God wants us to build relationships. This daily devotional looks at three relationships disciples should build to set their affection on things above.
Nuggets
- We should set our affections above because that is where our loving Heavenly Father is.
- Our relationship with God has some aspects of a husband/wife relationship.
- Jesus considers us His brothers and sisters.
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Devotions in the On Things Above series
We have been looking at Beveridge’s sermon entitled Setting the Affections on Things Above. We started switching in the last devotion from looking at things below to looking at things above.
In looking at why we should do that, Beveridge said that “Our chief relations are three.” Disciples are part of God’s family. Let’s check out some of the family members.
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Let's Put It into Context #1
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Let's Put It into Context #2
When we look up the definition of affection in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it says, “the state of being affected.” Affect means “to act on and cause a change in (someone or something).”
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Our Father
“‘Don’t cling to me,’ Jesus told her, ‘since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (Jn. 20: 17 CSB).
We should set our affections above because that is where our loving Heavenly Father is.
Kollock explained how God is Jesus’ Father and our Father.
- God and Jesus have the same nature. “I and the Father are one” (Jn. 10: 30 ESV).
- When we ABCD, we are adopted into God’s family and become His children.
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Glossary
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Parsons explained it this way. He wrote, “The reason why the Most High is thus represented is, because from His creative will and power men derive their being, and because by His providential arrangements and care their being is supplied and preserved. Hence His paternal character is extensive as the world and permanent as time.”
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God has always been and will always be our Father. In fact, God made a covenant with Jesus and us.
Glossary
Lilley detailed how God acts as mankind’s Father.
1. “In bringing them into existence.
2. “In stamping upon them His own image.
3. “In providing for their needs in the bounties of nature.
4. “In redeeming them from sin.
5. “In adopting them into His heavenly family.
6. “In arranging life so as to discipline them.”
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Glossary
We know that our Heavenly Father can and will provide for us. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Mt. 6: 31-32 CSB). We don’t have to seek after these like non-believers do.
We know that we can’t add to our lives ourselves. “Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” (Mt. 6: 27 CSB).
We like to think that eating healthy and exercising will help us live longer. It really won’t.
God has our days numbered (Job 14: 5). When He has decided our time is up, we are out of here.
Because our loving Heavenly Father cares for us, we should worship Him. Worship is our personal or corporate response of admiration (confession, thanksgiving, praise, etc.) based on our attitude to God’s presence and our imitation of His character. We are to worship His being perfect.
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Paget made the accusation that we do not give God the reverence that is due Him. I think that is true. I think we as humans are inadequate of fully giving the Sovereign Holy God the worship He deserves.
I also know that there are many that do not feel God deserves worship and reverence at all. Paget called this a “… want of respect for the presence, power, and majesty of God, arising from thoughtlessness or practical unbelief.”
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We need to set our affections on God. He will change us to be more like Him.
Our Husband
“Indeed, your husband is your Maker — his name is the LORD of Armies — and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of the whole earth” (Isa. 54: 5 CSB)
Our relationship with God has some aspects of a husband/wife relationship.
I know the church is called the bride of Christ. We sorta kinda talked about it once. We said that disciples are called the bride of Christ because there will be a marriage ceremony once we are called home. In this ceremony, Christ’s church will be made perfect.
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Hutcheson explained why this analogy is used. He wrote, “The Lord will be unto His people what a faithful husband is to his wife, and they are allowed to expect it, and in the faith thereof, to profess and avow Him, in the exercise of true religion.”
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That faithfulness implies a cohesive unit. “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (I Cor. 6: 17 NIV).
A marriage projects a loving relationship. That is what God is wanting, a relationship with us build on love.
Our Family
“For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Heb. 2: 11 CSB)
Jesus considers us His brothers and sisters.
Anderson made an interesting statement. He wrote, “Jesus sanctifies both Himself and His people with His own blood, expiating and purging away their sins, and fitting them, and Himself as their Surety, for coming with acceptance into the presence of the holy God.”
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I guess I have never considered Jesus sanctified Himself. Anderson explained that it was necessary once Jesus assumed our sin. He took on our debts and was, therefore, accountable for them.
- Sanctification is the transformation of mind, body, and soul, which begins with regeneration, gradually changes our nature through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and ends with perfected state of spiritual wholeness or completeness.
- Regeneration is being changed from spiritually dead to spiritually alive and the internal requickening in us that God brings about through the work of the Holy Spirit to give us new character.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin. The spiritually alive are those who have ABCDed, so they are no longer separated from God.
- The perfected state indicates the combination of the spiritual graces which, when all are present, form spiritual wholeness or completeness.
- Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
Glossary
The good news is, because we are the bride of Christ, His righteousness becomes ours. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Cor. 5: 21 ESV).
We can set our affections above because we have gained access to God once we are changed to possess Jesus’ righteousness. He was made like us in body, mind, and soul in order to make the substitution.
We always say that Jesus is the firstborn. We also know that, according to Jewish inheritance customs, the first born always received a double portion.
Medhurst stated it doesn’t work that way in Heaven. He wrote, “Jesus, the elder Brother, gets nothing apart from those whom He is not ashamed to call His brethren.” It sounds like we are Jesus’ inheritance!
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Medhurst did go on to say that what Jesus will receive as an inheritance will be shared with us.
Fisk gave us the rundown on how we can be called brothers and sisters of Christ.
- Christ came in a sinful body but did not sin so that His death could atone for our sins.
- We are adopted into the family.
- There is a family resemblance.
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Making the Connections
God wants to be our Father. “Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom” (Lk. 12: 32 CSB). He wants our relationships restored so that we can spend eternity with Him.
We have to keep things in perspective. Anderson reminded us that we can access God — even though we are still in these sinful bodies — because of our belief in Jesus.
But that doesn’t mean God hates our sin less. It is okay because “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Rom. 10: 4 NIV).
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How Do We Apply This?
Paget noted that, “In order to serve God acceptably, we must serve Him ‘with reverence and godly fear.’”
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Glossary
We must
- Honor God by obeying His laws and commandments.
- Do the work He calls us to do to expand His kingdom.
- Trust in Him to provide for us.
- Submit to both His Will and His correction.
- Exhibit His character in ours.
- Reflect, repent, and pray.
- Be thankful for God’s deliverance and kindness.
- Remember that God is a jealous God and will not allow divided worship.
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We are to fear God. We know that is the Old Testament term for being godly.
Yes, that is the change — the affect — we are looking for when we are setting our affections on things above. We want to be like God.
Father God. We do want to exhibit Your character. We want those around us to look at us and see You. Help us to make the needed changes. Amen.
What do you think?
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