“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
When we look at the people in the world, particularly the celebrities, politicians, the movers and the shakers, the rich and powerful, it is easy to envy them. Many people in our world do, thanks to the media, but they should envy the Christians. They should desire what we have for those in the world live troubled and chaotic lives. We who are baptized into Christ Jesus have a distinct advantage over them, an advantage that has been given us, not something that we have earned or even deserve. We have the Holy Spirit of God who is the provider and source of all the resources of the Lord that we need in this world. And because of His indwelling presence, we need not for death: He is our guarantee of eternal life.
And how do we know these things? We know because the Lord spoke the words of judgment and mercy, of law and gospel, faith and forgiveness to our hearts through His word. We read His word in our Bible or we heard it proclaimed by a faithful and godly Pastor or a humble believer who had the wisdom to tell us the truth without fear. The promise and assurance of our salvation is revealed in God’s Word. The blueprint for living in righteousness and love is also revealed there. And yet so many are now reinterpreting that Word in the light of 21st Century social norms and sexual perversions. Love is love they say.
Yet the Word of God tells us that God is love. Love is His essential and core attribute that undergirds all that He is and does. He desires us to live lives of righteousness and purity for His glory but also for our benefit and the benefit of our neighbors. Yes God demands punishment for sin, but He has exacted that punishment from Himself. His love is expressed in His redemption of sinners at the cost of His Son. He grants grace to sinners freely, not according to human merit or worth. He dispenses His goodness and generosity to all. He extends mercy to us in our state of helpless sinfulness. He provides deliverance, healing and guidance. He is long-suffering and patient as He withholds judgment to extend His offer of grace to all. But He will not withhold it forever.