HowTo: Walk Righteously

If you, like me, are struggling to walk righteously, here is a good HowTo.

Psalms 119

Doctrine of Election

Some time ago, while listening to R. C. Sproul, I was introduced to the concept of the elect. It amazed me that I had never heard of this doctrine before. I purchased some of R. C. Sproul’s teachings on the subject and listened to them but was still very confused (due to my newness to the subject, not due to R. C. Sproul’s incredible teaching style). R.C. presented two different views of the Doctrine of Election:

1. God, in his infinite knowledge, chose the elect at the foundation of the world, and ‘hard-wires’ them to respond to the gospel.
2. God, in his infinite knowledge, ‘looks through the tunnels of time’, and selects those that will respond to the gospel.

R.C. Sproul favors view number one, but in talking to my pastor, he explained that Baptists tend to prefer view number two.

My Today in the Word devotion today shed some more light on the topic, and shows, in my humble opinion, some scriptural evidence for view number two.

1 Peter 1:2

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

From the devotion:

The starting point of our eternal destiny is God’s calling. As we noted earlier (see Sept. 2), some misconstrue this doctrine as unfair. But today’s reading from 1 Peter reveals how each member of the Trinity participates in the process. First, believers have been chosen in accordance with God’s knowledge of all things, even before time began. Knowledge here goes beyond facts; it indicates that God has known us personally before we were created. Second, God’s calling happens by means of the Spirit’s sanctifying work. Thankfully, we don’t stay the way we were when we were saved! The indwelling Spirit is constantly transforming us into the image of Christ, as we continue to yield to Him. Finally, we are chosen for obedience. We can’t earn salvation by any of our own good deeds. Rather, God extends grace and mercy to us so that He might fulfill His good purposes in us (Eph. 2:8-10; 2 Thess. 1:11). When God’s salvation is manifested through our obedience, the name of Jesus Christ is glorified in us and we reflect Him.

Doctrine of the Resurrection

I have been using Today in the Word for my devotions lately, and I have gathered some great nuggets that I want to keep handy and share.

The first one is, as Today in the Word puts it, “the definitive passage for explaining the doctrine of the resurrection”.

1 Corinthians 15.

Called by God

My devotions today was in the book of 1 Samuel and I wanted to write down some of the thoughts that I got from the reading.

1. Notice in verse seven that even though Samuel lived in the temple, and served God, he still didn’t know the LORD”.
2. Also, notice that Samuel was in the house of God, but still, it was God that sought out Samuel.
3. Finally, notice in verses 9 and 10 that God required a response.

Psalm 131 - Humility

1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

(From Today in the Word)

This is how to walk in humility and trust:

1. Don’t look down on others. (v.1)
2. Don’t concern yourself with “great matters”, meaning don’t rely on your own strength or understanding. (v.1), (Prov 3:5-6)
3. Don’t seek your own glory. (v.1)
4. Know your proper place before the God of the universe — like a child in his mother’s arms, quiet, trusting, and peaceful. (v.2)

The fourth point paints a wonderful picture of God that too often we do not have. I think that many of us view God as a stern authoritarian Father, just waiting for us to mess up and then he swoops in and knocks us down. After all, that is what we deserve. But, realistically, our soul needs comforting just as children sometimes need cuddling and soothing.

The Angel of the LORD - Part 1

Genesis 16:1-13
1Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
6But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
7And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Ishmael - God shall hear

It appears that this “angel of the LORD” is the Lord himself!?!

Is this like the angel which Joshua saw the night before Jericho?

Characteristics of Angels

The word Angel means messenger. Their Chief attributes are strength and wisdom.

2 Samuel 14:20
To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

Psalms 103:20
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

Psalms 104:4
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Hebrews 1:7
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

1.  Angels are wise. (2 Samuel 14:20)
2. Angels are strong (very strong “excel in strength”). (Psalms 103:20)
3. Angels do God’s commandments. (Psalms 103:20)
4. Angels listen to God. (Psalms 103:20)
5. Angels are spirits. (Psalms 104:14, Hebrews 1:7)