01/07/2023 - PRAISE OF YOUR GLORY

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That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.   Ephesians1.12

After speaking that we have been made an inheritance (Ephesians 1.11), even before the Creator’s planning in Jesus, when nothing yet existed, the apostle Paul declared that we, the saved, the first to put our hope in Christ, are destined for the praise of the glory of God. Now, the creation of man is surrounded by this hope that we need to learn, so we must read the Word and meditate on it always,  thus, we will not frustrate the Lord. We have been predestined!

Predestination has been very badly misunderstood, for they say that the Lord had made some to be saved and others to perdition, but this we cannot accept. Now, being holy, He would not create some to be happy and others destined to eternal punishment. God knew that there would be the Fall when all would be separated from Him. So, He would send His Son into the world to provide our salvation by dying in our place.

The redemption of any person occurs in a way that is simple to our understanding, but complex in its essence. Those who surrender to Jesus enjoy the work He has done and go through the process called being born again (John 3.7). Those who reject Him remain separated from the Father, and if they die without accepting Him as their Savior, they will never again have the opportunity to be born again, a condition for escaping eternal damnation.

Paul said that the purpose of salvation is that Christians should be to the praise of the glory of God. But, unfortunately, many who started out well have been led into temptation and, as a result, have fallen into sin. Consequently, after death, they will not have another chance. We have the tools to break the barrier of perdition in front of these people, which leads them to refuse the free gift of God. Those who love the Lord are loved by Him (John 14.21).

While we are here, we should live to the praise of the blessed and wonderful glory of the Father until after death. However, that’s not exactly what we have seen. During prayers and supplications, out of the mouths of many have come only complaints and grumblings. Even unconsciously, when they should produce praises to God for what He does, they accuse Him of not answering them.

We came into the world to partake of the divine nature, but we forget that we have to do our part first, so that God can do His (John 14.21,23). Peter wrote: By which he has given us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1.4). It is our duty to be partakers of the nature of the Lord. What will you do?

God has given us the conditions to carry out His purpose, designed before the command for His plan to actually exist; then everything became as He planned. I ask: if we have the tools, why don’t we carry out the work? You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways (Job 22.28).

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares