NEXT SERIES

What I plan to do is to have four lessons about what we're called to, This Sunday it's "Called to Salvation"; the next three are "Called to Serve", "Called to Sanctification", and "Called to Share Life."

With cell phones and caller ID, it's easy to ignore a call or a person with whom you don't wish to speak. Sure, some callers are spam; others try to sell something or offer a political message. Others are some that you really should talk with but for some reason don't (or won't).

From 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15, Paul reminds the church that from the beginning Gld chose them to be saved. Sounds like they had no choice. But the next verse says that he called them to this through the gospel. They chose to answer the call. But I wonder--in this verse, did God choose the "man" for salvation or the "means" of salvation. After all, the Lamb was slain from the beginning of creation.

WHAT SALVATION IS (2:13) Salvation is more than forgiveness, although it includes it. It is the idea of being delivered from danger, rescued from some threat. Think of what we were powerless to be saved from--guilt, sin, death, hell. But through the power of Jesus' resurrection, we have been delivered from them; they have no power over us. We were saved by the sanctification of the Spirit--the One who sets us apart and makes us holy (as illustrations, see John 17:17-19, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and 1 Peter 1:2)--and by belief in the truth (what they were taught about Jesus in Acts 17:1-4

WHAT THE GOSPEL IS (2:14a) The gospel too is more than forgiveness of sins, although that is a byproduct of receiving the gospel. It's the "good news of the kingdom", that it's at hand, accessible and available to all. God's power to deliver his people has come, and his rule is near. The kingdom was the theme of John's preaching (Matthew 3:2),

     WHAT THE GOSPEL IS (2:14a) The gospel too is more than forgiveness of sins, although that is a byproduct of receiving the gospel.  It's the "good news of the kingdom", that it's at hand, accessible and available to all.  God's power to deliver his people has come, and his rule is near.  The kingdom was the theme of the preaching of John (Matthew 3:2 the theme of Jesus' preaching (Matthew 4:17), and the apostles' preaching (Acts 28:23, 31--and note, the relationship between Jesus and the kingdom--and why not, since he IS the Christ).

I don't know what I did above, nor how to correct it. Sorry!

WHAT GLORY IS (2:14b) The idea behind the word is that of splendor, magnificence, and majesty, and is illustrated by the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17. John reminds us too that we will share in this when he says that we will be like him, because we will see him as he is. And how did he appear to John in Revelation 1? With glory! If Jesus is in us (Colossians 1:27) and if he appears (Colossians 3:4), what will we receive?

These things are our possession, guaranteed to us if we stand firm and hold to the teachings entrusted to us (2:15). False ideas and false writings were unsettling the church (2:1-2), hence the timely reminder for them But if others are to be "saved", we have to understand and fully explain what the "gospel" is and what makes it good news. Otherwise, there is no deliverance, no power over sin, and it's life as usual with religion mixed in.