+I. Will be in strict harmony with the principles of universal
righteousness.+
+II. Means terrible punishment to the wicked.+
+III. Will bring unspeakable felicity to the good.+
+IV. Will be recognised as faultlessly just.+
+V. Will enhance the Divine glory.+
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 11, 12.
_A Prayer for Completeness of Moral Character._
To meet Christ at His coming, and to dwell with Him in the bliss of
the future, demands a moral preparedness. To promote this should be
the constant, unwearied solicitude of both pastor and people. The
possession of any measure of Divine grace supplies the strongest
motives for seeking the highest possible degree of moral excellence.
In this passage observe:--
+I. That completeness of moral character is really the attainment of
the Divine ideal.+--"That our God would count you worthy of this
calling" (ver. 11). The tyro in religion pictures to himself a more
or less definite outline of what he may become and what he may do.
The charm of novelty, the enthusiasm of first love, the
indefiniteness of the untried and the unknown, throw a romantic
glamour over the Christian career, and the mind is elated with the
prospect of entering upon grand enterprises and winning signal
victories. But mature thought and experience and a more familiar
acquaintance with the Divine mind lead us to modify many of our
earlier views, and to readjust the main features of our own ideal of
the Christian character, so as to be more in harmony with the Divine
ideal. God calls us to purity of heart and life, and makes us worthy,
and gives us power to attain it. We have no worthiness in ourselves
or in our works. The fitness for heavenly glory is acquired by
following out the God-given inspiration to "live soberly,
righteously, and godly in the present world" (Tit. ii. 12).
+II. That completeness of moral character consists in the delighting
in goodness.+--"And fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness"
(ver. 11) Some are influenced to be good because they are afraid of
the penalties attached to a life of sin. Others because of the
substantial rewards and benefits found in a life of probity and
uprightness. But the highest type is to love goodness for its own
sake, and to delight in it as goodness; to be wholly possessed with a
life-absorbing passion to find and to diffuse goodness everywhere.
This approaches nearest to the Divine ideal. "He hath pleasure in
uprightness, and hath no pleasure in wickedness" (1 Chron. xxix. 17;
Ps. v. 4). There is no pleasure like that we find in true goodness.
Severus, emperor of Rome, confessed on his deathbed, "I have been
everything, and now find that everything is nothing." Then, directing
that the urn should be brought to him, he said, "Little urn, thou
shalt contain one for whom the world was too little."
+III. That completeness of moral character is attained by the
exercise of a Divinely inspired faith.+--"And the work of faith with
power" (ver. 11). We have no innate righteousness. It is God-given.
It is received, maintained, and extended in the soul by faith in the
merits of the all-righteous Saviour. "While faith itself is the gift
of God, it is no less an exercise of the mind and heart of man. And
because, like everything else about man, it partakes of his great
weakness, it needs ever, as it walks in the light of the Divine Word,
to stay itself on the Divine hand." Faith is the mighty instrument by
which the Divine life is propagated in the soul, and by which the
loftiest blessings are secured.
+IV. That completeness of moral character promotes the Divine
glory.+--"That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in
you, and ye in Him" (ver. 12). It will be seen at the last that
Christ has been more abundantly glorified by a humble, holy life than
by wealthy benefactions or by gigantic enterprises. The name now so
much despised, and for which those who now bear it suffer so much,
shall be magnified and exalted "above every name" (Phil. ii. 9). The
followers of Christ shall share in the glory of their Lord. Their
excellencies redound to His glory; and His glory is reflected on them
in such a way that there is a mutual glorification. "What a glory it
will be to them before all creatures that He who sits upon the throne
once shared their sorrows and died for them! What a glory that He
still wears their nature and is not ashamed to call them brethren!
What a glory to be for ever clothed with His righteousness! What a
glory to reign with Him and be glorified together!" (_Lillie_).
+V. That completeness of moral character is rendered possible by the
provisions of Divine grace.+--"According to the grace of our God and
the Lord Jesus Christ" (ver. 12). The source or all human goodness,
in all its varying degrees, is in the Divine favour. It is worthy of
note that Christ is here recognised as on an equality with the
Father, and as being with Him the fontal source of grace. The glory
which it is possible for sanctified humanity to reach is "according
to grace." The grace is "exceeding abundant" (1 Tim. i. 14); so is
the glory. There is a fathomless mine of moral wealth provided for
every earnest seeker after God.
+VI. That completeness of moral character should be the subject of
constant prayer.+--"Wherefore also we pray always for you" (ver. 11).
The Thessalonians where favoured in having the prayers of the
apostles. It is a beautiful example of the unselfishness of the
Christian spirit when we are so concerned for others as to pray for
them. We value that about which we pray the most. We have need of
prayer to help us to attend faithfully to the little things which
make up the daily duties of the Christian life. Attention to trifles
is the way to completeness of moral character. The great Italian
sculptor, Michelangelo, was once visited by an acquaintance, who
remarked, on entering his studio, "Why, you have done nothing to that
figure since I was here last?" "Yes," was the reply, "I have softened
this expression, touched off that projection, and made other
improvements." "Oh!" said the visitor, "these are mere trifles."
"True," answered the sculptor, "but remember that trifles make
perfection, and perfection is no trifle."
+Lessons.+--1. _It is important to have a lofty ideal of Christian
perfection constantly in view._ 2. _While humbled by failures we are
not to be disheartened._ 3. _Earnest, persevering prayer wins great
moral victories._
_GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES._