Adults who have spent time in Wellington know the discussion of trampolines and their security. Strong gusts lift insecure trampolines and send them on unwanted trips across backyard and street, and too often into the side of buildings, street lamps, or power poles. Only those trampolines safely secured against the elements, either through pegging or weight, survive the stormy gales.
The buffeting winds of life and of the culture similarly play their part in human lives. Those which are not anchored in the truth are tossed about, will one day succumb to strong delusion, and face destruction. But for those of us who trust in Jesus, our salvation is secure, founded in the ultimate grounding peg of the truth. In that truth, we can stand firm against the stormy gales of life.
Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians introduced discussion of the Antichrist, who will appear to deceive and draw away any who do not believe in the truth of Jesus immediately before Christ’s return. The passage is sobering and frightening reading for anyone, no matter what our views about “the end times”.
Thankfully, while God sends a strong delusion to seduce the unbeliever into revealing their true colours, we have a stronger Saviour. Our secure salvation, and that encouragement, is the focus of the immediately following verses.
Paul clearly states he did not include the Thessalonians in the previous verses because he states “but we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (v.13). The “but” is a give-away that the negatives of verses prior do not apply to believers.
Paul’s ground for thanks in the Thessalonian believers, who are “beloved by the Lord” is firstly because “God chose you … to be saved”. Here, Paul is referring to God’s election, which the Bible teaches elsewhere such as in Romans 8:30, Ephesians 1, John 6, and onwards. He also refers to God’s everlasting, never-failing love, expressed to us through Jesus Christ.
Secondly, Paul’s ground for thanks describes the Thessalonians “as the firstfruits” (v.13). By this reading, the Thessalonians are the start of a great harvest that continues. An alternate translation “from the beginning” speaks of God’s eternal choice occurring before Creation. Since God’s will cannot be defeated, their salvation is secure.
Thirdly, Paul refers to the application of salvation to us in “real time” noting we are saved “through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth” (v.13). Sanctification is the process where the Holy Spirit makes us holy and set apart for God’s service, so we become what, in Christ, we are.
Finally, Paul also refers to the end-goal of our eternal calling and “real time” sanctification – our glorification. “To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.14). The Thessalonians were effectually called to salvation through the Gospel, with the end goal of eternal glory.
Because of this certain and secure salvation, established before Creation, experienced in the current time, and destined for eternal glory, the Thessalonians could respond with endurance. “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (v.15).
In the face of a terrible coming evil, and the restrained foretaste of it already lashing their lives even then, it could be tempting to give up and give in. Instead, Paul encouraged them to stand firm and to continue to hold to the teaching which Paul had given them, both when he was with them in person and in his letters to them.
These truths are unchanging. They are as sure for us today, as they were for the Thessalonian believers nearly two thousand years ago. They are as sure and unchanging because God is sure and unchanging, and God’s mercy and compassion never fail.
Because of that, despite the buffeting winds and gales of this life, despite the temptations from within us and outside us to sin, our salvation is secure. Nothing can take it from us. It does not depend on us. It is a work of our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We have received the teaching of the Apostles through the Scriptures, and so we have them as an encouragement to us and a guy rope of truth against the lies of the world around us, and the deceitful whispers of the devil. We can stand firm in the truth, and even if all the world lines up against us to call us a liar, we will not be like those deceived.
We do not need to give in to temptation. We do not need to fear that we will be picked up and thrown against a streetlamp of destruction by the stormy winds of life and culture. We are securely pegged into the ground, not by our own labours, but by God’s salvation work. Our salvation is secure.