2-thessalonians 2:13

Bound - Landmark.

Sanctification - The act of making a thing pure and holy.

God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, etc. - In your calling, God has shown the purpose that he had formed from the beginning, to call the Gentiles to the same privileges with the Jews, not through circumcision, and the observance of the Mosaic law, but by faith in Christ Jesus; but this simple way of salvation referred to the same end - holiness, without which no man, whether Jew or Gentile, can see the Lord.

Let us observe the order of Divine grace in this business:

1. They were to hear the truth - the doctrines of the Gospel.

2. They were to believe this truth when they heard it preached.

3. They were to receive the Spirit of God in believing the truth.

4. That Spirit was to sanctify their souls-produce an inward holiness, which was to lead to all outward conformity to God.

5. All this constituted their salvation - their being fitted for the inheritance among the saints in light.

6. They were to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ - that state of felicity for which they were fitted, by being saved here from their sins, and by being sanctified by the Spirit of God.

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you; - see the notes on 2 Thessalonians 1:3. "Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation." The following important things are affirmed or implied here:

(1) That God had chosen or elected them (εἵλετο heileto) to salvation. The doctrine of election, therefore, is true.

(2) that this was from "the beginning" ἀπ ̓ ἀρχῆς ap' archēs; that is, from eternity; see the John 1:1 note; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 3:9-11 notes. The doctrine of eternal election is, therefore, true.

(3) that this was the choice of the persons to whom Paul referred. The doctrine of personal election is, therefore, true.

(4) that this is a reason for thanksgiving. Why should it not be? Can there be any higher ground of praise or gratitude than that God has chosen us to be eternally holy and happy, and that he has from eternity designed that we should be so? Whatever, therefore, may be the feelings with which those who are not chosen to salvation, regard this doctrine, it is clear that those who have evidence that they are chosen should make it a subject of grateful praise. They can have no more exalted source of gratitude than that they are chosen to eternal life.

Through sanctification of the Spirit - Being made holy by the Divine Spirit. It is not without respect to character, but it is a choice to holiness and then to salvation. No one can have evidence that he is chosen to salvation except as he has evidence that he is sanctified by the Spirit; see the notes on Ephesians 1:4.

And belief of the truth - In connection with believing the truth. No one who is not a believer in the truth can have evidence that God has chosen him.

2:13 God hath from the beginning - Of your hearing the gospel. Chosen you to salvation - Taken you out of the world, and placed you in the way to glory.