The Better than Good News

“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brothers beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Thessalonians 2:13-14)

Paul had to give thanks and as he put it always giving thanks for their salvation. Paul was writing from a Roman prison in collaboration with Silas and Timothy who had ministered together with him in Thessalonica before the persecution of Paul and they had to flee for their lives. But Paul who always was concerned with the churches he founded, ministered to them through letters he sent with Timothy who was able to return to establish them and comfort them in their Christian walk in a culture that opposed the Gospel and persecuted them.

It most probably was very comforting to them to know that since the beginning God had chosen them to be saved, just as we find it comforting to know that God chose us from the beginning. This is not to mean that the Lord chooses who and who can’t be saved. This is a concept that has been widely misunderstood. Those who continue to be unbelievers and sinners would then be justified in saying that they had no chance of being saved. And this is totally against God’s desire for everyone to be saved. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1Timothy 2:3-4) The Lord doesn’t want anyone to perish. “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2Peter 3:9) The Gospel clearly states that whosoever believes will be saved. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Paul wrote that everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13) Grace brought on by the suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus was declared at His birth and is for all people on earth. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11).

So, what exactly does it mean then? Its misunderstanding is a matter of rhetoric and perspective. We have to remember that in God’s world there is no limited time such as the past or future. All is seen at once. God is declaring that those who believe, from His perspective view of the future have been chosen to be saved. This is difficult for us to understand with our limited time reference. It means that in the beginning, God saw us already believing. And because He saw that we believed, He declared and chose those who believed in the future to save us. This concept will give you headache because it’s so foreign to us here on earth. But that is exactly what it means. In other words, it’s no surprise to the Lord who believes and who doesn’t. He knew it from the beginning. From the beginning, when God saw who would believe, He chose us to be saved through the Holy Spirit and to sanctify us through the work of the Holy Spirit and believing in the Truth of the Gospel preach by the apostles, we acquire the glory of Jesus our Lord. "For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,” (Colossians 1:27) In the Good News Bible it reads: “God's plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God.” (Colossians 1:27) This is so hard to believe but it's stated also in other Scriptures. “But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit.” (2Corinthians 3:18) Each time we have victory over the flesh, we are being changed more and more into the glory of Jesus, or as the Scripture says, “...from glory to glory...” by the Spirit. These are glorious Truths revealed in God’s Word. Do we dare believe? The memories of our failings bring doubt. But faith in the Gospel of grace brings joy. This is the Gospel. This is Truth. No wonder it’s called the Gospel, “the better than good news.”

In summary, the Truths of the Gospel seems difficult for us to truly believe. We believe with our minds, but our hearts see our weaknesses, our failures and shortcomings and find it difficult to believe. But believing in our salvation is understanding the immense gift God has bestowed on us. His grace and forgiveness in salvation should produce gratitude and complete surrender. It should also comfort us in those grievous times in our lives, just like it did the Thessalonians in the persecution they suffered. God saved us from the beginning when He saw us believing in the future and planned then for us to be in glory in Jesus. This is “Better than Good News.” It’s the Gospel.

Let us pray:

Father God, how wonderful You are. Your grace and mercy are better than good news. Your plan for my future in the glory of Jesus is better than good news. There are no words to describe my joy, my gratitude and my love for You. Help me to receive the sanctification through the Holy Spirit. Reveal sin in my flesh. Help me to renounce it, confess it and repent of it so that I can be cleansed from it and become each time more like Jesus. I yield to the power, strength and enabling of the Holy Spirit to be victorious and more than a conqueror. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.