Ezekiel 36:22 (here @ Bible Gateway), seems to indicate that God intervenes in our lives to protect His name. 1 Corinthians 1:30 (here @ Bible Gateway) suggests that it is God who works to bring us to Christ. That notion seems to be repeated in Philippians 2:12 – 13 (here @ Bible Gateway). Further we cannot discount John 15:5 (here @ Bible Gateway), we can do nothing apart from Christ. I would assume that that means, nothing.
So, He invades our lives to bring us to Himself. He does it for His purposes. Ephesians 2:4 – 10 (here @ Bible Gateway) underscores this and gives us the reason He chooses to engage in our lives. We are His workmanship. He has work for us to do for which He designed us. Work that was prepared before we were.
What are the implications of all that for us? How do those passages affect your thinking?
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI don't like you stepping on my toes! I thought everything was about me! (All of this was formatted using the "sarcastic font.")
One verse I used to have trouble understanding was Philippians 2:12 "... work out your salvation with fear and trembling." It went against my understanding of being saved by grace and not works. But once I really read the second part of that passage, Philippians 2:13, "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" did verse 12 really make sense.
Paul tells us to "work" but then immediately states that God is at work in us. We are called to "work" at allowing God to work in us. When we let God work in us, we not only receive His salvation, but also to allow God to use us “to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Now Philippians 2:12-13 is one of my favorite passages.
Those are great observations. Do you know where I can get that sarcastic font? I have great need of it.
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