“These are the nations the Lord left in order to test Israel, since the Israelites had fought none of these in any of the wars with Canaan. This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before.” (Judges 3:1-2, HCSB).
All the various nations that remained in the land of Canaan after the Israelite conquest were intended to serve as a test for God’s people.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NASB).
In Part 3 of this series of meditations on Romans 8:28, we determined that the good that God is causing is not about you or your problems, it’s about you being a part of God’s greater good, God’s will. And our individual and collective lives then acquire significance by becoming part of God’s grand plan and purpose for His creation.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NASB).
In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series of meditations on Romans 8:28 we established that we are broken people living in a broken world and God is redeeming us and all His creation. God’s redemptive plan for the created order is not an accident of creation but is God’s design, His eternal plan.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NASB).
In the first part of this meditation we established that God is Love but human beings are willful and rebellious. We are broken and God wants to fix us. So, our redemption IS God’s master plan. Redemption is the whole purpose behind the created order.
So why didn’t God just fix us so we didn’t need “fixing” in the first place? Romans 8:28 provides some clues that help us solve this theological perplexity…
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NASB).
I’m one of those annoying people who always wants to know why! I don’t want just to know how, I want to know why!
Some of the Thessalonians had succumbed to a teaching that Christ had already come and so the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians refutes this false teaching.
Paul seemed somewhat surprised by the Thessalonians’ lack of discernment over doctrines he had already taught them (vs. 5).
“This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels, taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength in that day when He comes to be glorified by His saints and to be admired by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, HCSB).
Today I have some good news and some bad news to tell you.
“Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, HCSB).
In Chapters 5 and 6 of 1 Corinthians the Apostle Paul discusses specific immoralities that had been reported to him. The misconduct of the Corinthian church that Paul addresses in these chapters are sexual immorality and lawsuits against one another.
“And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2: 2-5, ESV).
The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians that he did not proclaim the gospel to them using intellectual arguments. He said he proclaimed the simple truth of the gospel through the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit so their faith would not be based on human reasoning but on the life-giving power of God.
“We urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you…God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor…God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (I Thessalonians 4:1-8, NLT).
A few years ago my wife and I purchased a new home. Because the house was newly built, there were many things we needed to do to it.
Steve's Bible Meditations 