2 Thessalonians 1:3-12

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this second letter to the Thessalonians Paul states that he thanks God always for them…

1. because of their growing faith,

2. the love they have for each other, and

3. because of their patience and faith in the persecutions and tribulations they endure.

Paul’s three fold prayer for them (vv. 11-12) is:

1. That God would count them worthy of His calling (to salvation); that is, that they would live up to their calling by producing good works.
2. That God would, by His Power, satisfy all their desires for goodness and to do works of faith. This second request is the answer for the first; hence, it is by God’s power that we do good works and are counted worthy of His calling.
3. This last request is God’s motive and should be our motive for doing good works—that the name of Jesus would be glorified in Him, according to His grace. Here I think a good word for glorified would be honored. By doing good works both God and we are honored.