Found in Translation - Sons and Heirs

I've had opportunity to minister using interpreters in at least 7 different languages. There have been times where my words have been accurately translated and others where this hasn't been the case.

When what I have faithfully said is faithfully delivered, there is a marked difference in the response.

It is this way with our representation of Christ. People see Him in us. Hence, this week's topic: Found in Translation.

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"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"
(Galatians 3:26-29).

This amazing proclamation secures our place in Him.

We aren't His children by nature (Jesus is the only begotten) or by creation (as Adam, the angels, and all mankind) but by divine adoption. We are made legitimate in Him by His sovereign act of grace in accepting us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6)!

Because we are children of God we are heirs of God. And because we are spiritual children of Abraham we are heirs of the promise!

Represent Him as His son and heir to the promise. In this spiritual posture - recognizing His sovereign act of grace in us, not by our works - He can be found in us.

Be a faithful translation. Walk as His son and heir.

His Power Saves You

From Romans 1, "... I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..." .

I love that the Gospel is the only message we are commissioned to preach (Mark 16:15).

It strips away the religion and the science and the suggestion that God haphazardly saved us as an adjunct event to His Creativity or Sovereignty.

The Gospel is THE POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION. Front and center. Main event. Center ring.

Our redemption is head-and-shoulders above any happening anytime anywhere.

Our redemption means we have a right place in Him. Not a second-level membership, but a fully-redeemed place in the plans and purposes of the Creator of the universe.

"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:10-11).

This is not ambiguous language. This is heavy stuff not meant to be misunderstood or watered down.

It means (among so many other things):
- we can know God,
- we can have a relationship with God,
- we are valuable to God,
- we have power and authority over our enemy,
- we have a purpose in the Divine Kingdom.

I hope that encourages you as much as it does me!

Have a POWER-FULL day!

Partakers of the Divine Nature

Click here for today's daily bread.

Read the Daily Bread before reading this.

Can you believe that God calls us and positions us to be "partakers of the divine nature"?

Try it in the NIV version (bold for emphasis):

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Wow! God did that!

Declare His victory in your life and confess what He has promised. Walk in it and, as Peter goes on to write, "be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble".

Great are the promises of God and, as our Pastor says, "they come in seed form. Grow them from the inside out".

Nurture them by faith, and cultivate them with your words and behavior.

What you believe affects your behavior, and what you DO matters!