Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Thessalonians 1:4

"knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election," — 1 Thessalonians 1:4 (ASV)

“The reason why the sight delights us is because it proves that God loves you, and has set His heart upon you.”

Beloved.—The proper translation is, knowing brethren who have been so beloved of God, your election, as in the margin: the Greek idiom cannot allow of the Authorised rendering. The tense of the word “beloved” represents not only God’s attitude to them in the present, but the long continuance of it in the past, especially as proved by His election of them. (Compare Romans 8:28-30, and 2 Thessalonians 2:13.)

Election, in the language of (at any rate) St. Paul and St. Peter, seems primarily to refer to a gracious admission into religious privileges in this life. The word implies nothing as to the final condition of the person thus elected (see 2 Peter 1:10, and compare Ephesians 1:4 with Ephesians 5:5-7). God elects us to become members of the Holy Church, and all baptised persons are elect, with heaven in prospect (1 Peter 1:2–5); but they may, as they choose, unsettle their election, or make it sure.

St. Paul rejoices, because the continued possession of spiritual privileges, used or abused, is an assurance of God’s continued “favour and goodness towards us.” Of course, however, this observation does not much affect the mysterious doctrine of predestination. The question must still remain why God brings some in this life to the knowledge of His truth, and others not; but the observation, at any rate, destroys the notion of an arbitrary damnation and salvation.