This has got me thinking deeply about God’s wisdom and the profundity of how God laid out His will as a progressive revelation so that there would be no doubt that the Gospel was the plan for salvation and redemption from before time began (Ephesians 1:4) all so that His glory could be displayed and known.

Your post reminded me of the story of Naaman. For those readers who are not familiar with story read it in it’s entirety in 2 Kings 5. This is a brief survey of the story to make my point: the story of Naaman is a type and shadow of the Gospel. Naaman (a commander of the army for the king of Syria) had leprosy, he was told by the king to go see the prophet of God who would instruct him on what to do. The prophet Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman to tell him to wash in the Jordan 7 times. Naaman being a prideful soldier was insulted at the mention of this. He became enraged and went away thinking this thing that this supposed man of God wanted him to do was ridiculous and he would have no part of it. However his servants, being lowly and humble of heart told him, “…if the prophet had told you to do something great would you not have done it?” in other words, if God had asked you to do some amazing deed so that you may merit your healing then you would have done it without hesitation. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ says, you are not worthy of being healed, you must first became like a little child and humble yourself, you must be done with you and surrender to God, it is an attitude like this that God will accept and to a person of this heart will He grant forgiveness of sins and everlasting life because of His loving-kindness. So surely enough, when Naaman got off his high horse and went and washed in the river Jordan, bobbing up and down 7 times–looking as foolish as he possibly could then and only then was his flesh restored to that of a child’s and he was healed of his leprosy.

It’s like you said, God could have chosen differently. He could have offered salvation to those that are of great deed or fame. Just like the story of Naaman shows us, we being of prideful hearts would have done a “great” deed to “merit” our salvation in a heart beat in fact most religions are like this they spell out deeds that one must do so that they can be worthy of heaven or paradise; but God says only by grace through faith are we saved (Ephesians 2) and even the faith is the faith that God gives us (Romans 12) so that only God would receive the credit for saving men. Repentance is only the right response to what God has already done.

My hope is that the church would understand what it means to follow after Jesus. God came to the poor not the monetarily poor but the poor meaning the spiritually bankrupt which is all of us (Matthew 5). Jesus promised persecution because no servant is above his Master (Matthew 10). Who in their right mind would bring about a kingdom in this manner? But God says that for a season we are called to suffer for The King but not in vain, we suffer with the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ that one day “16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7). I have no doubt that God’s wisdom will be understand then.

Dear Saints, Jesus is going to present you holy and unblamable to God, He will keep you from falling and present you faultless before His Father in Heaven. For His glory, majesty, dominion and power is now and forever, this is the assurance that we have received in our hearts when we professed that Jesus Christ is Lord.

We must remind ourselves daily of Christ’s victory on the cross, for sin and death was paid for in full, and it no longer has any power over us, for His blood was poured out for a sacrifice to cleanse and cover you so that God would accept us, for Christ’s blood is an atonement for us.

Now, Jesus freed Himself from that cruel cross and is alive forevermore, and because He lives we can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone and I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.

Now, Jesus is waiting with great patience for men, women and children to receive His wonderful word so that He can present us all to His Father. So let us preach His saving grace to everyone that we can, for He said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to ever creature.” {Mark 16 v 15}.

So let us be more urgent than ever before, for we see that His coming is but a moment away. May the Lord’s kindness and great love be upon you now and evermore, in Jesus name.

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” {St. Mark 16:15}.

EVANGELIST BILLY BOLITHO
http://www.evangelistbillybolitho.blogspot.com

I love the concept of preaching the Gospel to yourself everyday. The preacher Paul Washer once said that a sign that you have repented and been saved is that you are still repenting today. The message of the Gospel is one that we should never grow weary of because it is the basis of everything in this Christian life. the Bible says in Ephesians 1 that God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that Jesus dying on the cross to solve our sin problem was always Plan A; it gives me much assurance to know that my salvation is not dependent upon anything I do because I would have blown it the second I received it. I totally know what you mean by the war you have within yourself, I battle with my sin all the time, constantly mortifying my flesh as it rears up like a fierce beast but I am of good cheer for this fact because it is a fruit of my salvation and I am reminded we will no longer have to struggle with sin when we are in Heaven and how sweet it will be. I echo echo this thought with you dear sister that it is such a joy to be obedient to the commandments because Jesus has said “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) and it is through the help of the Holy Spirit the Paraclete (the walk alongsider) that we have the ability to grow in holiness and it is out of gratitude for what He has done (Romans 2:4 It is God’s goodness that leads men to repentance). His goodness keeps me broken before Him, I often reflect on how many years I was in outright rebellion to my God and how instead of crushing me like a bug He came here to save me. Have you ever heard this song?

Jesus, Thank You - Sovereign Grace Music

It just conveys so clearly how I feel and how we should feel about what Jesus did…Once an enemy now seated at His table…how lofty is that???

Thank you for commenting back, I plan on keeping up with your blog, it is very insightful and edifying and I just love talking about our Savior with fellow believers. It is such sweet fellowship.

One aspect of the truth of the Gospel that I love and am so grateful for is that Jesus died that our old man might be crucified with Him and we might be raised in newness of life. It’s stunning that He didn’t just deal with the problem of punishment–He actually changed our inner-man to be conformed to His image. He dealt with our sickness called sin instead of simply sedating the symptoms!

In the midst of this, it seems like many times we as believers forget that He who began a good work is committed to complete it (Philippians 1:6), and He’ll do it through the same means that He started with–death and grace. Death to sin: daily taking up our Cross and bearing the yoke of Christ. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: the power to overcome in the midst of our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I find that I often forget that I am still in the proccess of salvation, and that the Lord will see it through to the end regardless of what it costs Him (and therefore me since I’ve been yoked to Him). I often forget that there is a war going on in the inside of me still, and that the only way to present myself blameless before Him on the day of Christ is if I walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). I often forget that His grace is there in order that I might strive more than all my fellows to enter in to the full will of God for my heart before Him (1 Corinthians 15:10).

I think this principle you’re highlighting about the Gospel is crucial for both unbelievers and believers to have a revelation of, which means that the Law is still a tutor for us to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). When I read what He has required of us, it makes me cry out with David:

“5Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!
6Then I shall not be ashamed
When I look upon all Your commandments.”
Psalm 119:5-6

Thanks for your input–you’re a huge encouragement and blessing!