Good morning,
Today the reading was written by Annie. Her title is "Christ is a Ransom for Many." All of the happenings in the Old Testament point to a coming Messiah who would save his people and open the gates of heaven to those who believe in Him and accept Him. God was planning this random for His children all along, and his son was the one who was the pure Lamb who was to be the ransom. Annie wrote. "Simply put, God is proceeding according to a plan. All die, but that same all will also be made alive, resurrected in a certain order according to God's plan."
Please spend some time today thanking Jesus for the ransom He provided for us. When we choose Him and follow Him we are accepted as people that will be welcomed into heaven.
\God bless Annie and Corinne
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Today's Devotional "Christ is a Ransom for Many"
I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions,
supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty.
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior;
in the sight of God our Savior;
Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God, and one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.I Timothy 2:1-6
Three times in four brief verses (I Timothy 2:1, 3-4, 6), God states He has planned for the salvation of all. Since He desires to save all men, they must all be given an opportunity for it. It is very obvious from human experience that very few among all mankind have ever heard the gospel or come to the knowledge of the truth.
Verse 6 also says that Christ is a ransom for all, and this will be testified or witnessed of in due time. The way Paul wrote this shows that the testifying is still future. In other words, many had not heard of Christ's ransom for sin, and Paul indicates that he expected many then living and many yet unborn would also die without hearing of it. But it would be witnessed to all in due time because Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven by which men can be saved.
God's plan, humanly speaking, covers a long time. Like Paul, Peter clearly says that God does not desire anyone to perish. Other scriptures indicate that some will, but it is not God's will that they do so.
The critical factor in these verses is repentance. How can a person repent if he does not have knowledge of the truth, if he does not know the purpose God is working out, of what he should repent, why he should repent, or by what means his sins are forgiven? The overwhelming majority of people who have ever lived on earth fit into this category! These things remain untestified to them.
I Corinthians 15:21-23 adds another important revelation to this mystery.
"For since by man came death, by Man also came
the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits,
the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits,
afterward those who are Christ's at His coming."
Simply put, God is proceeding according to a plan. All die, but that same all will also be made alive, resurrected in a certain order according to God's plan.
Verse 26 reads,
"The last enemy that will be destroyed is death"
It has not yet been destroyed! This means that God's plan is still continuing, and in due time the opportunity for salvation will come to all, even though God must resurrect many to that opportunity. Most churches exclude most of this world from salvation because they are not part of their group. Why do people scoff when we point out that God will give all mankind the chance to conform to His image? We are offering them eternal life. We must continue to offer no matter what. That is our great commission given to us by our heavenly Father.
Gateway Worship singing
"Heaven's Song"
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Here is an uplifting graphic
for you to think about.
Here is an uplifting graphic
for you to think about.
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Prayers are lifted up daily for
you by the Devotional Writers
and the Monthly Writing Staff
of Women's Focus Ministries.
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