Wonderful Salvation

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 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 Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

The word church means “a called-out people.” Whenever you read about the church you are reading about people God has called out of the world.

Seven times in John 17, our Lord referred to believers as those whom the Father gave to Him out of the world.

(John 17:2, 6, 9, 11–12, 24).

Salvation Begins With God

2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV 1900

13 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:

John 15:16 KJV 1900

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Ephesians 1:4 KJV 1900

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The entire plan of salvation was born in the heart of God long before man was created or the universe formed.

Salvation Exists Because of God’s Love

God’s love made Calvary possible (Rom. 5:8), and there Jesus Christ died for our sins.

But it is not God’s love that saves the sinner; it is God’s grace.

God in His grace gives us what we do not deserve, and God in His mercy does not give us what we do deserve.

Salvation Requires Faith

Ephesians 2:8 KJV 1900

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Some people who heard the message believed and turned from their vain idols to the true and living God

1 Thessalonians 1:9 KJV 1900

9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

The Spirit of God used the Word of God to generate faith.

Salvation Involves the Trinity

As you read this letter, you discover the doctrine of the Trinity.

Christians believe in one God existing in three Persons:

God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Keep in mind that all three Persons are involved in our salvation.

1) As far as God the Father is concerned, I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the world began.

2) As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when He died for me on the cross.

3) As far as God the Holy Spirit is concerned, I was saved one Saturday night, when I heard the Word and trusted Jesus Christ.

At that moment, the entire plan fell together and I became a child of God.

When did I become Elect? Only when all 3 fell into place and I chose to come to God.

Revelation 22:17 KJV 1900

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Salvation Changes Our Life

How did Paul know that these Thessalonians were elected of God?

He saw a change in their lives.

The person who claims to be one of God’s elect, but whose life has not changed, is only fooling himself.

Those whom God chooses, He changes.

This does not mean they are perfect, but they are possessors of a new life that cannot be hidden.

Faith, hope, and love are the three cardinal virtues of the Christian life, and the three greatest evidences of salvation.

1) Faith must always lead to works

James

If the Thessalonians had continued to worship their dead idols while professing faith in the living God, it would have proved that they were not among God’s elect.

2) Love is also an evidence of salvation:

By This shall...

3) The third evidence of salvation is hope, waiting for Jesus Christ to return

1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV 1900

10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The return of Jesus Christ is the dominant theme of both of these Thessalonian letters.

Unsaved people are not eagerly awaiting the Lord’s return. In fact, when our Lord catches His church up into the air, unsaved people will be totally surprised.

Faith, hope, and love are evidences of election.

These spiritual qualities are bound together and can come only from God.

Are you Saved?

A local church must be composed of elect people, those who have been saved by the grace of God.

One problem today is the presence, in the church family, of unbelievers whose names may be on the church roll, but not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Every church member should examine his heart to determine whether he has truly been born again and belongs to God’s elect.

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