SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/12/2014 10:48 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
Evidence of Being Elect PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 1:3
Message
of the verses: I want to begin with
a quote that perhaps I may begin many of the SD’s with while we are in the
first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, and that quote is from John MacArthur
explaining the Greek word that can be translated “elect.” This is important to understand so that we
can better understand this chapter.
“Paul’s use of the Greek word translated church (ekkesia) emphasizes the
reality of the Thessalonians’ election.
Ekkesia is related to the phrase ek kaleo, ‘to call out,’ and means ‘the
called out ones,’ or it can mean ‘the elect ones,’ especially when connected
with the phase ‘His choice of you’ (v. 4), which is specific. Paul was certain that the Thessalonians were
among God’s elect because he had seen the evidence of their transformation.”
As we go through this first chapter we will see that
there are ten characteristics revealed to show that the people in Thessalonica
were believers or were “elect.” The
following is a definition of the word “elect” from the Greek/English dictionary
from the 24th chapter of Matthew:
“Mt 24:22 "Unless those days
had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the
elect those days will be cut short.
Mt 24:24 "For false Christs and false prophets
will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if
possible, even the elect.
Mt 24:31 "And He will send forth His angels with
A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds,
from one end of the sky to the other.
“1588 ἐκλεκτός eklektos
ek-lek-tos’ from 1586; adj; TDNT-4:181,505; { See TDNT 431}
1) picked out, chosen
1a) chosen by God,
1a1) to obtain salvation through
Christ
1a1a) Christians are called
"chosen or elect" of God
1a2) the Messiah is called
"elect," as appointed by God to the most exalted office conceivable
1a3) choice, select, i.e.
the best of its kind or class, excellence preeminent: applied to certain
individual Christians”
I want to give a list
of these characteristics at this time: “How
do you know the true Christians? Listen very carefully now to what I say or you
might be confused. You can tell a true Christian, he has a faith that works, a love that labors, a hope that perseveres, has been under a preaching that is
powerful, has a
life that is new, has a
joy that is transcendent, a behavior that is exemplary,
a witness that is strong
and an allegiance that
submits, and a
waiting for Jesus. Now listen carefully. If these don't mark you, then I can't tell if you're a Christian
and very likely, neither can you.” (From
John MacArthur’s Sermon “Identifying the Elect PT-3)
A Faith that Worded (1
Thessalonians 1:3a): “constantly bearing
in mind your work of faith.”
I want to focus in on
the word “work” for a true believer has had a work of faith in his life. We can see this work of faith described by
Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17 which states “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away;
behold, new things have
come.” MacArthur writes “Simply
stated, the elect engage in holy, righteous deeds to the honor of God. Work is the Greek word ergon, which refers to the deed, achievement, or function
itself. Paul was confident of the
Thessalonians’ election because their faith—the authentic saving and
sanctifying gift from God—was producing righteous deeds in their lives.”
Now we cannot get the
cart before the horse, and as we look at another “famous” Scripture from Paul’s
writing we will see how this works: “ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may
boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Paul is telling the Ephesians that first
comes the gift of God through His grace through faith and then after that comes
the works that show that they are truly believers. James also writes about this, and some have
gotten mixed up about what James wrote when he writes “18 But someone may well
say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the
works, and I will show you my
faith by my works." 19 You believe that God is one. You do well;
the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you
foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our
father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working
with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 26
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is
dead (James 2:18-22, 26).” It was
because Abraham was a true believer that he could do the works of offering
Isaac as a sacrifice, and this was not a work to cause him to become a
believer, but a work that showed he was a believer. Christians are to do the works that God leads
them to do, and I believe that according to Ephesians 2:10 that God has chosen
special works for all of His children to do, but this does not give them
salvation, but proves that they have received salvation. “for it is God who is at work in you, both to
will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).”
In the book of Romans
and chapter six and verses 16-18 along with 21-22 we read about how believers
before they became believers were slaves to sin, but now believers are
transformed to a different kind of slavery.
Labor of Love (1
Thessalonians 1:3b): “and labor of love.” I want to give some verses that speak of how
believers have a labor of love. “John
14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you
will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide
in His love.”
John MacArthur writes
the following: “Labor is a Greek word kopos, which denotes an arduous,
wearying kind of toil, done to the point of exhaustion. Unlike ergon
(work), which focuses on the deed itself, kopos
looks at the effort expended in accomplishing a particular deed. It is an effort that strains all of one’s
energies to the maximum level. The
noblest, most altruistic and selfless form of love (agape) motivates this kind of spiritual effort. The apostle Paul referred to the spiritual
effort believers make as they work to advance divine truth and the kingdom of
the Lord because they sincerely love people.”
A Hope That Endured (1 Thessalonians 1:3c): “and
steadfastness of hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, “
As we look at these
characteristics of a true believer we can see that Paul has written about them
in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians where he states: “But now faith, hope, love, abide these
three; but the greatest of these is love.”
This comes from the “famous” chapter on Love.
Paul describes this
hope that all true believers have, and something we will discuss again in verse
ten of this chapter, in Titus 2:11-13 “11 For the grace of God has appeared,
bringing salvation to all men, 12
instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live
sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our
great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”
Paul could teach this
truth to others because he has so much confidence in his own life about the
return of Christ as he writes “in the future there is laid up for me the crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that
day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2
Timothy 4:8).” Remember that 2 Timothy
was written not too long before Paul was executed in Rome. Now let’s look at what the author of Hebrews
writes about this hope: “18 so that by two unchangeable things in which
it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong
encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast
and one which enters within the veil, 20
where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high
priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:18-20).”
Let us look at what MacArthur says about the word “Steadfastness.” “It is from the Greek word hupomone, which conveys the idea of
endurance or perseverance; literally, it denotes the condition of staying under
pressure. It is closely related to the
theological concept the Reformers called ‘the perseverance of the saints’ (cf.
Rom. 2:7; 2 Thess. 1:4; Rev. 14:12)—that is, Christians will hold fast to their
hope until the end. There is nothing
that should cause a true Christian to lose his trust in God’s promises: “4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the
world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. 5 Who is
the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God? (1 John 5:4-5). For believers, true
hope is a strong longing and groaning to ‘be at home with the Lord’ (see 2
Corinthians 5:2-8).”
As believers we have a
great hope that is based what the Scriptures tell us, and we must remember that
hope is a noun and not a verb, where as if it were a verb we would say
something like “I hope it is sunny tomorrow.”
Our hope is sure and all believers demonstrate that kind of hope, or at
least should demonstrate that kind of hope in their lives. We understand that this world is not our
home, but we are here on earth to do the will of God, and we at times have
tests in our lives to help us better understand that God is in control of our
lives. Warren Wiersbe has said many
times in his writings when talking about tests that believers go through that
when we go through the furnace of testing God has His hand on the
thermostat.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I am so happy to study about the different characteristics
of the true believer. I know that no one
will always demonstrate all of these characteristics, but they are good to know
to show me that I am a true believer. I
know that on the 26th of January of 1974 that God invaded my life
and my life has never been the same since.
I also know that there are battles that I face each and every day, but
God is faithful to see me through them.
I will always remember when it comes to those battles what an old
Scottish preacher says, whom Dr. Wiersbe has quoted many times “The Christian
life is a series of new beginnings.” God
is not through with me yet, and my prayer is that I will begin to demonstrate
all of these characteristics of the elect in my life each day of my life.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: Continue to trust the Lord to lead my
life. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Memory verses for the week:
Philippians 2:5-8
5 Have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who,
although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped, 7 but humbled Himself, taking on the form of a
bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:
“Adam” (Genesis 2:23).
Today’s Bible question: “What
city did Cain build?”
Answer in our next SD.
3/12/2014 12:31 PM
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