“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30 NASB1995)

What is the context here? It is that of suffering for the sake of our faith in Jesus and our testimonies for Jesus Christ, our Lord. If we are those who by faith in Jesus Christ – a faith which comes from God and not from ourselves – have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as servants of righteousness, in walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands, we will suffer in the flesh, and we will be hated, persecuted, forsaken, forgotten, and tossed aside as unworthy and worthless to most people.

For, what is our calling of God? According to Romans 8, it is that we walk (in conduct, in practice) no longer according to our sinful flesh, but now according to (in agreement and in cooperation with) the Spirit of God (v. 4). For, “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness” (v. 10). Thus, “we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (vv. 12-14). (See also Romans 6:1-23)

Therefore, if this is what we believe, and if this is what we put into practice, by God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, and if we do so in the power of God, and not in our own flesh, and so we are being led of the Spirit of God in what to do and in where to go and in what to say, we will be opposed just as Jesus was, and just as his New Testament apostles were, and just as the prophets before them were, and just as many of us of faith in Jesus Christ have been since then. And some of us they will put to death because of what we teach and do.

But God has a plan and a purpose for it all in our lives, and for the sake of the gospel, and for the sake of the salvation of human souls out of their addiction to sin so they can now walk righteously, by the grace of God, and serve the Lord with their lives, and no longer their sinful flesh. First, God uses suffering in our lives to keep us humble and reliant upon the Lord, and not on our flesh, and so we will be more loving and compassionate toward others, and faithful to our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands. And then he uses us as his witnesses to share the gospel message so that people throughout the world can come to know him, too, by faith in Jesus Christ.

The Gospel

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Fully Ready!

Based off Acts 20-22,26; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
An Original Work / June 19, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?
I’m fully ready to suffer for Christ.
If I must die for the sake of His name,
I am convinced it will not be in vain.
Glory to God and to His Son Jesus,
Who has redeemed us; bought with His blood.

May I speak to you? Jesus came to me;
Asked of me, “Why do you persecute me?”
He said, “Now get up and stand on your feet.
Go, and you’ll be told all I have for you.
I have appointed you as a servant,
And as a witness; you have been sent.”

“Go into the world and preach the gospel.
Open the blind eyes. They will receive sight.
Turn them from darkness to the light of Christ;
From power of the evil one to God,
So they may receive forgiveness of sins,
And a place among those who’re in heav’n.”

Called According to His Purpose
An Original Work / February 17, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love