The final transformation

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TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Thessalonians 3-4; Psalm 16

TO CHEW ON: "And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13

Sometimes I have a little trouble sorting out exactly what Paul is saying in his maze-like and run on sentences. But after puzzling the long sentence in our focus verses, I'm hearing him say that he wants the Thessalonians to abound in [have plenty of, be rich in] love toward each other and the world beyond the church walls. He wants them to be as rich in love toward others as he (Paul) is rich in love toward them.

The result of pursuing such love will be that God establishes their hearts "blameless in holiness"—something that will be completed, however, only at the coming of the Lord Jesus.

As we continue to focus on the theme of Christ's second coming through 1 Thessalonians, these verses give us more insights about that anticipated event. They tell us:

•  the love we cultivate toward each other is preparation for Christ's return.

• this process of making love abound in us and establishing us blameless in holiness—we call it sanctification— is "brought to glorious completion at the Second Coming of the Lord" - Reformation Study Bible.

The truth of God completing the work of sanctification in us at His return is repeated many times in the Bible: 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 1:8; Philippians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Jude 24.

What a relief, that God makes provision to complete this process. My Bible's explanation of the world "holiness"  here gives us an idea of what a deep-clean it is and will be:

["Holiness - hagiosune - is the principle that separates the believer from the world…. It causes every component of our character to stand God's inspection and meet His approval" - Dick Mills, "Word Wealth," New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1686, emphasis added.]

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that my lifelong pursuit of holiness and blamelessness will be divinely completed at Jesus' return. Amen. 

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 16

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.