March 22nd 2026
Once You Were Not A People, But Now You Are The Chosen People Of God, Now You Have Received Mercy.
Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
That term “God’s chosen people” seems to me to have been reserved for the Jews! However, under the New Covenant it applies to all of us who are being saved by becoming followers of Jesus Christ. What a great honor it is to know that your immortal soul will end up in heaven, when heaven is ready for you. Jesus has said He is preparing a room for you in the paradise of God, where your immortal soul will wait for heaven on the new earth to be ready for us. If you are working on becoming more Christ-like, then what Paul is telling the Colossian church will apply to you too, “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Peter wrote about followers of Jesus Christ now claiming this title when he wrote, “you are a chosen people” in the book of 1Peter. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (1 Peter 2:6-8). Peter first lays out how many people are missing this eternal life message and their immortal soul will end up in hell and be separated from God forever.
Then Peter writes about how God will honor the commitment of those who come to be followers of Jesus Christ. When you came to believe in Jesus Christ you joined the group of chosen people. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10). As Peter defines this journey from non-belief to becoming a believer, “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God, now you have received mercy.”
Once you get on the path that leads to salvation you must grow in your knowledge of the ultimate purpose of life in this cursed world. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2-3). Only about one third of the people in this world follow Jesus Christ in some form. It is doubtful, in my mind, that all of them will be saved. Therefore, most of the people alive today on planet earth will allow their immortal soul to be cast into hell when they die. I do not say this to make us sad, but to try and influence us to tell someone how Jesus in my life has vastly improved my hope for my future.
Trust in Jesus, for there is no other Way but to trust in Jesus! This song says to trust and obey for there is no other Way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey Him. Paul wrote to the church in Rome and for us to overflow with hope as followers of Jesus. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13). Jesus left the Holy Spirit behind when He left this earth for His followers to use to guide their life in this cursed world.
As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to try and develop a constant link of our immortal soul with this Holy Spirit, which will greatly reduce the pull from our sinful nature to lead us into worldly pursuits that will not allow us to try to love everyone we come to know in this world. Paul wrote about our attitudes reflecting a good spirit toward others. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).
God implants an immortal piece in all humans, which is the essence of life! This life force is made in the image and likeness of God, and it will depart from our mortal body when we die, and it will go to a place prepared for it. God calls to every soul to direct it to a holding place, assigned by God at the beginning of time. Paul wrote about this call from Jesus for His followers. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).
Jesus died and rose from the dead and went back to heaven to be seated at the right hand of God to show the Way for all those who choose to follow Him in this world. Jesus told His disciples about where He was going and that if we are His followers where we will go when we die in this lifetime. Jesus said to them, “You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:4-6). Do you know the Way?
Are you on that narrow path that leads your immortal soul to join Jesus Christ in the Paradise of God? Do not worry about knowing the Way, Jesus will come back and get you. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3).
Jesus has prepared a place for you! Are you ready when it is your time to fly with Him to see your room? Paradise awaits!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
That term “God’s chosen people” seems to me to have been reserved for the Jews! However, under the New Covenant it applies to all of us who are being saved by becoming followers of Jesus Christ. What a great honor it is to know that your immortal soul will end up in heaven, when heaven is ready for you. Jesus has said He is preparing a room for you in the paradise of God, where your immortal soul will wait for heaven on the new earth to be ready for us. If you are working on becoming more Christ-like, then what Paul is telling the Colossian church will apply to you too, “as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Peter wrote about followers of Jesus Christ now claiming this title when he wrote, “you are a chosen people” in the book of 1Peter. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. (1 Peter 2:6-8). Peter first lays out how many people are missing this eternal life message and their immortal soul will end up in hell and be separated from God forever.
Then Peter writes about how God will honor the commitment of those who come to be followers of Jesus Christ. When you came to believe in Jesus Christ you joined the group of chosen people. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10). As Peter defines this journey from non-belief to becoming a believer, “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God, now you have received mercy.”
Once you get on the path that leads to salvation you must grow in your knowledge of the ultimate purpose of life in this cursed world. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2-3). Only about one third of the people in this world follow Jesus Christ in some form. It is doubtful, in my mind, that all of them will be saved. Therefore, most of the people alive today on planet earth will allow their immortal soul to be cast into hell when they die. I do not say this to make us sad, but to try and influence us to tell someone how Jesus in my life has vastly improved my hope for my future.
Trust in Jesus, for there is no other Way but to trust in Jesus! This song says to trust and obey for there is no other Way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey Him. Paul wrote to the church in Rome and for us to overflow with hope as followers of Jesus. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13). Jesus left the Holy Spirit behind when He left this earth for His followers to use to guide their life in this cursed world.
As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to try and develop a constant link of our immortal soul with this Holy Spirit, which will greatly reduce the pull from our sinful nature to lead us into worldly pursuits that will not allow us to try to love everyone we come to know in this world. Paul wrote about our attitudes reflecting a good spirit toward others. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23).
God implants an immortal piece in all humans, which is the essence of life! This life force is made in the image and likeness of God, and it will depart from our mortal body when we die, and it will go to a place prepared for it. God calls to every soul to direct it to a holding place, assigned by God at the beginning of time. Paul wrote about this call from Jesus for His followers. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).
Jesus died and rose from the dead and went back to heaven to be seated at the right hand of God to show the Way for all those who choose to follow Him in this world. Jesus told His disciples about where He was going and that if we are His followers where we will go when we die in this lifetime. Jesus said to them, “You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:4-6). Do you know the Way?
Are you on that narrow path that leads your immortal soul to join Jesus Christ in the Paradise of God? Do not worry about knowing the Way, Jesus will come back and get you. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3).
Jesus has prepared a place for you! Are you ready when it is your time to fly with Him to see your room? Paradise awaits!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|