In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
— James 1:18 —
Norman Sefala: Christ Seminary | South Africa
All people are born separated from God and destined to destruction in hell’s fire, where they will feel the might of the wrath of God, where there will be no chance to escape. This is our destiny unless God intervenes. In the exercise of His will, God brought us forth from our destined place of destruction; the good news of the gospel assures us that we can be made right with God by the blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ, that was shed for our sins. If you have been saved, give thanks to God, for He brought you forth in the exercise of His will. We are thus no longer in danger of destruction in hell’s fire, and by Jesus’ resurrection, God gave us new life and dedicated us to Himself alone—a kind of firstfruits, distinct from the rest of His creation. Now that we have been brought forth from our wretched state, we no longer need to try to appease God by performing any other rites and rituals associated with our cultures and indigenous religions, like offering animal sacrifices in the hope that they will cleanse us of our sins and curses. Neither should we try to reach God through our ancestors, as that is tantamount to rejecting His free gift of eternal life through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Tim. 2:5–6). If you have been saved, give thanks to God, for He brought you forth in the exercise of His will. Rejoice in being a kind of firstfruits of the coming harvest.
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