2 Thessalonians 1:11 - Meaning and Application

In these verses, the apostle again tells the Thessalonians about his earnest and steady prayer for them. He could not be with them in person, but he kept them in constant memory. They were often on his mind, and he could not show his goodwill better than by praying for them again and again. So he says, “We also pray” for you. The thought and hope of Christ’s second coming should move us to pray for ourselves and others. We should watch and pray, as our Savior told his disciples (Luke 21:36), “Watch therefore, and pray always, that you may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of man.”

We should notice what the apostle prayed for (2 Thessalonians 1:11). It is important to know what to ask God for. Without God’s help, we do not know how to pray as we should. Our prayers should fit our hopes. So Paul prays, first, that God would begin his work of grace in them. That is one way to understand the words, “that our God would count you worthy of this calling.” We are called to a high and holy calling. We are called to God’s kingdom and glory. The hope of our calling is nothing less than the inheritance of the saints, and the joy and glory that will be revealed when Christ Jesus is revealed from heaven. If this is our calling, then our great concern should be to live in a way that fits it, and to be ready for that glory. Since we have no worthiness of our own, only what comes from God’s grace, we should pray that he would make us worthy, and then count us worthy, of this calling. We should pray that he would make us fit to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12).

Second, Paul prays that God would continue the good work he has started, and “fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness.” God’s good pleasure means his gracious purposes toward his people, purposes that come from his goodness and are full of goodness toward them. All good comes to us from there. If there is any good in us, it is the fruit of God’s goodwill toward us. It comes from the good pleasure of his goodness, and that is why it is called grace. God has many gracious purposes and acts of goodwill toward his people, and Paul prays that all of them would be brought to completion in these Thessalonians. There are many good works of grace that begin in the hearts of God’s people, and we should long for them to be finished and made complete. In a special way, Paul prays that God would fulfill in them “the work of faith with power.” The work of faith must be brought to completion if every other good work is to be completed. And it is God’s power that not only begins the work of faith, but also carries it on and brings it to perfection.

Paul then gives the reason for this prayer (2 Thessalonians 1:12): “That the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified.” This should be our goal in all that we do and desire, that God and Christ may be honored in everything. Our own happiness, and the happiness of others, should come after this highest goal. Our good works should shine before people so that others may glorify God. Christ should be glorified in us and by us, and then we shall be glorified in him and with him. This is the great purpose of the grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, which is shown to us and worked in us. Or, put another way, because God and Christ have shown us such grace, it is fitting that we should direct all we do to the glory of our Creator and Redeemer.