God Made the Choice

Lesson #248

In the last lesson we considered what a unique privilege it is to be considered a friend of God. Only Abraham and Moses were called friends throughout the Old Testament and now Jesus is extending that privilege to those who live in obedience to him. We also learned that being considered a friend provides us with insight into what our Father is doing and how that affects us. In this lesson John brings us back to the context of fruit bearing and the importance of investing our lives in fruit bearing.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16 ESV). There is so much one can have conversation about in this verse. Let us begin with, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” Think about what Paul said in Romans 3:10 – 12: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (ESV). We are born as spiritually dead people and according to what Paul said, a spiritually dead person does not understand spiritual things and does not seek God. If we are to reach out to God, God must first reach out to us and choose us and begin spiritual life within us. As I study the Scriptures I am convinced that the choice on the part of God is spiritual conception, similar to physical conception. There will follow a period of gestation when spiritual growth prepares one for spiritual birth. When you are ready for being born again you know it and as you accept the gift of salvation you know that you are a changed person.

Because of God’s love for us he chose us, but we need to ask what were we chosen for? Let us begin by looking at Ephesians 2:8 – 10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV). Again we see that our salvation was God choice and we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to work for him. John describes that work as bearing fruit, a fruit that will abide and last forever.

We will finish this verse and do the next verse in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, thank you for choosing me and adopting me into your family as a child. Thank you for your love for me and the sacrifice you were willing to make for my salvation.