The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 46

the beginning, i.e. from eternity. When God contemplated the creation or 11, race of men, and contemplated at the same time the incursion or evil into human nature and human history, be also contemplated human salvation. It was also within the Divine plnn (going out into all particulars) that the Tbessalonians among others should be saverl. 2. llleans of the realization of their election. (1) Inward means. (a) From the Spirit. "In sanctification of the Spirit." Precedence is naturally given to the work of the Spirit. l<'or we must feel that, if God had not approached ~ first, we never should have npproacbed him. The work of the Spirit, from beginning to end, is a work of sanclification. It is a saving work, inasmuch as it is the reclamation or our nature from unholy uses. On the positive side it is the fitting our nature for Divine uses. As the Spirit is the Agent of our sanctification, his all-sufficient help must be entirely depended upon. (b) From themselve.~. "And belief of the truth." lo election we are responsible for our state of mind. The Spirit works on our mind through the truth. We may think of the truth that God has provided salvation for us. We may also think of the truth that God (according to ver. 10) has made us the offer of the love of the truth. We may further think of the Divine ideal to which our life is to be brought up. The Spirit has aovereign power in the presentation of truth to the mind; and what we have to do is to be receptive, to offer no obstacle to his presentation of the truth. And we are sanctified only in so far as we have received the truth into us. (2) Outward means. "Whereunto he called you through our gosprl." The gospel is especially the offer of salvation on the ground of Christ's death. It was their gospel, as that in connection with which they served God. There was Divine sovereignty in the Thessalonians being favoured with the g"s. el. It wa.s by circumstances over which they had no control that Paul and Silas and TimothJ were sent to Thessalonica. These servants of Christ stood forward and preached the gospel to them, and it was when they received it as a message from God that they were called to salvation. From that point their calling dated. There is added lhe outward aspect of the salvation to which they were called. "To the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is characteristic of the Epistle. The glory tu which we are called is the glory which is possessed by Christ, and which he, as sove- reign Dispenser, is to make our possession. We are to be glorified with nothing less than the glory of Christ. It ,vill be seen that God, in electing, has in contemplation all the means of the election being realized. We may assure ourselves of belonging to the number of the elect, in so far as we have evidence of our election in our sanctification. II. How PUT. "S,, then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye were taught, whether by word, or Epistle of ours." Election contemplating the means of its realization in faith, it is not improper to found upon election an exhortation to steadfastness. They had taken up their Christinn position. Attempts would be made in the way of persecution to move them away from thl'ir position. The ill-grounded expectation of the immediate coming was fraught with perils to them. It was already having a bad effect upon some in making them idle. It would be trying, to think that it was well grounded and not to have it realized. It would even be trying, to know that it was ill grounded and to have to give it up. There would be danger of religious excitement being followed by reaction. Let them beware, then, of apostatizing; let them stand fast. The way in which they were to stand fast was by holding fast the traditions. By the "traditions" we are to understand the truths handed to men. For instance, there was the revelation which was necessary for the stablishing of the The.ssalonians, that there was to be an apostasy before the coming of Christ. In the traditions they bad been instructed both orally and by writing. We are limited to the latter mode of instruction.. Whnt o.re known as ecclesiastical traditions have not independent authority, but have to be tested by the written Word. All our oral instruction has to be founded upon the written Word. Ry being in writing, the truths banded to us are preserved from corruption. We know that we have them in the form in which God wishes us to have them. It is difficult to escape the influence of traditional interpretation. Yet there is always the opp~rtunity of a true interpretation, while we have the text as it wo.s left by inspired men. The written Word is one of the great boons conferred on men. It is a great advanta;.:e to a child that he has not everything to learn for himself, but bas the benefit of the experience of his parents.  « THE SECOND EPlSTLE TO THE 'l'HESSALONIANS. [cu. 11, 1-17.