Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
During the time of Paul, the Greeks argued between a bipartite and tripartite person.* Meaning, some believed humans to be two parts (such as inner and outer being or soul and body), while others argued for a three-part view (such as body, soul, and spirit). Most scholars agree that Paul is not attempting to choose sides in this debate (a debate that continues today).* What he is doing, however, is suggesting that the salvific work of Christ covers the whole person.* Furthermore, Paul rejects a view common to Greek thought of his time that the body was a tomb or prison from which the soul must escape.* Paul elevates the entirety of the human being to receive the attention and sanctification that God desires to do in us.*
In fact, that statement sums it up: “sanctification that God desires to do in us.”
Paul reminds the church that the work of salvation is complete and it’s out of reach.* In our life, we attempt to “be good enough.” Our society seeks immortality and perfection in the body. We seek to maximize our minds, wrestling our souls into eternal positivity and self-actualization through knowledge hoarding. We attempt to embrace a spirituality on our own terms or even apart from God. Paul reminds us that while we choose to submit to the sanctifying process of God, it is He who does the work. It is God who completes it. Apart from God, salvation is out of reach.
This truth should a) set our minds at ease if we are striving, and/or b) bring us joy and peace that He will finish it.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to allow God to work out sanctifying (cleaning and making holy) every part of our life. Perhaps today God wants you to stop striving and surrender to Him that area you have been wrestling in. Maybe today God wants you to take a deep breath: He’s not done with you yet.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 200–201). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 233–234). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 266–270). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 491–494). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 107–109). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 175–176). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 418–424). Baker Academic.