Bob Schlessman

We must keep in mind that Jesus was adopted by His earthly father Joseph and received all of the same rights and privileges as a natural born son. I believe ths illustration is significant in understanding the nature of our relationship with God the Father that we have through Jesus Christ. As Christians, we have the same rights and privilieges as God gave to the Hebrew nation, only even better because we have total forgiveness of our sins and are freed from the sacrificial system completely. They were chosen to be God's messengers to the world. We are chosen to carry the message of God's love to the world by sharing the Gospel. The Hebrew nation got off track by seeing themselves as exclusively chosen and they drew up the draw bridges so to speak isolating themselves from the world. As His adopted sons, we must be very careful not to fall into the same pit.

To be Holy means to be set apart which as Christians we are called to be just that. We are not to live as the world lives but we must live as Christ teaches us. It isn't through effort and trying harder that this comes about, for our own efforts will fail us and what is on the outside does not always reveal what is on the inside. But when we spend time in prayer, and studying the Word, and we yield to the Holy Spirit's guidance we become more Holy without even being aware of it. However, we will trip. So how do we stand blameless before God? Because Jesus is there to say, "Put that on my account Father. He is one of mine." Does that mean I can go out and do whatever I choose because I am covered by the blood of Christ? If I truly am His servant and in the depths of my soul believe in Him as my Lord and Savior, I won't live that way anyhow.

I don't find anything scary about predestination as I understand it. Paul is speaking of the overall plan of salvation not the preselection of individuals. God predestined that we should have Christ as the way to be justified, saved and begin the process of sanctification. The plan began before time, was spoken of to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the kings and the prophets. I find it comforting that we find order and logic in His plan in the same way there is order and logic throughout creation. We don't know every minute detail, but we have a reasonably complete picture of the overall plan.

To be in Christ means to be living my life as He lived His. All that I think, say, and do is in accordance with how He teaches. It can be my individual actions or those thing that I do corporately. Personal glory or reward is not a consideration, but the main goal is to serve others and in that service share the Gospel. It is an ongoing process that begins the day I come to Him and make Him my Lord, Savior and Master and continues throughout my life.