Monthly message

You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1: 5

Dear Friends,

In this letter of Peter, he shared wonderful discoveries that he made about the glory of God. The glory of God means the sum total of all that God is and does. ‘Glory’ is not a separate attribute or characteristic of God, such as His Holiness, wisdom or mercy. Everything that God is and does is characterized by glory. He is glorious in wisdom and power, so that everything He thinks and does is marked by glory. He reveals His glory in creation (Ps. 19), in His dealings with the people of Israel, and especially in his plan for lost sinners. Because of Jesus, His death and resurrection, we have been given a living hope, and that hope includes the glory of God. This living hope is grounded on the living Word of God, and it was made possible by the living Son of God who arose from the dead. A ‘living hope’ is one that has life in it and therefore can give life to us. Because it has life, it grows and becomes greater and more beautiful as time goes on. Time destroys most hopes, they fade and then die. But the passing of time only makes a Christian’s hope that much more glorious. Peter calls this hope an inheritance. As the children of King, we share His inheritance in glory. We are included in Christ’s last will and testament, and we share the glory with him! This inheritance is called ‘salvation’ and is eternal, and it will not disappoint us in any way. The amazing thing is that this ‘salvation’ was a part of God’s great plan for us from eternity. As far as God the Father is concerned, we were saved when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. As far as the Son is concerned, we were saved when he died for us on the cross, and as far as the Spirit is concerned we were saved when we heard the Gospel and received Christ. Then it all comes together, but it took the three persons of the Godhead to bring us to salvation. To enter God’s spiritual family is by spiritual birth, and this new birth gives us a new nature, as well as a new and living hope through faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour. He is the chief cornerstone of the church, binding the building together. This building consists of living stones, you and me, and we were quarried out of the pit of sin and cemented by grace into his spiritual house, His Church. By His grace we can obtain by faith all that we need to live for Him and serve Him. We are to offer Him; ‘spiritual sacrifices’. We ought to give ourselves, as well as the praise of our lips, and the good works we do for others, also our money and other material things we share with others in God’s service and give them to Christ for his glory.

GOD BLESS JULIAN