
wedded to the truth of God's great eternal purpose, God's
predestination. As the hymn writer says, prayer
was appointed to convey the blessings God designs to give. Yes, God designs to give good
things to his children. But how will those good things
be conveyed? They will come by prayers. They
will come by prayers. And this is what he is saying
here in the text. How he can be confident with
regard to these Thessalonians. As I've already said, he had
witnessed in them that God had a gracious purpose to fulfill,
because when he'd ministered amongst them, his ministry had
not been in vain. His preaching had been effectual. There had not only been the outward
proclamation, there'd also been that effectual work of the Spirit
in their souls. Remember the words there in 1
Thessalonians 2.13, the Word of our God which effectually
worketh, he says. The Word of our God which effectually
worketh also in you that believe. Our Gospel came not unto you
in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in
much assurance, he says, there in chapter 1 and verse 5 of that
first epistle. He is confident, and he prays
with confidence, because he believes in a God who is sovereign. And
a God who is sovereign, able therefore to not only hear the
cry of his children, but also able to answer that cry. In fact, he is that one who can
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, he
says to the Ephesians. We see it in all these epistles.
As he is ministering to these different churches, he has the
care of all the churches, he writes to them. He wants to encourage
them. He writes to the Philippians,
does he not? And what does he say to them
to encourage them? Be in confident of this very
thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform
it until the day of Jesus Christ. Oh, it is clearly God's great
work. Where is the origin of faith? Why is it not in the Lord Jesus
Christ? It originates in Him and it is
completed in Him. We are to be those, he says to
the Hebrews, who are looking on to Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith. And you know the strength of
the language again that he employs there. What is that looking?
The word literally means to look away. That means you look away
from every other object. There is one object only. You're
looking only onto the Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher
of our faith. Now that one in whom God's great
purpose of salvation so clearly centres. To the Corinthians he
can say, Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto
us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,
that as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the
Lord. Here then we have The second
of his petitions, as I said, we look at them as it were in
a reverse order. Here at the end of the text,
he speaks of that work of faith with power, and he is praying
for them constantly, that they might know those renewings of
grace, that they might be experiencing that faith, that comes from God,
that faith that is of the operation of God. Remember there is no
stock of faith to draw from. Daily we need that the Lord Himself
should grant us faith. And then here in the middle of
the text He speaks of the good pleasure of His goodness. And then The third of the petitions
is that that we see at the beginning of the verse. We pray always
for you, he says, that our God would count you worthy of this
calling. The counting worthy of this calling. And we said before how the calling
is that effectual calling. its vocation, is it not? And
they are to be worthy of that vocation. We have something similar
when he writes to the Ephesians, when he comes to the what we
might term the practical part of that great epistle to the
Ephesians. Not only is the opening chapter
taken up with the great doctrines of God's sovereign grace, but
the first three chapters of the letter to the Ephesians are really
substantially the doctrinal part of the epistle. And then the
last three chapters, of course, are the practical part. He is
concerned to see the outworking of the doctrine in the manner
of their living. So the first three chapters are
principally doctrinal, but the last three, beginning at chapter
4, are more practical. And what does he say there in
the opening verse of chapter 4 to the Ephesians? Therefore,
he is drawing a conclusion. There are certain deductions
to be drawn from what he has been teaching them, saying to
them, in those previous chapters. Therefore, he says, I, the prisoner
of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the fogation
wherewith ye are caught. And so here, you see, it's the
same truth, is it not? He doesn't only exhort, that's
what he goes on to do there, in that practical part, but he
prays. And he's praying for these Thessalonians. And his prayer is this, that God would count you worthy of
this calling, that you walk in a worthy manner. And what is it? What is it that
they are to do? They are to be a people who are
separated unto holiness of life. They are to conduct themselves
as becomes those who are professing godliness. Again, if we go back
to the first epistle there in chapter 4, And verse 3 says,
this is the will of God, even your sanctification. All they
are are people who are separated, they've been called out of the
world, and they've been separated unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and
they are to live in Christ. And they are to be those who
are conforming increasingly to the image of Christ. They are
to be a holy people. And this is therefore what he
prays with regards to them at the beginning of the text, their
sanctification. What are the parts of that sanctification? Well, we see it in what he says
when he writes to them in the first epistle, the opening
section of that first epistle. Again, we see him praying. He
says in verse 2, We give thanks to God always for you all, making
mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your
work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Saviour. Here are
the parts. Here are the various parts of
their sanctification. And we see that there are three
principal parts. And I want us, as we draw to
a conclusion this morning, to consider each of these parts
spoken of there in verse 3 of that opening chapter of the first
epistle. First of all, there is the work of faith. An interesting expression, is
it not? the work of faith because we know that where salvation
is concerned works and grace are exclusive one of the other. As Paul writes in Romans 11 and
verse 6, he says, if by grace, then is it no more of work. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. If it be of works, it is no more
of grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. If salvation is by the grace
of God, then works are excluded. A man's own works don't contribute
anything to his salvation. it is all together by the grace
of God and yet there when he writes in that opening chapter
of the first epistle he speaks of the work of faith what is
the work of faith? if grace which is so closely bound
up with faith if grace excludes every idea of works contributing
anything to salvation well remember the language that we have in
Ephesians chapter 2 familiar words I'm sure he says there
at verse 8 by grace are you saved by grace are you saved through
faith and that not of yourselves it is the work of God not of
works lest any man should boast." But then he goes on to say this,
but we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus onto good works
that God has ordained for us. So there are those works that
follow faith. In fact, he says again concerning
Faith, in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 6, faith worketh by love,
he says. Faith worketh by love. Likewise, Romans chapter 16 and
verse 26, we have mention of what he calls the obedience of
faith. Faith is obedient. Faith works. John Gil, John Gill was not in any sense
a man who would ever peddle the idea of worth contributing anything
to salvation. Gill was clearly a high Calvinist
who taught faithfulness, the gospel of the sovereign grace
of God. But Gill says his faith has a
deal of work to do. It has its hands full and is
employed about many things. He's speaking of faith, saving
faith, justifying faith. It has work to do, it's hands
of thought, it's employed. He really is simply explaining, expounding the language
of James. Remember what James says concerning
faith and works. in James chapter 2 and there
James chapter 2 and verses 17 and 18 even so faith if it hath
not works is dead being alone yea a man may say thou hast faith
and I have works show me thy face without my works and I will
show thee my face by my works Here is the evidence of true
faith. Nothing is more industrious than
saving faith, says Timothy Taylor, one of the Puritans. Oh, it is
so industrious. It is business. That is the work
of faith. And it's all part and parcel
of the believer's sanctification, the will of God. walking worthy,
Paul prays for them that our God would count you worthy of
this calling that there might be that in you that is the evidence
of the effectual work of God in your soul but not only the
work of faith, he goes on to speak there in that opening chapter
of the first epistle and the third verse he goes on to speak
of the labor of love the labor of love, remembering without
ceasing your work of faith and labor of love or remember the
teaching again of the Lord Jesus Christ himself in the course
of his gospel ministry In John 14 and verse 15 he says to his
disciples, if ye love me, keep my commandments. There's the
labour of love. It's keeping the Lord's commandments. Again he says in chapter 13 and
verse 34, A new commandment I give you, that ye love one another,
even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. And isn't that the evidence of
the grace of God in the soul of the sinner, where there is
love for the brethren? If we would give diligence to
make our calling and election sure, surely this is one thing
we can look to. Are we those who can say sincerely
that we have a love for the brethren? John writing then in that first
epistle, Look at what he says in chapter
3 and verse 14. We know that we have passed from
death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth
not his brother abideth in death. What is the mark, the evidence
of this love for the brethren? Well, he goes on to say, at verse
17, Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have lead,
and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him? My little children, let us not
love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. It's the labor of love. The labor of love. Again, John
how he emphasizes these things in that same first epistle he
says in chapter 4 and verse 21 this commandment have we from
him that he who loveth God love his brother also or do we say
that we love God God whom we have not seen well if we love
God whom we have not seen it will be evidence when we love
the brother whom we do see. And we're to minister to one
another. This is how we are to walk worthy of this calling,
this vocation. And God takes account of these
things. God would encourage His children, you see. Hebrews 6 verse 10 Paul says
God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love in
that ye have ministered unto the saints and do minister. There is the work of faith, there
is the labor of love there. And all of these, I say, are
the evidence of that sanctification that God wills for his people. They are set apart. and that
sets apart to this life of holiness, this life of conformity to the
image of God that they live their life in accordance with the precepts
of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ but then there is that
third thing that is spoken of there in 1 Thessalonians 1 and
verse 3 there is the patience of hope the patience of hope
and the word patience more literally means endurance the endurance
of hope. Now this was so evident amongst
these Thessalonians how they were those who were
enduring and persevering in the midst of many difficulties as
we have it There in that first epistle, verse 6 of chapter 1,
he says, "...ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having
received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost."
Again, referred to previously there in chapter 2 and verse
14, "...ye brethren became followers of the churches of God, which
in Judea are in Christ Jesus, for ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews."
And still further, he says in chapter 3, verse 3, that no man
should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are
appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with
you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation,
even as it came to pass, and ye know." All the patience, the
endurance of hope. And so, here in that writing
in the second epistle, he continues with the same theme. in this opening chapter in verse
4 he says so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches
of God for your patience your endurance and faith in all your
persecutions and tribulations that ye endure here is the proof you see of
the genuine nature of their faith because that faith is married
to hope and there is the endurance, the patience of hope just as
there is the trying of faith, the trial of your faith he says
or does Peter say in his first epistle the trial of your faith
being much more precious than the gold that perishes though
it be tried with fire is to be found unto praise and honor and
glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. And then again, Peter,
remember, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery
trial that is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto
you. But rejoice in so much as ye
are counted worthy to know the fellowship of Christ's
offering. This is part and parcel of that
will of God, not only the work of faith, not only the labor
of love, but also the patience of hope. And we see it in the
way in which Paul addresses these various churches that he is concerned
for, that he will minister to. Remember what he says at the
end of that great 15th chapter in 1 Corinthians, Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not
in vain in the Lord. And so what does Paul do? He
doesn't just exhort These Christian believers, He prays for them.
He prays for them. And here we see something of
the subject matter of His praying for them. These three great petitions,
His desire for them, that they might know more and more that
work of faith with power, even the power of God in working that
faith, that he is of his own operation in the souls of his
people. He prays concerning the good
pleasure of God, he wants to see that constantly being accomplished
and fulfilled, and he prays for them that they might be counted
worthy of this calling, this vocation, that they might conduct
themselves in a manner that is becoming in those who profess
godliness. Wherefore, he says, 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. And what is the end of it all?
It's the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as we see in that twelfth
verse, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
in you and ye in Him according to the grace of our God and the
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Let us now sing our concluding
praise this morning, the hymn 608, the tune St. John, 960. Hymn 608. Ye souls
redeemed with blood and called by grace divine, walk worthy
of your God and let your conduct shine. Keep Christ your living
head in view, in all you say, in all you do. The Hymns 608.