THURSDAY, AUGUST 3
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
2 Thessalonians 2:13

"…God hath…
chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit…"

SANCTIFIED BY THE TRIUNE GOD (2)

Jesus prayed to His Father, "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are… I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil… Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:11, 15, 17). Jude wrote "to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called" (Jude 1). Living in this sinful world full of snares, traps, temptations, and attacks from Satan (1 Pet 5:8), we, like naïve and defenceless sheep, do need the loving care and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, and God, our Almighty Father. "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand" (John 10:28-29). Thanks and praise be unto the Lord!

God the Son, Jesus "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:25-27). And "for both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Heb 2:11). We ought to be grateful to the Lord for His sacrifice as "we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb 10:10).

We must also be thankful to God the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth and Comforter "because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (2 Thess 2:13) and "that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost" (Rom 15:16). Thus, those who ignore God’s "great salvation" by grace through faith cannot escape His judgment (Eph 2:8; Heb 2:3)! What about you?

THOUGHT: Am I always thankful to the Triune God for His grace?
PRAYER: I thank Thee, O God, for Thy grace and great salvation.