1 Thessalonians 2:12

“to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into His own kingdom and glory”

“To the end”: All such teaching, warning and encouragement was directed towards the goal of walking worthily of God. 'Ye should”: Such is. real possibility.

“Walk”: Conduct ones entire life. “Worthily of God”: To live in such. way that brings honor to God (Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Peter 1:27; Colossians 1:10). “If Paul could be tender and considerate, he yet never lost sight of the high demands Christ makes on His followers. Nothing less can be offered to Him who gave His Son for us than all that we have and all that we are” (Morris p. 85). “Worthily”: Fields notes that the word "worthy" means of "equal weight". Hence Paul is saying, “Live your lives in. way that demonstrates that you value and have properly weighed the significance and importance of what God has done for you. To continue to live in sin, demonstrates that one does not don't value the sacrifice of Christ, that is, such. sacrifice is not given any “weight” (Hebrews 10:26).

“Who calleth”: God calls men through the gospel message (2 Thessalonians 2:14; Romans 10:17). “Present active--keeps on calling” (Robertson p. 20). Even after one has obeyed the gospel, God keeps on exhorting us through His word, because God realizes that our conversion is just the beginning and some do give up along the way (2 Timothy 2:11; Luke 8:13). “Into His own kingdom”: The word "kingdom" is used of both the present body of Christ (Colossians 1:12; Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 1:5); and the future heavenly kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9). And if one is not in the kingdom here, one will not be in the kingdom later (Ephesians 5:23). “And glory”: What an inspiring thought! God actually wants us to share His glory, to share in His victory, to enjoy the quality of life that He experiences, to dwell in. place surrounded by His eternal splendor and magnificence (Romans 5:2; Romans 8:18)! This glory includes. glorious resurrected body (1 Peter 3:20). “They have been saved by such. wonderful God. They face. glorious future. Let them so live here and now as to be worthy of such. God!” (Morris p. 86).

In summing up this section, Marshall notes: “It is doubtless that case that false or evil messages can be put over by attractive personalities.. messenger's pleasant and sincere manner is not necessarily. proof of the truth of his word. But it is equally the case that the Christian gospel will make little or no impression if it cannot be verified in the lives of its messengers. They cannot do too much in putting themselves entirely at the service of the Lord and of the people to whom they bring the message” (pp. 75-76).

The Thessaslonians' Reception of the Message

This section of Scripture should remind everyone that the teacher or preacher can only do so much. The hearer or listener also has. great obligation, that is, to have. honest and good heart.