Weekly Devotional 4-13-20 What About Us Christians, Doesn’t God Care
It is certain that Christians suffer much that non-Christians suffer. Earthquakes and Tornados, for instant, are not selective but devastate the lives of both. Sickness and viruses attack both. Cancer, heart attacks, and strokes are the experiences of many, Christian and non-Christian alike. Doesn’t God care about us, His children? Yes, He does, but being a Christian does not reverse the effects of God’s curse of the natural (physical) realm in which we live. In our last two works, we considered the curse, man’s sin and its effects, and God’s purpose of allowing the ravages of that curse. We found that being reborn into the spiritual realm does not exclude one from the ravages of the natural realm. And, we considered that God’s intent of cursing the earth and man wasn’t/isn’t punishment, but a means of causing man to seek relief from its effects.
Moving to a conclusion of these thoughts, we should remind ourselves that God loves the whole of humanity; this is stated best in the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus: Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). God so loved man that he sent His only begotten Son into the world to bring salvation, not eternal condemnation. But, because man loved the experiences of his unregenerate old nature, he would/will not respond to God’s loving offer, even after God sacrificed His Son on the cross for them. Unrelenting, God sent His Spirit (The Holy Spirit) into the world to convince and convict man of his sin and his need of salvation (See John 16:7-8). Still, man, even after he was convinced and convicted of his sin, would not turn to Him. But because He continued to love man and because He would honor the sacrifice of His son, God commissioned His Spirit to regenerate new spiritual life in those He (God the Father) would call because of that
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honoring. In regards to this I would draw your attention to the aforementioned conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus said to him: “4 Assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God….5 assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:3…5-7). What tremendous love; impossible for us to understand unless we consider it in light of Paul’s words found in his first letter to the Corinthians: “4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails” 1(1st Corinthians 13:4-8). [Even though Paul is addressing a different issue in this passage the point is applicable—this kind of love reflects God’s love]. God so loved man and wanted/wants to have an eternal relationship with them that He satisfied the requirement for that relationship, the sacrifice of Himself, in the flesh of His only begotten Son, and He sent His Spirit into the world to bring man unto Him. Still, man refused/refuses to respond, so God, via His Spirit, births in some persons new spiritual life, assuring that they will turn to Him. Again turning to the writings of the apostle Paul we read from his letter the Ephesians: “1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in 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, 3 among 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.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the
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heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, But, God didn’t stop there; we read from Paul’s letter to the Romans that He has predestined, those whom the Spirit regenerates, to be conformed to the image of His Son so that they and He will have sweet fellowship throughout eternity. Consider: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints
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according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate a Christian from God’s love. So Yes, God cares for us. We can rest in this truth.
Steve
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com Transforming power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man