Midweek Message from the Archive
Chosen and Forgiven
The word chosen is used in scripture many times, also being translated elected. It’s that wonderful, Judeo-Christian doctrine that reassures us that we were picked out to be children of God. Going hand-in-hand with the privilege of being chosen are all the benefits that go with it as we talk about on Fridays.
Some people have trouble understanding this ancient teaching which goes all the way back to Adam and they focus on those who are not chosen. We don’t have the answers to those questions simply because scripture doesn’t comment on it. So why not focus on your standing with God, your gratefulness that He chose you and how you should respond to Him in appreciation? Why not focus on what you do know from scripture rather than what you can’t explain?
Well, how should you respond to a Sovereign God Who created the universe in His supreme authority yet while He was working was thinking about you? Did you know that He thinks about you?
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
Yet you made them only a little lower than God
and crowned them with glory and honor.
You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— (Psalm 8:3-6 NLT)
Consider this passage this week:
Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:12, 13 NLT)
That is one way to respond to God in your ‘chosenness’; live your life with qualities that look like Jesus. He lived a life that was worthy of imitating: He was the ultimate Forgiver. If He was chosen by God for a purpose, is willing to forgive us for our sin, how much more should we forgive others? We were also chosen by God for a purpose or a destiny. I’ll talk more about that on Friday when we continue with Eph. 1:3-14. For now, Let’s rejoice together that He was thinking about us when He created the world and that there is purpose to our lives in Christ.
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