Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
Those are beautiful words in the chaos of a world that is anything but sure. Ground yourself in this truth today; our God is faithful, and what he has said he will surely do. When tomorrow is uncertain, when waking up and entering the day feels like a burden, comfort your spirit with the truth that “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
What He Will Do
The Scriptures abound with declarations about what God has promised to do. From eternal salvation to indescribable joy, He who has called you has given his word, and faith calls you to take him at that word.But there are five things that the Apostle Paul makes explicit in these words to the Thessalonians that we can build our lives upon today.
What exactly is it that the faithful one has said He will do?
He will give you peace.
He’s the God of Peace, and he gives peace. Your anxiety and worry evaporate when you come near Him. Sin is the seed that grows anxiety, fear, worry, and ultimately death (James 1:15). When sin enters our lives it separates us from the God of Peace, growing walls that trap us in the darkness of our own minds and leading inevitably to the downward spiral of depression, fear, and anxiety.
But God has uprooted sin and nullified its power by the blood of Christ. He has shed abroad the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus. Look to him, and you will find peace as he frees you from sin.
He will sanctify you completely.
This progressive freedom from sin is known as sanctification. Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines sanctification this way:
- 1 : to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use
- 2 : to free from sin
- 3a : to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability, or respect to
The work of Christ has set you free. The work of Christ has set you apart completely. You’re in a whole new category. You’re no longer defined by your sin; you’re now defined by the imputed righteousness of Christ.
And this sancitifcation isn’t something you have to make happen – it’s God who will sanctify you. How much? Completely. He who has called you will do it. It’s not a weight on your shoulders. What joy and freedom is found in knowing and experiencing this!
He will keep you blameless
Being in the process of sanctification doesn’t mean that you never sin. You will have a sin nature until the day when Jesus comes again. However, according to these verses (and plenty of others) God keeps us blameless. Can you grasp that? You’re blameless! In Romans 8 Paul states it another way: there isn’t any condemnation that can stick to those who are in Jesus.
When someone tries to blame you for something or condemn you for a past deed, it can’t stick to you. You’re blameless. When your mind fills with accusations of your incompetence and failure and lack of worth, toss those lies aside. The God who is faithful has called you and promised to keep you blameless. He will surely do it.
He will come again
This life is a struggle. Our broken world isn’t any easy place to live. The good news is that the struggle doesn’t last forever. This groaning creation will soon be re-created in glory, because Jesus is coming again and will restore all things. The day of the coming of the Lord will be both beautiful and terrible, and though it may seem slow in coming it will surely come.
He will love you
You don’t do this kind of stuff for someone you don’t love. Jesus came and purchased our peace, sanctification, and blamelessness because he loves us. The Father and the Son acted in love and purchased for us salvation.
Unlike the loves of this world, this one isn’t going away. It’s here till the end. It’s not the love of the boyfriend who is there to get what he wants from you and then ditch. It’s not the love of the girl looking for comfort and validation. It’s even beyond the love of a parent for their favorite child. This is the settled, implacable, glorious love of the creator of all the earth.
He is faithful. He will give you peace. He has sanctified you. He will keep you blameless. He has and does love you. He’s given his word and He will surely do it.
Rest in that. Learn to let peace be your path this week!
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