YOUR LIFESTYLE IS A BAROMETER OF YOUR FAITH
If God Has Given Us His Son, Will He Not Give Us Everything Else? Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”
When you are facing the toughest times in your life, how can you be confident in the God that you hear me preach about every Sunday? How can you know that He will be all of that to you? How can you trust that He will aim His loving compassion your way in the midst of your personal storm? You do know that your lifestyle is a barometer of your faith? So trust in God and do not doubt.
John Stott said that “the cross forever proves the generosity of God!” There is no question if God loves us because it was His idea to give us Jesus. To question God’s motives towards us is like a father who gives his son a Bentley and when the son realizes that the car is low on fuel, he is afraid to ask the father for gas money. He’s afraid to ask because he assumes that the father will scold him for his request. He thinks that after the father has given him such a great gift that he would be done with giving. No, if he would be willing to make such an investment into the son it is apparent that nothing else is off the table. Ask the father for what you need.
When the great Swiss theologian of the Reformation, Karl Barth was asked what is the greatest word in the New Testament he did not hesitate. He said the greatest word in the New Testament is the word “for”. It means “in the place of…” so when Paul says that God delivered His Son up “for” us all…he means that God delivers Jesus “in place of you and me.” This again demonstrates God’s generosity towards His children.
Because God has given us His Son why wouldn’t He give us everything else we need to accomplish His purpose for our lives? No my friends, this verse is no blank check to ask God for whatever you want from Him regardless to whether it is in His will or not. But you can rest assured that He is faithful to give you everything you need to fulfill His purpose. Remember all things work together for the good in order that His purpose might be fulfilled.
So what now? How should we go on from here? Go knowing that how you believe will have an impact on how you live. Go knowing that your lifestyle says much about how you trust God. Others will listen to your claims of faith but they will only believe what they see you walk out in your life. What are you going to do with your faith today?