The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24,
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
Here is something fascinating. Paul says that since God is faithful, he will do something amazing within us: he will sanctify us 'through and through." In the previous chapter Paul said that it was God's will that believers were to be sanctified, verse 3, and that it would be evidenced by avoiding sexual immorality. There he pointed out that to reject that instruction was to reject God, verse 8. He now says that because God is faithful, he will make sure that happens.
There is a team effort that is evident here. That effort requires believers to embrace God (by not rejecting him) and as we do so God will be faithful to sanctify us through and through so that we will be kept blameless when Jesus Christ comes for us.
In Ephesians 1:4 we read, "For he [God] chose us [believers] in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Even before God created the world, knowing about the fall of man ahead of time and his redemptive purposes for us, he decided that those of us who respond to his gospel message would be sanctified, "to be holy and blameless in his sight."
Here is how Paul puts it in another place, "He [God] will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:8-9. Note that just as Paul points to God's faithfulness to us as our guarantee of this in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, so he does here in 1 Corinthians 1:9.
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
Here is something fascinating. Paul says that since God is faithful, he will do something amazing within us: he will sanctify us 'through and through." In the previous chapter Paul said that it was God's will that believers were to be sanctified, verse 3, and that it would be evidenced by avoiding sexual immorality. There he pointed out that to reject that instruction was to reject God, verse 8. He now says that because God is faithful, he will make sure that happens.
There is a team effort that is evident here. That effort requires believers to embrace God (by not rejecting him) and as we do so God will be faithful to sanctify us through and through so that we will be kept blameless when Jesus Christ comes for us.
In Ephesians 1:4 we read, "For he [God] chose us [believers] in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." Even before God created the world, knowing about the fall of man ahead of time and his redemptive purposes for us, he decided that those of us who respond to his gospel message would be sanctified, "to be holy and blameless in his sight."
Here is how Paul puts it in another place, "He [God] will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:8-9. Note that just as Paul points to God's faithfulness to us as our guarantee of this in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, so he does here in 1 Corinthians 1:9.
Jude's doxology says, "To him [God] who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." Jude 24-25.
Pretty amazing, isn't it?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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