November
14, 2003
CHOSEN
FOR SALVATION
"God
from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification
by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Thessalonians
2:13, NKJV).
In this
text the two agencies in the work of salvation are revealed
- the sanctifying influence of the Spirit led life and the
faith of those who know and follow Jesus. It is through the
sanctification of the Holy Spirit and belief in the truth
that God has shared with us in the scriptures that we receive
the salvation God has provided for all mankind. It is this
combination of God's Spirit and the faith of the believer
that brings us into unity with our Creator. It is this union
of the believer following the Spirit's leading that we become
laborers together with God.
The blood
of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the divine Word are ours.
The object of all this provision of heaven is before us -
the salvation of souls for whom Christ died; and it depends
upon us to lay hold by faith on the promises God has given.
Divine and human agencies are to cooperate in the work of
saving souls.
"There
is no limit to the usefulness of one who, putting self aside,
makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart
and lives a life wholly consecrated to God. All who consecrate
body, soul, and spirit to His service will be constantly receiving
a new endowment of physical, mental, and spiritual power.
The inexhaustible supplies of heaven are at their command.
Christ gives them the breath of His own Spirit, the life of
His own life. The Holy Spirit puts forth its highest energies
to work in mind and heart. Through the grace given us we may
achieve victories that because of our own erroneous and preconceived
opinions, our defects of character, our smallness of faith,
have seemed impossible."--God's
Amazing Grace, p. 208.
God is
bringing together a society that appreciates His love and
values. They are the ones that He will be taking to inherit
the kingdom prepared for them. In this life, we are making
our choices for eternity. He is building a society that is
trustworthy. His society is based on love and respect for
the individual as well as the collective of all people.
Making
friends for God and for Jesus in this life is the same as
making friends for eternity in the life to come. You, my friend,
have been "Chosen for Salvation" even before
the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).
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