The Daily Word

 


Who are ‘God’s people’? Back in the Old Testament, God selected Abraham as the founding father of His earthly people. They became an earthly nation. God tested Abraham almost to the end of his life and found him faithful as he followed God’s instructions and promises.

God then set up a detailed pattern of worship that involved animal sacrifices, to cover, but not pay for the sins of His earthly people as individuals, and as an earthly nation. The religious ordinances then took over as the most essential characteristic of God’s people and acceptance by God and the purposes and basis on which they were instituted was lost in the religious routine.

Then Jesus came, long-promised and prophesied, and we will shortly be commemorating His entry into this world as we seek to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. The final sacrifice for sin was made as “He bore our sin in His body to the tree” and this sacrifice did not just cover sin, it completely paid for sin, once for all, and offered forgiveness to all who would accept, by faith, Jesus’ sacrifice for them, personally.

This identified the real characteristic of God’s people, FAITH! Ephesians says, “By grace we have been saved, though faith!” And that letter goes on to say that we, as Gentiles, have now been welcomed as God’s people, because the entry way is not physical birth but spiritual rebirth, by faith in “the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me!” Way back in Hosea, the prophet forecast that we who were not a people would made a people. And that is now true. Hallelujah!!

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church 

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