Make Your Calling And Election Sure
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matt 22:36-40
"who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." Titus 2:14
"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11
God must work all these graces into us, yet not so that we should be mere machines, but willing instruments in His hands in making His election of us "secure." God’s counsel is steadfast and everlasting, but our part is to cooperate with Him. There is no uncertainty on His part, but on ours the only security is our faith in His promise and the fruit of the Spirit which we take to ourselves.
"Gone was the guilt factor of never measuring up. I did not suddenly view myself as sinless/perfect, but I simply understood that I was, in fact, a member of the Royal Household and in a process of transformation into a better version of myself (becoming more like Jesus)." (Joseph) [2 Cor 3:17-18]
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Gal 5:22-24
We worship God by external sacrifices and gifts, not for His own profit, but for that of ourselves and our neighbor. For He needs not our sacrifices, but wishes them to be offered to Him, in order to arouse our devotion and to profit our neighbor. Hence mercy, whereby we help others’ needs is a sacrifice more acceptable to Him, as more directly working to our neighbor’s well-being, according to Hebrews 13:15-16: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'" Matt 25:34-36
•To give drink to the thirsty
•To clothe the naked
•To harbour the harbourless (shelter the homeless)
•To visit the sick
•To ransom the captive
•To bury the dead (especially in time of war)
The spiritual works of mercy are:
"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:1-2
•To counsel the doubtful (help strengthen their faith)
•To admonish sinners (to be pure and holy)
•To bear wrongs patiently
•To forgive offenses willingly
•To comfort the afflicted
•To pray for the living
