Thinking on all that my LORD GOD has revealed to me and has worked within me from the first inception of doing a blog and then doing two of them. I must say this humbled once ignorant blind and some what spiritless person has indeed grown in the Truth and Grace that is Christ Jesus, my LORD. I could say that it is no longer the I of self-sin or satan's sin that lives or rules me. For the Now is the I AM Now I AM that rules me, of Christ. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace and its relationship to the old Law of condemnation and imprisonment of Moses. And then more on GOD's Salvation receive by the Faith of Christ our LORD. Using the ESV translation as has become my habit these days. And while sharing these things should the LORD give me more enlightenment I will as if on autopilot add it.
"Even More on God's Ability and His Promises"
"Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace . . . Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." (Daniel 3:17 and Jude 24)
"The basic subject matter in this section of our meditations on growing in the Grace of GOD pertains to the promises of GOD. Living by the promises of GOD is just another way to consider living by the Grace of God. Again, our present verses speak of the ability of GOD. The more our understanding grows concerning what GOD is able to do, the more extensively will we trust in His promises.
Three young Israelites (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) gave powerful testimony of the ability of GOD. King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered all the people to engage in idolatry, under threat of severe consequences. "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn . . . you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace" (Daniel 3:4-6). The three young men had a bold answer, based on the ability of GOD. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace." They did not bow down, so they were thrown into the blazing furnace. Yet, the LORD GOD demonstrated His ability on their behalf. When the king looked into the furnace, he exclaimed, "Look! . . . I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (Daniel 3:25). Yes, GOD proved able to deliver them.
Hundreds of years later, Jude addressed GOD's ability regarding two other important arenas. "Now to Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." This aspect of GOD's ability offers assurance that GOD can keep His people from stumbling while on earth and present them faultless when they reach heaven. We all know our own capacity to stumble spiritually into transgression or compromise. We also struggle with the condemnations of the enemy that rob us of expectation to eventually stand before our LORD in glory fully forgiven, cleansed, and transformed. Our GOD is able to work effectively in both arenas for all who humbly trust in Him."
Conditions of Salvation:
Endurance,
Matthew 10:21-22 (Jesus is speaking) "Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."Faith and Confession,
Romans 10:5-13 and 1Corinthians 1:18-25, 15:1-2 and 2Timothy 3:10-17 "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."
1Corinthians 1:18-25 "The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of GOD. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of GOD, the world did not know GOD through wisdom, it pleased GOD through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of GOD and the wisdom of GOD. For the foolishness of GOD is wiser than men, and the weakness of GOD is stronger than men."
1Corinthians 15:1-2 "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain."
2Timothy 3:10-17 "You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. For all Scripture is breathed out by GOD and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Spiritual Receptivity,
James 1:19-26 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of GOD. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless."
Spiritual Diligence,
2Peter 1:1-11 "Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our GOD and Savior Jesus Christ: May Grace and Peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of GOD and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which HE has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former (satan) sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ."
Spiritual Cleansing,
Revelation 22:14-15 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."
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