(Isaiah 63:1) "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save."
This morning I will leave the Arminian/Calvin debate alone, I have said enough on the topic, you have all made up your own minds by now on where you stand on this debate!
What I will look at is our great Jehovah’s ability to save! “He is mighty to save.” I have presented my case on election and yet many still do not agree with me. But when God chooses to save who can resist his will? Not only is He is mighty to save, He is able to make men repent. Saul on the road to Damascus was obstinate in his will to defy God by persecuting the early church. Yet God forced His hand and struck him with blindness and got Saul to cry out, “who are you Lord?” Jesus then informed him that he was persecuting Jehovah’s Son, the Lord Jesus. Saul was then stricken with blindness for three day where he neither ate nor drank. But soon after that encounter he no longer persecuted the church but became one of their leaders. “He is mighty to save!”
Samson toyed with His call that God placed upon His life, he ended up like an ox to the slaughter, his weakness woman, and it cost him his eyes! Everybody had written him off until his hair began to grow again. Samson killed more people with his death than he did with his life. Remember that he killed 1000 philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. “He is mighty to save!”
God is mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of his name to bend the knee before him. A man who once blasphemed and had a foul mouth who was a king pin in the slave trade then goes on to write the hymn we still sing today; John Newton’s Amazing Grace! “He is mighty to save!”
Christ does not through might save someone and then leaves him to shift for himself; but He who begins the good work carries it on; He who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until we will be perfected in glory. Believer, here is encouragement. Art thou praying for a loved one? Do not lose hope, as it is still day and we can still pray for God to have mercy on our siblings that have not yet bent the knee in repentance, pray I say, for the prayer of a righteous man avails much! “He is mighty to save!” You are powerless to reclaim the rebel, but “He is mighty to save.” Lay hold on that mighty arm, lean upon His arm and whisper in His ear, “He is mighty to save.” Does your own case trouble you? Fear not, for his strength is sufficient for you. Remember the heart of your Father, is it not full of grace and mercy, yes it is! How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
So whether the Lord will begin with others, or decide to carry on the working in you, Jesus is “mighty to save;” the best proof of His ability to save is the fact that he has saved you.
(Isaiah 63:1) "It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save."
Signing off
Tyrone
2 comments:
Thanks Tyrone, He is mighty to save indeed!
"But when God chooses to save who can resist his will?" (one of the 5 points of Calvinism, which is not correct)
This question is answered in Scripture: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2Pe 3:9)
"Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it." (Mt 7:14)
"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Mt 22:14)
I'll leave it there :-) God bless you richly as you grow in Him!
Your brother, Malcolm
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2Pe 3:9)
Read carefully: "...toward us..."
Who are these people he is speaking about?
Let's go back to the beginning of the chapter:
2 Peter 3:1 KJV 2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you;
See that? It is written to and of the "beloved".
And God IS not willing that any of the beloved(which are the elect)will perish. Therefore they won't!
Mt 7:14 - Exactly! That way is narrow. Almost every human being on earth wants to be in heaven, they just don't want God to be there when they get there. Therefore many look for that road (even the Muslims, Buddhists,Mormons, "nominal christians" etc) but only the elect who have been drawn to Jesus by the Father will find that narrow road.
John 6:44 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day
Mt22:14 - Yes the calling goes out to the whole world(we should preach the Gospel to everyone, CALLING them to repentance), but only the elect have been CHOSEN.Many are CALLED (general calling) but few are CHOSEN(the elect).
Really not THAT difficult if you believe scripture.
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