I wont to look into the Salvation of GOD as my targeted subject for todays blog. But first Pastor Hoekstra's writing on Grace and then using the ESV translation I will turn my attention on the Salvation of GOD.
"God Glorified by Working Obedience in Us"
"Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
"Let's make one more visit to these tremendous words in Hebrews 13:20-21. When the Lord works in us unto obedience ("what is well pleasing in His sight"), He Himself is the one who appropriately receives the glory ("to whom be glory forever and ever").
Throughout eternity, GOD is to be glorified and magnified by all. "I heard the voices of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: 'Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!' And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! " (Revelation 5:11-13).
Here in the midst of time and space, GOD is also to be glorified in and through our lives. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of GOD" (1Corinthians 10:31). That which the LORD wants us to do for His glory is clearly revealed in His commands. In the New Testament, our LORD commands His New Covenant servants in many areas. He calls us to genuine love, godly service, earnest prayer, and habitual hospitality: "Let love be without hypocrisy . . . serving the LORD . . . continuing steadfastly in prayer . . . given to hospitality" (Romans 12:9, 11-13). He instructs us to be truthful, hard-working, kind, and forgiving, "each one speak truth with his neighbor . . . let him labor, working with his hands what is good . . . be kind to one another . . . forgiving one another" (Ephesians 4:25, 28, and 32).
These commands are the things that are "well pleasing in His sight." These are also the things that He wants to bring forth by His work in us: "working in you what is well pleasing in His sight." When we seek the LORD to do such work in and through us, He is certainly the one who should get all the glory and honor."
The Salvation of GOD,
Psalm 27:1-3 "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident."
Psalm 37:35-40 and 62:1-2 "I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him."
Psalm 62:1-2 "For GOD alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken."
Isaiah 12:1-6 "You will say in that day: "I will give thanks to You, O LORD, for though You were angry with me, Your anger You turned away, that You might comfort me. "Behold, GOD is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation." With joy I will draw water from the wells of salvation. And I will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted. "Sing praises to the LORD, for He has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."
Isaiah 25:6-12 and Jeremiah 3:21-23 "On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And He Will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the LORD GOD Will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He Will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our GOD; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation." For the hand of the LORD Will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill. And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim, but the LORD Will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands. And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust."
Jeremiah 3:21-23 "A voice on the bare heights is heard, the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons because they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their GOD. "Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness." "Behold, we come to you, for you are the LORD our GOD. Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our GOD is the salvation of Israel."
Zephaniah 3:14-20 and 1Timothy 4: "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty One Who will save; He Will rejoice over you with gladness; He Will quiet you by His love; He Will exult over you with loud singing. I Will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I Will deal with all your oppressors. And I Will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I Will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I Will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I Will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes," says the LORD."
1Timothy 4:6-10 "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living GOD, Who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe."
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