Saturday, August 26, 2006
God's People (part iv)
Who are God’s People? Paul says it beautifully in his letter to Titus:
“… Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:14 NIV)
God’s People are the saved, the redeemed, the purified, the elect. His family, his assembly, is His People. The concept of who was a part of God’s People and what are God’s People required to do were very important questions to the early assembly. The apostles and elders met in Jerusalem to discuss these questions. Here was the answer given by James, the half-brother of Jesus:
“After they [Barnabas and Paul] stopped speaking, James answered, saying, ‘Brethren, listen to me. Simeon [Peter] has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, “After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.’” (Acts 15:13-18 NASB)
James, a Jew, agreed that God took the Gentiles to be a part of his People.
“… Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:14 NIV)
God’s People are the saved, the redeemed, the purified, the elect. His family, his assembly, is His People. The concept of who was a part of God’s People and what are God’s People required to do were very important questions to the early assembly. The apostles and elders met in Jerusalem to discuss these questions. Here was the answer given by James, the half-brother of Jesus:
“After they [Barnabas and Paul] stopped speaking, James answered, saying, ‘Brethren, listen to me. Simeon [Peter] has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, “After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.’” (Acts 15:13-18 NASB)
James, a Jew, agreed that God took the Gentiles to be a part of his People.
# posted by Wesley Son of Cornelius @ 9:38 PM 
