This Present Evil World - Part 2
God has a Plan for His people, "according to the Will of God and our Father." His Plan is to "deliver us", both for today, and forever. And, to accomplish this Deliverance through Jesus Christ, His Son, "gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4). The Heavenly Father "spared not His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all" (Romans 8:32). The scriptures state: "For God [the Father] so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life" (John 3:16). And if anyone has paid the price to have "a say" in what we think, say, and do, that Someone is Jesus Christ, "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our Justification" (Romans 4:25). Paul declared: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I LIVE by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). The scriptures also states: "But God commendeth His Love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us..." For "...if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be Saved by His Life" (Romans 5:8,10).
If the Father and the Son would carry out this Plan for us while we were their "enemies", then "Love" would have to be the Motive. "In this was manifested the Love of God toward us, because that God sent His Only Begotten Son into the world, that we might LIVE through Him. Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that He Loved us, and sent His Son to be the Propitiation for our sins" (1John 4:9-10).
This was the Plan of the Father, carried out by the Son, to "deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4). And, if this Plan was rooted and grounded in Love, then so are we to be. "Walk in Love, as Christ also hath Loved us, and hath given Himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a Sweet smelling Savour" (Ephesians 5:2).
This Plan of Salvation saves us from Hell. "This is the Record, that God hath given to us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son" (1John 5:11). But, this Plan also saves us "from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4).
The time we live in today is worse than the time when God sent the flood and destroyed all living creatures except the 8 souls that were saved. Expect a more severe response from God next time round - the Fire - which shall dissolve the world and everything in it.
II Peter 3: 8-11 states: (8)"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (10) 0But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (14) Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Pray that you will indeed be found faultless, blameless and without spot (or sin).
