Second Thessalonians 3:1-5 Request for Prayer

All right, well, we're kind of moving into the closing aspects of the books, plural, to Thessalonica. And I thought today to read in before we get going. In fact, let's open up this at the beginning. And I'm going to quote Keith Lee III here. This is a truncated version, but yet I thought it was a good summary as to where we're at in this study. With chapter 3, Paul begins to bring this epistle to a close. But in doing so, we're privileged to see a wonderful model. And I think this is really relevant. That's why I pulled this to present to you today.

As Paul demonstrated how his team's confidence lay not in human plans, promotion, programs, or human personalities, but in the Lord himself. Boy, doesn't that say a lot of things? Just look at that. In human plans, promotion, programs, or personalities. but to the Lord himself.

I thought that was a good summary of where we're at. So let's open up the word. Does everybody have it open? I'd like to begin reading 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 13, and then continue down through chapter 3, verse 5. So who would like to read this morning? And read loudly, please. Anybody online can do this, too. I can read, Bob. Okay, please. Go ahead, Patty. And speak loudly. Carol. I think it's Carol. Carol, you're good. Okay, I better receive Patty. Carol, go ahead, please.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning, God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word, in every good deed and word. Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance. All right, good, thank you. I'm not sure we started back at 13, but we're good here. All right, let's go ahead. I did start at 13.

Chapter 3, verses 1 and 2. One sentence. Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that you may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for not all have faith. All right, let's look at the first section. Finally, brethren, talking to the body. These are believers. Pray for us. We'll come back to this, but that's a command. I mean, it's imperative. Do it. I mean, just don't think about it. Do it. And who's us?

Paul, Timothy, and Silas, presumably, the same three guys that began this months ago as we began the study. That the word, logos, of the Lord may run and be glorified. So let's drill down here. You know, and this is not unusual actually for Paul to ask for prayer for himself, and I could quote sections of his epistles that indicate this. There's about five or six examples that we could turn to. I'm not going to do that here today. So how should we interpret that the Word of the Lord may run and be glorified? What are our thoughts about that?

What was that? It sounds like Carolyn. I mean Carolyn. Is that you Carolyn? Carolyn, did you have something to add? Well actually Bob, you know the new American Standard has spread rapidly rather than run, which to my, you know, sounds a little easier to handle than run. It seems it could be a little confusing, but spread rapidly is easier to handle.

I went back to the Greek translation, and I think better translated is has have free course. I mean, it just gives an example of the expansion of the word run. It's a little bit simplistic, I think, but have free course means let's get it out there, I think is really kind of what the interpretation is here. That's what my translation has, Bob.

Okay, good. And think a little bit further about this. This request probably reflects the barriers that we covered last week or the last several weeks in 2 Thessalonians 2, 14-13. Remember, there were barriers. I think ultimately this is Paul's asking for prayer that these barriers could be overcome, that this would run its course and ultimately be freely available to all to in fact hear it.

So what's being glorified here? The Word. The Word, but is this the Word, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, or is this the Gospel, the written Word, or both? I would say it's both. Well, one of the things when you think of a race, there's a winner. And that winner is glorified. That winner, in this case, is the Word of God that is glorified.

And Paul was on the road a lot. And you remember, he's in the Grecian environment. and he is actually between Thessalonica and Corinth on the racetrack that they use. So that was probably on his mind when he said these things. And it would be in the Greek minds as well. Yeah, that's good, Roy.

And I think if we think of the word, of course, logos can be interpreted in multiple ways. It could be the written word, you know, irrelevant of scripture. or it could be scripture, the written word of God, or the spoken word of God, or it could be the Lord Jesus Christ himself. But if we think about what's our role as believers, as brethren, in terms of our faith, it's the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I think, you know, I'd like to interpret this as it seems most logical, this is the written word or spoken word, as revealed by the Spirit in the word of God. But nevertheless, we're talking about our Savior, aren't we? So it's okay, I think, to extend this interpretation that the Lord Jesus Christ is whom we need to promote and have run free or be widely available. Any other thoughts about that?

All right, let's go ahead then. This prayer is in the, pray for us is an imperative tense. I mentioned that a little earlier. It's bonding. Just as it is with you, okay? So just as it is with you, any thoughts about that? Well, we pray for one another, don't we? And I think the idea is pray for us, just as you're praying for one another.

And I'll just go to where we were at the end of 1 Thessalonians chapter five. Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. So I think this is a reminder that as a body, as we did this morning, the prayer requests were few. We know there are many more out there. But we're called in fellowship to ultimately uplift and encourage one another by prayer. I think that's a natural for us, isn't it? It doesn't need much further explanation. How would we feel if this statement were directed towards us? And I think I just kind of commented on that myself.

I mean, we need to be uplifted one another. That's why we meet on Sundays. That's why we have Bible studies. That's why we have prayer chains. The fellowship around the word and uplifting one another in prayer is really what we're called to. All right, next phrase, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.

Golly. It hasn't changed, right? It hasn't changed one bit. Two thousand years later here, right? Roger. You know, do we need to interpret this, you know, You know, literally unreasonable and wicked men. It sounds like today to me. Totally. Come on. That's pretty strong language.

Don't you know a lot of nice people who don't know the Lord? We think of them as unreasonable and wicked? No, we just think of them as lost. But out of that lost group are these unreasonable and wicked people. Wicked men, I know, oh my goodness. Who are just going to poke you in your face. Yes, they are. You have a comment there. Somebody has a comment. Go ahead, please. Well, if the men who were unbelievers were nice, we wouldn't really need deliverance from them. So then to whom do we need to be delivered from? And I say, who is we? We is the church, right?

You know, this could be subtle, right? I think the world system really represents unreasonable and wicked men, even though there may be no intention. I'm beginning to read a book called Unplanned, and the first chapter brought tears to my eyes. This is a woman, Margaret knows the story better than I do, but it's a woman who worked for Planned Parenthood. And the first chapter opens her eyes as to what ultrasound reveals. That was her first experience, because she really was the local director of the Planned Parenthood where she lived in Texas.

And ultimately, you know, what she mentioned in the prelude to the book, or what's the word I'm looking for? Forward. Forward, yeah, good. So in the forward of the book, she mentioned that there are good people out there who, in fact, support Planned Parenthood.

And we can't necessarily, what she meant is their intentions are good just from a human perspective, even though they're wrong. And of course the whole book is about where she comes from to really come down on Planned Parenthood or what it represents. But anyway, all that aside, so her point up front is that we meet a lot of people in this world who are very nice and they seem to be doing good things.

But yet, are they defined as unreasonable and wicked? And I think the interpretation, let's drill down a little bit further on that. Let's reflect on these terms. Unreasonable is the Greek term atipos, which is out of place, improper, unrighteous, or harmful. So those are a lot of descriptions of what this term means.

Let's look at a couple of scriptures that use this term and it's interesting because they put it in a different context It's only used three times in the New Testament Christ on the cross, Luke 23, 41, and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong at the post. Now who's saying this? The thief on the cross. So isn't it interesting here, doing nothing wrong is identified with this word. improper, unrighteous, harmful.

Paul at Malta, Acts 28.6, however, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm, same word, come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. Now, so this is the only time this is used kind of in the sense where we're trying to interpret it in relationship to the message that Paul's delivering to the Church of Thessalonica. But these other examples, man being co-crucified with Christ, looking to him and saying he's done nothing wrong, same term, nothing wrong. And then Paul, in terms of his response to the trials and tribulations he was experiencing at Malta, there was no harm that came to him.

I think it's just kind of interesting to see how the selective use of this term is used scripturally in terms of helping our interpretation. Any additional thoughts about this? Wicked. Poneros. In a physical or ethical sense, this can be interpreted, often equated with Satan. Isn't that interesting?

1 John 2.13, Write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked. So now we see, you know, the extended interpretation The first term, atopos, seems to be anything that seems improper, unrighteous, harmful, out of place.

But then wicked is identified with Satan himself. And you notice that this is in the same verse. These two are equated. And we need, as believers, to be delivered from both unreasonable, potentially harmful, unrighteous individuals and those that represent the kingdom of this earth, ruled by Satan.

Pretty strong language, don't you think? These men may be referring to unbelieving Jews in Corinth. Yes, Roy, you have something to share? Well, I didn't, but just thinking through this, they don't have faith would be, if you take it in the context here, of trustworthiness. They weren't, you know, they didn't hold what was true faithfully. And that's the unbelieving world, is it not? Well, it could also be believers who strayed. Sure, if possible.

And there's some reference, and I saw this in a couple of comic books. that these men may be those that Paul referred to as the unbelieving Jews in Corinth, and I turn to Acts again, 18.5.6. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, He shook his garments and said to them, your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. For now on, I will go to the Gentiles. So this verse is often turned to where Paul's ministry really changed in terms of its direction, because the Jews that he was facing were unbelieving. and unwilling to accept.

So there's some thought that these people who are unreasonable, potentially harmful, maybe Satan-driven, could be related to these specific groups of men. But I think that's maybe an over-interpretation. It could be anybody. And as Roy suggests, it could be even within the body.

Well, it also, to expand just a bit, it has an article with it, The Faith. They don't have The Faith. which would mean that maybe they don't have a complete picture yet of what is the truth. Okay? Yeah. I was going to say the same thing. The definite article is there, so typically the faith is the body of truth which the apostles taught. It's the Christian message of Christ dying for our sins and being buried and rising again. It's that collection of information. So they didn't have the faith.

All right. Let's proceed. We're at verse three now. But the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. I was preparing yesterday. I said, gee, what's new here anyway? The Lord is faithful. I mean, I just pulled some references there if you want to look those up. And that was just a phrase search. God is faithful. And this is what came up in my search.

But in fact, if you look at multiple other areas of the word, it just the Lord is faithful is what pulled these verses. But then I looked elsewhere, and there's all other kinds of ways the Lord proves himself faithful that is not exactly in this phraseology. So what's new here? Nothing's new. We know the Lord is faithful. If we don't believe the Lord is faithful, we're in the wrong place here today. Who will establish his future? The Lord is faithful. Who will establish? That's future tense.

And what does it mean to be established by the Lord? Actually, I have strengthened. All right, you're jumping ahead. It means to make stable, to strengthen, or to render constant, or other interpretations of establishing you. So what does that mean? How do we translate that into practical day-to-day language?

Well, wouldn't you say that if we know positional truth, we know what we have in Christ, that's what he wants us to get a hold of? I think Roger hit the nail on the head. It begins, and we're going to come back to this in a few slides yet, it must begin with position because to be established in the faith you've got to believe there's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. You've got to start there, because if you don't, how can it be established if in fact you think every shortcoming, you know, you get despondent and you kind of co-crucify yourself and you keep living in this, you know, roller coaster of the faith. In fact, we need to be established in the positional truths And you know, the thing about that, I found that in my own life, I'll personalize this a little bit, you know, when you come to this truth, then being a Christian becomes joyful. I mean, it really changes your whole perspective of who we are. Because we're secure, we're in place, and the principle of grace then starts to operate. I mean, grace operates in everyone who comes to salvation, but the idea we're saved by grace is past, present, and future. Wayne, go ahead. Bob, could you say that that's the new creation you established? I think so, and I think I'm going to share some verses that I think really, you know, spend that out.

But I'm going to say something too here, that because you're established, it also allows you to not be apoplectic when things in the world are going crazy. That's right. You really, because you're grounded and you know your position, You realize you're not part of this world. I mean, this is not your home. You are already positioned above.

I mean, I have so many Christian friends that are so distraught. I mean, and we're unhappy with what's happening in the world. Sure, we're not. But these people are distraught. And that's all they can think about and talk about is, look what's happening and how terrible it is and blah, blah, blah. And there's no joy in their faith because they're not established.

Yeah, I'm on Jim Dobson's mailing list. You wouldn't believe the letter that came this month. He sends out a monthly letter about Christians in Afghanistan, what they're going through right now. You know, if they have a daughter in the household, that that has to be posted on the door.

And if they find that there's a daughter there that wasn't posted, they're killed immediately. I mean, you wouldn't believe the tragedy that's going on with our believing brethren in Afghanistan right now. I mean, it was Ritter and I, but we don't hear about this. Mainline media's not going to tell you anything like this.

But just the idea of being established, boy, talk about being established. And by the way, if you have a daughter who, in fact, is appropriate age, she's taken and used as, you know... A sex slave. Yeah, basically. I mean, it... Yes? Just a thought regarding the verse that's in front of us.

It begins with that word, but. And it's in contrast to the not having the faith of the previous verse. But in contrast to these who might lead us astray, you know, with anxiety and worry being their focus, here's our Lord who's going to establish us. And his ministry is put in contrast to that of those who don't have the faith.

Right. Isn't that great? The faith is crucial. Just thinking driving this morning, I get that faith that the person next to you is going to stay in their lane, right? Somebody didn't. Let's look at some verses that help us understand this being established.

Romans 16.25, Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began.

1 Peter 5.10 But the God of all grace, who called to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. So in a sense, this being established does relate to these trials and tribulations that come our way.

2 Timothy 2.13 If we are faithless He remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. So even when our faith falls short, the Lord is faithful in the faith, as Roy is pointing out. And in Jude 124, we're going to be studying, I think, Jude after this section on verse and second vessel. Now, to him who's able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. So, you know, the idea there is presenting you faultless is the same term that relates to this big service.

Comment, somebody? Go ahead, Roy. Were you going to say something? No, I was just agreeing with you. That's wonderful. So to be established, I think, is to begin above, having security, comfort, and joy in our life in Christ, and recognizing, as Margaret said, that's where our position is. It's not down here. And, you know, the hungry heart, I think, often just reminds us that our condition begins to be based on our position. And I think, was it today or yesterday, that that was really emphasized.

All right, verse 4, and we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now, we have confidence in the Lord concerning you. Is this redundancy necessary? Well, he could be actually, you know, complimenting them or saying that, you know, we have found with you Thessalonians that you follow after the Lord. You're abiding in him. You're resting in him.

So this seems like this is a compliment or a better word than a compliment. It's uplifting. It's encouraging. And I think, Roger, you're on the right track of interest. Have confidence in is in the perfect tense. Does this help us? In the past. So the idea of, gee, you know, Patty, I have confidence in you today, but what about tomorrow? I mean, this is an impact that continues into the future.

It's an uplifting statement. He's having confidence in the Lord. Yeah, that's true. And it's the Lord who causes us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Right. Confidence in the Lord concerning you, though. I mean, I think he personalizes this, that confidence isn't in them. It's in the Lord in them. So I'm glad you brought that up. That's important for sure. Yes.

I was just noticing in the original, the word and there is the same word that's translated in the previous verse that has to do with the contrast of faith of our Lord. This confidence is assurance that goes right along with that in contrast to those who don't have the faith. Okay. It's not an and-on to that, it's in addition to that, because it's the same word, it's death in Greek. Interesting. I hadn't seen that before.

So back to the foundation of the faith, which has been brought up, right? Yeah, yeah. You know, in a follow-up on that, you know, Margaret was saying earlier that there are some Christians that she knows that are kind of freaking out right now, and I mean, those are Christians, you know, and can you imagine what it's like to be living in this time as an unbeliever? Yes, so true.

What's interesting is, do we see people flocking to know the Lord? Do we see them flocking to understand God's Word? It's almost like in times, people don't flock. You would think that when times really got bad, they would seek, well, what's going on here? Is there an answer in some place? They don't seek Him. It's man's nature not to seek the Lord, to seek the Savior. Just don't. But just pause for a second. If you think a little bit about two things here. Well, think about three things, and they all are an antithesis to our walk by faith under grace and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan's been here for a long time. The world system has always been the world system. Think of Sodom and Gomorrah. Think of ultimately the challenges the nation of Israel faced along their path to the promised land. I mean, we could go back through all of history. And think about the human nature, the sin nature. Those have kind of been there.

We tend to think we're going through the worst of times, but in fact, All times have been the worst of times for the believer. So let's accept kind of where we're at and be a light into darkness, but yet not get profoundly depressed or disappointed with what's around us. Okay, let's look at some verses about being made confident. And I wrote to you, 2 Corinthians 3, 4, and I wrote this very thing to you lest when I came I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy. I mean, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all.

So that mentions something I mentioned a little bit earlier, the joy we have as believers. And I think he wants to have confidence in the Brethren in Corinth, and I think you're going to be teaching 2 Corinthians, which I'm just going to opine, I think it's one of the greatest books. Oh yes, it's fabulous. It's a tremendous book, and it seems to be It's a whole stepping stone above where 1 Corinthians is at, but it is just a tremendous place. I can't wait.

Galatians 5.10, I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind, but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he might be. So those are just examples of the confidence in the Lord who's working through the believer to bring about his message and uplifting nature in our day-to-day lives. Both that you do, present active, that you do and will do, future active tense, the things we command you. Ooh, command. Apparently, this was not true of all. Because, you know, this is a command.

So Philippians 2.12, therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Now what, obey what? What do we obey as believers? Think about that for a second. I'll go one more verse.

2 Thessalonians 3.11, for we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.

Go ahead, Roy. That was somebody else I think. Was that Russ? Was that you, Russ? Oh, that was me. Go ahead, Russ. Andrew, go ahead. Andrew, yeah. I was just going to say, it's obedience to the word, right? Yeah, okay. And if I remember the word obey, maybe Roy can make...

Isn't that to listen under? Isn't that the... I may be getting confused, but... I think it's the word to listen under. Is that right? Yeah. In that case, I always like that, you know, when you say obey, it sounds like that's coming down hard. But to listen under makes sense. You listen under the Word of God. You listen to what He's telling us, because He made us. He knows us. He has the right information.

Are you looking at the word here for command? Yeah, we're going to get to command. We don't want to be distracted by obey. No, our obedience is to the faith. The faith, right? Our obedience is not to a series of laws or regulations. But here, how do you think we should interpret command?

This is indicative. It's a fact, not an imperative. Do it. It's indicative. It's a fact that there's a command. And this is not a message, but a charge. And this charge is also seen in verses 6, 10, and 13 of this chapter. We're going to see it again and again as we go forward. This is a note of apostolic authority, not advice or ultimately urging. It's a command. Let me bring up one point, and then someone can comment. Does this relate to us today? And if so, how should we interpret it? Roy, was that you?

Yeah, just a thought on the word itself has hara in the beginning of it, which is that word coming alongside. It's a command, but it's alongside of you. It's like the Holy Spirit coming alongside of us to comfort us. It has that idea that this is a command that is an encouragement because we're all going through this together. I'm right with you in that. So your interpretation then is that it's really enhancing the fellowship among the Brethren at Thessalonica.

Is that the end for us today? Is that the way you're interpreting this? It's spot on Bob, that's right. So we don't like commands because we tend to think that puts us under the cloak of law and I don't think that's what's intended here. I think this is a command or a charge that they continue in the manner in which Roy is stating. I think that's the best interpretation.

And yes, we should interpret this for us today. This is not just to that church, but the Holly Hills Bible Church today. All right, last verse for this morning. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience or endurance of Christ. May the Lord direct, aorist, active, optative, your heart. Boy, I had to drill down on that one a little bit. Blue letter Bible.

This verb tense is generally used in the so-called fourth class condition. That's too much language, isn't it? Which express a wish or a desire for an action to occur in which the completion of such is doubtful, rarely used in the great New Testament. So this is a verb tense that apparently is rarely used. So maybe some of you biblical scholars could comment on that a little bit further. It's almost like the subjunctive tense.

You know, may or may not. But this seems to be a little bit different. Roy, you want to comment on this? One of the things is that he is joining together the aorist tense, which is a fact, with wish. with the wish voice here with, you know, it's a, he wants this to be a fact. I don't know how to say it any clearer than that, but that's the summation that I would take from this. So the thing that troubles me a little bit in the Blue Letter Bible definition of this verb tense is it's a wish or desire for an action to occur in which the completion of such is doubtful. Now that doesn't sound good to me. The subjunctive tense is it may or may not occur, right? I mean, maybe it will occur.

Now, may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God. Well, the Lord would like to direct your hearts in the love of God, but if you're not open to the love of God, you will not receive. is great message of bringing the love, except some verses say love to God, not love of God. So anyway, I think this is kind of interesting to think through that. Macaulay has a comment.

The verb direct means to make straight and anticipates difficulty along the way. Now, in a sense, that's kind of consistent with this optative tense. Paul sees many things stand the way of growth. I think Macaulay hits a nail on the head here. Let's repeat this. The verb direct means to make straight and anticipates difficulty along the way. Welcome to our lives, right? And Paul sees many things stand in the way of growth.

Don't we experience this day in and day out? You bet. The world, the flesh, and the devil. Oh, really? Those three things. They keep being brought up all the time, don't they? Why the hearts here, do you think? Well, isn't that you? I mean, that's the essential you.

Your heart. We talk about heart. May your heart... We use that phraseology to talk about the person. Let your heart... I can't think of a verse off the top of my head. Well, heart's part of the soul, right? Right, I know. I mean, Patti, you look like... I was thinking of the word affections. I don't know if that comes into it.

I mean, when you think of the heart, what do you compare it to in terms of the other option that we have? Well, I was thinking of the verse, you believe in your heart, that Jesus, you know, there's a verse that says you believe in your heart, you know, the heart is, it's the sense, it's, you know, the inner you, and that's what, you know, scripture talks about, your heart does this, it does this. You set me up again here, Roger. I don't even see you jamming. That's unintentional.

For Romans 10.10, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Look at the order in that verse. It's not with the mind and the tongue, but the heart is the source of the soul and where the spirit dwells and increases, if you will, are conditional. lives. So the heart is a place for the Lord to appeal, ultimately, in bringing this patience or endurance of Christ.

So why does this seem so unlikely? You have another question. I'm sorry, go ahead. Well, the only thing is I can add to that, Bob, might be that there's an awful lot of commentaries that talk about the heart. as being the innermost who we are, summation. It's like the totalness of who we are. It includes the mind, don't get me wrong, it includes the soul, the spirit, everything, our emotions, our reactions, every part of us, not just a little bit. Can't argue with that.

All right, let's kind of look at this as introducing the final part of our lesson this morning. Why does this seem so unlikely? Therefore, then, how does it happen? Well, I think it begins with a very substantial foundational aspect of our faith, 1 John 4.19.

We love because He first loved us. I mean, it's... I mean, this love of God or love to God is really sourced from Him. He doesn't make us robots, but I think we need to understand that that love is transferred to us by Him so that we can ultimately love others and have the patience of God continue. Doesn't it start with position? This is what I promised earlier, we're going to end with that. Yes, I mean all of this starts with positional truth.

In ourselves we have no love of God or patience, endurance, or steadfast waiting for in ourselves. So there's just nothing we in the flesh have that makes the prescription of God's love capable in us. So I'm going to end with three verses here, beginning in Hebrews 12, 1 and 2. This is a great couple of verses.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay us aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. true for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne." So talk about positional truth. That endurance really relates to his crucifixion, resurrection, and position. Colossians 3, 1 and 2, where we're going to be in our next Monday night study.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above. Where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God, set your mind on things above, not on things on earth. And finally, Hebrews 10, 36, 37, for you have need of endurance or strength so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. So what's the promise? Eternal life. Eternal life, right. In that context, maybe not. Yeah, I was reading John chapter 6 two days ago, just kind of being uplifted there. Christ himself said, if you see and believe in me, you will have everlasting life.

The interesting thing, too, in that section was that these were not the Pharisees or Sadducees that asked him this question. Somebody said, presumably the people that he was surrounded by, what are you doing to do the work of God? And you know what his answer was? believe on him who has been sent. The work of God is to believe on him. And then later in the chapter he says, if you see me and believe in me, you'll have everlasting life. So, you know, we as believers need to be uplifted by that truth.

To do the work of God is not the rules and regulations of law. It's believing in Him and everything He has for us, has positioned us for, and our faith to have that be enacted in our lives. Any final thoughts or comments about today? Roy, close us in prayer, would you please?

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for your love of us. And as we have examined your love today in the scriptures here, We have confidence in you that you will indeed finish what you have started in the salvation process both from our sins and in our sins into the perfection of your holiness with you eternally. How thankful we are, Heavenly Father, that you're doing this right now. And as we look at your word and take in the things that you show us about yourself You're making us like you, with your love, both for you as well as each other. How thankful we have to be, but also we are, because you make us that way. What other response can we be with that? Thank you, in Christ's name, amen.