An Attitude of Gratefulness

Job1:20 “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”

In times of great sorrow, it is often difficult to maintain the proper perspective on life. It is not uncommon for us to dwell on the negative rather than the positive things that are before us and in our past. In these verses (Job 1:20-22), Job has just been informed that all his children were killed in at one time in single wind storm. This is a great tragedy with which any loving parent would have great difficulty coping. However, Job’s reaction is the proper one.

We see that scripture says that “Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” In other words, Job’s reaction was quite proper within the context of being a believer. As believers, we can approach life and death with a different mindset. Job, rather than being sorrowful for what he had lost, rejoices in what he had been given. Yes, he had just lost all of his children, but he realizes that he was blessed to have ever had the experience of having them in the first place. So, rather than sulk in his sorrows, he cries out “blessed be the name of the Lord.”

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives everyday. With that in mind, we should adopt an attitude that shows thankfulness in all things. Some call this an “attitude of gratitude.” Maybe that is just a bit too glib, but there is some truth in that little phrase. If we can remember to be thankful for those things with which we have been blessed, we will have less time to sorrow over the things that have passed us by or have come and gone. So, we sorrow comes, focus on the things you do or have had rather than focusing on the losses. It will make life a lot more bearable and will certainly draw you closer to Christ

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Footnote: Pastoral Notes is a devotional and spiritual series published by Elder Marty Hoskins, pastor of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church of Brunswick, Georgia. This series is published on a sporadic basis expressing thoughts that may be useful for devotionals or family worship. These devotionals and articles may be freely distributed so long as they are distributed in their entirety and this footnote is attached. These devotionals can also be read in the Pastor’s Journal at http://zionpbc.org. Any comments, questions, or request for addition or removal from this email distribution can be directed to Elder Marty Hoskins at pastor@zionpbc.org.
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Why We Believe in Particular Redemption

Particular redemption is the belief that when Jesus died on the cross he suffered only for those that God chose to be saved and not for the entire human race. We are certainly a minority among Christians with this belief. If we are in such a minority then why do we hold such a belief?

We hold this belief for three reasons:

1. The Bible Teaches it.
2. Logic demands it.
3. Christ’s perfection requires it.

Scripture is clear that Jesus did not come to save the entire human race. In Matthew 1:21, the angel informs Joseph that he should not fear to take Mary to be his wife because the child she was carrying was conceived of the Holy Ghost “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Jesus came specifically to save his people, not the entire human race. Further, in John 6:38-39, Jesus himself tells us “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” Notice that Jesus says that he came to raise up all which the father had given him. He makes no claim to being a universal atonement for the sins of all men, but rather that he was here specifically for those chosen by God.

Scripture is also clear that not all the human race will be saved, but that some will suffer the wrath of God in hell. If this be the case, then God certainly, having perfect knowledge, would know the identity of those that would endure that wrath. If God and Jesus knew the identities of the children of wrath prior to the crucifixion, then logic would demand that Christ would have died to pay only for the sins of those that were not to receive the wrath of God. For if Jesus paid for the sins of any man that would eventually suffer wrath, God would be collecting payment for the sins of that man twice. There is no justice in collecting twice for one debt, and God is just. Therefore, Logic demands a particular redemption.

No one that has studied the scripture or claims to be Christian can argue that the word of God presents Jesus as the perfect saviour. It is his perfection that made Him worthy to pay for the sins of his people. One spot or blemish and he would not have been a worthy saviour. If Christ paid for the sins of one soul that ends up in hell, how can he be described as perfect? His perfection requires that all for which he died be saved and live in glory with the Father for all enternity.

Particular Redemption is the only doctrine that can adequately describe what Jesus did on the cross for his people. If you are a recipient of that grace, then it is not by chance. It is by God’s choice, and you were specially chosen and preserved by the death of Christ.

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Footnote: Pastoral Notes is a devotional and spiritual series published by Elder Marty Hoskins, pastor of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church of Brunswick, Georgia. This series is published on a sporadic basis expressing thoughts that may be useful for devotionals or family worship. These devotionals and articles may be freely distributed so long as they are distributed in their entirety and this footnote is attached. These devotionals can also be read in the Pastor’s Journal at http://zionpbc.org. Any comments, questions, or request for addition or removal from this email distribution can be directed to Elder Marty Hoskins at pastor@zionpbc.org.
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Adoption

Ephesians 1:5 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

The word “adoption” appears five times in scripture, Romans 8:15; 8:23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5; and Ephesians 1:5. Each time it is used, it is used in reference to the adoption of people into the family of God. One might ask why we need to be adopted into God’s family if we are born into it by the new birth. It is true that we are born into God’s family, and as such are afforded all the rights of a child born into the family of God. As a birth child, we belong to God the father. It is the natural order of things for children to belong to their parents. The parents are responsible for the teaching and training of their children. The concept of birth sets up a certain relationship between us and our father.

Adoption, on the other hand, carries a definite legal meaning. I believe it would help us to understand the concept of adoption within the context of the time that these Biblical texts were written. Each of these texts was written within and under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Romans had very strict rules governing adoptions. These rules were so strict that the obligations of a parent to an adopted child were even greater than the obligations of a parent to a natural born child. The greatest difference between an adopted child and a natural born child was that a natural born child could be disinherited, but an adopted child could not. If a natural born child did something to disgrace the family, then that child could be written out of the father’s will and thus be disinherited with no claim to any inheritance. However, if you adopted a child under Roman law, then you could never, no matter what the circumstances, disinherit that child. One of the responsibilities of the adoptive parents was that they leave an inheritance to the adopted child. A Roman adoption provided a permanent form of security for that child.

Adoption into the family of God is a beautiful picture of the security we have in the family of God. Our inheritance is secure. As birth children, we have all the relational advantages that a child has with his birth parents. As an adopted child, we have all the legal rights to security that an adopted child has. It is not wonder Paul wrote the following:

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are so secure in the love of our God that nothing can separate us from God’s love.

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Footnote: Pastoral Notes is a devotional and spiritual series published by Elder Marty Hoskins, pastor of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church of Brunswick, Georgia. This series is published on a sporadic basis expressing thoughts that may be useful for devotionals or family worship. These devotionals and articles may be freely distributed so long as they are distributed in their entirety and this footnote is attached. These devotionals can also be read in the Pastor’s Journal at http://zionpbc.org. Any comments, questions, or request for addition or removal from this email distribution can be directed to Elder Marty Hoskins at pastor@zionpbc.org.
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Ready

Ezra 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

In this passage we learn that Ezra was a “ready” scribe. The Hebrew word translated as “ready” is a word that carries the meaning of quick, prompt, and skilled. It is found four times in the Hebrew text and is translated in the King James as ready (2 times), diligent (1 time), and hasting (1 time). The obvious implication is that Ezra was a scribe that was able and willing to serve in the capacity in which God had called him.

The question we have to ask ourselves is “Are we willing and able to serve in the capacity that God has called us?” First, it should be noted that God has never called anybody to serve in a way that he did not then give them the ability. So we should not focus on the ability question, but rather on the willingness question. Second, what capacity has God called on use to serve. Certainly, there are some special callings that do not extend to all of God’s people. For instance, not all are called to preach. However, there are some things to which we are all called.

We are all called to be “ready” students of God’s word. The question is not whether we are able, but rather are we willing? We are also all called to be “ready” servants of God’s people. Again, are we willing to serve?

May we all be blessed to be ready students and servants. If we are, then we will be “ready” to give an answer for our hope.

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Footnote: Pastoral Notes is a devotional and spiritual series published by Elder Marty Hoskins, pastor of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church of Brunswick, Georgia. This series is published on a sporadic basis expressing thoughts that may be useful for devotionals or family worship. These devotionals and articles may be freely distributed so long as they are distributed in their entirety and this footnote is attached. These devotionals can also be read in the Pastor’s Journal at http://zionpbc.org. Any comments, questions, or request for addition or removal from this email distribution can be directed to Elder Marty Hoskins at pastor@zionpbc.org.
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Sharing

Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

The Christian walk is a quite unique from any other view on the world. It is unique among all the world religions. As a matter of fact, I would not even classify it with world religions. Many things make Christianity unique, such as it is the only world religion that does not make heaven or the afterlife dependent upon works based righteousness. Also, it is the only religion among world religions whose central figure is still alive. Considering all others, their leaders are dead. For instance, consider leaders such as Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, etc, etc, but Jesus Christ raised from the dead and is alive today.

Another thing that makes Christianity unique is the concept of charity. Only in Christian values do we find the concept that gain is accomplished by giving away that which one has. This is not strictly meant of our financial means, though the concept does apply there, but is also meant of our spiritual possessions. Just as the seed cannot germinate and bring forth much fruit unless it has been cast into the ground, neither can we bear the fruits of righteousness if we do not first plant seeds of righteousness all around us. We have to share that which we have in order for it to grow.

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Footnote: Pastoral Notes is a devotional and spiritual series published by Elder Marty Hoskins, pastor of the Zion Primitive Baptist Church of Brunswick, Georgia. This series is published on a sporadic basis expressing thoughts that may be useful for devotionals or family worship. These devotionals and articles may be freely distributed so long as they are distributed in their entirety and this footnote is attached. These devotionals can also be read in the Pastor’s Journal at http://zionpbc.org. Any comments, questions, or request for addition or removal from this email distribution can be directed to Elder Marty Hoskins at pastor@zionpbc.org.
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