Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Ninth Day of ChristMass

Posted on January 2, 2021 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-6 (NKJV)
 
1:3 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 should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
 
Devotion
 
One of the first evil things Satan did was to engage Eve in debate about the forbidden fruit. Eve should have faithfully replied, “Depart from me; the Lord said ‘Do not eat it.’ His will be done!” Debates about predestination can be just as dangerous, as many false teachers have shown through history. Novices try to argue about the issue like armchair sports fans try to judge the calls of professional referees.
 
We do well to speak in the clear terms of Scripture. Our eternal God has chosen us to be His children through faith in Jesus Christ. If we hear the Word preached we ought to repent of our sins and believe in the Gospel of forgiveness through Christ’s death. Whoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Debates beyond the clear Words of Scripture should be banished from the minds of the godly, because Satan would gladly use such discussions to tempt us to evil (see Formula of Concord, Epitome, XI.12).
 
It is also clear in Paul’s epistle that God wants us to be holy and without blame before Him in love, serving according to His will. If we try to teach and debate when we are not called to do so, we are in danger of vanity. If we stir up idle disputes, then we are in danger of making things unclear. But if we are called to give careful answer and clear testimony according to the simplicity of Christ’s love, then we are showing the spiritual blessings that are ours from heaven.
 
Prayer: Almighty and Everlasting God, direct our actions according to Thy good pleasure, that in the name of Thy beloved Son we may be made to abound in good works; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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