WHAT GOD IS TO HIS PEOPLE
Part 2
Psa. 3:10
Morning Meditation 7/22/17
GOD IS A LIFE GIVING GOD TO SAVE US
Ephesians 2:5, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)" Paul speaks of their past in this verse. "Even when we were dead in sins." He speaks of our presence in this verse, "hath quickened us together with Christ." The word quickened is the resurrection word in this verse. When God raised Christ from the dead He raise every one who had faith in Him both the living dead and the dead dead. Paradise was moved when Jesus was raised from the dead. When one dies today he does not go to the bosom of Abraham, but into the very presence of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:). The words "Hath quickened" translated an aorist tense. This is the way Strong defines the aorist tense: The aorist tense is characterized by its emphasis on punctiliar "action; that is, the concept of the verb is considered without regard for past, present, or future time. There is no direct or clear English equivalent for this tense, though it is generally rendered as a simple past tense in most translations. It is a point of time divorced from time and perpetuated forever. That is what happens in salvation. One is saved at a point of time, that point of time in which he is saved is divorced from time, and it is perpetuated forever. That is an eternal act on God's part and it can never be revoked. It has the quality of eternity stamped on it and it will never be altered.
The Lord Jesus restored physical life to three people that are recorded in the Bible during His personal ministry. He restored Lazarus, He restored the widows son, and He restored the 12 year old girl recorded in Mark 5:41-42. But the greatest restoration to life is the new birth that restores the lost life of Adam. When Adam died he died on the very day he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He didn't die physically that day. He died spiritually. Salvation is God's grace restoring that life. And It can be done here and now. John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." The words "is passed" translates a word that means, "to pass over from one place to another." It is a perfect active indicative verb. The perfect tense means that the action took place in the past and what happened in the past remains as true now as it was then.. Those who were saved remain saved and have the promise that now they have passed from death to life that they will never come into condemnation. Someone hold my mules!!! Hallelujah!!!
What an awesome God we have who would take us on the basis of faith alone, through Christ alone, by grace alone. Amen!!!
Not only do we have a life giving God to save us, but,
WE HAVE A TRUTH-KEEPING GOD TO ENCOURAGE US
Psalms 146:6, "Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:" The words "which keepeth" for ever means that God is in essence truth and guards it, and keeps it, and never in any case departs from it. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
It is impossible for God to lie. Hebrews 6:18, "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" Here the fact that God cannot lie is given as a basis for us to have strong consolation.
Paul wrote Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" The fact that God cannot lie is used by Paul to address Mark to give him assurance of eternal life. He calls it "In hope of eternal life." This hope is not the weak word we use in the English language. In the Bible it is "The joyful anticipation of a reality."
Everything that God has promised to the Christian is based on a Truth-Keeping God. God does not change His mind about what He promises. Even when we are undeserving after we are saved He will not go back on His word. Malachi 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.." Read the book of Malachi and see the terrible condition that the Jews were in so far as their sin was concerned. But in spite of that, God had made a promise, and it was a promise of grace, and no matter how great their failure was, once God made a promise, He did not go back on the truth. That is the reason they were secure. That is what the verse was given for. i..e., the assurance of their destiny in spite of their short comings. God never condones our sins but He will not break His covenant because of man's sin. It is a covenant of grace that is base on Jesus paying the price in full. Don't let me give the wrong impression. God chastens His children because of sin, especially unconfessed sin. Paul made this plain in 1 Corinthians 11:31-32, "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."
This should give those who have constant doubt a great encouragement. It is God who saves and keeps. Once you put you faith in Christ your eternal destiny is settled. But that does not give us a license to sin but an encouragement to live a holy life and please the one who died for us. Next,
WE HAVE AN UNCHANGING GOD TO SECURE US
God says in Malachi 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." The security of the believer is based on that fact that God does not change. Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."
I know all the arguments against the eternal security of the believe. They say, "If I believed that I would go out and do what I wanted and not worry about it." The answer that most who believe in the eternal security give is "I do what I want to." But that is not a Scriptural answer. Those who would insist on that answer, I want to ask you a question. Have you ever sinned since you have been saved? If you have sinned since you have been saved, did anyone force you to do it? Did you do it because you wanted to? Then according to your answer, you must still be unsaved. Because if you sinned because you wanted to, THEN YOUR WANT TO HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED!!!
It is true when we are saved we sin less even though we are not sinless. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." This is speaking of the inward man who has been regenerated and is now indwelt by the blessed Holy Spirit. But we still have an old sin nature that is as vile as it ever was. We are subject to temptation in that area of our lives and if we are not "walking in the Spirit" we will fulfill the lusts of the flesh." For more on this read Rom. 7 and Galatians chapter 5.
Security is based on the unchangeableness of God. Think about it. John 6:37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Jesus took us when we were sinners and cleansed us by His blood. He knew we were but dust and lousy dust at that. So it is no surprise to the Lord when we need Him and His forgiveness. And we are always welcome. Peter asked Jesus on one occasion how many times should a believer forgive someone who sins against them? And He replied 70 times seven. And if my figures are right that's about 490 times a day. I believe He was talking about daily forgiveness. I do not think that He meant to have your notebook out counting the number of times so that when it was over he could sock him in the snozzel. I believe that Jesus means for us to have an unlimited times to forgive people when they sin against you. I know that is not an easy thing to deal with. But I simply ask the question, "How many times does the Lord forgive you in a days time.? If you are like me, it is a bunch of times. Jesus never ask me to do anything that He did not do Himself. Praise His name He is a forgiving God. And He never says now this is 390 times, you better straighten up because when the 490th time comes, I'm dropping you like a hot potato!!! No His forgiveness is unlimited. And this is what makes us secure. Our forgiveness is past, present, and future. Praise the Lord we are secure in Him. Next,
HE IS A VICTORIOUS GOD TO OVERCOME FOR US
1 John 4:4 of, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." The words "Ye are of God" speaks of our origin. Just remember this when you enter a temptation and you sense the presence of Satan strongly. Remind Him that you are your Lord's property. Tell him that he will have to come through Jesus to get to you. When you do that, he will say oops! I've come to the wrong place. He knows the Scripture.
Jesus looks upon us as "Little children" translates "teknion" and means, "a little child." Jesus recognized that His disciples were His "little children." They were little so far as their maturity is concerned. They were His little children because to be saved you had to be born again and Jesus is the Begetter. He is the one who sent the Holy Spirit to enter the virgin and do in her what Joseph would have done as husband and wife. The Lord's conception is/was miraculous from the very beginning. Mary did not understand but She was a godly virgin and had saver herself so that when she did marry so she would be giving herself to a man in absolute purity. She was a believer and as a believer she knew that that "Holy thing" Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." The angel took care of the explanation and Mary accepted the explanation without hesitation. God overcame all scientific impossibilities in bringing His Son into the world.
He over came all scientific impossibilities when He raise Him from the dead.. He will overcome all scientific impossibilities when He returns in glory. He will overcome all scientific impossibilities when He raptures the living saints and raises the "dead in Christ." He will over come for us. He is the Overcomer. Revelation 12:11, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Jesus is truly the Overcomer. Trust Him without reserve. He is the one who we have our faith in. And He is powerful enough to fulfil the promises.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
