mercy from God – Kanisa la Christadelphian huko Anderlecht

Starting to develop a spiritual mind #3 Vessels of mercy

juin 27, 2024juin 25, 2024 par Christadelphians, publié dans Almighty God, Thought for today

“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy” (Exodus 33:19 / Romans 9:15)

We read yesterday that

“all things work together for good for those who are called according to his (God’s) purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Today we read an example of this as Paul writes about Moses and Pharaoh in a series of questions and answers about the way things happened leading to certain results God had intended.

Paul examines the scene and says,

“Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses,

‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh,

‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed …’” (Exodus 33:14-17 / Romans 9:14–18).

The point we must grasp is that all need God to show mercy to them – and we are most unwise to question the morality of God as to where He shows mercy and where He does not! Let us meditate on what he causes to happen

“in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy” (Romans 9:23).

God

“has mercy on whomever he wills” (Romans 9:18).

Therefore, as we are reading in Exodus, God is using Moses to confront Pharaoh and as a result God’s “name” (His reputation) is “proclaimed in all the earth” as the all-powerful God of Israel who wonderfully delivered them from Egypt. Many nations are in awe of Israel as a result. But note how, at the same time, God in His wisdom first allowed His chosen people to endure a period of difficulty. They had been content to dwell in the relative ease of life in Egypt after the death of Joseph, they had largely forgotten the God of their fathers … God sought to make ready their minds so they would seek His deliverance! After that He tested them in the wilderness to see if they appreciated all that had happened.

Now consider the twenty-first century.
Are we likely to see in the increasing challenges to our lives what could be a comparable situation?

May God show mercy to us in the traumas that develop as our godless unsuspecting world counts down to the day Jesus Christ returns to this earth.

Preceding

No place for injustice, partiality or corruption

juin 21, 2024juin 19, 2024 par Marcus Ampe, publié dans Almighty God, Behaviour or attitude towards others, Christadelphian, Thought for today

From the previous publication, we can conclude that we are dealing with a righteous God. Therefore, we must be guided by that awe of Jehovah. For this we must proceed with precision, for Jehovah our God is strictly just, impartial and incorruptible.

“Therefore let the fear of Jehovah be with you, and heed what you do; for with Jehovah our God there is no injustice nor respect for the person, nor acceptance of gifts.” (2 Chronicles 19:7)

Some may question the way God behaves. Critics often say that God is not honest. In his letter to the Romans, Paul shows that God is super honest – After all, He has made us all and gives everyone equal opportunities.

As our Maker, He doesn’t actually need anyone’s permission to do whatever He wants with His creation. He can create, destroy and recreate His living creatures when He pleases and how He pleases.

“29 Hide Your face, they are overcome with terror, take away their breath, give up the spirit and return to their dust. 30 If You send out Your Spirit, they will be created and You will renew the face of the face of the face of the earth.” (Psalms 104:29-30)

“19 You will then say to me, What then does He have to say? For who has resisted His will? 20 But, O man, who are you to contradict God? Shall also the workings say to him who made it, Why have you made me this way? 21 Or does the potter have no power over the clay, to make from the same lump of clay one object an honorable one, the other a dishonorable object?” (Romans 9:19-21)

We must not forget that the first people God created had gone against Him. God had warned them that death would come upon them if they ate from the « Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil ». So since the fall of Adam, humanity has deserved to die.

“Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death came upon all men, in whom all have sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

But Jehovah has invited people to live in His mercy. He had Jesus in mind from the beginning. God’s mercy is centered in that Nazarene man.

“He is known beforehand, before the foundation of the world, but revealed in recent times for our sake (1 Peter 1:20)

First He chose a people as His inheritance (Deut 7:6; Psa 32:11). Then His invitation extended to the pagans. Jehovah then called both Jews and Gentiles to life in Jesus. His invitation has gone out to everyone.

“And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations.” (Mark 13:10)

Christadelphians and many other Bible students have been proclaiming the Good News for several years now. Over the centuries, serious Bible explorers or Bible researchers have entered the world as faithful followers of Jesus to preach Jesus. But few follow their preaching and have accepted God His offer of salvation; most chose the sacrifices of the world rather than eternal life.

“13 Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and wide is the way that leads to destruction, and many are there who enter through it; 14 but the gate is narrow, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

As members of an ecclesia, we fully realise our position and hold on to our bondage in Christ. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we ensure that injustice, partiality or corruption cannot take place in the ecclesia. Furthermore, together we share the love that Christ has also shown for us and we realise that God’s decisions are always just and good.

The Righteous and Kind God