Orange Moon "Creator and Redeemer"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe...

(Thanks to our dear brother and friend Larry V. for inspiration on this one.)

 

"Creator and Redeemer"

 

     The Old Testament begins by declaring God to be the Creator - in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).  The New Testament begins by declaring God to be the Redeemer - "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ" (Matthew 1:1).  Clearly, we must emphasize both aspects of our Lord's being and doing in our understanding of Him.  

 

    Perhaps most simply, we must realize that God starts things, and then He finishes them.  "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him" (Ecclesiastes 3:14).  The Lord made all things, saw His creation go awry through sin, but continued to work nevertheless in terms of redemption and repair.  "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).  He works accordingly in the lives of those who trust Him through the Lord Jesus Christ, promising that the salvation He began in the new birth is the salvation He will continue until we are glorified in His direct presence:

 

   "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

 

    This day involves our Heavenly Father's ongoing and active process of redeeming us from the effects of sin unto the ultimate wonder of making us like His Son in character, nature, and way.  He weaves all things together for this good of Christlikeness (Romans 8:28-29).  We must see Him and understand His ways in accordance with the holy purpose of redemptively finishing that which He started.  As a dear friend said to me the other day, "We know that God is working all things together for the good of conforming us to the image of Christ.  However, we may not understand how He is doing it."  Realizing the fundamental truth that our Lord is the Creator of Genesis 1:1 and the Redeemer of Matthew 1:1 will go far in leading us to walk in the peace of knowing that what God starts, He finishes...

 

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."

(I Thessalonians 5:23-24)

 

"Weekly Memory Verse

      Sanctify them through Thy truth.  Thy word is truth."

(John 17:17)

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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