Comments on: Defining Ourselves http://ancienttruthmodernsound.com/defining-ourselves Frank thoughts on our times from the view of the Gospel. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:15:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Doug Meikle http://ancienttruthmodernsound.com/defining-ourselves#comment-2364 Doug Meikle Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:22:40 +0000 http://ancienttruthmodernsound.com/defining-ourselves#comment-2364 When I started along the Christian path I was at a church that was a 5 point Calvinist church. The preaching often returned to the sovereignty of God of which I found so conforting! Strangely, I always heard the absolute sovereignty of God in the context of his choosing a people. It was comforting to me because I didn't have the strength to choose God, but he had the strength to choose me and I rested in that choice. God choosing us is what makes us what we are, rejoice! That is the label we all can have and the beauty we can all participate in. When I started along the Christian path I was at a church that was a 5 point Calvinist church. The preaching often returned to the sovereignty of God of which I found so conforting! Strangely, I always heard the absolute sovereignty of God in the context of his choosing a people. It was comforting to me because I didn’t have the strength to choose God, but he had the strength to choose me and I rested in that choice.

God choosing us is what makes us what we are, rejoice! That is the label we all can have and the beauty we can all participate in.

]]> By: Nancy http://ancienttruthmodernsound.com/defining-ourselves#comment-2331 Nancy Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:27:05 +0000 http://ancienttruthmodernsound.com/defining-ourselves#comment-2331 This is so good! We so often describe ourselves and those around us with labels for our particular temptations/sins or medical conditions. I know when I get weak I tend to recognize my issues with control, temper and food as being part of me more often than I remember to Whom I belong. When my son has medical issues I tend to focus on his diagnoses more than his Savior. Thanks for a great reminder that, in Christ, we are no longer anonymous sinners (a la Alcoholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, etc.) or ailing bodies but redeemed children of God who have been given new names. In Christ we are chosen (Revelation 17:8, 21:27), purchased (Revelation 5:9), clothed (Revelation 7:14), comforted (Revelation 7:17) and given a new name (Revelation 2:17, 3:12). One of the readings this morning at Bethany Lutheran here in Denver was Exodus 19:5-6: "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Another was 1 Peter 2:9-10 "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." This is so good! We so often describe ourselves and those around us with labels for our particular temptations/sins or medical conditions. I know when I get weak I tend to recognize my issues with control, temper and food as being part of me more often than I remember to Whom I belong. When my son has medical issues I tend to focus on his diagnoses more than his Savior.
Thanks for a great reminder that, in Christ, we are no longer anonymous sinners (a la Alcoholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, etc.) or ailing bodies but redeemed children of God who have been given new names.
In Christ we are chosen (Revelation 17:8, 21:27), purchased (Revelation 5:9), clothed (Revelation 7:14), comforted (Revelation 7:17) and given a new name (Revelation 2:17, 3:12).
One of the readings this morning at Bethany Lutheran here in Denver was Exodus 19:5-6: “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Another was 1 Peter 2:9-10 “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.”

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