God’s glory revealed in you.

We are made in the image of God, and His glory is placed within each of us. However, because of the fall, darkness has sought to obscure the glory of God within us. As believers, we are on a journey of sanctification—a process of purification leading to holiness and glorifying God.

What drives this process? It begins with the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7), followed by being born again through water and the Spirit (John 3:5). It continues with the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2), the washing with the water of God’s Word (Ephesians 5:26), daily taking up our cross and denying ourselves (Matthew 16:24), and abiding in the vine (John 15:1-5).

Often overlooked in discussions about abiding in the vine is the pruning process, which is not always pleasant. Just as a diamond must undergo immense pressure to reveal the fullness of its beauty, we too must endure trials and pressures to fully reveal the glory of God within us.

For this reason, Paul is praying for the revealing of the glory of God in the believers of the church in Thessalonica. By doing so, he encourages them that the pressures, trials, tribulations, and even the persecutions they are enduring are for their ultimate good—so that God's glory may be revealed in them.

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater. As a result, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. (…)

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will consider you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

(2 Thessalonians 1:3-4,11–12 NASB)

CONTEXT

Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica was likely written shortly after the first. Timothy, who had delivered the first letter, probably returned to Paul with news about the church. In response, Paul decided to write a follow-up letter, which we now know as 2 Thessalonians.

The church in Thessalonica continued to face persecution. Additionally, false teachers were spreading misinformation about the Second Coming, which led some believers to stop working as they waited for Christ’s return. In his letter, Paul addressed two main concerns: first, reassuring them that the day of the Lord had not yet come, and second, urging them not to be idle but to work diligently to provide for themselves. Alongside these instructions, Paul encouraged the believers to remain faithful and steadfast in their efforts, reminding them that God’s glory and judgment are coming (referring to Isaiah 66).

As is customary, Paul begins his letter with thanksgiving. He reflects on his prayer from the first letter (1 Thessalonians 3:10-12) and, based on Timothy’s report, gives thanks to the Lord for the believers’ growth in faith, which has led to greater faithfulness, and for their increasing love for one another. Paul also acknowledges that they are still enduring trials and persecution but praises God for their perseverance, offering this as encouragement to motivate them to keep pressing forward.

Paul then briefly but powerfully speaks about the judgment and justice of God, both for the believers and their persecutors, concluding with the assurance of their own eschatological future. This offers comfort to the believers, knowing that God will reveal His justice in response to their present, seemingly intensified persecution. Nothing in our lives with God is in vain, not even our pain. There is hope, for a day is coming when judgment will be brought upon the unrighteous, while the saints will experience a day of glory.

THE PRAYER

With all that Paul has just shared in mind, he transitions from thanksgiving and encouragement to intercession for the believers in Thessalonica. He focuses on three main concerns in his prayer: first, that God may make them worthy of His calling; second, that God may fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; and third, that both God and the Lord Jesus may be glorified in them, and they in Him.

GOD MAY MAKE YOU WORTHY OF HIS (YOUR) CALLING

The calling is to glorify God, but it is His work to make each believer and the church worthy of that calling—it is His doing, not ours. Paul reminds the church that our belief and response to God are always initiated by His prior calling to us. The Greek term klēsis emphasizes God’s initial act of bringing people into relationship with Himself. At the same time, Paul points to the ultimate fulfillment of this calling when heaven and earth, God and man, are fully reunited.

To be worthy of this calling is to become like Christ (Romans 8:29), a lifelong process that reaches its culmination when we see Him face to face (1 John 3:2). Being worthy of this calling means desiring what is good and right, living a life aligned with God’s will, even—and especially—under the pressures of life. This is where the glory of God is revealed more and more, until the fullness of God’s glory is reflected in and through us, just as it was in the garden.

Though this journey often involves great pressure and purification, and we may not fully see the picture in our lifetime, there will be honor and reward in eternity.

GOD MAY FULFILL EVERY DESIRE FOR GOODNESS AND THE WORK OF FAITH WITH POWER 

Paul specifically desires that God, by the Spirit, would make the believers in Thessalonica worthy of His calling by fulfilling every desire they have for goodness and bringing to fruition every act prompted by faith—with power. This power, which is the indwelling Holy Spirit, enables the believers to move from good intentions to faithful actions, reflecting God’s character in their lives. The goodness of will (eudokia) leads to goodness in action, as believers trust and believe that God will empower them to live out their faith.

Paul’s prayer is grounded in the assurance that God has committed Himself to this transformative work, aligning believers’ lives with His purposes. Our role is to submit to and partner with this work.

Do you partner with the Holy Spirit and God’s grace to follow through on His calling in your life, using the faith and authority given to you so that intentions become actions and God’s character is revealed through you?

GOD AND THE LORD JESUS MAY BE GLORIFIED IN YOU, AND YOU IN HIM 

Paul knew that this would result in Christ being glorified in and through His people, and so he prayed that the believers would live in this way. The ultimate goal is that every word, action, thought, and motive would honor Jesus Christ.

Paul’s prayer ultimately centers on God’s glory, which is revealed as He fulfills His purposes in His people. God’s glory is intimately tied to Christ being glorified in and among His followers, as they display the transformative power of His work in their lives and point back to Him. This mutual glorification represents the closest of unions—Christ in His people and His people in Him, as Jesus Himself prayed in John 17: “And glory has come to me through them” (John 17:10). As believers embody Christlike character through the Spirit’s power, they honor His name, which represents His entire being—His character, reputation, and actions.

At the appointed time, those who have followed the once-despised and rejected Savior will also share in His glory (Romans 8:17–18; Colossians 3:4). Paul envisions this as the ultimate purpose: that Christ, who works mightily in His people, will be exalted, and His followers will experience the fullness of being glorified in Him.

All of this happens by the grace of God. The Thessalonians couldn’t bring glory to the Lord on their own, and neither can we change ourselves—it’s only possible through His grace. However, if we partner with and yield to His grace, trusting Him even under pressure, He will finish what He has started in us, for our good and His glory.

WE PRAY

"Father, we pray that we, as the church and as individual believers, would be confident in Your leadership in our lives and in the love You have for us. We trust that You will work everything out for our good, for those who love You. Today, we submit our ways to You, declaring that we trust You to have Your way in us and to bring us into the purest form, so that we may be worthy to be called 'made in the image of God' and bring glory to Your name in all that we think, say, and do. Thank You for Your grace and for the Spirit that empowers us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Finish what You have started; we will cling to You and trust You. In the name of Jesus Christ, who has saved and cleansed us, we pray. Amen."

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REFERENCES

Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001).

Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2002).

Gordon D. Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).

Leon Morris, 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 13, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1984).