The Misery I Have Been Spared

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins . . . But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ . . . And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved . . . For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. [Eph 2:1-10 NIV]

What God is telling us through the words of the Apostle Paul is that we all deserve to suffer death in Hell. But it is because of God’s great mercy, He chose to save some – the few -the undeserving. Though Scriptures tell us God is “not wanting anyone to perish” [2Pe 3:9 NIV], Jesus said broad is the way that leads to death and most will go there (Mat 7:13-14).

All mankind is full of evil (Jer 17:9). Every one of us deserves to die. No one seeks after God (Rom 3:11). But Christ died for all – He paid the price we could not pay to redeem our lives (Rom 5:6-8). Paul says God saved us when we were dead in our sins. Then, Paul says God has raised up the few to be seated with Him, in Christ Jesus, to display His incomparable grace.

That I should be saved at all is a demonstration of His incomparable grace. He saved me by grace alone, not by anything that I have done. He drew me to Him (Joh 6:44) to display His grace to the world and all the principalities. Because of what Christ has done, I am freed from the curse of sin – freed from the eternal death in Hell. What problem, what worry, what care in this life can compare to the misery I have been spared?

Therefore, my mind and my whole self should be focused on being His workmanship – doing what He prepared for me to do. Instead, I concern myself with my kingdom, which is burnable, when I should be working for His kingdom, which is eternal. Why am I consumed with the pettiness of this world?

About the author: cominus

Cominus is the pen-name for Dean Isaacson, who got involved in the GOP in 1983, the year my son was born. Chairman of the Snohomish County Republican Central Committee (Washington) 1990 to 1992. Conducted legal research for the late Supreme Court Justice William C. Goodloe for several years. In 1996, succeeded him to lead Judicial Forum (the year before he passed away). Moved to Idaho in 1999 and still reviews judicial candidates in the State of Washington. My core belief is you will choose to serve God or you will serve the state - tyrants, as William Penn called it.

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  • Books by Cominus

    imageMy Prayer Closet (2011)
    Under the Tower of Babel (1995)
    Solomon wrote there will be no end of the writing of books. If he lived now, he would decry the endless cacophony of electronic verbiage. Page after page of endless, mindless tripe. People selling something; people saying something. No body reading anything! If the page doesn't have pictures, [click] the viewer is gone. Everyone is looking for entertainment. No one is looking for substance. But we keep on writing and we think someone will read it. Oh, how we deceive ourselves -- convinced of our own immortality. Words, words, words . . . - cominus
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  • I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
    [Psa 45:17 NIV 1984]

     

    Whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by [Christ Jesus] and for [Christ Jesus].
    [Col 1:16 NIV 1984]