Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Thessalonians 2:13

"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:" — 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (ASV)

Paul is thankful that God chose some to believe the truth and to be delivered from delusion and divine judgment. He and his coworkers can rejoice in looking forward to salvation for themselves and their converts, an anticipation drastically different from the outlook for those awaiting perdition (cf. v.10). The salvation viewed from its human side in 1:3ff. is now seen as an undertaking of God.

For Paul to address these “brothers” as those “loved by the Lord” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:4) is appropriate, because God chose them to be saved. “From the beginning” refers to their pretemporal election (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:4); Paul usually places God’s prior choice of people to salvation (v.13) alongside their historical call (v.14; cf. Romans 8:30). This salvation entails present benefits and also future deliverance from the doom that will befall the lost at Christ’s return (cf. 1:6, 8–9; 2:8–12). God’s choice operates in the realm of belief in the truth and of the Spirit’s sanctifying work. “Belief in the truth” is the means of the beginning and continuing relationships of salvation (cf. vv.10–12). The role of the Spirit in sanctification looms large for Paul (Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11–12; 1 Thessalonians 4:7–8) as it does for Peter (1 Peter 1:2).