1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 - The Kingdom and Glory of God

J Patrick McDonald

1 Thessalonians • Sermon • Submitted 8 months ago • Presented 2 years ago

1 Thessalonians 2:9–12

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For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Target Date: Sunday, 26 June 2022

Word Study/ Translation Notes:

Kingdom – βασιλεία (basilĕia) – Authority, reign. The force of this word does not refer to the territory of the sovereign, but His royalty, right, and authority. It is about the sovereign, not about the kingdom itself.

The interval between the resurrection of Christ and that of his people is the period of Christ’s reign; when that period is completed, with the destruction of death, the last of the enemies referred to in Ps 110:1, Christ hands over the kingdom to God (1 Cor 15:23–28). The kingdom of God is held out as something which his children are to inherit—an inheritance from which evildoers are excluded (1 Cor 6:9, 10; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5).

Scholars are increasingly agreed that the concept is essentially dynamic; Jesus saw the kingdom as something that happens, as God’s rule in action, rather than as something like a realm. In a sense the kingdom is present here and now, for God is working out his purposes and there are those who have yielded themselves to do his will. In another sense it is future, for not yet do we see all his enemies put under his feet (1 Cor. 15:24–25).

Paul does not often use the term βασιλεία. (Customarily it is translated “kingdom” but “God’s dominion” is a better approximation of the meaning of ὁ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ since “dominion” can mean both “rule or power to rule” and “that which is ruled or governed.”)

In the teaching of Jesus, as in the preaching of Paul, the kingdom of God is not a territory, but the rule of God that has begun to be exercised in the present time (Matt. 11:12; Mark 1:15; Luke 11:20; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; Col. 1:13) and that will be revealed in the future in all its fullness and glory at the time of Christ’s royal coming (2 Thess. 1:5; Matt. 6:10; Mark 9:1; 1 Cor. 6:9; 15:50; Gal. 5:21; 2 Tim. 4:1, 18; cf. 2 Thess. 1:9–10).

Glory – doxa – reputation – God’s reputation is voluntarily borne in part by His people. Likewise, His reputation is extended to His people.

many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. – John 12:42-43

Thoughts on the Passage:

The highest of all incentives is set before the Thessalonians when they are charged “to lead a life worthy of God.” One section of the Pentateuch is called “the law of holiness” because of its recurring refrain: “You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev 19:2). In the NT as in the OT the people of God are called upon to display his character. By faith the Thessalonian Christians were already heirs of God’s kingdom and glory: let them lead lives worthy of that heritage and of the God who had called them to share in it.

The “nowness” of the kingdom of God:

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. – Colossians 1:13-15

For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. – 1 Corinthians 4:20

Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. – Romans 14:16-17

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. – Matthew 12:28

But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. – Luke 12:31-32

The “futureness” of the kingdom of God:

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. – 2 Thessalonians 1:5

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? – 1 Corinthians 6:9

But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. – 1 Corinthians 15:23-25

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. – 1 Corinthians 15:50

those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:21

God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. – 2 Corinthians 5:4-5

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. – Ephesians 5:5

Now – what is the “reign of Christ”? It can be nothing more than the period of grace and mercy extended through the blood of Jesus Christ.

That is what distinguishes the reign of the Christ; outside of Christ, men stand in the terrible reality of judgment from God. In these last days, begun at the crucifixion, those who are called by God stand in the kingdom of God through the Messiah, although the process of deliverance from the flesh is not yet completed.

Futureness of glory:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. – Philippians 3:20-21

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. – Romans 8:18-23

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; - 1 Corinthians 15:42-43

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. – 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 5:10-11

Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. – Colossians 1:25-27

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. – 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10

When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. – Colossians 3:4

Excisions:

Because God is in control. He is sovereign.

I mention this here only for completeness of the thought; I don’t think Paul had this anywhere in his mind when he spoke here of God’s kingdom and glory.

He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away. 24 “He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people And makes them wander in a pathless waste. 25 “They grope in darkness with no light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man. – Job 12:23-25

God’s sovereignty over all the earth is proclaimed throughout the Bible – from cover to cover.

From the fall of Babel in Genesis to the destruction of Babylon in Revelation, God exercises His control on the earth.

We see the prophets speak to the peoples around Israel in addition to speaking to the chosen Israel and Judah.

Edom, Egypt, Nineveh, Tyre and many others heard God’s judgment on their sins.

And we see at least once where God relented of the calamity because the people of Nineveh repented.

And He judges peoples as well as individuals by His holy standard.

Thus, the two possibilities are to be members of God’s kingdom OR to be subject to God’s merciless judgment.

Sermon Text:

This week we return to verse 12, and we will take a look at what Paul and Silas are saying in this final verse of this subsection.

we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

You may remember that last week we looked at these three participles in the first part of this verse:

Exhorting, encouraging, and charging.

But I would like to take a particular look at the last clause in this verse:

Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

We can see clearly that this phrase is used to strengthen and enhance the importance of the memories they have brought to the Thessalonian believers in this second chapter.

They have been reminding the Thessalonian church of their conduct while they were in their city, enduring the same persecution the church continues to face,

But the point is not to merely make the believers imitators of Paul and Silas, no matter how good an example they have set;

Nor is the point to make them followers of Paul or Silas, as many in the Corinthian church will later try to claim.

These faithful men of God bring the message back to where it properly belongs: to God who calls.

That is the first main thing we need to look at here today.

We have already seen the truth of the calling of God back in 1:4ff, and we spent a great deal of time looking at the evidences of God’s choice of these believers.

At that time, we looked at the great doctrine of the election of God and the meaning of the salvation He has provided through the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

And while we could profitably spend many Sundays diving into the truths of this doctrine, that God calls and elects those who will be saved,

I do not propose to do that in this passage.

The reason is that while this phrase assumes, some might say “presupposes”, that doctrine, that is not the primary teaching of THIS passage.

The focus here is not HOW we came to be in Christ – it is what we are to do now that we are in Christ.

To walk in a manner worthy of God BECAUSE HE calls us into His kingdom and glory.

Because He HAS CALLED us into His kingdom and glory.

See what He has done in the past in electing you, if you are one of His – and walk in a manner worthy of Him.

See what He continues to do in sustaining and developing you – and walk in a manner worthy of Him.

The word used here is neither past nor present – it is powerfully both.

A beautiful and perfectly-placed participle that sums up God’s activity on our behalf in a single word.

Look at what He has done and praise Him.

Look at His works all around you now and praise Him.

Look at the path of holiness He has led you on and praise Him.

See where you are in relation to where you began in Christ and praise God.

But what do our faithful writers say God has called us to?

He has called His people into His own kingdom and glory.

His kingdom and glory.

For the rest of our time together today, I would like to look at what these two things mean: God’s kingdom and glory.

They are presented together in this verse, and so they should be taken together in our understanding of the passage,

But I would like to first offer some definition to these words based on the Scriptures, and then to put them together to find the application for us today.

What does Paul mean when he talks of God’s kingdom?

For that matter, what does Jesus mean when He declares in Mark 1:15:

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

1. The dominion of God.

When Jesus, and by extension Paul and the other NT writers, use the word we translate “kingdom”,

We should not think in the terms of territory, lands, or even political nations.

The word certainly can be used that way, as when the apostles asked Jesus in Acts 1:6:

Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?

But even Jesus’s reply tells them that they have still misunderstood what He has meant by “the kingdom of God”:

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” – Acts 1:7-8

They were asking about political power in the earthly kingdom of Israel, where Jesus declares the power they will receive will be completely different.

It is not a territory, land, or nation that comprises the kingdom of God, but is something that happens IN people.

I don’t know that I could give a greater illustration of this than the long-prayed-for reversal of the Roe vs. Wade decision by the Supreme Court of the United States.

This tragic decision, made 49 years ago, legalized the indiscriminate slaughter of children in such a way that states and local governments had no legal way to fight.

But on the day after this new decision was announced, the United States was no more righteous,

It was, in fact, no closer to God, than it was on the day before.

We were not even any closer to the kingdom, the authority, of God than before.

This decision was merely a law, a political act by a controller of land.

And no law can change a heart.

Not even the Law of God can do that.

Only the Holy Spirit, through His enlivening work, can bring a person into the kingdom of God.

Ultimately, this term “kingdom of God” is a unique term, declaring to us the sovereign authority of God.

This is not a physical location, but a spiritual allegiance, where those who are in God’s kingdom owe their allegiance to Him.

And those who are called into this kingdom are called to walk worthily.

Because we see in the passage today that it was not everyone who has been called into God’s kingdom, but only those who have believed:

Who calls YOU into his own kingdom and glory.

Those who are not in Christ are not in His kingdom;

They remain outside his kingdom and glory.

But that does not mean that God is indifferent to them.

He does not ignore them.

Those who are outside God’s kingdom will either:

1. Come to God through Jesus Christ into salvation.

Or 2. Be judged and condemned in their sin.

But we might ask when we will be in God’s kingdom: is it now or in the future?

2. The “futureness” of the kingdom.

For many of the Scriptures that talk about God’s kingdom, they are made with the future in mind, what I will call the “futureness” of the kingdom.

We see this futureness in passages like:

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. – 2 Thessalonians 1:5

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? – 1 Corinthians 6:9

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. – 1 Corinthians 15:50

those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:21

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. – Ephesians 5:5

This future reality of the kingdom and glory of God is the fullness of God’s promises, for which He has given us the Holy Spirit as a “pledge”:

God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

We live now in the time of the reign of Christ:

The fullness of the kingdom will occur only after his Appearing.

But it is those who are found in Christ at His Appearing that will be in this eternal kingdom.

And how shall we know if we are in Christ?

If we obey His commandments.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. – John 14:15

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. – 1 John 2:3-6

This is not some “salvation through the Law” plan – nothing of the sort;

But neither is it “salvation that leaves you the way you were”.

That is what it means to walk “worthily” – that we walk in God’s holiness.

We MUST be more serious about walking in a manner worthy of God:

Putting away sin.

Drawing ever closer to God through Jesus Christ.

Being more and more an example of Jesus Christ.

I would even suggest that we be more serious about finding and repenting of sin in our own hearts than in defending theological positions.

Theology is a fine study, but it can become a distraction or even an idol if it draws us away from walking worthily.

It is easy to find someone to argue theology with, but if it means we spend less time sifting our own hearts for the sin we allow to remain, or allowing them to distract themselves on us, we come near, at least, to sinning.

I truly believe that when a preacher stops preaching the gospel, he simply starts preaching about the sins of the world.

How many preachers will stand up this Sunday and declaim the rampant sin in the world, but not mention one thing to help the faithful move toward holiness?

Of course the world is sinful; our job – you and me – as believers is to help each other walk worthily.

How easy it is to get “amens” when you talk about the evils of “Pride Month”, and their sin is truly evil;

But I am much more concerned if there are some here who claim to be in Christ that would declare they see nothing wrong with those perverse lifestyles.

Or would defend the murder of innocents.

Or would take what is not yours.

Or would wallow in lust over someone who is not your spouse.

Or would contemplate evil in your heart.

Or would consider yourself superior to any of these others.

Walking worthily has NOTHING to do with condemning the evil actions of the world;

It has everything to do with putting to death the sin in our own flesh.

Yes, the world will call this “navel-gazing”.

Yes, false teachers will call it inaction, laziness, or fear.

But this is SPECIFICALLY the command of Paul and Silas, given by the Holy Spirit, to the church.

It is doing the rough demolition of your flesh in this life in anticipation of the finished work of Jesus Christ at His appearing.

Because even though there is a great future promise of God’s kingdom, He has given us entrance NOW.

3. The “nowness” of the kingdom.

One commentator put it this way:

God has not simply given us a promise, although that would have been enough – He has brought us into His kingdom NOW even as we anticipate its fulness.

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. – Matthew 12:28

But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. – Luke 12:31-32

Your eternal life begins the moment you are made alive in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

All your sins, at that moment, are paid for – atoned for by the blood of Jesus Christ.

All the righteousness of Christ is placed on you.

And all the terror of God’s judgment and punishment are removed from your life.

No matter how horrible your sin, no matter how ruined your heart,

When you follow Jesus Christ in faith, your heart is remade.

I said earlier that we live, right now, in the reign of Christ.

And I stand by that statement on the basis of the teaching of Scripture.

Christ is on His throne, seated at the right hand of God the Father.

But please understand what this means:

The reign of Christ is not the reign of judgment – that will come when He appears.

The reign of Christ, right now, is the God-ordained time for all men everywhere to repent.

To leave their sin and cling to Jesus Christ as their only hope.

The reign of Christ is not a terror, nor a judgment, but the time of His mercy and grace, provided by His life, His blood, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension.

The reign of Christ is the time you can come to Him in brokenness over your sin, and He will heal you.

The reign of Christ is the promised time of Refreshing mentioned by Peter in his second sermon in Acts 3:19-21:

Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

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