SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/4/2017 9:48 PM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “The Performance of the New Man”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Colossians
3:12-13
Message of the verses: “12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”
We wrote about those whom God chose before the world
began in our last SD, and it is because of God’s election that believers are
holy and beloved. (Gior) is the Greek word translated holy and it means “set apart” or
“separate.” God has chosen believers out
of what could be called the mainstream of mankind and drew them to
Himself. Believers are different from
the world. However when believers do not
act differently from the world they violate the very purpose of their calling.
MacArthur writes “That believers are ‘beloved’ of God means they are objects of His special love. Election is not a cold, fatalistic doctrine. On the contrary, it is based in God’s incomprehensible love for His elect: ‘In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will’ (Eph. 1:4-5).”
When we look at the two words “chosen” and “beloved” we
can see them used in the Old Testament as they are used of Israel. We see a change in the economy of God as once
these words were used of the nation Israel is now true of all who come to faith
in Christ. There are a number of places
found in both the Old and New Testaments that show that it is God’s plan to set
Israel aside as He now deals with the church.
Now that does not mean that God has completely abandoned the Jewish
people as there are some from that nation who are being saved, and that does
not mean that God will not come back and once again focus on Israel after the
church has been completed.
Let us look at what is said in Acts 13:46-48 about those
ordained by God to eternal life: “46
Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word
of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47
“For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’" 48 Now when
the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And
as many as had been appointed
to eternal life believed.”
Paul wrote to the Romans in
9:13-16 and 19-22 as he expressed God sovereignty in choosing whom He
will:
“13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”
“19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction.”
We will continue this difficult if probably not impossible truth that is found in the Word of God in our next SD. We will never understand this, but as verse 20 says “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?”
5/4/2017 10:12 PM
No comments:
Post a Comment