What did Paul mean in 2 Thessalonians 1:11, when he said he would pray that God would make them worthy?
2 Thessalonians 1:11
ESV - 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.
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Asked September 12 2014
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Linda Kowatsch
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Tim Maas
In my opinion, Christians can never be totally worthy, or repay God adequately, for the grace and mercy that God has shown to them by granting them eternal life for Jesus' sake, nor is Paul (in the verse cited in the question) suggesting that they can. The most that Christians can do is to make the greatest possible use of the resources ("time, talents, and treasure") with which God has blessed them in glorifying God and in furthering the spread of His kingdom, as God has called on all Christians to do.
In the verse being asked about, Paul is expressing the hope and prayer that the Thessalonians (with the help of God the Holy Spirit working within and through them) would (to the fullest possible extent) live up to, or prove themselves worthy of, this Christian calling by making the maximum effort of which they were capable in this regard.
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