us will be affected. It is our acceptance of sin, our attitude towards sin, with no repentance of sin, that is the crux of the manifestation of turmoil we see. We embrace our sin and are reluctant to re- pent of our sin - “To be sorry for our sin and to hate and forsake it because it is dis- pleasing to God” (Q&A #56 - Children’s Catechism).
Our experiences of the past few
years are not unique to us as a group nor as individuals, nor to the overall life of the world or the church. Ecclesi- astes 1:9 tells us, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” There is nothing new. But, regard- less of how we are affected, the every- day events and issues of the world have the capability to distract our thoughts and lives, so we focus on the wrong object. The world’s longing for “truth” has become totally subjective (emo- tions and feelings) rather than objec- tive with the absolute truth of God’s Word. Satan’s lie “Did God really say?” reverberates throughout history and is a constant refrain in our lives, but the church needs to respond as Christ did by relying solely on the truth of God’s Word to guide us each day.
In the sinful world in which we live, it is guaranteed that there is always a certain amount of uncertainty to the eventual outcome of any plan or activ- ity which man undertakes. Despite all of the preparation and training that the world undergoes in any avenue of life, there is always the distinct possibil- ity that our plans may fail. The human response to any situation is, “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” and 11(b), “…for I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, say- ing, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will ac- complish all my purpose,’…I have spoken,
and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.” All things work through God’s perfect and sovereign being and plan. And in God’s perfect sovereignty, the probability of His success is always perfectly 100% - never less. When our plans falter and fail, God continues faithfully in His glorious plan. But when situations in our daily lives go awry, it is most often from our resis- tance to God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Man is impatient, and we try to force our plans which are based on our lack of wisdom and an incomplete understand- ing of any particular situation. God knows the big picture, and we don’t. At best, our ideas and plans are second best, and they will often lead to sin as we try to use worldly principles to deal with the problems and issues we see before us. God’s Word clearly teaches that we are part of a great and united Church whose battle against the gates of Hell will be successful. Throughout the past years, I was often reminded of how the church is called daily in the battle against the forces of Satan in this world. But thanks be to God; this spiritual war is not a war with an inconclusive end. It is not a war devised by men. It is not a war that has stagnated into “trench warfare” where neither side is able to advance. It is a spiritual war with God’s perfect battle plan and has already been won by Jesus Christ. Through His death, His resurrection, and His ascension to sit at the right hand of God the Father,
Christ’s victory on the cross at Calvary was accomplished in three basic steps: • God perfectly planned (Romans 8:28) – In His sovereignty, before time began, God counseled with Himself in His plan for creation and all that
• God perfectly prepared (John 1: 1-10) - God prepared and provided the means by which His plan would be put into action.
• God perfectly put His plan into action (Romans 5: 1-6) – The phrase “at the right time” denotes the schedule and plan God has put into place.
It is the Lord’s battle and not ours, but we are actively involved. Even though we
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21) Through the power of His Holy Word by His Holy Spirit, God speaks for the sal- vation of sinners through the spoken word to His glory. God has won the war, but the daily trials which we endure in this life are still ongoing. That is for our sancti- already won? Three points:
• We are to come in worship and praise of God alone; • We are to make use of God’s “Means of Grace,” which He has given the church through our reading and study of His Holy Word, our making proper use of the sacraments, and through prayer;
• We are to share the message of God’s grace in the fellowship of believers and to the communities around us.
“Advance the Gospel” Philippians 1:12 July/August 2022 7
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