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 7-28-2019 Weekly Message

Meditations on this week: Psalm 13: 1-6

Text: I Peter 1:1-9

The title of the Word: Trials of faith and the inheritance of Christian  foreknown by God

         Apostle Peter testifies that God knows  the hearts of all that are born in the world  if they  will obey the gospel. He testifies that the blood of Christ sprinkled unto the heart when they hear the gospel and obey through the manifestation of the Spirit and power (1Cor. 2:4)to be saved of their souls(1Peter 1:9)

         Through the same Spirit, Apostle Paul also gave the same testimony:

” For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to beconformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. “(Romans 8: 29-30)

” For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? “(Hebrews 9: 13-14)

           That’s right! Through the foreknowledge of God, they that became the children of God by faith are not dwelling  in the world  but sojourning traveler from now on toward the heavenly home. Therefore, they are protected by the power of God living in the world.

        God keeps for the Christians the incorruptible, unclean, and undefiled inheritance in heaven and gives each one the faith to see the heavenly inheritance not looking at the world. Therefore, for those Christians who observe the heirs of heaven by faith, Apostle Paul said that Christians should not give up their body to sin anymore and give to God as a instrument of righteousness:

” I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service.

2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. “(Romans 12: 1-2).

            God knows not only those who shall receive salvation obeying the gospel, but also them that will receive inheritance in heaven. In other word, God know in advance the amount of faith each person will receive. He also testified through the trial of faith that they shall be praised, honored, and glorified as Christ appears in the day when he will be revealed, much more precious than gold, which is tried by fire. He testified that it is the reason of great rejoice though sorrow of grievance because of temptation

           In other word, the greater trial of Christians, the greater is the faith and inheritance. We can see this through the examples of the people of the old times.

            After 120 years, God planned to judge the whole world with the flood. He knew Noah, the man to be used in his plan, and called Him. Noah was a man of faith who built that great ark  for 120 years.

God knew Noah in advance as a vessel to become the second- ancestor after Adam. We cannot imagine what kind of  persecution he received from people for 120 years as well as the trials and sorrows he had experienced, but he was able to receive the whole earth as his inheritance through the trials of great faith. The Hebrew writer testified about him:

“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Hebrews 11: 7; )

God planned to be the Messiah who would come to appear in the world in the form of a man and save the whole world in the future, and he called Abraham beforehand to see who would be used in this plan. He passed the trials of faith he had received for 25 years until he gave birth to Isaac, and finally he was able to begat Isaac. As he passed the trials of faith, Apostle Paul testified that his faith was not weakened at all to the end:

“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

20He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. “(Rom. 4: 18-21)

God also told Joseph in advance how he was going to fulfill God’s will in the future and gave him faith. The Bible also testifies that God gave him great trials, sorrows, and

decipline to accomplish his will through Joseph:

“He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” (Psalm 105: 17-19 )

That’s right! We can see through the Bible about the trials of faith and the rewards they have received, and  many of God’s servants who have gone ahead of us. Compared to the great servants, the trials of faith we receive are not comparable, but we also have faith and hope through God’s foreknowledge. Whenever we are subjected to trials of faith through temptation, we are bound to be sad and heartbreaking, but if there is one sure thing, the greater our trials, the more glorious, praise, and honor we receive.

Apostle Paul exhorted the saints suffering in Rome to think wisely according to the amount of faith:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service.

2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12: 3)

Finally, we must deeply engrave in our hearts the words which are given to us through Apostle Peter:

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: “(1 Peter 1: 6-7).

Amen! Hallelujah!