Saturday January 28, 2017
“Confidence in God’s plan of Grace”
28 And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according
to His
purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew,
He also predestined to be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many
brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined,
these He also called; whom He
called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
– Romans 8:28-30
The Plan of Grace
The Plan of God – cont. (c)
Our text for today is not an error, it is the same verse from yesterday
(unless you missed yesterday). We are finishing up on the first of three verses
that deal with salvation from different perspectives.
Romans 8:28 is a familiar passage used by Christians to comfort one
another in times of trouble. This is fine but in context, we saw yesterday as
Paul refers to the plan of salvation is God’s purpose. And the ultimate purpose
is to make us like Christ.
His goal is the complete
restoration of the image of God in his child. So great a work demands all
the resources which God finds throughout the universe, and he ransacks the
possibilities of joys and sorrows in order to produce in us the character of
Jesus. But the question arises: with such poor material, how can God guarantee the
glorious finished articles? The answer is that for all the differences which
mark the followers of Christ, some things are always true of them. They have been foreknown by God, and
he has predestined them. He has called them into his kingdom and justified
them. It is these who will bear the image of his son on the Day of Glory…. The
apostle is stretching out before us the dimensions
of God’s saving grace. Its full expanse is seen in the divine plan of salvation. His love for us began before the dawning
of time and extends until time’s last rolling year has gone.
Challenge: our
confidence is possible only on the basis of an appreciation of the basic
elements in the plan of Grace.
“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.”
This Day in Christian History:
Jan 28, 1521 – date of Imperial Congress in
Worms, Germany to question Martin Luther about his teachings and to force him
to retract. It was at this event that he made his famous, “Here I stand” speech, where he refused to recant on his teachings
and position which opposed the Roman church, on the grounds of God’s Word and
his conscience.
Memory Verse: (Sun Jan 22)
Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand – Ephesians 6:13
Ko ia, mou to‘o ‘a e mahafu kotoa ‘a e ‘Otua, koe‘uhi ke mou lava ke
talitu‘u ‘i he ‘aho ‘o e fai mai ‘a e kovi; pea kuo lava kotoa pē kae tu‘u pē
– ‘Efeso 6:13
Bible Reading Plan: (52 weeks; 5 days a week)
Week 4 – Gen 41-50; Psalm
24, 108, 25; Mark 16, Gal 1-3
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