2 Thessalonians 3:16-18 Christian Standard Bible
Final Greetings
16 May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 17 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand, which is an authenticating mark in every letter; this is how I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The verse 2 Thessalonians 3:18 in the King James Version of the Bible reads: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Our verse today serves as a benediction, a farewell blessing, final greetings for the Thessalonian church. It is a very common way for the apostle Paul to end his letters, by invoking God’s grace and peace upon his readers.
The verse is short and simple, yet it carries a profound message of God’s love and favor for the believers in Thessalonica.
The theme of grace is central to this verse.
Grace is God’s unmerited favor towards humanity, and it is through the grace of Jesus Christ believers are saved and empowered to live a life pleasing to God.
In this benediction, Paul wishes for the Thessalonians to experience the fullness of God’s grace in their lives.
This grace is not only a one-time gift of salvation, but a continual source of strength, comfort, and assurance, courage and empowerment for believers as they daily navigate through life’s tortuous challenges and its rigorous trials.
The use of the phrase “our Lord Jesus Christ” emphasizes the deity and lordship of Jesus. It is a reminder to the Thessalonians their faith and hope are sturdily anchored in a living and powerful Savior who reigns over all creation.
By invoking the name of Jesus Christ, Paul is affirming the central role of Jesus Christ in the lives of believers and the unsearchable significance of His grace in their spiritual journey.
The phrase “be with you all” indicates Paul’s desire for the Thessalonian church as a whole to experience the fullness of God’s grace.
It is a solemn prayer for unity and harmony among the believers, as they are collectively blessed by the grace of Jesus Christ.
The language of inclusivity in this benediction reinforces the idea that all believers, regardless of their background or status, are equally recipients of God’s grace and are partakers of the blessings that come from being in Christ.
The word “Amen” signifies affirmation and agreement with the preceding words. It is a fitting conclusion to this benediction, as the readers are invited to join in the collective prayer for God’s grace to be with them all day, everyday.
By collectively saying “Amen,” the Thessalonians express their consent and their belief in the truth of the blessing pronounced by Paul.
In the broader context of the book of 2 Thessalonians, this verse comes at the end of Paul’s letter, where he addresses issues concerning the day of the Lord and the critical importance of them leading a disciplined and productive life.
The benediction serves as a reminder to the Thessalonians that despite the challenges and uncertainties they may face, they can find strength and hope in the grace of Jesus Christ. It also reinforces the central themes of unity, faith, and perseverance that are clearly emphasized, prevalent throughout the book.
Symbolically, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ represents the unmerited favor and love that God extends towards His people.
It is a symbol of God’s relentless pursuit of humanity, desiring to bestow His blessings and goodness upon those who turn to Him in faith. The benediction serves as a symbolic gesture of imparting this grace upon the Thessalonians, inviting them to experience the richness and fullness of God’s love in their lives.
In conclusion, 2 Thessalonians 3:18 is a powerful benediction that encapsulates the themes of grace, unity, and faith.
It serves as an ever present reminder to contemporary believers of the enduring and empowering nature of God’s grace, and the hope and strength it provides in the midst of life’s challenges.
The verse is a timeless expression of God’s love and favor towards His people, and it certainly, divinely continues to resonate with believers today as a steady source of God’s blessed assurance, inspiration, encouragement and blessing.
Why is Grace the Most Powerful Gift of All …?
Ephesians 2:6-10 Amplified Bible
6 And He raised us up together with Him [when we believed], and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, [because we are] in Christ Jesus, 7 [and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the immeasurable and unsurpassed riches of His grace in [His] kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [by providing for our redemption]. 8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].
Paul could have ended 2 Thessalonians in dozens of ways; instead, he focuses on one thing alone: grace. Because grace is the most powerful concept of all.
Often, all we need is a little grace.
Grace is renewing. It reaches deep inside us. It finds the despair and pain and offers love. It says, “Yes, you may be unworthy but you are loved and forgiven.”
Paul devoted much of his writing to the concept of grace.
It is the grace of God, as shown through Jesus’ death and resurrection—for our sins, so that we could have relationship with God—that drove Paul’s entire life.
Grace is what Paul himself had experienced as a redeemed sinner.
It is grace that I have experienced as a redeemed sinner.
It is grace that we all need.
How different would our world be if we all offered people the grace we have received?
If instead of holding grudges and demanding apologies, we lived with a spirit of forgiveness?
If instead of hoping that people would fall on their sword, we offered grace and love?
If instead of being bitter we offered hope?
If instead of considering ourselves better than others, we noted the incredible and unmerited redemption we have in Christ?
Imagine what could be rivaled if the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is what we proclaimed to everyone.
Imagine what could be if grace drove our entire lives and if it’s what we wished for each and every person.
What parts of your life need to be transformed by grace today?
Who can you show incredible grace to today, in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Drop me a comment, I would love to hear from you.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit
Praying …
Psalm 84Amplified Bible
Longing for the Temple Worship.
To the Chief Musician; set to a [a]Philistine lute. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
84 How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
2
My soul (my life, my inner self) longs for and greatly desires the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3
The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4
Blessed and greatly favored are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence;
They will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah.
5
Blessed and greatly favored is the man whose strength is in You,
In [b]whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6
Passing through the Valley of Weeping ([c]Baca), they make it a place of springs;
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
7
They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power];
Each of them appears before God in Zion.
8
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Listen, O God of Jacob! Selah.
9
See our shield, O God,
And look at the face of Your anointed [the king as Your representative].
10
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else];
I would rather stand [as a doorkeeper] at the threshold of the house of my God
Than to live [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.
11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord bestows grace and favor and honor;
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12
O Lord of hosts,
How blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in You [believing in You, relying on You, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation].
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 