SEALED FOREVER:
WE ARE CONFIDENT Friday, August 11, 2017
2Corinthians [GW] 5:1-11 We know that if the life
we live here on earth is ever taken down like a tent, we still have a building
from God. It is an eternal house in heaven that isn't made by human hands. In
our present tent-like existence we sigh, since we long to put on the house we
will have in heaven. After we have put it on, we won't be naked. While we are
in this tent, we sigh. We feel distressed because we don't want to take off the
tent, but we do want to put on the eternal house. Then eternal life will put an
end to our mortal existence. God has prepared us for this and has given us his
Spirit to guarantee it. So we are always confident. We know that as long as we
are living in these bodies, we are living away from the Lord. Indeed, our lives
are guided by faith, not by sight. We are confident and prefer to live away
from this body and to live with the Lord. Whether we live in the body or move
out of it, our goal is to be pleasing to him. All of us must appear in front of
Christ's judgment seat. Then all people will receive what they deserve for the
good or evil they have done while living in their bodies. As people who know
what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. God already knows
what we are, and I hope that you also know what we are.
Ephesians [GW] 2:6-10 God has brought us back
to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with
him. He did this through Christ Jesus out of his generosity to us in order to
show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come. God saved you through faith
as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift
from God. It's not the result of anything you've done, so no one can brag about
it. God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live
lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.
What is the opposite of security? The distracting
angst of insecurity.
How wonderful that God’s wondrous gift of
eternal life is guaranteed by none other than His Spirit! (2Cor.5:5)
To help understand God’s eternal security
guarantee that Paul speaks of in his 2nd letter to the assembly at
Corinth, let’s look at “sealed” in God’s Word; in application meaning beyond
any doubt substantiation by God the Father. (Reference both Strong and Thayer
G4972)
Note Jesus’ statement recorded in John 6:27
“… everlasting life, which
the Son of man shall give unto you: for him [Jesus] hath God the Father sealed.G4972 ”
And
then later n God’s Word the same authenticating seal by God the Father for
those of us in His John 1:12 family: “… God; Who hath also sealedG4972
us, and given the earnestG728 [ἀῤῥαβών, arrhabōn, ar-hrab-ohn' Of Hebrew origin [H6162]; a pledge, that is, part of the
purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest: -
earnest.] of
the Spirit in our hearts. (2Cor.1:22 ) .
. . In whom
ye also trusted, after that ye heard the
word of truth, the gospel of yourG5216
salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealedG4972
with that holy Spirit of promise, . . . And grieve not the holy Spirit of
God, whereby ye are sealedG4972 unto the day of redemption. “( Eph.1:13; 4:30)
What is
the opposite of the distracting angst of insecurity? Living by God’s sure
pledge under His seal!
EBB4
PS. Again I encourage the
reading and prayerful meditation of all verses in context.
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