Self-improvement is big business today. Regimes, videos, books, podcasts (sponsored by some VPN provider). Improve your wellbeing. Improve your fitness. Improve your waistline. Someone, somewhere, is probably offering an “improve your holiness” self-help programme too (the heretic Pelagius probably forgot to copyright his work).
The Bible is big on improvement too. But not self-improvement. Becoming more holy, absolutely. By God’s grace, not our own works. In his conclusion to his first letter to the Thessalonian believers, Paul prays for the complete holiness of all his message’s recipients. But not by their own efforts, but by God’s power, through God’s grace.
Paul’s previous sentences encouraged the Thessalonian Christians in their responsibilities toward God, by living to please God and not quench the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. His concluding remarks continue the message of the Spirit’s work by praying for God’s work in their lives.
Paul’s blessing sought the complete holiness of the Thessalonian believers. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.23).
This verse may sound familiar, it is one we sometimes use as a benediction in our services.
Note that Paul prayed that it is God who sanctifies completely. To sanctify something is to make it holy. For instance, in the Old Testament, the priests, their clothes, and the temple implements were set apart and ritualistically made holy so they could be in God’s presence.
Sanctification refers to the way in which the Holy Spirit works in our lives to change our thoughts and actions to reflect patterns which please God, rather than the natural sinful patterns we are all born with and lovingly cultivate apart from Christ. It is an ongoing process of transformation which continues throughout our life in Christ. Its source is God, not self-help.
Sanctification also has an extent. As Paul prayed, our sanctification will be “complete” or through and through. It is also complete in the sense of its thoroughness. Not just part, but “your whole spirit and soul and body”; that is, all of us.
Sanctification also has an end goal. That is, that we may “be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. When our walk in this stage of life ends, the work of sanctification reaches its end as we are a finished product ready for God’s presence.
Paul’s prayer for sanctification is a confident prayer. “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (v.24). That confidence is based on God’s nature and sovereign call. Because God calls us to salvation, he is faithful to his promises to make us fit for his presence. God will not go back on his word.
Paul recognised he was also a work of sanctification, and receiving holiness by grace. So he asked the Thessalonians to pray for him, too (v.25).
He also encouraged the Thessalonians to loving fellowship by greeting “all the brothers with a holy kiss” (v.26). This holy kiss, which in our stoic culture is replaced by a handshake or perhaps a hug, reflected fellowship, brotherhood, and reconciliation. All products of God’s working holiness in our lives.
These exhortations were not intended for some alone, but for all. So Paul “put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers” (v.27). Just as the Old Testament was read as Scripture in First Century Church services, so too Paul’s letter was to be read to all. Because one of the ways in which the Holy Spirit works in our lives is through hearing God’s Word.
Paul’s letter ends with a final blessing. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (v.28). As we are made more holy, we become more aware of our sin. To this awareness, Paul commends the remedy; the grace of Christ as our Saviour and Lord.
Paul’s desire is for our improvement, yes, but not through our own efforts which will never be enough. Paul desires that we are made holy, fit for God’s presence, by God’s own power and act.
Paul is confident that his desire will be fulfilled in the life of every believer, including you and me, because God is faithful to his promises and does not give up on his renovation projects! As we see the continued sins in our lives, knowing that God is still working with our complete holiness as the end is something which should encourage us.
In the meantime, we can continue to look to the Cross and see God’s love and (our undeserved) favour expressed to us there, as Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so we could be reconciled with the God of peace. We can rest in Christ’s saving act, hear God’s Word proclaimed, share fellowship with each other, and pray for each other as Paul sought prayer for his own sanctification.
God is working to make us completely holy by his grace. He is faithful, he will surely do it.