ADDRESSING THE PEOPLE OF GOD

There is an undeniable and arresting tone in all Apostolic writings. They addressed the people of God as those who were accepted by God and were qualified to receive divine resources. Often congregations were plagued with serious deficiencies that threatened their very salvation. Yet, they were approached as people that had been reconciled to God, and were capable of fully recovering from the snare of the devil. A confused and flawed Corinthian assembly could thus be addressed as "the church of God which is at Corinth . . . them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints . . . " (1 Cor 1:2). The Thessalonians, seriously deficient in their understanding of the coming of the Lord, were nevertheless addressed as "the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess 1:1). Even the Galatians who were "so soon removed from Him" that had called them were told, "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal 1:3,6). This approach did not indicate laxness on the part of the Apostles. They were not willing to overlook the dangerous deficiencies of their brethren. Neither, indeed, did they allow the knowledge of those deficiencies to distort their awareness of the accomplishments of salvation in Christ Jesus. They addressed the people of God as those that had been "delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son" (Col 1:13). They knew recovery was possible because salvation had been effectual. Neither, indeed, were those "holy men of God" naive enough to think the people of God could not again be ensnared by the evil one, falling into his condemnation. They did not preach safety to deceived disciples walking after the flesh. Rather, they admonished them to "resist the devil" and "perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord" (James 4:7; 2 Cor 7:1). However, they admonished them as people accepted by God through Christ, appealing to them to "work out" their own salvation "with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12). Spiritual recovery and growth require such appeals. Even though delusion pulls one into the realm of condemnation and rejection, proper spiritual appeals allow for recovery and escape from that jeopardy. Truth does not have to be compromised, and we do not need to turn our eyes from dangerous deficiencies. Much of the preaching to which I am exposed addresses the people of God as though they were alienated from God. It seems to draw more attention to what they are NOT doing, than to what they CAN do, by the grace of God. The bludgeon of law, however wise its employment may appear, will never empower weak people. We become "partakers of the divine nature" through the "exceeding great and precious promises" (2 Pet 1:4). Note; not through the commandments, but through the promises! Not through threats, but through the promises! God's people do requiring warnings, correction, and exhortation. However, all of this is done while holding the incomparably great promises before them.

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