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God is a giver. He blesses His creation with gifts everyday.
Many of us take for granted some of the things He gives (i.e.
food, medicine, sunshine, and rain). Many ignore the special
gifts He gives in the form of spiritual blessings like grace,
forgiveness, and salvation. God doesn't have to give us anything,
but because of His nature and love for us, He gives us things
all the time. James stated, "Every good gift and every
perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of
lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning"
(James 1:17). What a reassuring verse! "Every good"
and "every perfect" gift is from God. Things may happen
to us that seem bad at times, but this verse tells us that God
can and will even make good things come out of whatever bad is
happening. It reminds me of when Paul wrote, "And we know
that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom.
8:28). God will allow us to go through difficult times, but
He will even use those times to make us stronger Christians than
we were before. God has given us all things, but right now I
would like us to consider three "good" and "perfect"
gifts He has given to us. 1. God gave us Jesus Christ. There is nothing better or more perfect than God's own Son. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Jesus was good and perfect in every way. He never sinned or gave in to temptation. The writer of Hebrews stated, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). It was because of His perfection that it was possible for Him to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. The apostle Paul said, "For He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus was able to live a perfect and obedient life fulfilling God's will where Adam and every other man since has failed. 2. God gave us the Bible. We can look at the beautiful creation around us and know that there is a God who made all things (Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:20). However, to know the nature and will of God, we would need a divine revelation. That is why God gave us the good and perfect gift of His word. God speaks directly to man through the inspired Bible. Forty different men living over the course of sixteen hundred years spanning three continents were all inspired by the Holy Spirit to give us the complete revelation of God. Paul tells us "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Bible is a good and perfect gift because it came from God, and it has the power to make us into what He wants us to be. 3. God gave us the church. Although the church is made up of imperfect people, the church itself is a perfect divine institution. It is where those who have been "called out" of the world become the body of Christ. It is perfect in it's organization, worship, and soul-saving mission; because it is made up of those who have been cleansed, redeemed, and purchased with the perfect blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:23,25). It is the Bride of Christ and a safe haven for those who obey the Lord. -Ed |