Unshakeable #5 - Comfort (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17) | Jake Williams

Jake Williams explores 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 to reveal how God's election doctrine shows we're not chosen because we believe, but we believe because we're chosen—a truth that humbles our pride while offering unshakeable comfort. This powerful message challenges our achievement mindset and invites both seekers and believers to rest in God's overwhelming grace rather than their own efforts.

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Transcript

Hello, I'm Jake Williams, pastor of the Bridgeville campus. The wonderful Brady Randall is at the Butler campus and it's a privilege to be with you today. Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you for your overwhelming beauty. Father, we pray that over the next 30 minutes that beauty would be magnified in our hearts, that we'd hear the gospel clearly, that your spirit would work in our hearts, that we leave here worshiping you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

The Achievement Mindset vs. The Gospel

Much of our modern culture is built around earning things. It's built around achieving things. We go to school and we chase after grades, diplomas, we chase after certificates and degrees. And these often stand as gatekeepers to opportunity and status. Once we have a career, we pursue promotions, we pursue raises and performance reviews as typical markers of success.

We often adopt a competitive mindset that bases our self-worth on beating others in tests, in games, in grades, in public rankings. If we have a business, we often value rapid growth, pivots and exits as indicators of success. We measure progress via patents, publications, products launched, people reached. "Publish or perish" is a common mantra in the world of academia and the digital world.

We often seek success and validation via likes, followers, algorithmic visibility as modern status symbols. We seek geographic and institutional prestige by attending elite institutions and living in prestigious neighborhoods as signals of success. We often succumb to family and cultural expectations and feel pressure to achieve family pride, maybe to get married, to have a certain number of kids.

We tend to hold to the belief that effort and talent and hard work always determine outcomes. We are all very familiar with common phrases that exhibit this achievement or earning mindset, such as:

• "Nothing worth having comes easy"
• "Hard work pays off"
• "If you want it, you gotta earn it"
• "Blood, sweat and tears"
• "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps"
• "Earn your stripes"
• "You've gotta prove yourself"
• "It's earned, not given"

This achievement and earning mindset makes the gospel of Jesus Christ difficult for us to understand, because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the exact opposite. It's not something you can earn.

The gospel reminds us that we've already missed God's perfect mark. We've chosen our way instead of God's perfect way. If we've earned the opposite of salvation, what we've earned is condemnation. But God became man. He earned and he achieved on our behalf by living a perfect life, and he paid the debt that our sin deserves on the cross. He defeated sin and death and was resurrected on the third day.

And now we can enter into this freedom and have salvation through faith in Him—not by earning, not by achieving, but by having faith in the one who did, Jesus Christ.

So if you're a Christian, if you believe in Christ, do you have faith in Jesus because you're smarter than other people? Is it because you've figured it out and other people just haven't figured it out yet? Or is something else at play here?

The Doctrine of Election

Our amazing text for today deals with the often divisive and difficult to understand doctrine of election—that God graciously chooses certain people for salvation before the world was made, not based on any earning, not based on achievement, not based on any foreseen faith in that person.

As we approach this text, we'll be doing so under three headings. We'll be asking and answering three questions:

1. What does the text say?
2. What does it mean?
3. What do I do?

First: What Does the Text Say?

In Second Thessalonians 2:13-17, Paul invites us to remember that our life with God is not secured by our cleverness, by our effort, by our achievement, but by God's steadfast choosing.

"God chose you as first fruits to be saved," says verse 13. Some manuscripts say "from the beginning God chose you"—and not by our own brilliance or strength, but by his gospel, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth, that we might share in the joy of Jesus' victory.

There are a number of places in the Bible that talk about the doctrine of election, and it comes up all over the place. What I find most interesting is that oftentimes the Bible teaches about the doctrine of election indirectly, which shows that it's assumed by the biblical writers.

For example, in First Thessalonians 1, Paul says, "For we know that he has chosen you because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction."

It doesn't say you're chosen because you were receptive to the gospel. It says you were receptive to the gospel because you were chosen. Paul is saying, "Here's how we know that God chose you. When we preach to you, it hits you." It doesn't say that he chose you because it hits you. It says it hits you because you were chosen.

Acts 13:48 says, "When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord, and all who were appointed for eternal life believed." It doesn't say you were appointed to eternal life because you believed. It says you believed because you were appointed to eternal life.

In Matthew 11:27, Jesus says, "No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." It doesn't say you were chosen by the Son because you know the Father. It says you know the Father because you were chosen.

Let me show you one more. In John chapter 6, Jesus says to the religious leaders at the time—those that were seeing Jesus but not believing, the Pharisees—"You have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day."

He says to the Pharisees, "You've seen me and you've heard me, and you still don't believe because you weren't given to me." He doesn't say, "You're not given to me because you don't believe."

This is woven throughout all of Scripture. What's great about these passages is none of them are trying to teach the doctrine of election, but it shows the doctrine of election is assumed by the biblical writers, including Jesus himself.

You're not chosen by God because you believe. You believe because God chose you.

Second: What Does It Mean?

Consider this teaching like a piece of candy with a hard exterior, a tough exterior, but an incredibly rich and sweet interior—maybe like a Cadbury Crème Egg.

At first glance, this idea that we don't choose God, but that he chooses us, seems perplexing, and it often seems offensive. People often worry, "Does this mean I don't have any free will? Am I just a puppet?"

But Jesus is not denying our free will. Imagine consistently choosing between two meals. One is your favorite meal of all time—for me, that might be a burrito or pizza (I have a really refined palate). And then the other meal you're choosing against is a really disgusting meal. Think primate parfait from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which is monkey brains. And for those of you who might be sitting there saying, "Well, I happen to like monkey brains," imagine rotting monkey brains.

So you're choosing between your favorite meal and rotting monkey brains. Well, you'll never, ever choose the monkey brains. Not because you lack the ability or the freedom to choose the monkey brains, but you lack the desire. It's a matter of the inclination of the heart.

You see, the human heart, when faced with the reality of the true God, instinctively resists because it fears losing control. We perceive God's sovereignty as a threat to our autonomy. Yet it's precisely the surrender to God that leads to true joy and freedom.

But the heart is wary, believing that giving control to God will end its joy, when in reality, it marks the beginning of genuine joy and fulfillment. Imagine being under a spell where what truly nourishes you looks unappealing. Only divine intervention can open our eyes to what we truly need.

Jesus is teaching that without God's initial action, we remain in a state of spiritual blindness and resistance to God.

Addressing the Fairness Question

Some argue that this teaching seems unfair, questioning why God chooses some and passes over others. But consider: fairness would mean no salvation at all for anyone.

You see, we've all committed cosmic treason by not loving God, by choosing our way instead of God's way. Across the world and throughout history, when a soldier betrays his own country and commits treason—when he leaks secrets, when he endangers his fellow comrades, when people are killed because of his disloyalty and he's caught and confronted with his treason—a verbal apology doesn't cut it. Not for treason.

The penalty generally is life imprisonment, exile from the homeland forever. But in most countries throughout history, the penalty is death.

So what's the penalty? What's the atonement for cosmic treason? What's the penalty for rebelling against the rightful authority, not of a country or a sovereign nation, but against the rightful authority of the Lord of the universe? What's the appropriate atonement?

Scripture is unmistakable. The only way to atone for cosmic sin is through cosmic payment, cosmic atonement. Who can pay that price? We cannot. It's not a matter of how hard we try. It's not something that we can achieve or earn on our own power.

And so without God Himself coming to pay it for us, we would be hopeless. We would all deserve hell. But what we also understand very little about is why God chooses some. Yet what we do know reveals his fairness and his grace.

When Peter questions Jesus about John's destiny in John chapter 21, Jesus replies, "What is that to you?" This teaches us that we focus on our own journey and trust in God's wisdom and sovereignty. God oversees it all, and we can trust Him.

The Sweetness Within the Hard Shell

There's immense sweetness in embracing the doctrine of election, though many resist because they're preoccupied with the implications for others rather than their own relationship with God. This is understandable—we all care about people that we know and love who may not know God.

But Jesus invites us to taste and see the goodness of his words. Trusting in his ways, though mysterious, are just and full of mercy.

This teaching challenges our understanding, but it offers us profound comfort. It assures us that our relationship with God isn't based on our own striving, but on his initiative and love. It calls us to rest in the assurance of his choice and respond with gratitude and faithfulness.

As we delve deeper into this, we find that the hard exterior of this teaching gives way to a rich and satisfying truth: that we are loved and chosen by God not because of anything that we have done, but because of his grace and his mercy. This is the sweetness that lies at the heart of Jesus' words, calling us to trust and surrender to his loving purpose.

The real challenge of the doctrine of election—this idea that we're not chosen because we believe, but we believe because we're chosen—is not because it's perplexing, though it is perplexing. And it's not because it's mysterious, though it is mysterious. The deeper issue with this teaching is that it's insulting to our pride.

We like the idea that we are our own masters, that we're in charge of our own souls. But Jesus says, "Unless there's an intervention, you're going to starve spiritually because every true steak to you looks like monkey brains."

This encapsulates the Western mindset: self-determination, autonomy. We're brought up to believe that we're in control of our destinies, and this teaching directly contradicts this assumption. Jesus tells us that without divine intervention, we're spiritually starving. The things that are truly nourishing appear repulsive to us.

If we are to find hope, it must come from sheer grace. We are not, in fact, the masters of our own fate or the captains of our own souls. And that truth can be offensive. But being offended is not a sufficient reason to dismiss this teaching.

God of Sheer Grace and Overwhelming Beauty

The hard exterior of this doctrine challenges our pride. Yet if we're willing to push through, we discover incredible sweetness. Jesus says in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them."

God reveals Himself here as a God of sheer grace and overwhelming beauty.

What is sheer grace? It means God's love is entirely unconditional. There's nothing in us that earns it. God's grace is not based on our merits, on our achievement. It's not based on us earning it. It's a gift.

Embracing this truth leads us to a deeper appreciation of his love and his beauty. Understanding this transforms how we see everything. It reorients our approach to life, shifting us from self-reliance to reliance on God's grace. It humbles us and instills gratitude in us, knowing that our relationship with God is founded on his initiative, not our effort.

A Personal Realization

When I was in seminary, I was challenged by this doctrine. I was wrestling with it and I had a great friend named Nathaniel who understood this doctrine well. It had sunk deeply into his heart and it was personal to him.

He asked me one day when he was trying to show me about this doctrine, "Jake, why are you a Christian?"

And I said, "Well, I'm a Christian because I believe in Jesus."

And he said, "Right, but why do you believe in Jesus? So many other people don't believe in Jesus."

And I said, "Well, I guess because I saw the folly in my ways and I turned to God and trusted God."

He said, "Good, but why did you repent? And other people haven't repented?"

I said, "Well, I guess because I know that I'm a sinner, and I admitted that I was one to God and I trusted God for my salvation."

He said, "Right, but why did you admit..."

And it dawned on me what he was getting at. If I'm chosen because I believe, it means that I'm a Christian because I'm a little better, I'm a little wiser, I'm a little humbler. There's something in me that brought God's grace into my life. And if I lose that thing, I lose God.

But if it's not "I'm chosen because I believe," but rather "I believe because I'm chosen," then what that means is the love of Christ has come into my life unconditionally. Unconditionally. That means that there's no way that I can lose God's love. It also means there's absolutely nothing about me that makes me any better than anyone else. Nothing. None of my faith, none of my virtue, none of my character. Absolutely nothing.

And what that means is God is a God of absolute and sheer grace.

This realization humbles us profoundly. It reminds us that God's grace is a gift, not a reward. It's entirely unearned and undeserved. This understanding frees us from the burden of self-reliance and self-congratulation. It reassures us that our relationship with God is secure because it doesn't rest on our ability, our accomplishments, or earning it, but solely on his grace through faith alone, in Christ alone.

How God Draws Us

Not only is God a God of sheer grace, but he's also a God of overwhelming beauty. How does he draw us? And this is the essence of the doctrine of election. We're drawn, not driven.

Look at Hosea 11:4, where God says, "I drew them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love." In the second part of that verse, it can be translated, "I lifted the yoke from their jaws and laid food before them."

What God is saying here is that unlike animals who are driven with a yoke on their back and a bit and bridle in their mouth for control, God draws us through love. He attracts us with his love.

So how do you know if you're chosen? It's when Christ becomes beautiful to you. Through Jesus, God's love and beauty draw you in, transforming your heart. And this is how election works. You find yourself irresistibly drawn to the beauty of Christ.

There are many people who give themselves to Christ, feeling driven by the need to obtain something. They think, "I need to come to God to relieve my guilt, to be a respectable Christian in society, or to have a happy and peaceful life. If I give myself to God, then He'll make things go right for me."

But then there are those who are drawn to God, not driven. And these people increasingly say, "I want God because I owe him everything. I want him for who he is, his beauty, his majesty, his greatness."

This is what the doctrine of election teaches us. God doesn't drive us with fear or obligation. We're drawn because we find God, especially revealed in Jesus Christ, compelling and beautiful in his own right.

The Nature of God's Love

Consider Deuteronomy 7:7-8 where God says, "The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because God loved you that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery."

God's saying he didn't set his affection on Israel because they were more numerous, for they were the fewest. He loved them and redeemed them because he loved them. Essentially, God is saying, "I loved you because I love you."

This may sound like circular reasoning, but all true love is like that. It's not based on conditions, it's not based on merits. If it were, that would be manipulation, not love.

Imagine a marriage where one spouse asks the other spouse, "Do you love me?" And the spouse replies, "Yes." And naturally there's a follow-up question: "Why do you love me?"

Imagine if the answer was, "Well, because you make a ton of money and I just love those abs." The person receiving that answer might think to themselves, "What if I were to lose my job? What if my six-pack becomes a keg?"

A better answer could have been, "Initially, your success and your looks were attractive to me, but these were the features. These were the occasions of my love. They're no longer the cause of my love."

True love says, "I love you just because I love you." It's unconditional. It's unwavering.

If God loves you because you repent, because you obey, because you please him, then God is happy with you because of your works. He's not happy with you personally. You'd love him only for what he gives you—comfort, answers, rewards—but not for who he is. You'd be treating one another as merchandise, as consumers.

Rather, imagine a God who says to you, "I loved you before I made the stars, and you're more beautiful to me than the stars themselves. And though the stars may fall, my love for you will endure forever."

When you realize that his love for you is unconditional, you can love him for himself and see your own beauty in him. If you grasp election, you'll understand that you were in fact a beauty to him from eternity, and he'll become a beauty to you.

Third: What Do I Do?

What does this mean practically for us if we're not chosen because we believe, but we believe because we're chosen? This has profound implications, especially for those who might say, "Well, I'm not a Christian, I'm interested. Perhaps I'm on a spiritual journey, or maybe someone just dragged me here this morning and I don't want to be here."

What does this doctrine of election mean for you?

For Those Exploring Faith

First, let's consider the challenge that it presents. Many people today think of themselves as spiritual explorers, navigating their own path, often without committing to any particular belief. We like to imagine ourselves as masters of our own fate, captains of our own soul, treating God like a cosmic ATM, available whenever we choose on our terms.

But what if God is a person, not an impersonal force? You can't just approach a person as you would an ATM. People reveal themselves on their own terms.

Many who claim to be on a spiritual search assume they can connect with God whenever they choose. But that's a significant assumption. If you feel spiritual interest or spiritual need, that might be God actively working in you right now. It's not a matter of "don't call me, I'll call you." Don't assume that it's entirely in your power to connect with God whenever you want.

That's the challenge: recognizing that God might be reaching out to you right now, and it's vital that you respond.

On the other hand, the doctrine of election takes a lot of pressure off. I often hear people express anxiety, saying, "I've prayed, but I'm not sure God will accept me."

Here's the issue. You may be giving yourself too much credit. If you want God, if you're anxious that he might not accept you, that's not something that you can conjure on your own. Your longing, your sense of need, is evidence that he's already working in your life.

A distressing sense of his absence might actually be proof of God's presence. You wouldn't long for him unless he was already drawing you.

So while the doctrine of election puts some needed pressure on us to respond, it also removes unnecessary pressure. It reassures you that if you're seeking him, it's because God's already reached out to you.

For Believers

If you're a believer, if you're a Christian and you say, "Well, I'm already a Christian, I trust in Christ," what does this doctrine mean for you?

It means resting in the profound assurance that your faith is not a result of your own striving, but of God's gracious choosing. This deepens your gratitude and your humility, knowing that the relationship you have with God is based on his initiative and love, not your merits or efforts.

This understanding brings a deeper peace and a deeper joy as you live in the fullness of his grace. It encourages you to live out your faith with confidence, knowing that God's love for you is unwavering and unearned and eternal.

The doctrine of election invites you to trust more deeply in God's goodness, to rest on his promises, and to live out your calling with boldness and joy.

If you truly embrace the doctrine of election, it'll lead to a deeper humility, recognizing that there's absolutely nothing inherently better about you than anyone else. And as a Christian, your faith isn't the result of your own wisdom, your own insight, your own virtue. It's entirely based on God's grace.

This realization strips away any sense of superiority. You see that you stand on the same level as those who may not believe. The ground at the foot of the cross is level. This truth fosters profound humility. It reminds you that your salvation is a gift, not a reward for being better or more deserving.

If your relationship with God is based on his choosing rather than your performance, it means your standing with him is secure, which provides unshakable comfort.

Some may think that believing in the doctrine of election makes you arrogant. But the Bible doesn't say, "I'm a Christian because I'm choice." It says "I'm a Christian because I'm chosen."

This means that we have hope for anyone. We can never say, "Oh, that person will never get it together. They'll never believe in Christ," because we remember that we're a miracle. If you believe in election, you have hope for any person. God's grace can reach anyone, no matter where they are.

Come find me sometime. I'll tell you where God's grace reached me.

Conclusion

The reason you and I can receive this gift of grace that God freely offers and have eternal hope—and not receive the payment for our cosmic treason—is because Jesus received the payment on our behalf.

We are chosen because Jesus was forsaken on the cross. He earned and achieved on our behalf through his perfect life. And he paid for our cosmic treason by dying on the cross. On the third day, he was resurrected. And through faith in Jesus Christ, you are saved.

Let's pray together.

Father, we thank you that you're a God of overwhelming beauty, that you're a God of sheer grace, that you've done it on our behalf. That it's not something intrinsically better about us, but it's all your work, Father. Make this truth a reality in our hearts to worship and have awe for you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

This transcript has been cleaned and formatted using AI assistance. While every effort has been made to maintain accuracy, please refer to the original recording for the most precise representation of the spoken message.