Deeper Reflection
SPIRITUAL STABILITY IS CRITICAL IN THE FACE OF THE great onslaught of deception. It is spiritual maturity that establishes spiritual stability (Eph 4:13-14). The Thessalonians were spiritually stable, because they were “growing abundantly” in faith, love and hope (1 Thess 1:3 – 2 Thess 1:3-4). And their stability was anchored in the salvation of God, for which Paul gives thanks to God (vv.13-14).Our salvation in Christ did not begin at our conversion. It began “before the foundation of the world” when “God chose” us “to be saved” (v.13; Eph 1:4). Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16). So, when we made the decision to accept Christ as our Saviour, we were not making the choice. It was God’s choice of us in eternity past being realised – by God Himself. For us “to be saved” God must choose us and seek us, because we will never seek God of our own (Rom 3:11). God has to take the initiative of grace toward us. The moment when we accepted Christ was the moment God “called” us (v.14). God’s eternal choice became His historical call.¹⁴The end of our salvation is we “share in the glory” of Christ (v.14, NIV), which is conformity to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29-30). This glorification with Christ is achieved “through the sanctification by the Spirit” indwelling us (v.13), who “are being transformed into” Christ’s image “from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18). This is the divine agenda in all that we do and in all that happens to us – good or abad.

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¹⁴ John R. W. Stott, 176