When things get complicated, simplify them! Bible.com Psalm 33 (NIV) 1  Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2  Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. 4  For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. 5  The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ). 6  By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 7  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. 8  Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. 9  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 10  The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11  But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. 12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13  From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; 14  from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— 15  he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16  No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17  A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18  But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ), 19  to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20  We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 21  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22  May your unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ) be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Index for Articles 1-7 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Epehesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8 - A Single Decree of Election This election is not of many kinds, but one and the same for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament.  For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will,  by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory,  both to salvation and to the way of salvation,  which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. Summary As we dive into the depths of understanding God's sovereignty this year, there will be times, as we've already experienced, where God doesn't answer every question we have. We'll continually need to push against the thought that God seems unfair and even uncaring towards those whom He has not elected to salvation in Christ. Whenever theology gets complicated, make it simple again. This doesn't mean you should stop asking challenging questions (in fact, you likely need to ask even more!), but rather that you should anchor the more intricate aspects in the solid foundation of what Scripture clearly reveals about who God is. This is why it's good to read (and sing!) the Psalms often. We need continual reminders like what we read in this week's Psalm, that the LORD's word is right and true, that He loves righteousness and justice, and that His unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ) is always with us. God's sovereignty has three aspects, and Psalm 33 showcases all three: Sovereignty includes God's: Control 6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made... 9  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 11 The plans of the LORD stand firm forever... Authority 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 15 He forms the hearts of all... Presence 13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind... 18 The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him... 20 We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and shield.   Dig Deeper   Psalm 33 makes clear how you must respond to God's sovereign control, authority and presence. YOU MUST PRAISE THE LORD It's true that you can praise God in every endeavor in life - in you work, recreation, and relationships. But more than any other book in the Bible, the Psalms explain that in addition to that embedded, implicit praise, you need to join with God's people in times of exuberant, explicit, musically rich praise like today's first three verses call out for. YOU MUST FEAR THE LORD Certainly you need not be terrified of the LORD, afraid that He might smite you at any moment. But as you come to understand more fully that our entire universe exists simply because God spoke, and it came to be, the more you'll realize that the LORD has every right to snuff out that which does not obey His Law. That's healthy fear. YOU MUST TRUST THE LORD Kings of this world, of course, put their trust in their army. People of this world put their hope in money and stuff. While such military & economic might often seems overwhelming, remember that despite all its great strength they cannot save. Instead, you must wait in hope for the LORD, knowing that He has fully demonstrated His unfailing love (ḥěʹ·sěḏ) in the accomplished saving work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Blessed are the people our Sovereign God chose for His inheritance! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, in heaven, in whom we put our hope; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that more and more you will praise, fear and trust the LORD; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 22

You Have More Than They Did—Are You Using It? BiblePic.com Hebrews 11:39-40 (NIV) CONTEXT: Hebrews 11, often referred to as the 'Hall of Faith,' recounts how the Old Testament saints lived by faith, trusting in God's promises despite not receiving their ultimate fulfillment, enduring trials, persecution, and even death while looking forward to something greater. 11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2  This is what the ancients [the Old Testament believers] were commended for. -- 39  These saints were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40  since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect [complete]. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Index for Articles 1-7 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Epehesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8 - A Single Decree of Election This election is not of many kinds, but one and the same for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament.  For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will,  by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory,  both to salvation and to the way of salvation,  which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. Summary In some ways, it may seem like the Old Testament saints (believers) had a more direct channel to God than we do. God spoke to Abraham in visions, to Jacob and Joseph in dreams, to Moses from a burning bush and fiery mountain, and to Elijah in a gentle whisper that followed a rock shattering wind, earthquake and fire. God led His people through the wilderness via a pillar of fire/cloud and proved His deity by sending fire from heaven. But even with all of these manifestations from God (the official term is theophanies ), the heroes of old spent much of their time waiting to learn more about the salvation God had promised them. Hebrews 11 points to Noah, who spent decades building a ship in the desert; Abraham packed up his entire household and began moving even before he knew where the LORD was moving him to; David was anointed king, but then had to simultaneously honor and evade King Saul. These men and women (Rahab, v31) continued to fear the LORD even though they often had to wait decades, sometimes even centuries. Even though they did not see the full picture, they clung to God's promises of a Redeemer with genuine, saving faith. As the author of Hebrews puts it in v38, the world was not worthy of them. They were commended for their faith - their ability to have confidence in what is hoped for and assurance about what is not seen . Yet, despite over 300 messianic promises given by God to His covenant people, none of them received what had been promised ...   Dig Deeper   It would be dead wrong to end the final sentence of Hebrews 11 that way. While it's true that generation after generation of God's covenant people took their final breath still waiting for His promises of a Savior to be fulfilled in time, God did fulfill His promises to them. God revealed more and more of the coming Messiah through His prophets as time went on, and it became clearer that God had planned something better for us. That something, of course, is Jesus Christ, whose once-for-all sacrificial death and grave conquering resurrection finally fulfilled all of the promises that God's people had clung to for centuries. In this way, God's people of old, together with us would be made perfect (whole and complete). As the Canons put it, Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will, by which he chose us from eternity... both to salvation and to the way of salvation. In other words, you are saved in the exact same way that God's covenant people have always been saved: through faith in the Messiah. You've been given so much more insight as to who the Messiah is through the gift of the New Testament. Those faithful saints of old would have given all they had to read what you've been given! Be sure to take advantage of this and read it often! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has fulfilled all of His promises to His people in Christ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be inspired by the saints of old as you live each day in the full knowledge of the hope they clung to; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 21

Faith doesn't hide you from reality, it strengthens you as you face it. Johannes Kül Romans 4:18-25 (NIV) CONTEXT: We've been reading Romans 4 this week: v1-8 - God’s people—Old Testament Israelites and New Testament Christians alike—are justified by trusting in Him. v9-17 - Abraham was justified by faith before he was given the sign of the covenant, proving that righteousness comes through faith, not religious rituals or works. 18  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21  being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22  This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23  The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24  but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25  He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Index for Articles 1-7 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Epehesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8 - A Single Decree of Election This election is not of many kinds, but one and the same for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament.  For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will,  by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory,  both to salvation and to the way of salvation,  which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. Summary Faith is often mistakenly thought of as a vague optimism, but Paul shows us in today’s passage that true faith is something far more profound—it is unwavering trust in God’s promise, even when every visible aspect of reality suggests otherwise. Abraham had every earthly reason to doubt. He was nearly a hundred years old, and Sarah had been barren for decades. Humanly speaking, God’s promise that they would have a child was impossible. And yet, as Paul writes, against all hope, Abraham in hope believed . He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body or Sarah’s age, nor did he waver through unbelief. Instead, he was fully persuaded  that God had the power to do what He had promised. That’s what made Abraham’s faith remarkable—not that he had some inherent ability to trust, but that he simply took God at His word. He didn't use faith to hide from reality; Paul writes that he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead. But it was through his faith that he was strengthened and gave glory to God. Paul makes it clear that this wasn’t just Abraham’s story—it’s ours too. The words it was credited to him  weren’t written for his sake alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead . Just as Abraham trusted that God would bring life from Sarah’s barren womb, we trust that God has brought life from the grave through Christ’s resurrection.   Dig Deeper   Faith is not about denying reality—it’s about trusting in a greater reality. Abraham was fully aware of the impossibility of his situation, yet he did not waver through unbelief . Likewise, God calls you to face the facts regarding your sinfulness, your inability to save yourself, and then to trust completely in His provision. Paul reminds you that Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification . Christ's resurrection is the proof that the righteousness we so desperately need has been secured. Just as Abraham believed in God’s ability to give life where none existed, when you believe in the risen Christ, you are made right with God. Praise God today that your standing before Him is not based on what you can do, but on what Christ has already done! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of Abraham and the God of the Church; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be strengthened through your faith as you face the facts of this sinful world; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 20

Which came first? Your faith or your religious expression of it? Romans 4:9-17 (NIV) CONTEXT: We began reading Romans 4 yesterday as we work through this important chapter coming to understand that salvation in Christ alone is not just for us as New Testament Christians, but also applied to God's chosen people who lived long before Christ. 9  Is this blessedness [that comes from having sins forgiven] only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10  Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11  And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12  And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13  It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14  For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15  because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16  Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17  As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election Index for Articles 1-7 Article 1: God’s Right to Condemn All People Romans 5:12-14 - Mis-Markmanship Deuteronomy 28:15-20 - Not A Tame Lion Genesis 2:15-17 - Or Else Luke 15:11-16 - Prodigious Deprivation Psalm 143 - Aggressive Prayer Pattern ​ Article 2: The Manifestation of God’s Love Zephaniah 3:14-17 - The Mighty Warrior Who Saves Lamentations 3:19-23 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness John 3:16-18 - Simple Beauty 1 John 4:8-10 - This Is Love Psalm 103 - Praise the LORD! ​ Article 3: The Preaching of the Gospel 1 Timothy 2:1-7 - God Our Savior Isaiah 52.7 - Good News! Rom 10:14-17 - The Power of Preaching 1 Cor 1.23-24 - God's Foolishness Psalm 93 - Mightier Than Chaos ​ Article 4: A Twofold Response to the Gospel John 1:9-13 - The TRUE Light John 3:31-36 - Wrath Removed John 6:37-40 - Tensegral Theology John 12:42-50 - Buffet Theology Psalm 16 - In God We Trust ​ Article 5: The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith James 1:13-18 - The Devil (didn't) Make You Do It Ecclesiastes 7:25-29 - Many Schemes Ephesians 2:8 - The Gift of God Philippians 1:27-30 - Granted Psalm 95 - The LORD is OUR God ​ Article 6: God’s Eternal Decree Isaiah 45:21-25 - Irrevocable Ezekiel 36:24-27 - A Whole New Reality Romans 9:15-21 - God's Mercy, Not Your Effort 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 - Love The Truth Psalm 81 - Call To Worship ​ Article 7: Election Epehesians 1:3-6 - Before the Foundation Deuteronomy 7:1-10 - Set Apart John 17:1-5 - Sovereign Submission John 17:6-12 - Given Psalm 115 - God Does What He Pleases ​ Article 8 - A Single Decree of Election This election is not of many kinds, but one and the same for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament.  For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will,  by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory,  both to salvation and to the way of salvation,  which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. Summary No doubt you've spent long nights contemplating the age old conundrum of whether or not the chicken preceded the egg, or vice versa. While the answer to that problem makes little difference in the grand scheme of things, the cause / effect relationship Paul writes of in today's passage has a huge impact. Was Abraham saved because he was circumcised (a sacramental rite that signified inclusion with God's covenant people), or was he circumcised because he was saved? If the former, it would mean a person first needs to get his religious house in order in before he could even begin to hope that his efforts were sufficient to earn God's grace. But thank God this isn't the case! Abraham believed first, and then he received the sign of the covenant. The sign is just that - a sign. Circumcision, baptism, or any other religious symbolism is meaningless apart from the faith that it signifies. It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise , Paul writes, therefore, the promise comes by faith. This, of course, helps explain that the Jews who lived before Christ were saved by faith, just as you are. But the implications are even deeper and more personal. For if you depend on the law (whether it's your own morality, religious rituals or you're just riding the Christian coattails of previous generations), whatever 'faith' you may have means nothing and the promise is worthless!   Dig Deeper   Once again, scripture makes it clear the one thing you need in order to have peace with God: you need perfect righteousness. Deep down you know this, because everyone knows this, because God's law is written on our hearts. The one fact that gives you infinite value as a person - that you are an image bearer of God - is also what presses down upon your conscience, because you know the God whose image you bear is holy and sinless and that you are not. So it's no wonder that all throughout history, every civilization and culture developed some sort of religious laws, rituals and sacrificial systems in order to placate their tormented and restless souls. It seems to make sense that if we just try really hard and do our best, the gods will mercifully smile upon us and show grace. Certainly the laws, rituals and sacrificial systems practiced by the Hebrews differed greatly from those of the rest of the pagan world. They were, in fact, given to them from above from the one true and living God. But these laws were never the solution. They simply illustrated the problem and pointed forward to the promised Messianic solution. The perfect righteousness you so desperately need does not come through the law. Rather, the promise comes through the righteousness that comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all who have the faith of Abraham. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of Abraham and the God of the Church; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for His gift of faith through which you have the perfect righteousness you need to have peace with Him; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 19

You're saved the same way God's people always have been—but not the way most think. BibleHub.com Romans 4:1-8 (NIV) CONTEXT: We're going to spend three days this week working through Romans 4, which will help us understand that salvation in Christ alone is not just for us as New Testament Christians, but also applied to God's chosen people who lived long before Christ. 4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2  If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3  What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  4  Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5  However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6  David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7  “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8  Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election 1 - God's right to condemn all people 2 - God shows His sovereign love in the sending of Jesus Christ 3 - The Preaching of the Gospel 4 - A Twofold Response to the Gospel 5 - The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith 6 - God’s Eternal Decision 7 - Election 8 - A Single Decree of Election This election is not of many kinds, but one and the same for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament.  For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God’s will,  by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory,  both to salvation and to the way of salvation,  which God prepared in advance for us to walk in. Summary One of the biggest obstacles to the gospel people have faced through the centuries, and continue to face today, is the idea that salvation must be earned. The general consensus out there is that God looks at all of your words, thoughts, and deeds from your entire life and sets them out on divine scales - the good stuff on one side and the sinful stuff on the other. Whichever way the scales tip, then, determines your eternal destiny. It was even easier for first century Jewish people to fall into this trap. Afterall, the Old Testament is chock full of rules and regulations designed to atone for every conceivable type of sin a person might commit. So it seems to make sense that if you just did the hard work of not infringing the commandments in the first place, and then were careful to follow the proper procedures if you did break the law, then your divine scales would certainly tip toward heaven. Paul seeks to slay that misconception here in Romans 4. He writes that if Abraham, the archetypal Jew, were saved because of how his scale tipped (his works), then he'd certainly have something to boast about. But then Paul drops a theological bomb: Abraham wasn't saved by the things he did or didn't do - nobody ever has been! As proof for his shocking claim, Paul cites what is arguably one of the most important verses of the Old Testament: Genesis 15:6 - Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness . What this means is that your instinct is right to understand God demands good works ( righteousness ) from you, but your instinct is wrong when it hopelessly tries to earn that righteousness. The one and only way to attain the perfect righteousness you need to have peace with God is by believing in Him; that is, when you put your faith in the God of our salvation, He credits you the perfect righteousness Christ earned as if it were your own.   Dig Deeper   This week we're coming to understand that even though God's people have been identified in different ways throughout history - first as the Hebrews / Jews, and later as members of the Christian Church - He has always had just one path to salvation. In other words, all of the rites and rituals performed in the Old Testament didn't actually save anyone. Those things, as Hebrews puts it, were only a shadow of the good things that were coming in Christ. God's people in Israel were saved the exact same way you are: by faith. Paul writes, to the one who... trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. This means that even though many of these faithful Israelites lived centuries, or even millennia before Jesus, the perfect righteousness He would attain counted for them even before He fulfilled it in time. Praise God today that you've been given the perfect righteousness you desperately need for eternal salvation in the same exact way all of God's elect all throughout history have: through belief and trust in the true and living God. As David writes in the psalm Paul quotes, Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of Abraham and the God of the Church; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will do good works only out of gratitude for the grace you've been gifted, and not as the basis for your salvation; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 18

It's Friday! Put things in perspective with our weekly Psalm. Psalm 115 (NIV) 1  Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. 2  Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3  Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4  But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5  They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6  They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7  They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8  Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. 9  All you Israelites, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield. 10  House of Aaron, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield. 11  You who fear him, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield. 12  The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless his people Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, 13  he will bless those who fear the Lord— small and great alike. 14  May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. 15  May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 16  The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind. 17  It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence; 18  it is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore. Praise the Lord.  Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election 1 - God's right to condemn all people 2 - God shows His sovereign love in the sending of Jesus Christ 3 - The Preaching of the Gospel 4 - A Twofold Response to the Gospel 5 - The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith 6 - God’s Eternal Decision 7 - Election Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following: Before the foundation of the world,  by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will,  God chose in Christ to salvation  a definite number of particular people  out of the entire human race,  which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin.  Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery.  God did this in Christ,  whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator,  the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so God decreed  to give to Christ those chosen for salvation,  and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit.  In other words, God decreed  to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them,  to sanctify them,  and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them. God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace. Summary The opening verse of this week's Psalm is one worth memorizing and reminding yourself of often. So much of what we do - both socially and professionally - is geared toward advancing ourselves. We work hard to get the stuff we need in order to flourish, and often even our social and familial relationships get used to further our own agendas. But the Psalmist here helps us pray for a much needed correction: Not to us , LORD, not to us , but to your name be the glory. Look at all that God has created that is worthy of glory! As David puts it in Psalm 19 - The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands. But it's not creation that the psalmist points to here in Psalm 115. This time he points to something even more glorifying to God: The LORD's love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ) and faithfulness. The psalmist contrasts God's love and faithfulness with the world's idols. In the time and culture that this Psalm was written in, idols had a physical form, with unspeaking mouths, unseeing eyes, unhearing ears and unsmelling noses all made by human hands. Today our idols look much different - much more abstract. But just like in ancient times, their purpose remains the same. An idol is anything you trust in or glorify more than the LORD. Psalm 115 reminds you that when you fear the LORD rather than your fabricated idols - that is, when you put your trust in Him, He will be your help and shield. The LORD will bless you and cause you to flourish. Herein lies a beautiful irony: when your focus is on glorifying the LORD rather than yourself, He will glorify you!   Dig Deeper   It's verse 3 that grabs our attention today: Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. We've wrestled with some tough realities of God's sovereignty these last couple of weeks, and we're really only getting started! We've learned that God, before He created anything, choose some for salvation and choose to leave others in their sin. To us this often seems so arbitrary and even capricious and we desperately want to know why God ordained what He did. But as you work your way through these difficulties, take comfort in what the word omnipotent truly means. So often we take its literal meaning - ALL / POWER - to its logical conclusion: that our all-powerful God can do absolutely anything. But that's not the way we're to understand this word theologically. God cannot do all things! He cannot do something that would compromise His own attributes. He cannot do something unloving or something that's not completely good, just to name a couple. We define God's omnipotence the way that Psalm 115:3 does, that He does whatever pleases Him. That is, whatever is good, loving, true, just, and merciful, God can and does do! God never reveals to us why He's chosen some and passed over others; that remains a mystery to us. But as you come to understand that His grace is stronger than you are, always remember that everything God does is good, whether it makes sense to you or not. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is in heaven, who does whatever pleases Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that in all of your activities and relationships, that glory be given not to you, but to the name of the LORD; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 17

The Father gave us to the Son, who gave us His Father's words, giving you salvation. Following Jesus' prayer in this passage is a bit like keeping your eye on the ball during a volley (Image: Unsplash) John 17:6-12 (NIV) CONTEXT: We began this chapter, which contains the prayer Jesus lifted to His Father in the moments before He was arrested, yesterday . 6  “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7  Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8  For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9  I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10  All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11  I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12  While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election 1 - God's right to condemn all people 2 - God shows His sovereign love in the sending of Jesus Christ 3 - The Preaching of the Gospel 4 - A Twofold Response to the Gospel 5 - The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith 6 - God’s Eternal Decision 7 - Election Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following: Before the foundation of the world,  by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will,  God chose in Christ to salvation  a definite number of particular people  out of the entire human race,  which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin.  Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery.  God did this in Christ,  whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator,  the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so God decreed  to give to Christ those chosen for salvation,  and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit.  In other words, God decreed  to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them,  to sanctify them,  and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them. God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace. Summary As Jesus continues His prayer, He gives us a fascinating insight into His trinitarian role and relationship with His Father. One of Jesus' primary missions in becoming Immanuel (God with us) was to reveal the Father to those the Father gave to Him. This sentence has profound implications on the scope and breadth of your salvation. Expressed in the simplest terms, Jesus saved you by atoning (paying) for your sins in His death on the cross, conquering death three days later as He rose from the grave, and fulfilling your obligation to perfectly obey God as He triumphantly ascended into heaven. But in more abstract terms, Jesus saved you by revealing His Father, making God's sovereign, saving grace evident. In other words, your salvation is the result of you truly knowing God through His Son. This is why we continually push you to know God more and more. But there's one word that sticks out more than any other in this short passage since Jesus used it eight times: gave. As Jesus reflects on His earthly ministry in the hours before He goes to the cross, it becomes evident just how involved our Father is in bringing salvation to His people. Jesus unpacks a number of transactions, so to speak, between Him, the Father, and those He came to save.   Dig Deeper   Following the flow of Jesus' prayer in this paragraph is a bit like trying to keep your eye on the ball during a fast paced volley - you need to keep your head on a swivel and track all that is given : Jesus revealed the Father to those the Father gave to Him; The Father gave them to Jesus, and they obeyed the Word (Jesus); They know that everything the Father gave Jesus came from the Father. Jesus gave them the words the Father gave Him, and they accepted them. Jesus' concern is not for the world in general, but rather for those the Father has given to Him, for they are the Father's. Everything Jesus has is the Father's, All that the Father has belongs to Jesus. The Father gave His powerful name to Jesus, Jesus prays that the Father would protect them [us] by the power of God's name; While He was with us, Jesus protected us and kept us safe by the name the Father gave Him. As you continue with your day, be mindful of all of the ways you've been handed back and forth between God the Father and His Son in order to accomplish your salvation. Remember that you remain in these very same hands, protected and preserved by God's powerful grace, which is far stronger than you are. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who gave you to His Son that you might come to truly know Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that glory will come to Christ in the way you live; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 16

Find out what eternal life is and how to attain it. Biblia.com John 17:1-5 (NIV) CONTEXT: Jesus has been teaching His disciples after the Last Supper and right before He's arrested. This passage contains what is known as His High Priestly Prayer. We'll read the first five verses today, and vss. 6-12 tomorrow. 17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3  Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4  I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election 1 - God's right to condemn all people 2 - God shows His sovereign love in the sending of Jesus Christ 3 - The Preaching of the Gospel 4 - A Twofold Response to the Gospel 5 - The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith 6 - God’s Eternal Decision 7 - Election Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following: Before the foundation of the world,  by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will,  God chose in Christ to salvation  a definite number of particular people  out of the entire human race,  which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin.  Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery.  God did this in Christ,  whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator,  the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so God decreed  to give to Christ those chosen for salvation,  and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit.  In other words, God decreed  to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them,  to sanctify them,  and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them. God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace. Summary Jesus prays this prayer even as the establishment assembles a squad led by Judas to arrest Jesus in the dark of night, yet Jesus begins His prayer by acknowledging that God had granted Him authority over all people! Think of that - Jesus didn't go to the cross as a passive victim, but as One who had full authority over those who arrested, tortured, judged and nailed Him to the cross. Jesus did this so that He might give eternal life to all those His Father had given Him. Jesus was very much in control on that awful night; He was using Judas and the goon squad that arrested Him, the sham trial before the high priest, Pontius Pilate and everything else related to His crucifixion in order to give you eternal life! Jesus did this because our Father had first given you to Him. As we come to grips with these difficult passages describing God's sovereignty in our salvation, it's so easy to let go of the tension and come to a fatalistic conclusion that thinks of ourselves and the world around us to be nothing more than pre-programmed robots unwittingly marching towards God's pre-ordained conclusion. It's almost as if all of history is just a giant set of dominoes and after tipping the first one, God just is sitting back from afar and watching the show. But passages like today's vividly demonstrate the absurdity of such notions. Yes, the Father granted Jesus authority over all people and also gave to His Son all those He had chosen for eternal life. This is the very definition of sovereignty. But God doesn't just aloofly sit back and watch things play out. He, in the person of the Son, stepped into history to take the abuse His enemies willingly inflicted in order to save those He chose before creation to willingly receive His grace.   Dig Deeper   Verse three is one of the most important verses in the Bible: Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who you have sent. This verse communicates two massive truths. First, it explains what we'll be doing for all eternity: coming to know God and all that He has created. In other words, we'll be continually exploring and learning in the perfected new heavens and earth . Today we're going to concentrate on the other truth this verse unpacks: how it is that you attain eternal life - you do so by coming to know the only true God and Jesus Christ. The Canons unpack what it is you must come to know: That God gave you to Christ , who fulfilled the conditions necessary for you to attain eternal life; That God draws you into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit. That God decreed: to grant you true faith in Christ, to justify you,  to sanctify you,  and finally, after powerfully preserving you in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify you. All of this to say that while God is truly sovereign in working out all things for your salvation, you are not just a passive, pre-programmed recipient of it. As one who has been given to Christ, you must do the hard work of coming to know and understand exactly what has been done on your behalf. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the only true God; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for giving you to His Son for salvation, and pray that you'll do the hard and continual work of coming to know Him ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 15

God set His affection on you and chose you to be holy. BibleHub.com Deuteronomy 7:1-10 (NIV) CONTEXT: The book of Deuteronomy is a collection of the instructions Moses gave the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. 7 When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2  and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3  Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4  for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. 5  This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. 6  For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. 7  The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8  But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your fathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9  Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. 10  But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election 1 - God's right to condemn all people 2 - God shows His sovereign love in the sending of Jesus Christ 3 - The Preaching of the Gospel 4 - A Twofold Response to the Gospel 5 - The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith 6 - God’s Eternal Decision 7 - Election Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following: Before the foundation of the world,  by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will,  God chose in Christ to salvation  a definite number of particular people  out of the entire human race,  which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin.  Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery.  God did this in Christ,  whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator,  the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so God decreed  to give to Christ those chosen for salvation,  and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit.  In other words, God decreed  to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them,  to sanctify them,  and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them. God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace. Summary For many people, the fact that the LORD directed the total, merciless destruction of the Canaanite nations is the excuse they hide behind in their own rejection of God. In their minds, such an order represents the antithesis of what a good and loving God ought to command of His people. To them it reeks of intolerance, xenophobia and pure hatred. But in their haste to demonstrate that their own sense of goodness surpasses that of the God of the Bible, they miss the reason God issued such a harsh directive. Any sort of treaty negotiation or marriage arrangements would pose an existential threat to God's people. The Canaanites would never budge from their idolatry, no matter how nice the Israelites were to them, and worse yet, they would turn Israelite children away from following the LORD to serve other gods. Theologian Meredith Kline explains this well: "Many have found a stumbling block in this command to exterminate the Canaanites, as though it represented a sub-Christian ethic. Actually, the offense taken is taken at the theology and religion of the Bible as a whole... For, because of Israel’s frailty, the proximity of the Canaanites would lead to the dissolution of Israel’s covenantal distinctiveness (v. 3), to foreign and idolatrous allegiances (v. 4a), and hence to Israel’s own destruction (v. 4b). The program of conquest (chap. 7) is thus a consistent application of the principle of consecration (chap. 6; esp. 6:12–15).   Dig Deeper   Consecration : That's how this episode about God's ancient people conquering a plot of land thousands of years ago relates to you, and why you should understand it well and use it as a guiding principle for your own interaction with the world. You, just like those Israelites of old, have been chosen out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people - a people holy to the LORD God. The word holy is often misunderstood to only mean pure / perfect / without sin. It does mean that, but even more, holy describes something that's been cut away and made distinct. In today's passage, the LORD reminded the Israelites the same thing the Canons continue to remind His people of today: that those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others . In other words, God didn't elect you because you were somehow holier than others. Rather, God picked you up out of the common misery (sin) you laid in and consecrated you - that is, made you holy in Christ. This means that in Christ you are now pure / perfect / without sin. But it also means that you've been cut away and made distinct from the sinful world. So keep yourself separate from it - don't make treaties with it or intermarry with it (both literally and figuratively speaking). Always know that the LORD your God is God. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will will reflect God's sovereign choice to belong to Him by loving Him and keeping His commandments; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 14

God chose you before He created anything else! Biblia.com Ephesians 1:3-6 (NIV) 3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5  he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6  to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Canons of Dordt Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election 1 - God's right to condemn all people 2 - God shows His sovereign love in the sending of Jesus Christ 3 - The Preaching of the Gospel 4 - A Twofold Response to the Gospel 5 - The Sources of Unbelief and of Faith 6 - God’s Eternal Decision 7 - Election Election is God’s unchangeable purpose by which he did the following: Before the foundation of the world,  by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will,  God chose in Christ to salvation  a definite number of particular people  out of the entire human race,  which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin.  Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery.  God did this in Christ,  whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator,  the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation. And so God decreed  to give to Christ those chosen for salvation,  and to call and draw them effectively into Christ’s fellowship through the Word and Spirit.  In other words, God decreed  to grant them true faith in Christ, to justify them,  to sanctify them,  and finally, after powerfully preserving them in the fellowship of the Son, to glorify them. God did all this in order to demonstrate his mercy, to the praise of the riches of God’s glorious grace. Summary Reading today’s passage feels like opening an ancient chest overflowing with treasure. Yet, the riches within this text surpass golden crowns and jeweled trinkets—it holds some of the Bible’s deepest and most foundational theology. This passage explains who God the Father is: He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ... He blesses us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing - Whatever God has blessed you with here in this physical world is only a foreshadowing of what He's already set out for you in the heavenly realms! He chose you... before the creation of the world - Before God spoke any aspect of the universe into existence, He knew you and chose you to belong to Him! This is one of the most astounding statements in all of scripture! He predestined you for adoption to sonship - God does much more than to just choose you to belong to Him and then hope for the best. He also predestined / foreordained all of history to work out the way it has so that you become His son - that is, His legal heir set to inherit all that's been created! Everything that God has done and will do - especially His choosing and predestining you - is done in accordance with His pleasure and will. As R.C. Sproul has written , "This is the only reason to be found in Scripture that explains why God elects people for salvation. The reason for election is not my foreseen righteousness; or my foreseen obedience; or my foreseen response to the gospel." This passage explains who Jesus Christ is: He is the Son of God the Father. It is through His atoning death and perfect obedience that enables you to be adopted to sonship. This passage explains who you are: You are different than those of this world, because: You are blessed by God your Father; You have been chosen by God, who has predestined all things to work out your adoption to sonship ; You are in Christ. This is the most fundamental definition of what it means to be a Christian. God accomplished that which He predestined - that you would be holy and blameless in His sight - by putting you in Christ. God has freely given you His glorious grace in Christ - the One He loves.   Dig Deeper   No doubt your day will be (or has been, depending on what time you read this) filled with stresses and worries. The work and tasks of your daily grind are important, but remember, no matter how much God has or has not blessed you with here and now pales in comparison to that which He has blessed you with in the heavenly realms . Don't get so caught up in the daily trappings of this world that you lose sight of who you are in Christ . You have been chosen by God before the creation of the world. You have been made holy and blameless in Christ , and you have been adopted to sonship through Christ. In this light, whatever fleeting problems you struggle with today seem rather insignificant, don't they. Remember, God's grace, which He initiated toward you before He created anything else, is stronger than you. Praise God. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will glorify God in gratitude for the grace which He chose to give to you; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Acts 13