1 Thessalonians 3:13 13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones, amen!
In order to love as God wants us to love, we must let God change our heart. This may have been in Paul’s thought as he moves to the third request, which is expressed in an infinitive purpose clause. Establish (stērixai) means to strengthen or confirm. Blameless (amemptous) means without fault, not in a perfect sense but free from accusation of doing wrong. This type of life is free from the control of sin and is righteous (2:10). Its connection here with holiness (hagiōsynē) gives it a strong ethical quality. The only way to live a blameless life is to have God do a deeper work in our hearts (kardias). As Paul will write in just a few more verses, God’s will for us is our sanctification (4:3). God is holy and wants his family to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Holiness is being separated to God and away from sin. It requires rejecting the old life and being remade into the image of Christ.
Holiness and love are two key characteristics of God and common themes that run throughout Paul’s letters. Only God can change us to become like him in holiness and love. Loving one another will help us live holy lives. The only way to love like God wants us to love is with a blameless, sanctified heart. Likewise, the only way love can grow is when it comes from a heart transformed by God’s grace. Paul mentions for a second time Jesus’ second coming (parousia). If God’s will for us is to be loving and holy, God will provide what we need to live this way. This is not just a future promise or hope but an experience we can have right now. This is not an unreachable standard but should be our goal every day as we grow into the likeness of Christ. Only God can change us to become like him in holiness and love.
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