By Jeremy Bell
There is Christian agreement that all Christians from all nations have reason to praise God. Of course, really, there is reason for everyone to praise God, He is Lord and Savior. Finding points of agreement helps build unity among people. Often, disagreements are in the application of fundamental ideas. I will share how Psalm 117 supports a point of salvation fundamental agreement. I will continue by posting Romans 15: 8 – 13 and Revelation 1: 8 – 18 directly afterwards because they refer to it. Understanding the unity across scripture is excellent theological practice.
What is the Gospel Message? The gospel is the good news that through Jesus Christ God has accomplished all that is ultimately necessary to bring about His glorious plan to manifest His glory in and among His people throughout His good creation and that through faith and the grace of God, you and I can participate in that glorious plan as we are brought to the Father in the Son through the power of the Spirit. God has always been in control, He is still in control, He will always be in control. He is Lord and savior and there is no other.
Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Hopefully that gives some perspective and something to consider while preparing to hear or read this Psalm. It is by no means the only perspective, just the one right now. Here is Psalm 117, Romans 15: 8 – 13 and Revelation 1: 8 – 18.
[ Psalm 117 ]
Praise Yahweh, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For his loving kindness is great toward us.
Yahweh’s faithfulness endures forever.
Praise Yah!
[ Romans 15: 8 – 13 ]
Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles
and sing to your name.”
Again he says,
“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”
Again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Let all the peoples praise him.”
Again, Isaiah says,
“There will be the root of Jesse,
he who arises to rule over the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles will hope.”
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
[ Revelation 1: 8 – 18 ]
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands. And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest. When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.
He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.”
Don’t be Afraid
There is good news. The One who is the first and the last is in control. This same One, who suffered and was humiliated. This One was dead and is now alive and has the keys of death and hades. Through this One, God accomplished all the pieces needed for His plan. This One we now know by name, the One called Jesus, He is Lord and savior. When Jesus came, He expanded His kingdom calling to Gentiles, who were the entire rest of the world outside the Jewish people.
The people of Jesus consist of all the nations, agreeing with the Jewish scripture writers who wrote about Him hundreds of years before He came. Jesus circumcises hearts, just like Moses said the Christ would. Jesus called a people who were not a people, just like Isaiah said the Messiah would. People are saved by God’s grace through faith, just like Abraham was. Now, this faith, this Christ, this Messiah, has a name. Jesus! There is no other name by which a person may be saved for is the only Lord and savior. Through Him God is finished with all that is required to bring about His glorious plan.
The Plan
What is this glorious plan? His plan is to manifest His glory in and among His people, all the nations who have faith in His son, Jesus, throughout His good creation. You and I, if we are born again in Christ Jesus, are each can participate in His plan. We are brought to the Father in the son through the power of the Holy Spirit. There is truly reason to praise God. It is appropriate to worship Him, and I hope you take some time to worship the Lord and savior on purpose today.
A Challenge
Consider this. Everything necessary to accomplish God’s plan is done, it’s finished. Why do we still live in this broken life? Why do we not experience blissful manifestation of God’s glory and perfect worship? Because God desires that all should be saved. Not all will be saved, but God desires they are. Manifesting God’s glory begins now by considering the things God desires and striving to desire them as well. God uses His people to reach other people and give them the message of this amazing gospel. God uses this gospel to transform His people daily. Let it transform you today. Empathize with God by considering those who do not know Jesus.
Take Heart, Take Action
Our destiny is fixed, the end, as gruesome as people will make it, is determined. Some will die and experience an eternity of unquenchable thirst, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. They will hate and despise God for infinite time. There will be no good, no kindness, no love. God does not desire this, but God does respect the human choice He gifted them with.
A day is coming when there will be no time left to decide and it is God’s people who are tasked with getting the word out, getting the gospel message out. Salvation came, it is here, and it is coming by way of Jesus, Lord and savior. But only for those who have faith in Jesus. He is the only one that will bring them to the Father. I encourage you to not be selfish with your joy but share the abundance of eternal goodness and love that come by faith 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 Reliable Fundamentals for Healthy Discipleship Ministries.
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.