Monthly Archives: January 2018

Weekly Devotional 1-22-18 God’s Love and Righteousness is Extended to all People

Weekly Devotional 1-22-18 God’s Love and Righteousness is Extended to all People

God is one God; there is no variance in Him (James 1:17). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). In His love of man, He is eternally the same and unchangeable. He is also unchangeable in righteousness. In His righteousness He is fair and just toward all persons; something that may not be readily obvious in the fallen and corrupt world in which we live, but will be made clear in the judgment (See Revelation 20). God does not play favorites in the dispensing of His love, mercy and grace, but is fair in His dealings with His creation, herein mankind. This is inclusive of unregenerate man, the Jew, and the Church.

As to the world of unregenerate man, God has given adequate testimony of His Being. This evidence is found in man’s God given intuitionism (See John 1:1-5; 3:19-21); the testimony of nature (See Romans 1:18-32); the testimony of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (See the Gospel of John); and the testimony of God the Holy Spirit (See John 16:7-11).

As to the Jew of old, God established laws that gave direction, and if observed, He could dwell among them, which was His desire. Because of His love for them, He established a sacrificial system and that if they broke those laws, which He knew they would, He could not remain among them. The sacrifices of that system pointed to Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who would sacrifice Himself for the payment of sin making salvation available. (See John 3:14-18; Colossians 1:20-22 and Hebrews 10:1-10).

As to the Church, an assembly of persons called from among man, God birthed new spiritual life in them so that they could worship Him in the power of the Holy Spirit and in truth (John 4:6-24). As He did
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for unregenerate man and for Israel (the Jew), He sacrificed his Son for their redemption. He was sacrificed in order that man could be forgiven of their sin and made righteous. The Scriptures affirm and confirm that God laid man’s salvation upon His Son Jesus knowing that man, on his own, would not desire fellowship with Him or would be faithful in a commitment to Him. The apostle Paul writing of this recorded; “1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:1-10 NKJB).

We note that Paul was addressing both Jew and Gentile. It was an inclusive letter. Paul’s conclusion was that at the time that God moved on their behalf, they were dead toward God. That is, as death separates the dead from the living, sin had separated them from God. God had to move on their behalf before they would seek and turn to Him. This is true of those to whom he wrote (the Ephesians), and of all persons.

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It is clear from the evidence given that there is only one way to God. Why continue to struggle (if you are) to gain His blessing? As Paul wrote; it is by God’s grace that a person is saved or made right with God through faith, not of works. This truth was settled in the heart and mind of a jailor, who in compliance to Roman authority, had locked Paul and Silas in the local jail because of false accusations made against them (Acts 16:16-34). The record does not state whether he was a religious person or not, but because of his inner turmoil caused by Paul and Silas’ testimony throughout Philippi, and their conduct in the jail he had charge over, that he sought relief from that turmoil. He asked them what he must do to be saved. They spoke unto him the word of the Lord saying that if he wanted to be relieved of his turmoil, and more importantly be saved from his sin, he was to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he would be saved; not only him, but his household. The record concludes that he turned to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation and immediately was added to the kingdom of God. His relief and salvation were the experiences of thousands of other persons recorded in the Book of Acts. They each came to understand that relief from their inner turmoil and their sin could not be accomplished by anything they could do, but by placing their faith in Jesus Christ, God provision.

If this isn’t your experience, it can be. Why continue to struggle? Simply learn of Jesus and then trust Him for your salvation and relief from your inward struggles.

Blessings

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man

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