Romans 5:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Romans 5:1 

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ” – Romans 5:1

All of us can look back and see our lives the way they were prior to accepting the salvation offered to us through Christ Jesus.  Speaking for myself, I can see the many ways I did not follow God’s ways but my own.  The truth is, all of us did not follow His ways, for as Paul says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23.  And because of this, we were all declared guilty and subject to punishment, and there was nothing we could do to erase this guilt.  However, what we could not do, God did for us.  It was required that a perfect sacrifice be made on our behalf.  This is where Jesus comes in.  As expressed above, our salvation comes through accepting the gift of salvation offered to us because of the perfect sacrifice made on our behalf: the sacrifice of the perfect Son of God, Jesus the Christ.

Because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, we all have the opportunity to be justified, pronounced and treated as righteous.  And through our acceptance of this work on the cross we are justified, and justification is the act of God not only forgiving the believer’s sins but imputing to him the righteousness of Christ.  And according to our focus verse, it is only through faith.  It is not earned through anything that we have or can do.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9,  And also, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” Titus 3:4-6

Remember, this is not anything we can earn or buy.  It is strictly a free gift from God.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23.  We can do nothing to earn justification.  But the sad truth is, many people believe that they must earn salvation.  In practically every religion, including some churches who falsely claim Christianity as their foundation, man is working his way to God and His approval.  They are being taught that man must do all the right things in order to be saved.  However, the truth is that only God can provide this, and all we need to do is accept it.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day we can spend time with family and friend giving thanks for the salvation as well as all the other blessings God has provided for us.  It is also a time where we can spend time in prayer to our God who loves us so much, He gave His only begotten Son to address our sins through a merciful act of justification.  Without this, we would be eternally separated from God in a horrible place. 

So, I want to encourage all of us to spend time giving thanks to the one who provided our salvation which we were unable to provide ourselves.  And also, throughout the year, help those who still do not understand that God did all the work for we were unable to do anything regarding our salvation;  that Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, accepted by us through faith, is the only way to have peace with God.  Our thankfulness should be the impetus for us to help others be saved and present this same thankfulness to our Almighty God.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

1 Corinthians 2:2

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Corinthians 2:2 

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” – 1 Corinthians 2:2

The Gentile believers in the city of Corinth to whom Paul is writing almost exclusively came out of idol worship of “the gods” of Greek or Roman mythology.  The philosophers of the Greeks attended to the seeking of wisdom.   To a Greek, having wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the ‘seen and unseen’ was the epitome of being Man in discovering how to live.  Many philosophers did try to establish or discover universal laws of conduct.  The Greek philosophers asserted that their philosophy reflected the true will of the gods. This was the previous mindset of these new Corinthian believers.  They coupled their faith in Christ with what was called ‘wise’’ according to the culture.   Paul wanted to set things straight for them.  Paul told them that Christ did not send him to baptize (which they undoubtedly heard continuously from Jews who followed Christ), but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect (I Cor 1:17).   Today, if a man or woman is teaching or preaching a different or additional gospel message to the masses other than what was given to Paul, most specifically the crucified Christ, watch out.  Having the wisdom of words is not the same as the power of the cross message.  “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.  For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom 16: 17-18).   There are plenty out there that draw the masses through their ‘smooth words and flattering speech’ but are deceiving the hearts of the simple.

Paul emphasizes to them that through the wisdom of this world you can not know God (I Cor 1:21).  In fact, it pleased God through the (assumed) foolishness of the message preached (Christ crucified for you), to save those who believe, plus nothing.  Just BELIEVE it, by FAITH.   “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom…” (I Cor 1:22).   But in contrast to what the Jews were seeking and what the Greek culture was seeking Paul’s message was this: “…but we preach Christ crucified” (I Cor 1:23).   To the Jewish man or woman, the Messiah being killed and crucified was a stumbling block to them, just as Old Testament prophecy forecast.   To the Gentile Greek man or woman, the message of Jesus Christ being crucified specifically for them in order to save them from the penalty of sin and the Adamic nature and receive full forgiveness from the Creator was ‘foolishness’. Why?   Because the message of the cross can only be understood by ‘faith’. This means you cannot figure out with your earthbound wisdom and insight and great knowledge the truth of Christ crucified for you.   To the Ancient Greeks they were dedicated to cultivating the life of the person of practical and theoretical wisdom, the education of the mind.   From birth onward, a Greek educational system involved developing the mind to such a dimension that the mind in wisdom and knowledge could rise above the natural.   Millions of people today do the same thing through opening their mind to any sort of comprehensible value in practice or religion to attain a higher degree of wisdom – to know how to live – how to be stress free, and how to be calm in the mind, and saved from this Adamic nature from doing unhealthy things.     So ‘why’ did God design it so that you cannot figure out how to be saved through access of worldly wisdom?   One of the greatest attributes of Man’s fallen nature is pride.  Therefore, Paul writes in verse 29 “…that no flesh should glory in His presence.”   If you could figure this out, you would glory in your self-discovery.  Pride.   But God’s perspective says this: “…it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (vs 31). 

There is one thing the Apostle Paul was determined to know and determined to share: Jesus Christ and Him crucified (2:2).    The word ‘determined’ fully means that he reached a decision to a course of action. He made up his mind to share nothing else as priority except Christ’s death.  Therefore, he continues in verse 5 “…that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”.  I encourage you at this time to focus upon what Jesus Christ has done for you; to ponder and grasp by faith the depth and wisdom of Christ’s finished work of the cross on your behalf.  The world has gone amuck.  But the security of being ‘in Christ’ because of the cross far out measures what wisdom this world could ever offer as relief.  Do not be corrupted by what this ‘world’ offers, even so-called smooth-talking preaching that does not focus upon the cross.    “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Cor 11:3).  

Jaca Kier, Board Member, True Devotion Ministries, Inc.  

Galatians 2:20

Verse of the Day Devotion: Galatians 2:20 

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” – Galatians 2:20

Paul, in this passage, is laying out a distinction of our new life in Christ in opposition to our old life of sin.  In the verse just before this, he states that the law by which He lived under in his past he no longer lived under.  “For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.” Galatians 2:19.  The ‘law’ referenced here is the Mosaic Law. He has come to the realization, through his conversion to The Way (Christianity) that salvation did not come through obedience to the law.  There was no hope in being saved through his own deeds.  In our focus verse, we see the reality he has come to understand.

When Christ died on the cross, it was not that we died physically with Him.  It was that He died for us, and the penalty for our sins was paid through His death.  Paul puts it this way in his letter to the Church in Rome.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.  When He died, our sins were paid for because He had never sinned and therefore His death was for our benefit.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17.

Because of this, we are to set aside our old life and put on our new life.  “if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Ephesians 4:21-24. 

We are to put away those things from our old life that is sin and displeasing to God and put on those things which are good.  “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”  Ephesians 4:25-32.

It is important to understand that we are saved completely by the work of Christ on the cross: His death, burial and resurrection.  And this is purely the work of God and not by anything we could ever do.  It has nothing to do with following any rules. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:9-10. All that is required is that we accept the work He did for us. 

True acceptance of what He did is shown by loving Him above all else.  We are called to love the Lord with everything we have: all our heart, soul, mind and strength (see Luke 10:27).  And how do we show that love?  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15.  We are not to keep His commandments because they will save us, we are to keep them to show our love for Him. And this love shown by the keeping of His commandments is proof that it is no longer we who live, but it is Christ who lives within us.  It was not us who saved ourselves, it was God’s sacrifice that saved us.  Put another way, it was not the keeping of the law, or following specific rules that saved us, it was Christ.  The keeping of His commandments is only the proof that it is no longer us who live, but Christ who lives in us.  Paul wants to make this very clear here in Galatians 2.  Remember, one sin condemns us.  We all have sinned; therefore we cannot save ourselves.  So the following of the law is of no effect, except to show our love for Jesus because of His salvation we have accepted.  What a beautiful picture of the grace and mercy of God.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

1 Corinthians 4:15-16

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 

“For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, I have begotten you through the gospel.  Therefore, I urge you, imitate me.” – 1 Corinthians 4:15-16

According to statista.com, for the years 2017 – 2018 (current numbers I found more difficult to 1 Corinthians 4:15-16 track down), the religious book sales revenue in the United States alone was almost $600,000,000!  According to the Nielsen BookScan statistics, the approximate average of Christian book unit sales is about 60 million books sold each year in the U.S.  Since 2017-2018 Christian brick-and-mortar stores have been slowly becoming less prominent.  Independent Christian publishing is on the rise.  E-books, on-line sales, Kindle, etc., are all continuing to show steady numbers in volume and dollars.   I would guess that ‘most’ of you reading this article would recognize the name(s) of 90% of the (quote-un-quote) Top 30 Christian non-fiction writers!  

Evidently, the church of predominately Gentile believers in the city of Corinth in the mid-50’s A.D. had a similar phenomenon: they had plenty of people attempting to ‘instruct’ others concerning Christ, but no one had so much care for them as the Apostle Paul – who taught them and had instructed them in the truth of the gospel; in other words, the ‘good news’ of the efficiency of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the means of salvation, by God’s grace, and through ‘believing’ through ‘faith’ that this message was True.  Paul was the ‘apostle sent to the Gentiles’. He recounted this unique calling from the Ascending Lord in Acts 22:21 where Paul reminds his listeners that Jesus said to him: “Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.”   It was through Paul that the believers in Corinth would be taught the whole truth and nothing but the truth of this glorious ‘good news’.   

Though the city of Corinth might have had ten thousand other instructors in Christ, it was Paul who was the greatest caretaker and father to them.   The term ‘instructors’ in VS 15 is a Greek word that only occurs twice in the New Testament but has many variations due to the ‘root word’.  The first definition is that of a ‘teacher or instructor’ similar to a teacher in High School or College that brings instructions and corrections to its class members.  This is NOT the word Paul uses here. THIS word in VS 15 is speaking about ‘a guide, a leader, or a guardian’.  Elsewhere for example it is translated as ‘tutor’ in Galatians 3:24, 25.   “Therefore the law was our ‘tutor’ (our guide, our leader, our guardian) to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a ‘tutor’”.   The law, the Mosaic law of Judaism is no longer our ‘tutor and guide and guardian and leader’ once we have come to ‘faith’ in Christ, being justified by faith alone!  

Read how personal Paul’s words are to the Corinthian believers.  “For in Christ “I” have begotten you through the gospel.”  It was Jesus who ultimately sent Paul to these Corinthians.  Paul was not just ‘like’ a father to them, but it was through Paul’s message that these Corinthians came to ‘believing faith in Jesus Christ’!   No one had a greater investment in their lives literally more than Paul.  Please listen closely:  It was NOT just Paul’s message through words that made this so.  It was Paul’s life as an example in every way!  This is why Paul could say without boasting nor without any arrogance “Therefore I urge you, imitate me” (VS 16).   This is why Paul could write under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit here and in I Timothy 1:16 “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that IN ME FIRST Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a PATTERN to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (emphasis mine).  

There are 10,000 other ‘instructors’ of Christ out there in the world of Christendom that evidently Christians turn to for guidance to some degree at least.  Six million dollars’ worth of guidance a year.  Yet what an amazing privilege we have as true believers to have the very Word of God recorded for us from the one who was first sent to the Gentile world with His glorious gospel message.   I for one, am 100% confident that if you read and study Paul’s writings first and foremost, the Lord Himself by His Written Word will encourage you to the depths of practical living that no other person can do.  Please do not take lightly Paul’s word written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit when he writes: “Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” 

Jaca Kier, Board Member,  True Devotion Ministries, Inc. 

Philippians 1:21

Verse of the Day Devotion: Philippians 1:21  

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” – Philippians 1:21

Paul in this verse is declaring his devotion to Christ.  He starts with “To live is Christ”.  His sole aim in life was to glorify God through Christ.  This was his reason for living.  His aim was not honor for himself, nor was it learning, riches, or pleasure.  It was only to glorify the Lord Jesus.  His purpose in life was to know Christ as completely as possible: to know His character and plans so that he would be able to live it himself and teach others this same thing.

This would allow him to imitate Christ as much as it was possible for him.  It is important to understand that people look at us to see if we are living the same life we are proclaiming to them.  It was through this that he was able to reach many and help them give their lives to Christ.  His goal was to truly be like Christ.  As the theologian Albert Barnes proclaims in his commentary on the book of Philippians, “a purpose to which he devoted himself with as much singleness and ardor as ever did a miser to the pursuit of gold, or a devotee of pleasure to amusement, or an aspirant for fame to ambition.” As much as anyone else sought fortune and fame, he sought a solid relationship with Christ whereby he became like his teacher.

And secondly, to die is gain.  This idea is frequently used by the Greek and Latin classic writers.  With them, the sentiment had its origin in the belief that they would be freed from all their suffering and sadness and would find themselves in a happy world beyond the grave.  However, what they believed with conjecture and uncertainty, Paul along with all Christians believe with assurance.  John in the Book or Revelation puts it this way for us.  “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” Revelation 14:12-13.  When we die, we do not remain in the grave.  On the contrary, we are freed from this body and can now rest from all our labors.  We will no longer be working and becoming physically weary in our goal of doing good and promoting Christ by evangelizing all we come into contact with. 

Do we live in this same manner?  Do we believe to live is Christ and to die is gain?  What a beautiful way to see our life here, where we live in the presence of God through Christ, where His Spirit resides in us and we are in constant fellowship with Almighty God here on earth, knowing that when we die, it is actually a gain for us.  We will be freed from sin.  Here, we are subject to its sorrow, but in heaven there is no sin at all.  And we will be set free from the power of temptation.  We will be delivered from our enemies as well as our sufferings.  Indeed, this will be truly a gain for us all.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Galatians 5:1

Verse of the Day Devotion: Galatians 5:1 

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

Timothy George in his commentary on Galatians states the following regarding our life in Christ.  “Christian freedom is the precious birthright of every believer, an inestimable blessing.”  And I wholeheartedly agree with him.  Freedom is a wonderful gift bestowed upon us because of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  However, we must be careful how we interpret our focus verse because there are some things which we do not have the freedom to participate in and still remain obedient to Christ.  One way this is practiced is libertinism, which is the practices or habits of life, disregarding any authority in moral or religious matters.  As Paul says later in this chapter, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13. We must never think our freedom allows us to sin, on the contrary, we must realize that, through Christ, we are free from sin.  “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” Romans 6:6. And John puts it this way, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” 1 John 3:4.

Paul was not speaking of political freedom, as in the statement in our Declaration of Independence where it speaks of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  It also does not mean we have the right to believe what we want to believe.  Nor can we interpret any verse any way we choose, for there is a specific idea expressed by God in His word that must be adhered to.  We must understand that for Paul, Christian freedom was always grounded firmly on our relationship with Christ.  Outside of Christ, human life or existence is based on bondage: bondage to sin, to the evil that dominates our world and culture. And very importantly, bondage from the law given to the Jews.  No matter what we try, we cannot do anything that will save ourselves and this is why God sent His Son to die to give us freedom from these things, and then sent His Spirit into our hearts as believers to awaken us to this new life and liberation in Christ.

Paul in Galatians quoted above the following.  “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“  Galatians 5:13.  Paul is telling them that instead turning our freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but as an opportunity to share our love by serving one another.  As Christ served us by coming down and dying, we are called to serve others by lovingly helping them in whatever way needed.  This is what it is all about.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Ephesians 4:32

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ephesians 4:32

“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:32

This last verse in chapter four of Ephesians is extremely critical when it comes to not grieving the Holy Spirit, because this is critical in displaying how we are to treat others.  Verses 26 through 31 deal with what we are not to do.  We are not to sin in our anger, steal from others, speak unwholesome words, as well as being bitter, slanderous, and filled with malice.  Paul ends this chapter by giving several positive things we need always to endeavor to do.

We are to be kind and tender-hearted to each other.  We are to be courteous and polite to all we meet and interact with.  True Christianity does not make us rough, crabby, or sour.  Neither does it make its followers violate the proper rules of social contact.  Our goal should be to make others happy by being kind to others.  There is nothing in Christianity that speaks of being foul tempered, rude, repulsive or in anyway negative.  First of all, why would anyone want us around if we are?  All we do is damage possibilities to minister to them in their lives.  And if we are interacting with an unbeliever, there is always the possibility of destroying the chance to lead them to Christ.  Also, we are not to hold a grudge against anyone.  Paul in his letter to the Colossians says it this way.  “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:12-14. 

God has called us to be compassionate to all people, just as God was compassionate toward us.  In the book of Romans we read, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.  We all have sinned, there is no one, except Christ Himself who has been or is perfect.  We all have wronged God.  However, what did God do?  He sent His son into the world to pay the penalty for our sins.  He paid the price we could not pay.  And through the death of His Son on the Cross, we have forgiveness.  All we have to do is accept it by accepting the work done on the cross and giving our lives to Him.  And we need to forgive all those who have wronged us, just as He has offered forgiveness to us because we wronged Him. 

It is important that we show the same love God showed us to all others we come across.  What better picture of love can we show to everyone we meet.  We may be surprised just how incredible our lives will become as we imitate Christ in the love He shared to this world.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Ephesians 2:10

Verse of the Day Devotion: Ephesians 2:10 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10     

This focus verse opens our eyes to the truth that we had little to do regarding our salvation.  However, the one part we played in this was our choice to be saved.  “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38.  And, “But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:8-10.  We need to repent of our sins, confess Him truthfully as Lord and believe Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead so that we may also rise to life being once dead in our sins, then we will be saved.  And this must be from our very heart, and not simply through actions. However, from this point forward, there is nothing else we can do, it is totally God’s work that changes us from dead to living. 

Let us look at the flow of the beginning of this chapter.  “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” Ephesians 2:1-3.  We were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sin, with no way of correcting our situation at all.  We were all destined for an eternity separated from God. 

However, by the incredible love and grace of God, we have the opportunity to repent and accept the forgiveness provided by the work of Christ.  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7.  Because God loves us in a manner beyond our understanding, He provided a means by which we can be forgiven, making us no longer dead in our sins but alive in Christ.  And because of His incredible act of love, we have a future where we will be with Him for ages unending where we see His immense grace and love, in His amazing kindness through Christ. 

And all this is available to us only because of the work and grace of God.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.  Our salvation has nothing to do with any works we may do.  For anything we attempt on our own regarding our salvation is fruitless, for it required a perfect sacrifice, which we could never be for we had sinned.  It is completely the work of God, for if we could address our sins, we could then save ourselves by works and thereby have a reason to boast.  “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” Romans 3:27-28. 

Therefore, with all that was said above, it is God who does everything.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.  We are saved because of what Christ did, because He died to pay the penalty for our sins.  “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4.  We are His workmanship, for it was through His death we died to sin, and it is through His resurrection that we are raised up as a new creation in Christ.  Always remember, we needed salvation because of what we did, but are saved because of what He did.  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.  And because we are new creatures, we are His workmanship created because of Christ.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.  This new person was made, in love, to do the work of God which He prepared us to perform.  So let us step out and fulfill our calling which He prepared us to do for His glory.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Verse of the Day Devotion: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18     

This can be at times a difficult passage.  In verses 16-17  we read, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17.  What Paul is saying here is our joy should be because we have God watching over us and living within us.  It should not be based on our situation or our temporal feeling.  And with this, we should be praying constantly to our loving God.  The one who created us and saved us.  The one who guides us in every way that He desires us to go.  And we should trust His guidance that goes where He leads us.

And then we come to our focus verse.  “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18.  Why can this be a difficult verse?  Because sometimes our situation can be less than positive.  Who wants to experience tribulation?  Not many I know.  However, Paul writes to the Roman church the following, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2.  As Christians, having been justified, we have peace with God.  Our relationship has been restored and we exult in the hope we have for now and our future.  However, next he speaks of how we should be regarding tribulation.  “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5.  What we need to understand is that we must trust Him in all things, even in trials and tribulations.  Notice, tribulation brings perseverance, which then brings proven character, which brings hope.  And hope does not disappoint, because we know that He who stood with us in past days, will support us in future days.

Because of the above string from tribulation to hope, we see the why of one of the more popular verses in Romans.  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  God will bring a good out of everything for all who love God.  Look at all the old testament stories of tribulation that brought about good, as an example, Ruth.  Her husband died, she left her home to go with Ruth, suffered much, but God was with her and she gave birth to Obed whose line brought first David, King of Israel, and ultimately Jesus, the son of God.

It is hard to go through tribulation.  But we also must understand that God knows all things.  “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;” Isaiah 46:10  Nothing happens that God did not know would happen.  There is nothing that surprises God.  And with this, and the fact that all things work toward our good, then we have reason to give thanks to God in everything.  We must see tribulation as a means to bring about some good.  And allowing God to use us in bringing about good is God’s will for us.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.