I looked at part of our being the scourge of the world sometimes looked at as our being a reproach and of our suffering for the witness of Christ's Spirit within us. Today I will look into the Saints being despised more then the rest of the world. Scripture states that judgment begins at the house of GOD, which is family unit of GOD. This may just be miss understood because when GOD allows us to be a living witness (remember satan has been judged, condemned) of Christ in man, we become a scourge or whip to the worldly, this may appear as judgment on His Family. Because mans sight and thinking is a skewed (having nature of satan within them) from the moment of the fall. If we have not the witness of Christ by this means we are none of His. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his writing on Grace as we acquire Christ's character we live daily by His Grace and Truth active within each of us as being One with GOD again. After that I will look at the Saints Despised with the led of the LORD. Making use of the ESV translation.
"The Certainty of All the Promises of God"
"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us . . . was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2Corinthians 1:19-20)
"As we have seen, some of the promises of GOD are "exceedingly great and precious." Others are very "unpopular." The former category of promises brings encouragement, strength, hope, comfort. For example, "The LORD Will perfect that which concerns me" (Psalm 138:8). The latter category warns, awakens, humbles, prepares. For example, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus Will suffer persecution" (2Timothy 3:12). Yet, whether we gladly embrace a "precious" promise or struggle with an "unpopular" promise, there is the absolute certainty of all the promises of GOD being fulfilled. Our present verses explain the basis of this certainty. The assurance is related to the very nature of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34; Jeremiah 15:10; Luke 12:49-53, Acts 13:45-50, 14:2; Job 18:5). In another passage it states the HE makes His ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7).
When Paul and his missionary team preached about the Lord Jesus, it was not a "yes-and-no" message. "For the Son of GOD, Jesus Christ, Who was preached among you by us . . . was not Yes and No." The character and message of Jesus is not characterized by uncertainty. He is faithful and sure. The message concerning Him, as well as the messages He proclaimed, are "Yes." They are all guaranteed realities. It is not that Jesus could be the Son of GOD. He IS certainly such. It is not that Jesus might save all who call upon Him. Such is totally assured. It is not that some of His promises could possibly be fulfilled. Rather, all of them will absolutely be fulfilled. Ezekiel declared this Truth concerning all of the Godhead. "For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass . . . the word which I speak will be done" (Ezekiel 12:25, 28). Later, John added a particular word concerning our reliable Savior: "Jesus Christ, the faithful witness" (Revelation 1:5). No wonder then that "all the promises of GOD in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of GOD through us." Our GOD is going to faithfully do everything that HE has ever stated in every one of His promises. The result will be great glory for Him, as HE fulfills His promises in and through our lives.
Day by day throughout the family of GOD, some Christians live in the blessed certainty of GOD's promises, while others do not. The determining difference is faith versus unbelief. Joshua and Caleb of old entered into the promised land. The rest of that generation "could not enter in because of unbelief"" (Hebrews 3:19).
Saints Despised:
1Samuel 17:41-47 "The Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and HE will give you into our hand."
2Samuel 6:15-16 "David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn.
As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart."
Nehemiah 2:17-20 "Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision." And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?" Then I replied to them, "The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem."
Nehemiah 4:1-3 "Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?" Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!"
Job 12:1-6 "Then Job answered and said: "No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends; I, who called to God and HE answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock. In the thought of one who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for those whose feet slip. The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand."
Tsadhe.
Psalm 119:137-144 "Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are Your rules. You have appointed Your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget Your words. Your promises are well tried, and Your servant loves them. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is righteous forever, and Your law is true. Trouble and anguish have found me out, but Your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding (light) that I may live."
1Corinthians 1:26-31 "Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But GOD chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; GOD chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; GOD chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of GOD. Because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from GOD, Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the LORD."
1Corinthians 4:8-13 "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! For I think that GOD has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things."
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