Over the past few year I have noticed on other blogs that speak of the mans varying points and angels of thought about religions view of Salvation that they seem to have no point. Some have so much talk or wording in them that one gets lost and confused. The one thing that I have learned is that GOD is not in confusion or chaos. This is mainly because they do not know or understand GOD's plan and purpose for their lives. Because along life's path they were told that we can not know GOD's will, this however is not so. For He is how ever in order and harmony and oh yes the music of nature. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace and obedience. And then to Salvation available to all men, with the use of the ESV translation.
"God Equipping Us to Do His Will"
"Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
"Our study is from Hebrews 13:20-21. In our previous meditation, we saw that the God of peace makes obedience available through the shed blood of the crucified, risen Christ. That shed blood forgives our sins, making friends out of formerly disobedient enemies of GOD and are fellow man. Furthermore, that shed blood establishes the New Covenant of Grace, which supplies God's sufficiency for all our needs, including, the developing in us an obedient life.
Now, we will reflect upon GOD being the One Who uses His divine resources to equip us to do His plan and purposes, His divine Will. What a hope and joy this is! GOD Himself is willing to undertake the task of shaping us into His obedient servants: "Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His Will."
This term, "complete," is exceedingly insightful. It speaks of equipping people for their intended task, getting them ready to do what they are called to do. To equip means to furnish whatever qualities are necessary to perform the task at hand. To equip means to supply whatever is needed for an assigned purpose. Our calling and purpose in the Will of GOD is that we engage in a great variety of good works. GOD is more than willing to equip us "in every good work to do His Will."
Long ago, David was inspired of the Holy Spirit to speak boldly in similar terms. "The LORD will perfect that which concerns me" (Psalm 138:8). In light of David's calling to obedience (and our own calling to the same), many things concern us. We are called to serve, to be a living sacrifice, to pray, to worship, to love, to evangelize, to edify — and the list continues. How are we to expect progress in such a broad range of obedience? Our confidence is that "The LORD will perfect that which concerns [us]."
As we have asked previously, is this work of GOD to equip us unto obedience an automatic issue? Not at all! Remember, we can resist (Acts 7:51), quench (1Thessalonians 5:19), and grieve (Ephesians 4:30) the work of the Spirit of Grace in our lives. So what is to be our response? Since the LORD is the One Who must be equipping us to do His Will, we are to be seeking Him. We are to be humbly dependent upon Him. We must not look to ourselves, to formulas, or to any other hope."
Salvation is Possible to all men,
Luke 3:1-6 "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of GOD came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of GOD.'"
Acts 2:14 "Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day (about 3 PM). But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the LORD (Judgement and His wrath) comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"
Romans 5:15-17, 18-19, 20-6:7 "The free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more has the Grace of GOD, the free gift of Grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought Justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of Grace and the free gift of Righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of Righteousness leads to Justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made Righteous.
Now the law (this is both that of Moses' Law and that of sin and death) came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, Grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ, Now our LORD. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that Grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? For do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? For in water baptism we were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death (nullifying sin and the curse of death in sin), in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin."
Romans 10:5-13 "For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the Law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the Righteousness based on Faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that GOD raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is Justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is LORD of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the LORD Will be saved."
1Timothy 2:1-7 "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of GOD our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth (that is to say, Christ). For there is One GOD, and there is one Mediator between GOD and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony (witness) given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."
Titus 2:11-14, 15 "The Grace of GOD has appeared, bringing Salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great GOD and Savior Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."
2Peter 3:8-10 "Do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the LORD one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The LORD is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. For the day of the LORD will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."
No comments:
Post a Comment