Problem Texts for Sovereign Grace (Part 41) – 2Th 2:13-14

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1.      2Th 2:13-14

1. “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, 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: 14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Th 2:13-14)
2. Is our eternal salvation acquired by a combination of the Spirit sanctifying us and by us believing the truth?
3. The salvation being addressed in verse 13 is a complete salvation, including both eternal salvation and temporal salvation.
4. God hath from the beginning chosen us to eternal salvation.
   1. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (from the beginning) that we should be holy (eternal salvation) (Eph 1:4).
   2. God saved us by His grace (eternal salvation) which was given us before the world began (from the beginning) (2Ti 1:9).
5. God has chosen us to temporal salvation through belief of the truth.
   1. God chose us that we may know and believe in Him (Isa 43:10; Psa 65:4).
   2. We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works (including belief of the truth) which God hath before ordained (chosen from the beginning) that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10; Tit 2:14).

• Jesus gave us eternal life so that we might know (believe in) God and Jesus Christ Who is the truth (Joh 17:2-3 c/w Joh 14:6).

1. It is given unto us to believe in God (Phi 1:29).
2. The purpose of regeneration is so that we might walk in God’s statues and keep his judgments (Eze 36:26-27).

1. The eternal salvation to which God elected us is accomplished through sanctification of the Spirit.
   1. Sanctification – 1. a. Theol. The action of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying or making holy the believer, by the implanting within him of the Christian graces and the destruction of sinful affections. Also, the condition or process of being so sanctified.
   2. Sanctify v. – 1. trans. To set apart religiously for an office or function; to consecrate (a king, etc.). 5. a. To make (a person) holy, to purify or free from sin; to cause to undergo sanctification. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. vi. 11 Ye are wesshed: ye are sanctified: ye are iustified [etc.].

• We are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit (1Pe 1:2).

1. It is of God that we are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us sanctification (1Co 1:30 c/w Eph 1:4).
2. It’s by God’s will (His election c/w Eph 1:5,11) that we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Heb 10:10 c/w 1Pe 1:2).
3. We are sanctified and justified by the Spirit of our God (1Co 6:11).

1. The temporal aspect of salvation is accomplished by belief of the truth.
   1. Jesus came that we might have life (eternal salvation) and that we might have it more abundantly (temporal salvation) (Joh 10:10).
      1. The abundant life is brought to light by the gospel (2Ti 1:10) and is accessed through belief in Jesus (Rom 5:2).
      2. Joy and peace is available through belief (Rom 15:13).
      3. Grace to help in time of need (temporal salvation) can be accessed by faith by going boldly to the throne of grace (Heb 4:16).
      4. Belief in Jesus gives us the ability to overcome the world (1Jo 5:4-5).
      5. We can be partakers of the divine nature by faith (2Pe 1:4-8).
      6. By believing the gospel, we can experience the full and abundant salvation of fellowship with God and His Son Jesus Christ and have fullness of joy (1Jo 1:3-4).
   2. Believing the truth will make a child of God free (Joh 8:31-32).

• Believing in Jesus who is the truth will save one from ignorance of God’s righteousness and from going about to establish his own righteousness (Rom 10:9 c/w Rom 10:1-4).

1. Believing in Christ is the evidence that one is born of God (1Jo 5:1).
2. When a man believes the word of truth, his salvation is sealed (an evidence or guarantee of authenticity) (Eph 1:13).
3. The reason that Paul endured all things for the elect’s sakes, was so that they might also obtain that the salvation (temporal) in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2Ti 2:10).
   1. With – II. Denoting personal relation, agreement, association, connexion, union, addition.
   2. There are things that accompany salvation (Heb 6:9).

• The elect lay hold on eternal life by believing the truth (1Ti 6:12).
• Having eternal life is eternal salvation; laying hold of what you have is temporal salvation.

1. See Section II,7,B on Temporal Salvation.

1. The eternal aspect of salvation is NOT accomplished by belief of the truth.
   1. Those who are not eternally saved cannot believe the gospel because it is foolishness to them (1Co 1:18).
   2. One can’t hear or understand the gospel until he is born of God (Joh 8:43-47).

• Passing from death unto life (eternal salvation) precedes hearing and believing the gospel (See Joh 5:24 – Section III).

1. Therefore, eternal salvation cannot be a result of belief of the truth. (See Section II,7,A on Eternal Salvation)
2. Furthermore, belief is a work (something one does) (Joh 6:28-29), and therefore cannot be a condition for eternal salvation (2Ti 1:9).

1. In what way are we called by the gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ?
   1. Obtain v. – 1. trans. To come into the possession or enjoyment of (something) by one’s own effort, or by request; to procure or gain, as the result of purpose and effort; hence, generally, to acquire, get.
   2. We have come into the possession of eternal glory because God hath called us to it by Jesus Christ (1Pe 5:10; 2Ti 1:9) and “hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light…and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Col 1:12-13).

• We come into the enjoyment of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ by coming to the knowledge of it by belief (2Co 4:6).

1. The glory of God is enjoyed in the church, which is entered by faith (Eph 3:21).