Category Archives: Chosen

Bible, Chosen, Hate, Hatred, Love, Relationships, Romans, Scripture

HATE IS A STRONG WORD

ROMANS 9:13

“Just as it is written: ‘JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.’”

We’ve all said it. “I hate…” The comment could be directed at something or someone. I’ve said it many times. For instance, I hate brussel sprouts, lol. But I have also said that I hate certain people. Now, let me say quickly that happened mostly when I was a child. But I have to be honest and say it has slipped out of my mouth as an adult also. I have confessed that as sin and asked for forgiveness. So, when you see the word “hate” in Scripture, it can give you pause.

Paul quotes in today’s verse from Malachi 1:2-3. “2 ‘I have loved you,’ says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have You loved us?’ ‘Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?’ declares the LORD. ‘Yet I have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.’” Don’t think for a second, though, that God actually hated Esau. This was a common Hebraic expression of “lesser love.” You can find other examples of things God hates, but Esau wasn’t one of them.

APPLICATION

One good example of this expression is found in Proverbs 13:24. “He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” Withholding the rod and spoiling the child can look like hatred, in that it does not teach the child right from wrong. I’ve seen parents do that with disastrous consequences. They really loved their child but failed to train them properly.

Even Jesus used this comparison in Luke 14:26. “‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.’” Jesus wasn’t implying we should hate our family in order to follow Him. That would be the furthest thing from Jesus’ mind. But in comparison to the love we should have for Him, our love for our family would look like hate.

Barnes explains this “hatred” this way. “It was common among the Hebrews to use the terms ‘love’ and ‘hatred’ in this comparative sense, where the former implied strong positive attachment, and the latter, not positive hatred, but merely a less love, or the withholding of the expressions of affection.” Do you love Jesus so much that all other love relationships you have appear as hatred? Hmmm. Let’s all examine ourselves in this manner.

Father, help me love You so deeply that all other relationships look like hatred. Nothing compares to You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

Standard
Bible, Called, Calling, Chosen, Romans, Scripture

NOT BECAUSE OF WORKS

ROMANS 9:11

“for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,”

Working hard for something can be a good thing. For instance, getting back into good physical condition takes hard work. You need to exercise and work your muscles. You need to perhaps cut back on certain foods and add other foods into your diet. Those muscles will respond to your hard work, but when you stop your new habit of working out, they will begin to atrophy once again. In other words, you have to keep working.

Aren’t you glad you don’t have to work your way into God’s family? And once you’re in, you don’t have to keep working to prevent being kicked out. Praise the Lord. Paul speaks to that in today’s verse. Jacob was chosen instead of Esau before they were even born. God had a purpose to achieve through Jacob. The “heel grabber” (Genesis 25:26) was himself grabbed by God. He was called by God.

APPLICATION

We find a similar thought about God’s calling in Ephesians 1:5. I love how the New Living Translation writes this. “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” Calling you into His family “gave Him great pleasure.” You make God smile.

Yesterday my youngest grandson, Lucas, who is 20 months old, called me Papa for the first time. I was overjoyed. He was asked a question. Who do you want to go with right now, Nana or Papa? He just blurted out, “Papa!” My heart was overjoyed. I had the biggest grin on my face. I picture God doing the same every time I call His name.

I did nothing and can do nothing to earn God’s free gift of salvation which He has given to me. Going back to Ephesians again, Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Just as Jacob had done nothing in his mother’s womb to deserve the calling of God on his life, we can do nothing ourselves. He has chosen us to follow Him. We do have to yield to this calling. God will not “force feed” us. But when we do say “Yes” to Him, He beams with pleasure. His child has come home. 

Father God, I am Yours. I love to call You “Abba” and know that brings You joy.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

Standard
Bible, Choices, Chosen, Romans, Scripture, Strength, Stretching

NOT THE CUSTOM

ROMANS 9:10

“And not only that, but there was also Rebekah, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac;”

I have a ministry colleague whose younger daughter is getting married next month. He has one other daughter who is older. I joked with him recently if he was going to pull a “Laban” and give the older daughter to his future son-in-law and then his younger. He said his younger daughter would not be happy about that. Well, I guess not, lol. But it is normal for the older to marry before the younger, at least in most families.

Why do I bring up that illustration? Because Paul refers to another one of God’s contrary-to-custom decisions today. It would have been the custom for God to choose Esau over Jacob. After all, Esau was the first-born twin. But God chose the younger. Just as He turned from the Jewish nation, which He had chosen, to the Gentiles, Paul had been given the task of preaching the Gospel to these foreign nations. I am sure, at first, Saul (now named Paul) wondered about this decision. But he was faithful to God’s calling.

APPLICATION

How do we apply this verse to our lives? I think it’s clear. We cannot assume anything about God’s plans for our lives. We should never think God will choose the way of least resistance. In fact, it is usually just the opposite. He puts us on paths that will test and try us to build us into followers of Jesus who can withstand the attacks that will come upon us.

The Expositor’s Greek Testament says regarding God’s decision to choose Jacob over Esau, “this was done by God of His sovereign freedom:” Who can argue against God? Who knows the mind of God? In Job 40:8, God answers Job with a strong rebuke. “‘Will you really nullify My judgment? Will you condemn Me so that you may be justified?’” Of course, Job receives that rebuke and repents of his self-righteousness. He yields to the authority of God over his life, whatever that brings.

Will you allow God to do the noncustomary thing in your life? Will you allow Him to stretch you? Stretching is not comfortable to me, physically or spiritually. But I know it is good for me in both instances. Stretching physically protects my muscles and joints as I exercise. Stretching spiritually will also build up my “faith muscle” and give me the power to do whatever God has for me. But you have to trust God to lead you. Will you do that?

I have to be honest, Father. I don’t like the stretches You give me sometimes. But I am thankful for the end results.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Body, Chosen, Church, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Scripture

ONE’S, PART 1

EPHESIANS 4:4

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling;”

Do you like one way streets? I don’t particularly care for them. I will never forget when I was in the 8th grade, I was selected to go to a Beta Club convention in Atlanta, Ga. I don’t remember how many of us went, but I do remember that our chaperone who was a teacher at our school, drove the wrong way down a one way street in downtown Atlanta. We were all screaming. I think our chaperone was screaming too, lol. He was able to turn off quickly to avoid an accident, but the police had already seen him. After our driver explained he was from out of town and got confused, the officer let him go with a warning. I guess he figured these South Georgia hicks were lucky just to make it to Atlanta. There was only one proper way to drive down that street, and we had blown it.

Paul begins a list of seven “ones” in today’s verse. You have to remember who Paul is writing to. He is writing to Gentile believers who have been grafted into the vine of Israel. Some of the Jewish believers were still trying to make a division between them and the Gentile believers. Paul says, “No! We are all one!” So, he says we are one body of Christ. There is one Spirit descended from God and sent to all of us. And there is only one hope of your calling from God, that being Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION

First of all, let me say this. I bet there is nothing in today’s verse that is not already known by you. Of course, you know we are all of one body – the church of Christ. As I drove to church yesterday with Chris, we passed probably a dozen other churches from various denominations. Why? Why can’t we all agree and come together? I can’t believe God is particularly pleased by all this division on Sunday mornings. Paul uses the same language over in 1 Corinthians 12:5. “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another.”

Paul goes on to remind us that there is only one Spirit. There is not a separate Holy Spirit for the Baptist and Methodist or Church of Christ. There is one Spirit which we all receive at salvation. Listen to Paul’s words again in 1 Corinthians, this time from 6:19. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” Did you catch that? He is in you. He is in every believer.

When Paul says in today’s verse that there is “one hope of your calling,” he is referring to all of us having that same hope of an eternal life with the Lord in heaven. Jesus said in John 14:2, “‘In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.’” Excuse my grammar, but ain’t that a promise! There is one body. There is one Spirit. There is one hope. Celebrate that today!

O, my Lord, I give You praise for ones.

Standard
Abiding, Answers, Bible, Calling, Chosen, Following, Holy Spirit, Ministry, Salvation, Scripture

YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED

EPHESIANS 4:1

“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,”

I was saved at the age of 16 on July 31, 1977. I will never forget that day and where I was when I gave my life to Christ. But I also remember the vocational calling He put on my life during my senior year in high school. I do not have a specific date for that. I just know He called me to a lifetime of service in the ministry of the Gospel. My calling has been a little different than many. Called to work with children and youth for 38 years and now ministering to men around the world. But my calling to salvation was sure as is my calling to serve.

Paul transitions from his prayer in 3:14-21 with this opening statement in chapter 4. Don’t just read “Therefore I” and move on. Those two words are powerful. I love what Albert Barnes said about it. “The sense of the word ‘therefore’ – οὖν oun – in this place, is, ‘Such being your exalted privileges; since God has done so much for you; since he has revealed for you such a glorious system; since he has bestowed on you the honor of calling you into his kingdom, and making you partakers of his mercy,’” And by Paul saying “I,” he was drawing the Ephesians’ attention back to recognize his authority as their teacher and shepherd.

APPLICATION

But back to this calling! If you are a believer in Christ, you have been called to Him. That may have occurred through a song, a passage of Scripture you read, the preaching of the Word or through the still, small voice of God whispering and wooing you. In order to be saved, you must be called. No one comes to Christ unless they are called. Romans 11:29 tells us this calling, once accepted is unchangeabl, “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

I really love how Paul uses this word for “calling” in Philippians 3:14. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” And how about this use of the word in Hebrews 3:1. “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus;”

I could keep going about this calling all day. Do a word search on that word. The Greek word is klésis. As you study that word, thank God for your calling. Thank Him for opening your ears to hear His voice. Thank Him for not stopping His call to you, even when you resisted. His calling is sure. His calling is permanent. His calling is for you.

Thank You, O Father, for calling my name so many years ago.

Standard
Affection, Beloved, Bible, Chosen, Compassion, Favor, Godliness, Intimacy, Love, Relationships, Scripture

BELOVED

EPHESIANS 1:6

“to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved.”

To call someone “my beloved” implies a deep, personal, intimate relationship. My wife is my beloved. My children and grandchildren are my beloved. The fellow down the street whom I hardly know is not. He cannot be the object of my love since I do not know him. As we go through this verse today, think about your beloved(s).

Paul uses a title which has been given to Jesus by the Father. Elliott’s Commentary explains the word, “Beloved,” this way,
“This special title is given to our Lord to mark a connection with the ‘love’ declared in the last verse (verse 5) to be the source of God’s predestination. It is a love to all mankind, as in God’s foreknowledge already made one with His beloved Son.” Jesus is God’s Beloved. He is the recipient of His love.

APPLICATION

Let me get technical for a second. “Beloved” is the dative passive participle of agapao, which is God’s divine love. The dative case means someone is the recipient of the action of the verb. In this case, Jesus is the recipient of God’s agape love, His divine love.

Have you ever wondered why the apostle John uses that word, “beloved,” so much in his writings. Just to show a few:

1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, now we are children of God…”

1 John 3:21 – “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us,…”

3 John 1:2 – “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper…”

We are told in John 13:23, “There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” Look at that. John was the recipient of Jesus’ love. He was Jesus’ beloved friend and confidant. He was the one to whom He entrusted his mother at the cross. You have to be close to do that. So, John knew something about being called “beloved.”

You are God’s beloved child. He cares for you. He knows you better than anyone. He longs to hear from you. He cherishes each moment you spend with Him. You are His beloved! So, live like it. Love others. Make them your beloved. Treat them like your beloved. You can through His love.

I am so blessed to know that I am Your beloved, my God and my Redeemer.

Standard
Adoption, Bible, Blessing, Chosen, God's Will, Pleasure, Salvation, Scripture

HIS GOOD PLEASURE

EPHESIANS 1:5

“He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,”

Most children, contrary to popular belief, want to please their parents. They want to be told they have done well by their father or mother. When a child presents his mom with a piece of art they have completed in class, they love to hear how wonderful it is. They love to hear words of affirmation after cleaning their bedroom (can I get an Amen?).

God does things just to please Himself, like adopting us as His sons and daughters. That is what Paul says in today’s verse. I am not going to get into the topic of predestination for obvious reasons. Let’s concentrate on what God has predestined us to (whenever you think that happens). The Pulpit Commentary says, “but the point here is simply that it pleased God to choose and ordain the Ephesian believers to the privilege of adoption through Jesus Christ. This is presented as a ground of praise, a reason for their blessing God.”

APPLICATION

In John 1:12 we read, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,” He gave the right! It was pleasing to Him. It was according to His good pleasure. And when we are made His children, we inherit all He has for us, as we are told in Romans 8:17, “and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

The President of the United States typically issues numerous pardons to individuals who are in prison during his last few days in office. He has the sole power to do that. No one tells him he can. He just can. And why? Because he wants to. For some reason, which he may or may not divulge, he has decided to set these people free.

God, in a much bigger way, has decided to pardon us. He has chosen us as His child. He has given us a pass on our certain damnation. But He tells us why. It’s because He loves us. It’s because He had planned before the foundation of the earth (verse 4 from yesterday’s blog) to do this. His plan all along, since He formed us in our mother’s womb, was to save us, to redeem us. For that reason, we praise Him. We bless His name forever.

Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank You, Lord, for making me whole.  Thank You, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation rich and free.

Standard
Age, Belief, Bible, Blessing, Chosen, Devil, Eternal Life, Eternity, Foundation, God's Will, Redemption, Salvation, Satan, Scripture

BEFORE ANYTHING

EPHESIANS 1:4

“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love…”

Can you remember your life before it began? Of course, you can’t. No one can. Our finite minds are limited to our degree of consciousness. We cannot comprehend a time before we could think or act. What is your first memory as a child? I remember growing up in Southwest Georgia and playing with my siblings in the yard. I remember this red, metal tractor that we used to pedal around the yard. My life before that is only remembered through photographs.

Paul refers to a time in today’s verse that existed before anything, “the foundation of the world.” When was that? Well, it was literally before anything. Why would Paul bring this up? To show us that God’s eternal plan of choosing us has always existed. There has never been a time when we weren’t on His mind. Can you imagine? Our life has had a purpose that long. So, how can we ever doubt His love for us.

APPLICATION

In John 17:24, Jesus refers to this time before time. “‘Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.’” God loved His Son before the foundation of the world. He loved us before the foundation of the world. He has loved us as long as He has loved His own Son. Wow! How can we doubt His love?

1 Peter 1:20 tells us, “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.” Jesus, who the Father loved before the foundation of the world and was known before the foundation of the world, had an eternal purpose before the foundation of the world. What was that? To come and die for us, to redeem us back to His Father.

Our salvation has always been the Father’s plan. There was never a Plan A and Plan B. There was only ONE plan – Jesus. Before you ever came into existence, God had you on His mind. Again, I ask you, how could we ever doubt His love for us. We only doubt because we listen to the evil one’s lies. Read this verse several times today. Better yet, memorize it and repeat it over and over. Never doubt His love. He loved us before anything!

Father, although I cannot imagine a time before anything, I believe You loved me that long.

Standard
Adoption, Bible, Chosen, Family, Joy, Love, Redemption, Scripture

ADOPTION

GALATIANS 4:5

“so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.”

I have a lot of friends and some family who have chosen to adopt children. Some did it because they were unable to conceive a child. Others did it because they wanted to give a child a home. But both chose a child. Both made a choice. Some of my friends even celebrate their child’s “chosen day” each year. I can’t imagine the joy the child feels when they have been chosen.

As believers in Christ, we have all been chosen by Christ. In today’s verse, Paul is still addressing those who have been under the Law, those Judaizers who were trying to influence the Gentile believers. He tells them Christ has saved them from the struggle of trying to keep the Law and has given all believers the joy of “adoption as sons and daughters.” What joy!

APPLICATION

What will you do with your adoption? Some children who are adopted truly flourish in their new homes. They take full advantage of every part of being in a new family. Others don’t and hang on to the past hurts and rejections from their birth families. We are the same spiritually. Some of us grow and mature as believers. Others hang on to the past and refuse to let go.

The Greek word for adoption is huiothesia, which comes from huios (son) and tithemi (to place) – to place as son. It is interesting to me that the word huios is used since that is the word used to describe Jesus every time in Scripture. We have the same sonship in the family. God has placed us as sons (and daugters) into His heavenly kingdom with all the benefits He can offer.

We have a choice to make. Will we take advantage of all those benefits, all those gifts of the Spirit or will we cling to our past and stay chained to our sins? Let me close with this passage from Ephesians 1:3-5. Then you can make your decision how you will live as adopted sons (and daughters) of the King.

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” 

Thank You, Lord, for adopting me as Your child into Your kingdom. I want to enjoy my new family to the fullest.

Standard
Belief, Bible, Blessing, Chosen, Family, Favoritism, Genealogy, God's Will, Gospel, Heritage, History, Salvation, Scripture

HERITAGE

GALATIANS 2:15

“‘We are Jews by nature and not sinners from the Gentiles;’”

I had a hint the other day on one of my genealogy sites. It was pretty awesome. That hint led me back to the 11th century to a relative on my mom’s side of the family. He was an Earl in Scotland. Isn’t that cool? I find these family trees to be intriguing. Knowing where you come from can give you some grounding in life.

As Paul continues his rebuke of Peter in verse 15, we see him talking about his and Peter’s heritage. They were Jews, not Gentiles. They had prior knowledge to the things of Jehovah, unlike the Gentiles, who were commonly referred to as sinners by the Jews. But Paul wasn’t setting himself up above the Gentiles. We can see that later in this letter in Galatians 3:28. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

APPLICATION

What can we make of this verse today in application to our life? Know where you come from! We are told in Ephesians 5:8, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.” We were all sinners doomed to an eternal damnation before coming to Jesus. Never forget what God did for you in salvation. We should stay forever grateful.

I believe the second thing we can see in today’s verse is that God did not make the Gentiles a lower class. He has always desired to see them come to Him. Look at Isaiah 60:3, “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Aren’t you grateful for that? God had a plan from the beginning for all mankind to come to Him. He knows who will and who want. But the Word says in John 3:16, “whosover.” That included the Gentiles.

And the final thing I see in this verse today is a warning not to flaunt our position in Christ. I don’t think for a second that Paul was putting down the Gentiles in this verse. I can just see him standing and addressing the crowd. You have to remember that Paul loved these Gentiles and had a mission from God to preach the Gospel to them. He was not putting the Jews above them. We are all the same at the foot of the cross. Praise the Lord!

Father, thank You for saving me. Thank You for giving me a family tree that leads to You.

Standard