And may our God and Father Himself, And our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. (12) And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, (13) so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (4:1) Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; (2) for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
The letter to the Thessalonians was written by the apostle Paul. The first three chapters of the letter look at the quality of the church there and the integrity of Paul’s life and mission. Paul spent a very short time there and it would seem his authority and character were attacked in his absence. In our verses today, Paul is praying for not just his return to the Thessalonians, but he is also calling for spiritual growth – this theme runs all through the letter to the Thessalonians.
Paul is praying to God the Father and Christ Jesus – both divine and equal. His concern is about the Thessalonians spiritual growth – a perfecting faith. Paul longs to return there so he can expand their knowledge of the gospel – their knowledge of the truth. One can’t believe what one doesn’t know. In verse 12 Paul is praying for an increase in love which would flow out of the foundation of an expanding and perfecting faith by expanding truth/knowledge of Gods sovereign plan. Love is evidence of the growth of a soul. So this growth which begins with truth and knowledge leads to faith and trust; the spillover of love for others is perfecting faith, love and hope.
The first two verses in chapter 4 introduce the subject of excelling even more – “you can do better”. Paul is introducing the priority of excellence. He is not a fan of the status quo and here he presents the major issue of spiritual growth through an expansion of knowledge/truth motivated by a longing for God. Jesus Christ is the only way love and faith can excel. It will happen when the Lord makes it happen. People who are not saved can’t grow.