12/07/2019
Are you feeling good about being chosen by God for righteousness? Do you think that God selected you, and urged your soul to open itself to Him because you were special, good, or by some other attribute were distinguished as being deserving above others? Well perhaps it’s time to look at yourself in a totally different light... to look In the mirror through the eyes of God.
“God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:28-29 ESV
When we look down our noses at sinners, and consider ourselves better than they are, we have missed the purpose of Christ’s coming. If we think that Jesus came as a reward for us that is untrue; He came to wash the filth from us, and to redeem us from sin. Here is the truth... if you are highly blessed now, then you were soaked in sin previously. Listen to these words of the Apostle Paul:
“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”
1 Timothy 1:12-15 ESV
Paul didn’t say he was chosen because of his honesty, or goodness, and neither are we. Paul didn’t say he had been made perfect either... he still claimed to be a sinner, and not just any sinner but the foremost of them! So let’s ask ourselves why we are tempted to walk around in life, and church, with our chests puffed out as if we have already stood in God’s judgement and been found pure, and innocent. Are we blind to who we really are, and do we wear a badge of self proclaimed holiness on our chest?
“Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
1 Corinthians 15:8-9 ESV
We are not to take pride in our sense of humility. If we do this then our humility is nothing but a sham. How is it that we could possibly be humble and proud at the same time? How is that being arrogant in our faith, or haughty in our knowledge of scripture, is able to make us righteous? No, we are sinners, and no better than that... this is why Jesus came for us, and why He leads us now.
“And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."”
Luke 5:31-32 ESV
Who are we then except sinners, and how hard do we, like Paul, strive to work at our faith, to become humble, and to deliver the gospel so that others might be saved? We don’t do this because we are able to save them ourselves, we deliver the gospel as Paul did... so that Jesus can enter into them, and abide there.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:10-11 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for sending your perfect and sinless Son Jesus to save me, a sinner, and to walk with me towards righteousness, all for your glory. Help me Holy Father to remain humble in my faith and before the world, so that no one would see me as being more deserving than they are, or greater than they are in your eyes. Help me Lord to teach them that Jesus died, and was resurrected for us all, and not because of our goodness, but because of our sin and neediness. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who lifts us, sinners, from our decrepit state, by your mercy and grace. Praised be your name above all others for hearing our prayer of contrition, and your forgiveness. Great are you and weak are we Father, hear our voices of worship in subjugation and humility always. Relieve us of our pride, and selfishness, and teach us through Jesus what obedience, and humility, are meant to be.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
Rich Forbes