One of the greatest summaries of our salvation is found in Romans 8:29-30, where the Apostle Paul tells us, “For those whom [God] foreknew, he also predestined….and those whom he predestined, he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” This verse summarizes the eternal plan of God designed in eternity past, the execution of that plan in time, and God’s intention to fulfill that plan in eternity future.

At the very center of this unbreakable chain is God’s plan of execution, namely a “calling.” Those whom God foreknew and subsequently predestined, He calls in time with the inevitable result that they will also be justified and glorified. Because God is omnipotent, there is nothing that can frustrate this plan. It is all His doing. Reformed theologians typically understand this act of God as being monergistic, rather than synergistic. In other words, God works alone through the Holy Spirit to bring about salvation to an individual through spiritual regeneration without the assistance of the individual. Since this is true, it makes sense to clarify this calling as an “effectual” calling. God’s calling of His elect does not fall on deaf ears. Jesus makes it clear when He said, “All that the Father gives to me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (Jn 6:37). Jesus was certain that the ones whom the Father had given Him before time would come to Him.

Understanding the Difference
It is important to understand that while the Gospel goes out to all men and calls them to repent (Acts 17:30), not all are effectually called. Scripture is clear that there are two types of calling. There is what is known as a general call, or external call, in which the Gospel is offered to all people, even to those who do not accept it. By contrast, the effective calling of God that actually brings about a willing response from the person who hears it is internal and effectual. When God intends to accomplish His work, He effectually works in an individual, mercifully “drawing” them to Himself (Jn 6:44).

This tremendous summary in v. 29-30 reveals to us the difference between the general call and the effectual or parti

cular call. Paul is conclusive that those who are called are “also justified” and are “also glorified.” Since it is clear that the Bible doesn’t teach universalism, that is that all people are going to be saved, then this calling is limited to a particular group of people. And those people are the ones whom God foreknew and those he has predestined. So, this call is best to be understood as a summons from the King of the universe, or as one preacher said a “grabbing” or “gathering” of the sheep! When God sets forth to gather His sheep, His call is effectual because He includes empowerment guaranteeing a response. The calling of God supernaturally draws sinners out of darkness and brings them into the kingdom of God (1 Cor 1:9).

 

The Call is a Gospel Call
For sure this calling of God is a call to believe the Gospel, or the good news of God. It is a summons to believe at a minimum the facts concerning salvation, namely that 1) all people have sinned (Rom 3:23), 2) the penalty for sin is death (Rom 6:23), and 3) that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom 5:8). It is certainly not enough to simply believe these facts. The call of God is not intellectual alone, but also personally experiential. When God calls a sinner, He draws them to receive these facts personally by faith. But we should also be careful that while we believe we are “justified by faith alone” as the great reformers taught us, this call of God also includes a call to renounce sin in genuine repentance (Luke 24:47, Acts 2:37-38, 3:19, 5:31, 17:30, Rom 2:4, 2 Cor 7:10). Often times the scripture combines both faith and repentance into one event. Just like there are two sides to one coin, there are two aspects of genuine conversion. When God calls sinners, they will consecutively put their faith in Christ and turn from their sin asking Christ for forgiveness. An invitation to simply put one’s faith in Christ alone without a call to genuine repentance is not an adequate Gospel message. (Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, page 692-695)

God’s Instruments
Some wish that God would write His message of hope in the sky for all to see. But better yet, He has written his message in the Bible. And as that message is preached by His Church, God draws sinners to Himself (Rom 10:17). God’s effective calling comes through the human preaching of the Gospel. As God’s people are faithful to preach, evangelize and share the good news of Christ to sinners, God uses that message as the effectual calling of His elect. For sure, many will reject the message and general call of God. But when God’s elect hears the good news, the Gospel will come to them “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thess 1:4, Acts 13:48). God supernaturally connects all of the dots in that moment and does a transforming work in their heart. He gives them life (Eph 2:4-5), opens their minds (1 Cor 2:14), gives them sight to see (2 Cor 4:4), empowers their wills (Rom 8:7), grants them repentance (2 Tim 2:24-26), and gives them the gift of faith (Eph 2:8-9) all through the wonderful work of His Holy Spirit. And of course, all of this happens in a moment. Lydia is a great example of this miraculous work. As she was listening to Paul preach, the Scripture says, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized…” (Acts 16:14-15). It is clear that salvation is the Lord’s work. But His call to His people comes through the mouth and prayers of His servants, the Church.

Certainty of Salvation
The whole point of Paul’s description of salvation in Romans 8:29-30 is to give us assurance that God’s plan of salvation cannot be frustrated. The final result of God calling His people is that He guarantees them that they will be justified and also glorified. We cannot escape this glorious truth. God promises eternal life to His people! When God calls His people, His plan will come to completion. He promises that they will be preserved by His hand, and that they will persevere to the very end, ultimately never losing their salvation. It is foolish to believe that what God planned in eternity past, will somehow be frustrated and abolished. It is sad that so many have misunderstood this glorious doctrine of assurance. Jesus was clear when he stated in John 10:27-30 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

 

One of the all-time favorite verses of Christians is Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” This great promise provides a foundation for Christian living; namely that believers can know for certain that God loves them and is for them, and is working out every detail of life for their good, whether they can see it or not. But there is also something much deeper here that we often overlook. Paul tells us that this promise is not based on anything in us, but rather based on the fact that we have been “called according to [God’s] purpose.” In other words, God guarantees to do the believer good because of what He has purposed or planned. His benevolence toward His children is not based on whether they love Him enough, or do enough good works. His goodness toward them is based on something much greater, namely His purposes which were determined in eternity past (see Eph 1:4, 1 Cor 2:7).

What is the Purpose of God?
What is Paul referring to when he says that we have been “called according to His purpose?” What actually is “His purpose?” We don’t need to go any further than the following verses to discover that Paul expounds on the great purpose of God in Romans 8:29-30. Paul explains this purpose when he says, “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.” These verses explain every part and detail of our great salvation and God’s glorious intentions in history. Here Paul gives us a complete summary of salvation from beginning to end in order to show that each step is but a part of the outworking of this eternal purpose of God. We are told that God decided, decreed and planned a way of salvation. These verses, unfold for us what God is doing, purposed and planned to do throughout history in His world (see also Eph 1:5, 9, 11, 2 Tim 1:9, 1 Peter 1:20, 2 Cor 2:6-7). These verses also reveal that it is actually God who is acting. There is not one mention of believers doing anything in these verses, but a complete description of what God did before time began, what He is doing currently in history, and what He plans to do in the future. Here is a summary of what the verses say:

• In order that he (Jesus, his Son) might be the firstborn among many brothers.
• Those whom God foreknew, He predestined.
• Those whom God predestined, He also called.
• Those whom God called, He also justified.
• Those whom God justified, He also glorified.

That Jesus Might Have Preeminence
Let’s begin with the statement that shows up at the end of v. 29 – “in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” We begin with this statement because it gives us the overarching goal of the Father in his eternal purpose. Paul tells us that all of this has been done “in order that.” In other words, there was a reason for all of the details. And that reason was that Jesus would become the firstborn among many brothers.

The term firstborn has a couple of meanings. First, it means literally the son who was born chronologically first. But second, the term also came to be known as having more significance, namely having rights and authority and rank. This idea of rank is clearly how Paul uses the phrase in Colossians 1:15, when Jesus is called the “first born of creation.” Clearly Jesus was not the first to be born in all of creation! Furthermore, He was not a created being (unlike what the Jehovah Witnesses claim). So, Paul is certainly using this phrase in this second manner. As the “first born,” Jesus has been given rights and authority that come with being the preeminent one. Jesus is the one whom God appointed to have authority over all things. In Psalm 89:27, God said “I will make [Jesus] the firstborn, the highest of the Kings of the earth” (Ps 89:27). So, Paul is revealing to us in this verse God’s overarching purpose in the plan of salvation. God had one glorious goal, namely that Jesus, His Son would be exalted, glorified and have preeminence in the universe for all time (Col 1:18). When the eternal Son of God agreed in the eternal counsel before time began (Eph 1:4, 1 Cor 2:7) to humble himself as a man, to die, and be resurrected, the Father promised to exalt Him and bring Him glory. The goal of that eternal plan was that every being on the earth, and in the heavens would bow before Jesus and declare that Him to be “Lord” (Phil 2:6-11). Furthermore, it was God’s plan, “in the fulness of time, to unite all things in him (Jesus), things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10). The exaltation of His Son, was the ultimate goal of the Father.

Many Brothers
But the fulfillment of this preeminence of Christ is wrapped up in bringing many sons to glory (Heb 2:10), or Jesus being the first among “many brothers.” The question is, “What will God do in order to accomplish His eternal purpose of giving Jesus “many brothers?” We must remember that the Father had given Jesus these brothers (and sisters) from eternity past (see Jn 6:37, 39, 10:27-30, 17:3, 6, 9, 11, 24) and Jesus came to earth to save and gather them particularly (Jn 10:14-18).

When we look at what God has done in order to fulfill His eternal purpose in regard to these “brothers,” we see that God did something before time, He does something in time, and He promises to do something in the future. God is able to accomplish His eternal purpose and nothing will frustrate it. In fact, the verb tenses that Paul uses are all past tense, as though these things have already taken place. If we look at the chain of events in verses 29-30, often called the unbreakable golden chain of redemption by theologians, we can see exactly how God has fulfilled His eternal purpose. God’s purpose extended back into eternity past and is guaranteed to continue to eternity future.

Before time: Before time existed, God foreknew those He predestined. Many wrongly interpret this foreknowledge as God’s knowledge of the future actions of believers, that God looked into the future and knew that they would have faith (Arminian position) and predestined them accordingly. It is certainly true that God knows all things including actions. But the word “foreknowledge” is a word that is used many times in Scripture (Acts 2:23, Rom 11:2, 1 Peter 1:2, 20) and implies a knowledge of individuals. This text clearly refers to individuals (“whom”) not actions. And it is these individuals which God foreknew, that He also predestined. Predestined means “designated before.” This is simply a description of the destiny that God has determined and decided upon for the people whom He has foreknown (Eph 1:4-14, 1 Peter 2:9).

In time: In time, God calls these individuals and justifies them. This is His work. The calling is a grabbing of His people (1 Cor 1:2, 9, 24, 26). He grabs them and makes them His own. He calls and teaches them with an irresistible grace (Jn 6:44-45) and they inevitably come to Christ with faith. And as a result of that faith, God justifies them (Rom 3:21-26, 5:1). These individuals are no longer condemned in their sin, but God declares them righteous by faith in His Son. These are now the guiltless ones, who have been added to the family of God.

In the future: And as a result of all of this, God promises to glorify them. Just as Jesus was glorified, so believers will also be glorified (1 Cor 2:7, Rom 5:2, Col 3:4, 1 Pet 5:4, 1 Cor 15:51-57, 1 Jn 3:2) and given new bodies. They will be fully redeemed from sin and death.

God’s Purposes Will Not Fail
What God planned in eternity past, He has the power to bring to pass. Paul assumes that the eternal purpose of God will not be frustrated but fulfilled in order that the Father’s Son will indeed be truly preeminent. The exaltation of Christ and having all things fulfilled in His Son is determined by the faithfulness of God to keep His promises. If God were not able to bring many sons to glory and give Jesus “many brothers” then the whole eternal purpose of God would be in vain. But since God is omnipotent, He is able to accomplish His purposes. This eternal plan and purpose of God gives us as believers great confidence and assurance. Our hope is wrapped up in what God has promised. The “good” that God intends to work out for us, is nothing less than the promised calling, justification and glorification of His people whom He knew and predestined before the world even began!

 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been groaning a whole lot these days! The coronavirus pandemic has been challenging enough. But the injustices we have seen in Minneapolis have made my stomach turn and my heart break, not to mention the violent aftermath. Having the right worldview in such a time as this is crucial if we are to maintain peace in our own hearts, and have a positive impact on the world around us. There are some who wrongly believe that this world has the potential to reach perfection. They promote politics, medicine, education, and so much more as the answers to mankind’s greatest problems. While these programs are important and helpful, history has proven that they all fall very short of truly remedying the real problems. The hope of the United States of America in its inception was to provide a new world, a utopia, a nation that promised “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all men created equally. And now almost two hundred and fifty years later, the dream that our forefathers died for, still seems such a long way off. And we all groan for a better day!

We Groan
And the question is why? Why can’t there be a place where there are no more viruses? Why can’t there be a place where love reigns instead of hate? Why can’t there be a perfect place on this earth? It shouldn’t surprise us that the Bible has all the answers to these questions! The Apostle Paul gives us insight into why it seems impossible for this utopia to exist in the present world. He tells us in Romans 8:17-25 that there will be suffering for believers in this world and they will be hated by the world system. He further states that creation itself has been “subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it” (v. 20). Certainly, Paul has in mind here the Fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3). When Adam sinned, not only was all of mankind deeply impacted by sin, but also creation. And now because sin entered into the world, the world is broken. As a result, people often hate each other, and creation itself groans to be “set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21). And thus, now for centuries, everyone and everything is groaning for a better day!

Our Only Hope
So, do we have any hope that this day will come? Paul says emphatically “Yes!” He tells us that there is a day coming that is the hope of the world. We do not see it now, but this utopia is a reality that is in the future. And this hope is not an uncertainty, but rather a certainty that promises at least two realities. First, those who are true believers in Christ, children of God, will be revealed in glory and our adoption will be completed when we receive the redemption of our bodies (v. 23). Furthermore, those who are truly God’s children by faith in Jesus will be “heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ” and enter into glory (v. 17) and will reign with Christ. We will receive an incredible inheritance that has been reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). Second, creation itself will also be “set free from its bondage to corruption.” Jesus stated that the earth would be rebirthed, or regenerated when He sits on His throne (Matt 19:28) in what is known as the millennial kingdom. When Jesus returns to the earth and sovereignly reigns with dominion, the earth will be paradise regained. The earth will not be a totally new earth, but a restored one (see also Rev 21:1, Acts 3:21, Is 65:17, 66:22). So here is the hope of the new world that is coming. At this restoration, righteousness will flourish, peace will abound, health and healing will prevail, the earth will produce food as never before, the lion will lay down in peace with the lamb, the deserts will blossom, and life will be long. And the promise of all of this comes with the return of Jesus!

What Do We Do in the Meantime?
So, what do we do while we wait in this broken world? We certainly should expect some things to get worse. The Bible promises us that nation will rise against nation (more hatred), and there will be more famines and earthquakes (creation groaning) in various places (Matt 24:6-8). And as a result, our groaning will become more intense. But the Apostle Paul gives us three exhortations in Romans 8:23-25 while we wait.

First, Paul says that we are to “wait eagerly for adoption as sons.” There is only a utopia and paradise regained for those who are truly sons of God. Better days are coming for us (1 Peter 3:10), but we must wait. Waiting is hard. But we must put our trust in the Lord and keep our eyes toward heaven waiting and listening for the trumpet to blow when we will see Jesus coming on the clouds to make everything better (1 Thess 1:10, 4:16-17, 1 Cor 15:50-58). We should have an eagerness in our hearts, and a longing for these promises. Second, we are to hope! The Bible doesn’t portray hope as wishful thinking or probability but rather a certainty based on the integrity of God’s clear promises. This hope is not yet a reality but is coming. Third, we must wait with patience. God has promised to complete His work in the world and in us (Phil 1:6). We must be patient in the meantime, again putting our trust in the Lord’s purposes and plans.

A major part of that patience is simply “being” the sons of God in this world. We understand that society will continue to have problems. But God has left Christians on the earth to be “salt and light” (Matt 5:13-16). By their very presence, Christians should infiltrate society with righteousness and expose the evils of darkness. The Sons of God should set the standard for society by obeying what God requires of everyone, namely to “act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). While society will never be perfect until Jesus comes, the Church should remember that we have an incredible obligation to be the catalyst for our culture to adopt God’s truth, righteousness, and love. The Church must never turn a blind eye to racism, hatred, or injustices. Gratitude overflows on account of those who have gone before us, who upheld these virtues and eliminated injustices toward many of the vulnerable in the past. While we groan as we see so much progress yet to be made, we are also filled with hope that a better and more perfect day is truly coming.

 

There is nothing more debatable in Christian theology than the assurance of salvation. Assurance is the doctrine that teaches that Christians can truly know that they have been justified by God and will ultimately make it to heaven. For certain, Catholic teaching as well as many within protestant denominations with an Arminian theological bent (Assembly of God, United Methodist, some Baptists, Wesleyan, Pentecostals, Nazarene, and others) deny that assurance is a real possibility for any believer. But when you study the Scripture deeply, you find that assurance is actually a great gift that God gives His children. It is also a necessary gift in this journey of life to ensure that we are effective. As Hugh Latimer wrote to Nicholas Ridley (two bishops who were martyred in 1555), “When I live in a settled and steadfast assurance about the state of my soul, methinks I am as bold as a lion; I can laugh at all trouble; no affliction daunts me; but when I am eclipsed in my comforts I am of so fearful a spirit that I could run into a very mouse hole.” Latimer understood the power of assurance which makes the believer bold while the lack of assurance debilitates the believer’s service.

Definitive Declarations
It is clear from Scripture that not everyone is a child of God. There is a sense in which the Fatherhood of God makes all people His children and the world seems to jump on that teaching (“We are the World” song lyrics, “We’re all a part of God’s great big family.”) But Scripture really opposes this ideology teaching that there are only two groups of people in the world, those who are the children of the devil (Jn 8:44), and those who are the children of God. But the question for believers in Christ is, can we know for certain that we truly are in the right camp? Can we know for certain that we are truly sons of God?

When you look at the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Romans in chapter 8, you hear his definitive declarations. After laying out all that has happened to those who have put their faith in Christ in v. 1-13, he makes clear statements. First, he says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (v. 14). Then again in v. 16 he says, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” There is no question in Paul’s mind that what has happened to believers is that they have definitively been put into God’s family and made “sons of God.”  It is significant that Paul doesn’t use the phrase “sons and daughters.”  The short of it is that the son was an heir. So being a son of God means that we are heirs with Christ. Daughters of Christ are also “sons of God.” If you would like to read more about this, here (https://www NULL.desiringgod NULL.org/articles/daughters-god-has-made-you-sons) is a great article by Stanley on the Desiring God website.

How do we know?
These are objective statements, but the question for us who have believed is, “How can I know personally that I am truly a Son of God?” And Paul doesn’t leave us hanging. In Romans 8:14-16, he gives the very clear evidences that give every believer assurance that they are truly saved. He tells them that every son of God has three vital things that happen to him on a regular basis: Every son of God is 1) led by the Spirit, 2) liberated by the Spirit, and 3) assured by the Spirit. The whole key to the Christian life is of course the work of the Holy Spirit. When the third member of the Trinity permanently indwells the believer (Rom 8:9-11), He ensures these glorious activities.

Led by the Spirit: First, every believer is inevitably led by the Holy Spirit. Paul says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (v. 14). In other words, those who are not led are revealing that the Holy Spirit is not present in their lives. When the sovereign Spirit indwells a person, He indwells with the purpose of leading. He doesn’t do so with violent brutality (i.e. He doesn’t brow beat those He indwells, nor does He drag us along). But the Spirit gently persuades us and moves our desires, will and emotions. And He does this primarily through the written Word of God. Jesus told us in John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” This is the mission of the Spirit in the believer, to lead us into all the truth. And inevitably, the Spirit will use the very Word of God that He inspired the Prophets and Apostles to write (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Spirit uses the Word to lead in two ways. The first leading work of the Spirit is illumination to inform our minds to understanding. Spiritual truths are foolishness to the natural man (1 Cor 2:10-12), but the Holy Spirit anoints us so that we can comprehend the “things of the Spirit” (1 John 2:20, 27, Eph 1:17-18). This illumination inevitably will bring the Word of God to have an impact on our thinking about ourselves, our sinfulness, the glory of God, the identity of Christ, the essential work of the cross, our great purpose in the world to bring glory to God, and so much more. The Holy Spirit will use the Word to illumine the great truths of the Bible in our hearts, which serve to change our desires. The second work of the Holy Spirit is sanctification, whereby He persuades our desires and leads us to deny ungodliness and to mortify sin in our lives. Galatians 5:17 is a crucial passage describing the Holy Spirit as militating against the flesh. Paul says there, “the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.” The desires of the Holy Spirit actually militate against the desires of the flesh in our lives. In this way God is working in us (Phil 2:12-13). The Holy Spirit jealously yearns for our spirits to be freed from the bondage of sin (James 4:5) and teaches us how to deny ungodliness (Titus 2:11-13). So here is the first way we know we are Sons of God. The Holy Spirit is leading us by His Word to understand the great truths of the Bible and to be sanctified from sin.

Liberated by the Spirit: The second evidence that we are sons of God is that the believer “did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but [has received] the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15). In short, the believer has been liberated or set free from a spirit of slavery in their sin. This is a clear description of the believer’s previous life in an unregenerate state. Before he came to Christ, the believer was in slavery, and bondage to the old sinful nature and as a result he lived in fear (Heb 2:14-15). But when the Spirit came to dwell in him, He gave the unbeliever a new Spirit of adoption. This is a glorious description of the new position we have as believers. We were once not a part of the family of God (but of Satan), but now we are placed in the family of God with full privileges, rights and blessings. Before we were believers we could not call God our Father. But when the Spirit indwells the believer, he is able to call God his “Abba! Father!” Abba is the Aramaic word for daddy or papa. There is a totally new relationship established. Sons of God are able to cry out, or pray with diligence to their heavenly Father who loves them and cares for them!

Assured by the Spirit: The third work of the Spirit that gives the believer evidence that he/she is a son of God is the assuring work of the Spirit. Paul says in v. 16, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” The presence of the Holy Spirit constantly provides an inner testimony. The Holy Spirit doesn’t subcontract out this work with the help of an angel, prophet or preacher, but is willing and ready to assure the believer Himself. While there are external evidences of holiness that affirm the believer, there is also an internal personal witness that the Holy Spirit is willing to give. This is hard to explain, but seems to be an internal peace and deep persuasion of the Father’s acceptance and our relationship to Him. The Holy Spirit’s witness may come at different times in the believer’s life when the He brings peace, conviction of sin, affirmation of forgiveness, a spirit of praise, a willingness to serve, and so much more. While it is not necessary to have this inner testimony to be a son of God, it definitely is a joy that strengthens the believer in his journey toward heaven. Furthermore, the experiential nature of this testimony must always be validated by Scripture and particularly the other more objective validations of sanctification and leading.

Are you a Son of God?
So, the natural question to all of this is, “Are you certain of your salvation?” The Apostle Paul was not the only Apostle who believed we could be sure. The Apostle John wrote his first epistle with assurance in mind. He says he writes “these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). When you study 1 John you will find that John says we can “know” a multitude of times, giving us evidence that we are truly “born again.” The Apostle Peter also exhorts all believers to “confirm your calling and election” (2 Peter 1:10). In other words, make sure that you are truly a son of God. Ask yourself, is the Holy Spirit doing a work in me? Do I see and sense His leading? Do I have the Spirit of adoption in my heart and desire to cry out to God in intimate terms? Do I have an inner testimony and peace that I am a child of God? While assurance is not necessary to truly be saved, it sure makes the journey to heaven a whole lot more enjoyable and truly equips us to be bold as a lion!

 

There is a great assumption in Scripture that those who have been saved by grace through faith will inevitably begin a new way of living, a journey of sanctification, a transformation to holiness. God saves His children to make them holy and transform them into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). And while this transformation will not be perfect in this life, God equips every true believer with everything they need in order for this transformation to take place. God makes every believer a new creation (2 Cor 5:17).

God Equips Every Believer
At the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells every believer! And as a result of that inhabitation by God Himself, several radical blessings are given to every believer ensuring that they will be transformed into the likeness of Christ. While these blessings are not experiential, the declared truths are the foundation that equips every believer. Here are a just a few of these declared truths from Romans 8:

• Pardon: Jesus pardons every believer so that the condemnation of God is totally removed (Rom 8:1), and they no longer have to live in fear of God’s wrath!
• Freedom: The Holy Spirit sets every believer free from the principle of sin and death (Rom 8:2), so that the power of sin is broken and they are no longer obligated or indebted to live in the flesh (Rom 8:12, 7:6). Every believer is moved out of the realm of the flesh and placed into the new realm of the Spirit (8:9) giving life to their own spirits (v. 10, Eph 2:5).
• Righteousness: By sending His Son, God provided the righteous requirement of His Law which is fulfilled in and imputed to us through faith (Rom 8:3-4).
• New Mind & Affections: The presence of the Holy Spirit gives every believer a new mind (1 Cor 2:16), and new affections toward the “things of the Spirit” (Rom 8:5, 14).

With all of these declared blessings in place, every believer is put on a path toward holiness and transformation. In fact, it would be inconceivable that a genuine believer would not inevitably produce some fruit of godliness and holiness. Jesus himself taught that you would know the difference between false prophets and true prophets by the fruit that they bear. He gives a very profound principle in that context. Trees are known by their fruit. Every good tree bears good fruit while every bad tree bears bad fruit (Matt 7:15-20). The continual presence of bad fruit is a clear indication that the root of the tree is corrupt. This is why all of the Apostles in their writings give stern warnings to those who make professions, but are practicing lawlessness (Matt 7:23). Paul warns that the “works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, division, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19-21, see also 1 Cor 6:9-11). The Apostle John teaches the same truth when he says, “no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him [the Holy Spirit]; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:4-10). Paul reiterates this in Romans 8 by saying, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.” Those who live and practice living in the realm of the flesh, and act accordingly will experience eternal death, but those who live according to the Spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh will experience eternal life (Rom 8:13).

Notice that neither of the Apostles tell us that Christians don’t fall, sin or live imperfect lives (1 Jn 1:8). But they do tell us that the practice of true believers is holy, and that there is no unchecked sinful lifestyle that has taken root in their life. And if sin does cause them to stumble (which is inevitable), they will not stay there, but do everything in their power to kill sin. They are giving evidence that they are born again and that the Spirit resides within them.

Our New Practice: Killing Sin
So, killing sin is the great new practice and way of living for the believer. Sin is not absent from our lives as our sin nature still resides in us, battling against us. The Apostle Paul was quite aware of the sin nature that still resided in his flesh waging war against his mind and desires (Romans 7:17-25). It was this sin nature that prevented him from doing the things he desired to do. But Paul tells us the key to this new way of living in Romans 8:13. He teaches that everyone who lives “by the Spirit” will “put to death the deeds of the body.” To “put to death” means to kill, snuff out, to take away the principle of all its strength, vigor and power so that it cannot act or exert or put forth any proper actings of its own.

John Owen in his classic treatise of Romans 8:13, says, “Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? You must always be at it while you live; do not take a day off from this work; always be killing sin or it will be killing you” (John Owen, The Mortification of Sin (https://banneroftruth NULL.org/us/store/christian-living/the-mortification-of-sin/), Banner of Truth Trust, 2001, pg 5). This is the heart of every true believer.

Two Important Ways to Mortify Sin
How do believers go about this great task? The Apostle Paul gives us two insights. First, since we have the Spirit in us, we “set our minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:6). The things of the Spirit are clearly the Words of Scripture (see 1 Cor 2:13-14 where the same phrase is used). When we set our minds on Scripture we take up the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17) and we hack our old fleshly desires to death with the promises of Scripture. This is exactly what Jesus did in the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil for forty days (Matt 4:1-11). He quoted Scripture over and over, bringing His mind under the authority of Scripture. This is why it is so important to know what God says in His Word. In the time of temptation, the Holy Spirit will inevitably bring to our minds what He says in His word and will provide a “way of escape so that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:13). So here is the first key. Allow the Word of God to dwell in you richly (Col 3:16).

Then secondly, we must yield to the Spirit’s leading (Rom 8:14). The Spirit wants to lead us. He will not drive us! And if we are to have victory over sin we must yield, walk according to, obey, or be filled with the Spirit (Gal 5:16, Eph 5:18). We must work hard to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:12-13). We must learn to “abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

So, this is the new way of living for believers. It is a daily and continual struggle and fight against sin. Inevitably we will have both defeats and victories. But as obedient children, we must make it our life long pursuit to “be holy as He is holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16). And as we do, we will have assurance that we are truly “sons of God” (Rom 8:14). We will have peace and “His Spirit will give witness with our spirit that we are “children of God” (8:16).

 

It is true that there are all kinds of people in the world. There are different colors of people: red, yellow, black and white people. There are nice people and mean people. There are rich and poor, short and tall people. The list could go on and on. But interestingly, the Bible categorizes everyone into one of two kinds of people. It could be said many different ways, but the final analysis is the same. Here are a few ways the Bible states it. People are either “born again,” or not “born again” (John 3:1-8), “children of God” or “children of the devil” (1 Jn 3:10), “of the Spirit” or “of the flesh” (Rom 8:5-9), either the “spiritual man” or “natural man” (1 Cor 2:14-16), “believers” or “unbelievers” in Jesus Christ (John 3:18) and lastly “found & saved” or “lost” (Luke 15). In God’s world, He says there are only two types of people. People may look the same on the outside, but inside determines who they are! So how then does one identify the distinguishing features of these two types of people? Romans 8:5-9 is one of the most descriptive passages that describes the differences between the two groups. It is clear that they both have a very different mindset, a very different disposition toward God and His word, and in the end a very different destiny.

Very Different Mindsets
The Apostle Paul says that the two types of people first “set their minds” on specific things. People in the flesh set their minds on the “things of the flesh” while people in the Spirit set their minds on the “things of the Spirit” (v. 5). There couldn’t be a bigger contrast. When Paul uses this phrase, “set their minds,” he is describing the principle that is governing a person’s life. To set your mind on something means that a person is absorbed with or sharply focused on a particular view of life. This is not a description of an occasional glance, but an absorbed desire to pursue a certain lifestyle.

The person who lives in the flesh is absorbed with and governed by the “things of the flesh.” So, what are the things of the flesh? The Apostle John tells us that the “world and the things in the world… the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life– is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:15-17). To put it short, worldly people love worldly things; the world is all they have. The unregenerate unbeliever is only concerned with the things of the world: material possessions, fleshly desires, prideful attitudes, secular beliefs, self-interest and self-promotion. In addition, they are opposed to anything spiritual. Not only do they not understand spiritual things, but spiritual things are foolishness to them (1 Cor 2:14).

On the other hand, the person who has been changed by the grace of God, the person who lives according to the Spirit, has a new mindset; he has the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). According to Paul this new mindset is set on the “things of the Spirit.” So, what are the things of the Spirit? The things of the Spirit are the things that belong to God: The Kingdom of God, the Son of God, the Word of God, the Truth of God and the will of God. The man who is “in Christ” and made a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17) has a new mind for spiritual things. Because we are “of the Spirit” we desire to know and glory in the things of God. Jesus said in the sermon on the mount that the unbelievers naturally worry themselves about food and clothing. But we as believers don’t worry and rather we “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt 6:33). Because we are tempted to seek the things of the world, Scripture commands us to “set our minds on things above, since we have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:1-3).

Very Different Dispositions
Second, very telling of these two kinds of people is their disposition toward God and particularly His Word. Again, the Apostle Paul tells us in v. 7-9 the stark contrast. Paul gives four descriptions of the person who is still in the flesh. First, they are “hostile toward God.” This hostility may be either an active or passive hostility. Either way, this person doesn’t want God interfering with their life. Second, they do not submit to the Word of God. In short, the unregenerate person doesn’t want God telling them what to do. Their motto in life is “I’m the boss of me!” And as a result, they are unwilling to listen and obey what God’s Word says. It shouldn’t surprise us that there is a worldwide conspiracy against the Bible to redefine marriage, the family, gender, ethics and faith. The world hates what God’s Word says. Third, the unregenerate are “unable to submit” to the Law of God. This is very telling, because it speaks of the deadness of their volition or will. According to the Apostle, the unregenerate man has no ability to submit to God outside of the grace of God. Fourth, ultimately the lost person “cannot please God.” But Paul goes on to say, “however,” believers are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (v. 9), and as a result have the power of the Holy Spirit which enables them to do exactly opposite of the world. Not only do believers have a desire, but they also have a power to obey the Word of God. They have faith which enables them to “please God” (Heb 11:6).

Very Different Destinies
Lastly, and tragically, these two kinds of people have two very different destinies. The person in the flesh is promised spiritual “death” while the person in the “Spirit” is promised eternal “life and peace” (v. 6). While this may not be politically correct in our day, the truth of God’s Word is clear. Those without Christ will go to everlasting death in hell, which is a real place. It is a place of torment and a place of no return (Luke 16:23-31). Hell is a place of unquenchable fire where the worm never dies (Mark 9:43-48). Hell is a place of internal anguish seen by the gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:43). It is also a place of eternal darkness and eternal punishment (Matt 25:30-46). However, those who are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit, redeemed by the grace of God, will go to eternal life and everlasting peace with God. These are the promises of Scripture (Jn 3:16).

Which Kind of Person Are You?
After reading this particular text of Scripture, the obvious question should be, “Which kind of person am I?” The answer to that question should be obvious. Ask yourself what you have “set your mind” on in this world. Ask yourself if you have a desire for the things of God. Secondly, ask yourself what your attitude is toward God and His Word. Particularly ask yourself what you think of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Do you love God’s Word, and while you may not obey it completely are you striving to obey it by faith in Christ? The answer to these questions will determine your destiny, either hell or heaven. These are not trifling matters, but the most important questions of life. Please take stock of your life (2 Cor 13:5). There are only two types of people in the world! Every one of us is one or the other!

 

Romans 8 has rightly been called the greatest chapter in all the Bible. There is not a single imperative (command) in this chapter, but only indicatives (statements) of the glories and promises of what it means to be “in Christ.” The Apostle Paul lays out the “Good News” of the Gospel in the first half of the book with the theme introduced in 1:16-17. In chapters 1-3 Paul reveals that all of mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, are sinfully under the wrath of God. But then in chapter 3:21-26 (a dramatic hinge in the book) everything changes as Paul teaches that the wrath of God is propitiated, or appeased, through righteousness which comes not through the Mosaic Law but through faith in Christ. In chapter 4 Paul illustrates through the Patriarch Abraham that faith and not works has always been the means to righteousness. In chapter 5, Paul explains that all of humanity is in Adam and therefore sinful and in need of the blood of Jesus which alone saves us from the wrath of God. Chapters 6 & 7 explain the continuing struggle that those who are saved will experience putting sin to death practically in their lives. And then chapter 8 opens up to every true believer all of the glories and benefits of being saved and being “in Christ.” When Paul says in v. 1 “therefore,” he is linking these blessing back to his entire argument beginning in chapter 1. These treasures are only for the children of God, for those who are in Christ and have the Spirit dwelling within them.

In Christ Jesus & In the Spirit
Remarkably Paul describes believers as being “in Christ” and being “of the Spirit.” It shouldn’t surprise us that Paul mentions the work of the Spirit 20 times in the first 27 verses of Romans 8. As believers we are no longer members of the world’s realm, but we have entered into the realm of the Spirit and the Kingdom of God. There are really only two types of people in the world, those who are in Christ and those who are still separated from Christ (Rom 9:3), those who have the Spirit of Christ and those who don’t, those who are born again, and those who are not. It is only those who are in Christ and have the Spirit who will receive the treasures listed in Romans 8. This ought to cause us to worship and have grateful hearts. We must never forget that we were once separated from Him. We were united with Christ only by the grace of God and our hearts should be overflowing with joy because of all that Christ is willing to give us.

The Treasures
When you open a treasure chest, some of the treasures are certainly tucked away and not seen because of the vastness of them all, and the fact that some may be larger than others. So, like a kid at Christmas, it is best to lay all of the treasures out on the bed so that you can see them clearly (and send a picture to grandparents). It won’t be until many days later, after the dust has settled, that each treasure is looked upon with diligence to see and savor that particular gift, so as to enjoy it fully and embrace all of its implications. But for now, we want to simply lay out all of the treasures Paul lists in chapter 8 clearly so we can see them with a bird’s eye view. Here they are in all their glory:

• No Wrath: All condemnation, hell, and wrath have been removed forever! (v. 1)
• No More Slavery: We have been set free from being enslaved to sin. (v. 2)
• Righteousness: God the Father provided righteousness in Christ to fulfill the requirement of the Law. (v. 4)
• The Mind of Christ: Every believer has been given a new mind. (v. 5-8)
• Eternal Life & Peace with God: We are promised heaven and reconciliation with God. (v. 6, 11)
• Indwelling Spirit: Every believer is permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit. (v. 9)
• Power Over Sin: Every believer is able to mortify the deeds of sin. (v. 12-13)
• Led by the Spirit: Since we are “Sons of God” we are led by the Spirit. (v. 14)
• Adopted into God’s Family: Since we received the Spirit we are able to call God our Father! (v. 15)
• Assurance: The Spirit’s presence bears witness with our spirit that we are truly children of God. (v. 16)
• Heirs & Future Glory: Because we are in Christ, we will be glorified with Him and receive a grand inheritance. (v. 17-23)
• Redemption of Our Bodies: We will be fully redeemed and given new glorified bodies. (v. 23)
• The Holy Spirit Prays for Us: He helps us in our weakness by interceding for us. (v. 26-27)
• Providential Love: For us who love God, all things work together for good that we might be conformed into the image of Jesus. (v. 28-29)
• Eternal Security: Because we were foreknown, predestined, called, and justified, we will also be glorified. (v. 30)
• God is For Us: God promises to give us all things! (v. 31-32)
• No Charges, No Condemnation: No one can bring a charge against us. (v. 33-34)
• Prayers of Jesus: Jesus is at the right hand praying for us. (v. 34)
• No Separation Ever: Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ! (v. 35-39 )
• Conquerors: Because we are in Christ we will be victorious! (v. 37)
• Loved: He loves us! (v. 37)

Richest in the Universe
It will take a lifetime and all eternity to understand all that God has given us in Christ Jesus. At times we may not totally understand or even grasp all of the glories of these gifts. But for now, God has told us what we should believe! God has told us what we have received! Never say that you are not rich. If you are in Christ you are among the richest people in the universe! The world may seek worldly wealth, but as believers we know that we have riches in heaven waiting for us! God has revealed all of these wonderful truths to us that they might be an encouragement to us and strengthen us in this difficult journey of life. When you get down, meditate on what God has said that He has given you and provided for you “in Christ” and “in the Spirit!”

 

The little Old Testament book of Habakkuk is one of the most remarkable books in all of Scripture, as it contains an extended dialogue between the prophet and God (Habakkuk 1-2). The prophet Habakkuk stood in Jerusalem around 600 BC and pondered the state of his nation, Judah, and was dumbfounded. Evil thrived out in the complete open, but the covenant and faithful God of Israel remained strangely silent. Habakkuk cried out “Where are you God? How long are you going to allow this mess to continue?” (Hab 1:1-3). The content of this book is very relevant in our day as many have questioned God’s silence in the midst of all that is happening in the world today, especially with the coronavirus pandemic creating much heartache in the world. We must learn the valuable lessons Habakkuk learned if we are to have hope in this world.

Two Great Dilemmas
(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Habakkuk1 NULL.jpg)An Apathetic God: As the dialogue progressed between the prophet and God, two major dilemmas were formed in the prophet’s mind. In the first chapter, Habakkuk expresses his confusion, namely with the character of God. He had a strict horizontal perspective and it caused him to look around and worry. Overcome with the situation, he asks God “how long,” and “why?” The prophet was upset because it seemed that God didn’t see or hear what was going on. Destruction and violence were rampant. Justice was perverted. What made matters worse is that it seemed like God was indifferent to it all! All of us can relate to Habakkuk’s questioning. Difficulties in our lives often cause us to ask the same questions.

An Unrighteous God: The second dilemma was formed in the heart of the prophet only after God answered Habakkuk. God told Habakkuk that He had seen and heard, and had already begun to work by raising up the evil Chaldeans to bring judgment upon the evil of Judah (1:12-13). This astonished Habakkuk, and he began to question God about His decision, “Why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” What bothered Habakkuk was that a “holy” and “pure” God seemed not to punish the wicked and godless Chaldeans, and instead chose to use them to judge the lesser wicked Judeans. This seemed inconsistent to the nature and character of God. Habakkuk was nearly accusing God of treason to His own character and His covenant promises to His people.

God’s Answer & Our Hope
Habakkuk waited on the Lord after making his complaint against him (2:1). God’s answer may not have been what the prophet wanted to hear, but profound lessons were learned. God’s answers to Habakkuk are the basis for our hope (2:1-20). First, God revealed His sovereignty over all things including evil. While God is not the author of evil and is outside of evil, He still uses evil to accomplish His mysterious purposes. At the same time however, no evil will escape the righteous judgment of God. Second, God’s mysterious purposes and plans are much bigger than our personal problems. We have to consider that God is working in the world. While He is concerned about us as individuals, He also is orchestrating history for His own glory and purpose. Third, in the end God will triumph. God tells Habakkuk, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (2:14).

All of these lessons are profound for us today in our particular context. When it seems like the whole world is in chaos, evil is triumphing and the coronavirus is out of control, let not your heart be troubled. “The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (2:20). There is nothing outside the control of God. Because of these great truths, worry is futile and anxiety is irrational. We don’t have to live hopeless lives!

Our Response
(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Habakkuk2 NULL.jpg)Live by Faith: In the midst of the conversation with the prophet, the Lord tells us exactly how we are to live. The key to the entire book of Habakkuk is found in 2:4 where the Lord says, “Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him, but the righteous will live by his faith.” The one who is righteous will live by trusting in God. This is the very essence of Christianity. Our relationship with God begins, continues and is sustained by faith in Him (Heb 11:6).

Be Real: Faith and prayer do not necessarily eliminate emotions. After hearing all that God said, Habakkuk said that his body trembled, lips quivered, rottenness entered into his bones, and his legs trembled as he waited for God to unfold His plan (3:16). The prophet had terror and trust mixed together. It’s important to be honest with God about how we feel.

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Habakkuk3 NULL.jpg)Rejoice & Hope in the Lord: In the end, Habakkuk rejoiced and hoped in God. In spite of the circumstances of life, the prophet’s faith was manifested through worship and praise to God. Even though everything around him was unraveling, he said, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength” (3:18-19).

No one would have ever dreamed a year ago that the world would be in the state that it is in today. Where is God in all of this? He is not silent, nor indifferent. Our God is working in the world. Those who are righteous will live by faith in Him and will worship Him in the midst of devastation. He alone is our only hope in this world who sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world.

 

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/good-friday NULL.jpg)About a year ago, I was witnessing to a young woman at the AT&T store while our family was getting help setting up a phone. I’ll never forget the response that the young woman gave me when I told her about God’s saving grace for sinners. She responded by saying she could not believe that God would forgive and pardon a murderer or a child molester. In her mind, these were the worst of sinners who deserved nothing but God’s wrath. And in fact, she went on to say that forgiveness by God would make him outrageously horrible. Well the woman rightly understood the justice of God, but what she did not understand was the mercy of God. She also failed to understand that all sin is equally wicked before God so that every sinful human deserves the wrath of God (Rom 3:23).

From a human perspective it does seem that God’s grace toward the worst of sinners would be unbalanced. But this is the message of the cross and the message of Good Friday. As a child, one of the first questions I asked about Passion Week was, “Why is Friday called ‘Good Friday?’” It didn’t seem like a good day at all! Jesus, the greatest man who ever lived, was crucified on a horrible cross unjustly. But when you understand the story, it is clear that the “good” part of Friday is that Jesus provides forgiving and extravagant grace to sinners, yes even to the worst of sinners. The valuable lesson we learn from the Good Friday story is that God’s grace is extravagant! The cross of Christ makes grace available to all sinners regardless of their wickedness saving them not by works but through faith in Christ alone (Rom 5:10, Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:5)!

Biblical Illustration
There is no greater story to display this extravagant grace than the story of the two thieves who hung on the cross next to Jesus on that “Good Friday.” The criminals were hung on the cross with Jesus from the third hour (9am) to the ninth hour (3pm) for a totally of 6 hours (Mark 15:15, 33). They were both there, suffering the just punishment of their sins, while Jesus suffered unjustly. Both of the thieves were sentenced to death because of their wicked deeds. Luke tells us that both of the men were criminals (Luke 23:32). Mark’s Gospel tell us that these men were “rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection” (Mark 15:7). So, these men were the worst of men (Is 53:12).

And yet over those six hours, one criminal’s heart began to change. And in the last hours of his life, one criminal began to seek the Lord’s forgiveness and began to exercise faith in Christ. While the man did not hear a sermon, he certainly had seen the placard that was put above the head of Jesus declaring Jesus to be the “King of the Jews.” He had probably also heard about all the miracles that Jesus had done. It would be difficult to believe that anyone in Israel had not heard about Jesus, His words and His works. And also, the criminal heard firsthand the soft gentle words of Jesus asking His heavenly Father to forgive those who were killing Him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). In a moment, this one criminal began to exercise faith in Christ. His faith is evidenced in a couple of ways.

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/repentance NULL.jpg)Repentance of Sinfulness: First, the criminal’s mind and heart began to change about his own sinfulness. He began to recognize and acknowledge his own wretchedness. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that at first the man began to hurl insults at Jesus (Mt 27:44). But then something radically changed in his heart. When the other criminal began to mock Jesus, this criminal began to rebuke him saying, “Don’t you even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:39-41). What a change! This man now began to have a sense of the holiness of God. As he hung there naked, he began to fear God, maybe for the very first time realizing his own sinfulness. And his repentance was further evidenced by his efforts to witness to the other criminal.

Recognition of Jesus: Second, the man’s faith began to understand who Jesus truly was. First, the man acknowledged that Jesus was innocent. Second, He recognized that Jesus was truly a King. About three hours before his death (at the 6th hour), the man made a remarkable request. He begged Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk 23:42). The criminal acknowledged by this statement that he truly believed that Jesus was a king and had a future kingdom.

Extraordinary Grace
Now this is where the story turns dramatically. Humanly speaking we would expect condemnation. But Jesus extends grace to this wretched sinner in the last moments of his life. The criminal’s faith was small at best, and only had a few hours of works to prove itself. But it was enough for Jesus to tell him emphatically, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43). Jesus promised him salvation immediately. Instead of going to Hell, this man was going to be with Jesus in heaven for all eternity.

Both men died along with Jesus. But their eternal destinies were totally different. The unrepentant criminal died and immediately went to hell, while the repentant criminal who had put his faith in Christ went straight to heaven. Steve Lawson said, “People who go to hell deserve to be there. People who go to heaven do not deserve to be there. The first is justice, the second is grace.”

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Lawson NULL.jpg)There are many valuable lessons from this story. For sure, as long any one has breath, there is opportunity to repent and believe on Jesus Christ for salvation. It is never too late, until death comes. But the major lesson of this story is about the extraordinary grace of Christ to even the worst of sinners. This story teaches us that the blood of Jesus is greater than all our sin. There is never a sin too great for the blood of Jesus to forgive (except the rejection of Jesus). Yes, even murderers can be forgiven of their sin (1 Tim 1:12-17).

This story should help us understand why “Good Friday” is good! It is good for wretched sinners who put their trust in the cross work of Jesus and His atonement for sin. It is good because sinners can be saved by extravagant grace. While the world may not forgive, God is both just and the justifier of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:26). Just like the criminal, we are all saved by grace alone.

You may not have asked the question but you have surely thought it, “What is God doing in the world these days?” In my previous post, I addressed the fact that God is in control. It is clear from Scripture that God completely governs, sustains and cares for His world. Because of that great truth, we can trust our heavenly Father who is working out all things according to His all wise plan. In this post I want to answer the question of whether there is purpose behind what God is doing. And the obvious answer is that God is not capricious; He does not act without purpose. But can we know for certain what God is doing today?

Understanding God’s Will
As we think about what God does in the world, we must understand that God has a will by which he “approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of Himself and all creation” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 211). For sure God’s will alone sovereignly determines the outcome of all things throughout history. The Psalmist said, “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases” (Ps 115:3). The Apostle Paul said succinctly that God “accomplishes all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11). “All things” means everything that exists or everything in creation. In our current coronavirus context, it would certainly include pestilence. God clearly determines the beginning from the end of all things, ensuring that all of His purposes come to pass (Is 14:24, 46:8-11) including horrible calamity (Isaiah 45:7, Amos 3:6, Lam 3:37).

To understand the will of God as described in Scripture, consider four distinctions: 1) God’s necessary will, 2) God’s free will, 3) God’s revealed will, and 4) God’s secret will (Grudem, 212-213). God’s necessary will includes everything that He must do because of His character. God cannot act contrary to His own nature. But God also acts freely without obligation throughout history according to His free choice without restrain or coercion (i.e. creation, redemption).

God’s will can also be categorized as revealed or secret. Clearly God revealed His will through the written Word of God, but He also revealed His will through the prophets. Many times, throughout the Old Testament God brought judgment upon His people and disclosed His will to select prophets who in turn proclaimed it to Israel. For example, God told the prophet Habakkuk, “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own” (Hab 1:5-6, see the entire chapter). God revealed to the prophet Habakkuk that He Himself was raising up and bringing the evil Chaldeans to judge His people harshly. His purpose in bringing calamity was clearly spoken through the prophet. But we must also not be ignorant that there is an aspect of God’s will that is secretive. Moses said, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut 29:29). For certain, God reveals all that we need to know. He has revealed primarily the mystery of our great redemption which is found solely in His Son, Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3-14). While revealing the pertinent things, sometimes God chooses not to reveal how He secretly governs the universe and determines everything that happens (see James 4:15, 1 Cor 4:19, Rom 9:18, Acts 4:28).

It is important to note that God is not obligated to reveal to us His secret will. This was the case with Job. Prior to the patriarchal period (during the time of Genesis 1-11), Job was struck with horrible calamity (chapters 1-2). There was no prophet in that day to reveal the will of God to Job. God purposefully hid His secret will from him. After Job begins to question God about the calamity, God confronts Job’s questioning with a barrage of His own questions, telling Job essentially that He did not have the right to question the infinite wisdom of God (chapters 38-41). After listening to the all wise God, Job responds back to God by saying, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:2-3). Job repented of his questioning and acknowledged the great wisdom and secretive will of God.

What We Do Know
While it seems best to categorize the coronavirus events under the secretive will of God, we are not left without a general idea of what God is doing in the world. We can deduce the following three conclusions:

• God’s perfect will is being accomplished according to His sovereign control.
• God is going to be glorified through all of His work. The ultimate goal of God’s will is to bring glory to Himself. In the end we must simply acknowledge that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His wisdom is far beyond our understanding. (Is 43:6-7, 48:9-11, Eph 1:6, 12, 14, Matt 5:16, 1 Cor 10:31)
• God’s people are going to be blessed by God’s will. God always works for His glory and the good of His people. God’s people must always remember that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).

So How is This Good for Us?
Since we know that God works all things for His glory and the good of His people, what is it that God wants us to learn in this time? How can all of this bad stuff really be good for us? Let me give you a short list of ways God is working in His people’s lives through this coronavirus pandemic (John MacArthur, Finding Security in a Troubled World (https://www NULL.gty NULL.org/library/sermons-library/81-73/finding-security-in-a-troubled-world)).

• God uses trouble to test the strength of our faith. (Ex 16:4, Deut 8:1-2, 2 Chron 32:31, 1 Pet 1:6-7)
• God uses trouble to humble us. (2 Cor 12:7-10)
• God uses trouble to wean us from earthly things. (Col 3:2-17)
• God uses trouble to call us to heavenly hope. (2 Cor 4:16-18)
• God uses trouble to reveal what we really love. (Gen 22:9-14, Deut 13:3)
• God uses trouble to enable us to help others in their trials. (Luke 22:31-32)

As children of God, we must remember that God never does anything without purpose! Hopefully as we continue through this great trial, we will be shaped into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). God’s work in the world today is not without purpose. While it may be secretive, God’s will is to bring good to His people.