BELIEF OF THE TRUTH
In verse 13 Paul also speaks of belief of the truth. In this verse the word “belief” actually means faith. The faith of the truth comes before salvation in sanctification of the Spirit. God chose us from the beginning unto the faith of the truth and unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit.
CALLED UNTO THE OBTAINING OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
In verse 14 Paul goes on to say, “To which also He called you through our gospel unto the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The words “to which” refer to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, as mentioned in verse 13. In eternity God chose us unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, and then in time He called us unto the obtaining of the glory of our Lord. Salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth are the procedures. Obtaining the glory of our Lord is the goal.
First God chose us and then He called us. He chose us unto the faith of the truth and unto the salvation in sanctification of the Spirit. Then through the gospel He called us unto the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The glory of the Lord is that He is the Son of God the Father, possessing the Father’s life and nature to express Him. To obtain the Lord’s glory is to be in the same position as sons of God to express Him.
I doubt that the majority of today’s Christians understand what it means to be called unto the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 14 Paul does not say that God has called us unto the obtaining of forgiveness, justification, or reconciliation. He says that God has called us unto the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus. In John 17:22 the Lord said in His prayer to the Father, “And the glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as We are one.” The glory which the Father has given the Son is the sonship with the Father’s life and divine nature (John 5:26) to express the Father in His fullness (John 1:18; 14:9; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3). This glory the Son has given to His believers that they also may have the sonship with the Father’s life and divine nature (John 17:2; 2 Pet. 1:4) to express the Father in the Son in His fullness (John 1:16). I doubt that many Christians have this understanding regarding the glory of the Lord Jesus.
The glory of the Lord Jesus is that the Father has given Him the Father’s life and nature for Him to express the Father. This is the glory the Son has given to us. This means that the Son has given us the Father’s life and nature so that we may be able to express God the Father. What a glory! God has called us unto the obtaining of this glory, the glory of the divine life and the divine nature to express the divine Being. Although you may never have considered this before, this is the truth according to the revelation in the New Testament. Hallelujah for such a marvelous glory!
HOLDING THE TRADITIONS
In 2:15 Paul goes on to say, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by our letter.” We should not think that tradition is always bad. The traditions to which Paul refers here are excellent. We need to stand firm and hold to these traditions.
(Life-Study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 28, by Witness Lee)
