DRAWING NEAR
July 2
Coming to Christ
"Coming to [Christ] as to a living stone" (1 Pet. 2:4).
Jesus Christ is the source of every spiritual privilege.
Often Christians speak of salvation as "coming to Christ." That's an
accurate, biblical description, for Jesus Himself said, "Come to Me,
all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt.
11:28); "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger,
and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35); "If any
man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink" (John 7:37). Those are
metaphors for salvation.
Coming to Christ initiates all your spiritual privileges because in
Him God "granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness"
(2 Pet. 1:3). Paul said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3).
The Greek word translated "coming" in 1 Peter 2:4 conveys more than
initially turning to Christ for salvation. It implies remaining with
Him. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament it was used of
those who drew near to God for ongoing worship. It was also used of
Gentile proselytes--those who chose to identify themselves with God's
people.
When you came to Christ, a permanent relationship of intimate
personal communion was established. Before that, you were rebellious
toward God, without hope, and alienated from God's promises. Now
you've been born again to a living hope, you abide in Him and in His
Word, and you have wonderful spiritual privileges.
Indeed, you are a privileged person, and the greatest of those
privileges is your personal relationship with Christ Himself.
Continue to draw near to Him today through prayer and worship.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Tell Jesus how much you love Him and how you want your relationship
with Him to be all it should be.
For Further Study:
Read Ephesians 2:1-22.
How did Paul describe our spiritual condition before salvation? How
are sinners reconciled to God? What analogy did Paul use to describe
our relationship as Christians to Jesus Christ?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Ephesians 2:1-22
2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now
works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of
our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and
were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with
which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh; who are
called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the
flesh by hands;
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has
broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of
commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one
new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through
the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to
those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a
holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of
God in the Spirit.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
http://www.gty.org/Gospel
http://www.gty.org/
http://www.nwbible.org/
To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
.
|
