What the Bible says about Our Uniqueness
(From Forerunner Commentary)
Jesus is saying that, at the very time people should be most concerned about events and conditions around them, they may be totally unprepared, living life normally. II Peter 3:1-12 adds that, not only will there be those who are totally oblivious, but also those who may be vaguely aware of what is going on but are so anti-God and anti-Christ that they willfully mock and ridicule to discourage those who are fully aware.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and TimeRelated Topics: Discouragement | Our Uniqueness | Our Uniqueness and Time | Preparedness | Preparedness for God's Kingdom | Ridicule
This is the next set of conditions on the horizon. Surviving this will require a great deal of trust in God's loving faithfulness. Jesus urges us to take action right now in yielding to God because these conditions will deceive large numbers of people. Changes will occur in such a gradual way as to make it appear as though conditions are really not all that bad.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and TimeRelated Topics: Our Uniqueness | Our Uniqueness and Time | Trust in God's Faithfulness | Yielding to God
This is part of Jesus' Olivet Prophecy, where He predicts conditions before His return—and our redemption is still future!
The conclusion is clear: Sanctification is a process; conversion is a process; and growing and overcoming are a process. We go—proceed—on to perfection, and now we see that redemption is also a process. We do not become completely free of our captivity to Satan and this world in one giant leap. Liberty is produced incrementally, one step at a time. We are indeed the firstfruits of God's great purpose, but we are most assuredly not a finished product—yet. We are under construction, being transformed and brought "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and Time
The apostle uses the word "firstfruits" in relation to redemption, and he employs "Spirit" in the same general sense as "guarantee" of the Spirit as in Ephesians 1:14. Firstfruits here literally means "a beginning," indicating a start has been made and more will follow.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and TimeRelated Topics: A Beginning | First Fruits | Guarantee of Our Inheritance | Guarantee of the Holy Spirit | Our Uniqueness | Our Uniqueness and Time | Redemption
The word translated guarantee ("earnest," KJV) in reference to the Holy Spirit means "a pledge," "a security that more will follow." In this sense, "firstfruits" and "guarantee/earnest" are virtually interchangeable (cf. Romans 8:23). What is more, they define matters more clearly: The receipt of the earnest of the Spirit creates what God calls "the firstfruits." Since Pentecost in AD 31 when God performed those marvelous works (Acts 2), the firstfruits are God's peculiar or special possession who have been purchased and are being transformed to glorify Him to the utmost. The firstfruits are the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), the church of God.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and Time
The apostle highlights that we are a special people, and in that context, he mentions the Spirit and his fervent desire that we might be filled with God's fullness. God so desires to have us in His Family Kingdom that He has given us the first installment of His Spirit to enable us to submit to Him and His way—and thus begin to experience a little bit of what He is.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and TimeRelated Topics: Earnest of Our Inheritance | Earnest Payment of Holy Spirit | Holy Spirit | Our Uniqueness | Our Uniqueness and Time
Verse 13 encourages us to understand that God is purposely exposing our sins to us for our eternal good so that we might share life in His Kingdom with Him. Therefore, He urges us in verses 14-17 to wake up and take advantage of this, for if we continue in sin, we are as good as dead. But because it is His desire to save, He exposes our sins to us so that we can repent.
Doing our part by overcoming is necessary if we want to experience the fullness of our redemption from sin. We must take advantage of the great gift of His Spirit, using every opportunity that comes our way to confront our weaknesses and drive on to perfection. He implores us not to let what has made us special to Him slip from our grasps.
Thus, in verse 17 especially, He urges us to follow wisdom through clearly understanding His will for us. He wants us in His Kingdom, experiencing life as He lives it, but a measure of responsibility for responding in submission falls directly on our shoulders. We know what we must do—we must take the time and make the effort to take advantage of our uniqueness before Him. Time is running out, so let us do it!
John W. Ritenbaugh
Our Uniqueness and Time