Paul reminds the Thessalonians that he labored diligently and honorably among them towards a specific goal. He was not trying to fleece them of their money, nor make them loyal followers of himself. He labored “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12, New American Standard Update).

Of all the awesome things that make God worthy of our devotion, Paul mentions the fact that He calls us into His kingdom and glory. Think about that for a moment. God is calling us - you and me - into His kingdom. God is not inviting us to just consider His kingdom, or to admire it from a distance. He is calling us, through the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14), to enter His kingdom. He is not offering His kingdom as a tourist destination and inviting us to come for vacation. He is inviting us to become citizens – to make His kingdom the place where we identify ourselves and are identified by God as His own special people.

What makes this calling even more amazing is the fact that we are unworthy. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23), yet we are still called into His kingdom and glory. Our sin is not ignored or overlooked. God paid an awesome price to make us fit for His kingdom. He sent His own Son to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

The high price that was paid for us to enter God’s kingdom only increases the value of this calling. It is not to be taken lightly. For this reason, Paul admonishes us to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you.”

If we are in God’s kingdom, that means we are in His domain, we are under His rule. We must abide by His authority to enjoy the rights of citizenship in His kingdom.  

It is human nature to trivialize things and take our many blessings for granted. May this never happen to our lives as Christians. We are blessed to live as citizens in God’s kingdom now and have the hope of entering His glorious presence for eternity after this life is over. Let us all walk in a manner that is worthy of this great calling.