Some Key Words (3/5/03-3/6/03)

Justified (dikaioothentes [1344]):

To bring out that which a person is, or that which is desired, thus to show one to be justified, to bring that fact out, and to make him so where he is not. How this is shown is not specified in the word itself, it could be through paying for his crimes, or by declaration of innocence by the judge. Justification cannot be bought and remain just. The verb is a passive aorist participle in this instance, indicating that this is a single action at some unspecified time (aorist). As a participle, this becomes an adjective form, describing the subject, which subject has received the action, as this is a passive form. Thus, we, as the subjects have received the status of being justified, or will at some point receive that status. Again, the timing is not specified here. | to show or regard one as innocent. | to make one righteous, to make him as he ought to be. To show one righteous, to show that to be how the person is and how he would desire to be thought of. To declare as just, as one ought to be. To declare one guiltless, to acquit of all charges. To be absolved or freed. To declare one acceptable.

Grace (chariti [5485]):

From chairo: to rejoice. A favor done with no expectation of return. The freeness of God's love towards man, His motive for giving found only in Himself. By His grace, He not only forgives, but gives joy and thankfulness to the repentant believer. | from chairo: happy, well off. Graciousness of manner or act. The divine influence on the heart, reflected in the life, leading to an attitude of gratitude. | sweetness, charm, and loveliness. Goodwill and favor. The kindness shown by a master to his servants. Underserved kindness. The kindness of God in giving His favors to undeserving man - both in the pardon of their sins, and the offer of eternal salvation. This also is shown in His exertion of influence upon our soul so as to turn our attention towards Christ, and so as to strengthen and preserve faith in us, once begun. The spiritual condition of one ruled by divine grace. The benefits or proofs of that grace. Abilities that are ours solely by the grace of God, such as knowledge and tongues.

Heirs (kleeronomoi [2818]):

from kleros: an allotment or share (same term applied to the lot cast to choose), an inheritance, and nemo: to have in one's power. An inheritor. An inheritance divided by lot. | from kleros: a die for drawing chances, a portion secured by such drawings, an acquisition, and nomos: to parcel out, to regulate by laws. A sharer by lot, an inheritor. | one who receives by lot. One who receives his allotted possession by right of sonship. One who has acquired the portion allotted to him.

According to (kat' [2596]):

down from, down upon, motion or direction from higher to lower, towards or through, throughout. That towards which a thing tends, its aim. Out, over, upon, at, near to. The timing by which a thing takes place. Pervading all parts of the whole. Because of, by, with an idea of accordance and adaptedness. Equivalent to. The purpose towards which something is directed. | down in place or time. | moving or diffusing from higher to lower. Down from, down upon, through (from top to bottom). The place to which one is brought down, toward or against, toward a goal. During. In reference to, concerning. In agreement with, according to a standard. In proportion to, by the measure of. In consequence of. The mode in which a thing is done.

Hope (elpida [1680]):

Desire of some good with expectation of obtaining it. The object of such hope. The basis for such hope. Trust, confidence, security | pleasant anticipation, expectation or confidence. | joyful and confident expectation. The thing hoped for, or the basis for that confidence.

Eternal (aiooniou [166]):

constant, abiding, eternal. The life which is God's, unaffected by the limitations of time. The saving blessings of divine revelation. That which is not transitory. Without beginning or end, or occasionally, with beginning but without end. | perpetual. From aion: an age, perpetuity, a Messianic period; from aei: continued duration, ever, regularly. | what always has and always will be. Without beginning (as with the Gospel, the plan of salvation). Without end, everlasting. Of immeasurable continuity.

Life (zooees [2222]):

The principle of life in the spirit. Stands apart from physical life, which is expressed in bios. All the highest and best which Christ is. The highest blessedness of the creature: the life Christ gives to us. | from zao: to live. Life. | the state of one who is animate and vital. A living soul. The absolute fullness of life in both essence and ethic which is God's alone. That life that was fully embodied in Christ, and which He transfuses into His creation. The life of the Logos. Real and genuine life, actively and vigorously devoted to God. Even the life which is our portion in this world, as we trust in Christ, is of this nature, yet after resurrection, that life will be made perfect and eternal.

 

Paraphrase: (3/5/03)

7 Why has God done this? So that we could have eternal life as our inheritance. Only by justifying us on the basis of His grace alone could He establish that hope in us with certainty.

Key Verse: (3/5/03)

3:7 - We are justified by His grace, so that by His grace we may know hope. Eternal life is ours by His gift.

People Mentioned: (3/5/03)

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Some Parallel Verses (3/6/03)

3:7

Ex 23:7-8 - Steer clear of false charges, don't kill the innocent or the righteous I will not justify the wicked, neither should you take a bribe, for the bribe blinds discernment and perverts righteous words. Mt 25:34 - To those on the right, the King says, "come, you who are blessed of My Father, come inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of creation." Mk 10:17 - As he went out, one ran up and fell before Him, asking Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Ro 8:17 - If we are His children, we are also joint heirs with Christ. That we suffer with Him shows that we understand our fellowship with Him, that we know we will also be glorified together with Him. Ro 8:23-25 - We were saved in hope - that hope we have the first fruits of by the Spirit, that hope which we groan in anticipation of, the hope of adoption and redemption for our bodies - but nobody hopes for what he already has, does he? It remains future. We, who hope for that which we have not yet seen, await it with eager anticipation and with all necessary perseverance. Ti 1:1-2 - Paul is a servant, an apostle appointed by Christ Jesus wholly congruent with the faith given to those whom God has chosen. His position is acknowledged by that truth which is equally congruent with godliness. He serves in hope of eternal life, that hope founded on the fact that God - who cannot lie - promised it before time even existed!

 

New Thoughts (3/7/03)

We are made heirs with the purpose of establishing hope in us, or we are made heirs, which concept is in full agreement with the hope that is ours. That hope is not just wishful thinking, it is our absolute confidence. It is our desire, and we have every expectation of attaining to it. Why? Because there is a basis for our hope, an unshakable foundation upon which our expectations rest! That foundation is the same one Paul shouts out about at the beginning of this letter. He serves, he writes, in hope of eternal life. Is this not exactly what he's talking about now? Why does he hope? (Again, we must be clear that this is not wishing, this is confident expectation.) He has told us: it is because on this matter we have the promise of God Himself, and God cannot lie. That promise was established before even time was established! It's that secure!

What is it that we have such joyful and confident expectation of? It is life! Real life, genuine life, the life Christ gives to us, transfusing His own life into us! It is the life of the Word poured out within us, of which we are experiencing the first fruits even now as we continue on in this world. Yet, this is only a foretaste. What we only sample of now is but an appetizer, the slightest hint of that which will be ours for eternity when this life has been made perfect. In Him we live and move and have our being (Ac 17:28). How true this is! It is true for the very reason that in us, He has transfused His life, He has transformed our motivations, He has shown us the full potential of being.

God is our creator. Without Him, nothing could exist. We have our being in Him, and it is in His power alone to continue, or put an end to the existence we enjoy. If, but for a moment, He were to withdraw His supporting hand from our life; if, but for a moment, He were to cease from breathing the breath of life into our lungs, we would cease to be. This is the reality of our vaunted independence. We are so wholly dependent upon Him, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not, that there is nothing we can do for ourselves. Without Him, Scripture tells us, you can do nothing. Without Him, you would have no being with which to do, no power with which to move, and no body to move if you had the power. Nothing.

God, once more I am moved to thankfulness for the foundation of my hope. My hope is built, as the song says, on nothing less than Jesus. Yes, and on nothing more, either. There is naught else with which I could come before You. There is no other basis upon which I could have such confident expectation. The things You have promised, my God, are so wonderful, so very far beyond anything I could ever deserve. Yet, they are Your promises, not my worthiness. You, who are Faithful and True; You, who established covenant with us, an unbreakable covenant established upon Your own word and Your own blood; You have promised in that covenant that this eternal life of blessed fellowship with You is our inheritance, our lot! You, whose word does not go forth void, but accomplishes all that it is sent to accomplish, have declared us Your children, legitimate members of Your own household and family, brothers and sisters to Christ our Savior, and co-heirs to all that is His! All of this, my God, founded upon Your word alone! All of this, my God, given to me though I did not, do not, and never could hope to deserve it!

How wonderful You are! How great is Your love for me! How can I not shout of my love for You? Indeed, Lord, what do I have that You did not give? All that I am, all that I know, all that I accomplish, is by Your hand and Your generosity towards me. Oh, that You would have return on what You have invested in this life! Oh, that I might bring glory to Your name! Oh, that I might make Your glory known, for this is only fitting in light of what You have done for me.

Forever I will love You, Lord. This, too, I can say with confidence, because You have established that love within me. This, too, is a product of Your own effort on my behalf! That love overwhelms me once more, this morning, for You have reminded me once more that hope is hope only when it is unshakable. Hope is so much more than desire, so much more than wanting. Hope is certain, and that certainty can only be mine where it is based not on my ability, but solely on Your word!

Thank You, my Jesus, for securing this hope for me! Thank You, Holy Spirit, for securing this hope in me! Thank You, my Father, that You had mercy on this sinner, that You saw that I would never be able to gain my pardon, to purify myself. Thank You, that in Your mercy You have provided the means, You have brought that purification, bought that purification, by Your own blood, paid the price I could never pay, and made of me what I could never have made myself. Thank You that it no longer depends upon me, for were that the case, how could I claim to have hope? No! My hope is built on nothing less than You, my Lord, and upon that Rock, it will surely stand.