The Chosen One

"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you," (1 Thessalonians 1:4, ESV)

How is that for reality? For we KNOW that God has chosen you. Do you know this and believe it? God chose YOU! Do you ever "feel" like your not worth much? Remember God chose you! Ever think that no one cares? Remember God chose you! Isn't God good? I'm going to stop here because I don't want you to think I am going to get into this fluffy rant about, "How special you are" and so on. That's not the point. God didn't choose you because you are special or because you are a likeable person or even because he saw a great potential in you to do great things for the Kingdom. So why did God chose you? Because He is God and He is good. In his grace He reached down and saved you, FOR HIS GLORY. Why did He choose you and not your neighbor next door? I would answer, you don't know that he hasn't chosen your neighbor next door. This is why we are to take the Gospel and preach it. We are to plant the seeds of faith and then let God do the rest. We certainly cannot save anyone, but we can certainly introduce them to the saving faith of Christ.

People have problems with knowing that God chose them and not vice versa. I guess I don't understand why, maybe because they think it takes away free will? However Jesuse said "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." (John 15:16, ESV) God chose us unto salvation. He gave us the faith to believe. We are saved and redeemed. Now we are truly free to choose! We have the freedom to turn our backs on sin. We are free to choose to do good works. We are free from the bondage of sin and Satan. Through God's sovereign grace I am now truly free.

I personally don't have a problem with theological issues like sovereignty, election and predestination because they are biblical. Nowhere have I found in the Bible the doctrine of us choosing God, everywhere I look in the Bible it talks about God choosing us. You may not understand why but take comfort in knowing this. God chose you! I love what Warren Weirsbe wrote, "A seminary professor once told me, 'Try to explain election, and you may lose your mind. But explain it away—and you may lose your soul!”

Random though of the day... God chose me by His grace. This does, in many ways, make me special.

Chosen in Christ,

Jeff