We who are in Christ are there for one reason — because God chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. We were predestined to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to God, the Father, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. And, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory, Ephesians 1:4-6;11-12.
I fear that many Christians think too highly of themselves, and it’s understandable; they’ve grown up in a time when Self has been elevated to a place of prominence. In today’s society wives are no longer taught to be submissive to their husbands, and people speed on a regular basis. My wife and I are constantly being passed on the streets and highways, and many times by cars with Christian bumper stickers. I want to both scream and cry every time I see this. It’s so sad to see a Christian doing this, and it’s also irritating. How dare they be so blatantly disrespectful to the Jesus I know, the One who took me out of darkness and placed me into His marvelous light, the One who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Why would, and how could, a Christian be so disrespectful to Him? I don’t understand.
Jesus teaches us to deny ourselves and obey God; He teaches us to become nothing, esteeming others above ourselves. What on earth has happened to the church? I see and hear Christians taking Scriptures out of context just to prove a point, or prove someone else wrong. I see them contradicting their elders and those who have been put in charge of them by God. And they don’t do it in a humble manner, but in a haughty manner. No wonder Jesus asked if He would find faith on the earth when He returns.
My friends, the times we are living in are horrendous; we must redeem these times by looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We are IN Him; we are HIS body; His love should flow through us to every human being we come in contact with. We, of all people, should abide by the laws of the land wherein we live. We were not created for ourselves; we were created for God, that we might be holy and blameless before Him, and that we might be to the praise of His glory.
Let us deny ourselves in ALL things, from our desire to feel special, or equal, to others, to our desire to satisfy ourselves by lifting ourselves above the law, and above authorities God has subjected us to. Let us BE Christians. We were chosen before the foundation of the world and predestined to adoption as children of God through Jesus Christ, according to the kind intention of God’s will. And we were predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Acts 13:48b says, …and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. Beloved, it is beyond doubt that we have been predestined in accordance with God’s purpose, that is, that we might walk before Him, holy and blameless, to the praise of the glory of His grace, and that we might live with Him throughout eternity. May we govern ourselves accordingly, step by step.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
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