By Jeremy Bell
A Good Person Safe in Faith in the Son
I am going to highlight Christian agreement. Finding points of agreement helps build unity among people. Often, disagreements are in the application of fundamental ideas. I will share how Psalm 2 supports some salvation fundamentals. Consider the good person in context according to the creator’s parameters. I will continue with an excerpt from Isaiah 43: 10-13 directly afterwards because it supports it. Understanding the unity across scripture is excellent theological practice.
The Gospel Message
The gospel is good news. Jesus is the King God set on His holy hill. Jesus is His son and God is his Father. It is Jesus who is given authority over all nations and people. Through Christ Jesus God has accomplished all that is ultimately necessary to bring about His glorious plan. His plan is to manifest His glory in and among His people throughout His good creation. Through faith and the grace of God, anyone can participate in that glorious plan as we are brought to the Father in the Son through the power of the Spirit. A good person is born in faith in the Son and not by the good works of their own hands.
[ Psalm 2 ]
Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take a stand,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let’s break their bonds apart,
and cast their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens will laugh.
The Lord will have them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his anger,
and terrify them in his wrath:
“Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
I will tell of the decree:
Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.
Today I have become your father.
Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,
the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron.
You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now therefore be wise, you kings.
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve Yahweh with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way,
for his wrath will soon be kindled.
Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
[ Isaiah 43: 10-13 ]
“You are my witnesses,” says Yahweh,
“With my servant whom I have chosen;
that you may know and believe me,
and understand that I am he.
Before me there was no God formed,
neither will there be after me.
I myself am Yahweh.
Besides me, there is no savior.
I have declared, I have saved, and I have shown,
and there was no strange god among you.
Therefore you are my witnesses”,
says Yahweh, “and I am God.
Yes, since the day was, I am he.
There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.
I will work, and who can hinder it?”
Capable Within Chosen Construct
Anyone can be a good person in life. People may be capable of not sinning, they are capable of good things. But these things are accomplished in the context of Gods’ perfect creation, broken. Broken as the relationship between people and God. The good news is that God has a plan to restore His perfect creation and restore the relationship. He has set His king on His holy hill. Through Jesus Christ, the king, His son, He has finished all that is necessary to accomplish His plan.
He is patient so that anyone who would have life with Him to manifest His glory and participate in that plan would answer His call. People cannot restore the relationship; God alone reaches out. The bad news is that not everyone will choose to answer Gods’ call, paying homage to the son. And while those people may do some good things, they are done in a broken creation where that end will be swept away from God for a conscious eternity. The people in that creation will fall under the anger and judgement of the son, Gods’ king.
The Only Perfect Judge
The son knows the hearts of people and he alone will judge. This is an awesome thing for all and a cause for great rejoicing for those who respond to Gods’ call as they enjoy God in life for a conscious eternity. If you have responded to that call, consider the gospel and the salvation agreements today. You are a good person because of the declaration of Jesus and what He accomplished on your behalf.
How will this affect what you do, how you will behave? In the unique way that God made you and gifted you, how will you preach this gospel? How will you be wise and instructed? God has given the Holy Spirit to live inside you as a teacher and comforter. Speak with Him about these things and give homage to the son. The closer you get to the king, the more you will thrive in The Nature of Joy.
Resources and Notes
All scripture in this article is from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB). The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.
For more related to this blog, check out my post on Practical Life Strategy Steps Created in Root Cause Abundance.
This is a reliable translation, but it is always good to read other translations as well. Biblegateway.com has a multitude of translations to read from. It is a great resource.
Another great resource is Biblehub.com. There are multiple translations, commentaries, and so much more. Great research can be done on this platform.
One more I use regularly is Gotquestions.org. This is a great site to answer questions and find threads of related questions.
There are many resources. The key is that God wants relationship directly with you, the individual. His primary source for revealing who He is and growing in intimacy is His word, the scriptures. Don’t just read for instruction. Analyze and read for understanding. Explore, ask questions, and be transformed in Jesus every moment you possibly can. There is no dispute this is a key desire of God. People are brough to the Father, in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This… This is the Nature of Joy.
Jeremy is an author, musician, and business intelligence manager. His mission is to equip and encourage those in Christ, to equip and encourage others in Christ. Jesus, Christ, is the Nature of Joy and melody of the heart. Jeremy unites business analytics (business intelligence), songs, and Scripture for Christian living in the power of the Holy Spirit.