The best benediction is Hebrew 13:20-21. It gives us the purpose and the power of living. It shows us what God is like, the accomplishment of Jesus Christ, and how we can live a God-pleasing life.The best benediction is Hebrew 13:20-21 [ESV]
Now may the God of peace
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant,
equip you
with everything good
that you may do his will,
working in us
that which is pleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
That is a long sentence. So we strip it to very least to get the meaning clear, we shall have:
God equips you to do His will through Jesus Christ.
We can find the answers for purpose and the how-to of living this life.
What is our purpose in life?
Ans: To do God's will - which is pleasing in His sight.
How can we do that?
God equips us with everything good
AND through Jesus Christ working in us.
What else do we need?
Nothing, except our belief and obedience to His leading.
Who is Christ?
Christ is the great shepherd of the sheep - we are the sheep led by Jesus Christ. We recall then Ps 23 where God is our shepherd and we lack nothing.
Christ is the one who gave his blood on the cross to seal the eternal covenant reconciling men to God and enabling us to children of God.
Christ is resurrected by God the Father and now seat at the right hand of God. (Esp 1:20, Heb 1:3, 8:1,10:12)
Who is God?
He is the God of peace - who sent His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and resurrected Him for our justification and thereby established the eternal covenant between men and God. (John3:16)
To us, because of Jesus, God is no longer a God of judgment but of Peace.
Conclusion:
We don't have to strive to look for and work for God through our own efforts.
We just have to rest in the assurance that our loving God of peace has equipped us and enables us to do things that please Him through Jesus Christ living in us. (Philippians 2:13 (NIV) for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.)
Lim Liat (c) 7 Sep 2018
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