Notes for7 November 2024

These words of the apostle Paul about the calling of Christians contain exceptionally important things, which are not completely evident if we read the other translations. The apostle says that at the approach of the Lord’s day, when Christ will come in the glory, he prays for the Thessalonians Christians (and for all the rest) and asks God, that the Lord Himself bestow us the calling, so that people will be called by God to life and salvation. "The call" - from the Greek’s translation klesis, meaning "invitation", and having single-root with Ekklesia - "The Church". It is then not so much about calling as a unique road of man before God, as this invitation, by which the shepherd gathers the sheep, to preserve them from perdition. The words “that our God would count you worthy" are very exact: God's calling for each of us is an undeserved gift, which is given to us through the Church.

Continuing, the apostle prays so that God may fulfill (that is fill with His power) the good will of people to do good and do the work of faith. For the apostle, the calling and the fulfillment by power of the good will are two inseparably connected things, and this word is a tremendous hope for each person.

The will to do good and the work of faith - the apostle indicates by these words man’s answer to the invitation of God. But man by himself has no strengths to realize this answer in his life; each of us possesses a considerable experience of defeats on the paths of good and faith. And if God Himself didn’t fill by His power our answer to His invitation, the invitation itself would have turned out fruitless. But the apostle says that God Himself fills us with this life, when calling us to life.

The glorification of Christ's name in men consists particularly of this, the glorification, that apostle speaks of so deeply in the epistle to Philippiens: " Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Ph. 2:9-11).

The very possibility so that we don’t only hear God's invitation, but also find the strength to answer to this, this possibility is the fruit of the victim of the Cross and the Resurrection of the Christ. It is particularly in this that comes true the intention of the Creator about people’s salvation. And the apostle says again that we also obtain glory in God's call and our answer to it, and thus become partakers of His victory.