The Presumptuous Security of Sloppy Salvation

2 Thes. 2:13-15; 2 Thes 3:6-15

• what’s on your agenda today (or any day, really)? Is your ultimate goal to glorify God? (1 Cor 10)
• these last letters are directed to tackle issue of those abusing the big hope; abusing salvation, cheapening the grace given

Clarifying the BIG HOPE of our salvation

1. Resting presumptuously on “escape” is a completely different gospel from The Gospel (2:13)
   • purpose of salvation is not to just lift us up from this world into Heaven
     • if it was all the Christians should already be up there

   the purpose of salvation consists of significantly more than escape/deliverance form the coming wrath — it anticipates so loving the truth that its attendant believing acceptance plays out in  a particular lifestyle, a living out of all the call into Christ’s family entails – including many trials!

   • the content of the “sanctifying work of the spirit” is whatever it takes for the Holy Spirit to make your external/internal world increase your spiritually excellent usefulness in this present life and for life to come
     • Matt 3:7; reality of salvation is not “BAM! TICKET TO HEAVEN LETS GO SIN!” (Pharisee type of salvation)
     • John 2:19; if they belonged, they would have remained
       • personal thought: This is so very hurtful to say to someone who is wavering in their faith…
   • salvation Paul speaks of first saves us from sin and self BEFORE we meet Jesus face to face
   • This is how you were saved; you were chosen (2:13)
     • not to escape trials and tribulations but so you can live in it
     • God set you apart and set you up to believe
2. Resting presumptuously on sloppy salvation IS RECKLESS
   • He chose you to believe in the Truth

   From our human perspective, we are not meant to see the hope of our salvation secure in the Divine choice in eternity past to save us but rather in the real time, ongoing action of “belief in the truth” –hearing God’s call to welcome the truth and living it daily. It was that action that effected saving faith and that action that secures the genuineness of Christian life

   • Our calling (choosing) is only as legit as our believing; our believing is only as legit as our living (Matt 7:21)
   • Mk 7:6-9; in Thes, Paul shows contrasts between of those who welcome or reject Truth
   • Christian freedom is freedom from doing what I want/used to want, so I can do what Christ wants
     • Spiritual Rights Activism – load of BS, how we can try to justify that we can live in the flesh and simply bank on salvation
       • freedom does not mean this!
       • freedom does not mean believing in and accepting salvation only to return to fulfilling personal desires
3. Becoming complacent spiritually or idle is contrary to commands of Christ
   • The reward of salvation is full future participation in the glory of Christ secured now through a robust spirituality (2 Thes 2:14)
   • This is why you were called…not just “escape” but to give glory
   • Robust spirituality…
     1. distances itself from freeloaders and spiritual slackers who just live for escape (v6, 14)
        • freeloading is very easy for someone who wants to abuse, cheapen and take advantage ie. “You have to blindly love and accept me because Jesus says so.”
        • WHY distant self? because they make Jesus look bad
     2. works hard and doesn’t exercise all rights and benefits; necessarily grabbing every possible crumb to which it might be entitled (v 7-9)
        • if you err extremely in life…err in working hard
        • just because you are entitled to something doesn’t mean you have to fight and nitpick for all of it
     3. doesn’t aid and abet sloppy laziness by giving charity to people who won’t work (v 10)
        • notice it says “WON’T WORK” not “can’t”; absolute UNWILLINGNESS to work
        • idleness leads to being a busybody; we are made to be busy…being idle in faihth/Christ leads to being busy in other things and other’s business
          • ie. busy disrupting the church, busy pursuing self-glorifying things
     4. never tires of doing what is right (v13)

Conclusion: We need robust spirituality so that…

• outsiders will clearly see the distinctiveness of genuine passion about Jesus’ glory now and the fullness to come
• so-called insiders/believers will either be shamed to repentance or exposed as fakes
• salvation is based on fact you LIVE YOUR FAITH
• reward of salvation is being like Jesus