God's Labor of Love

Since the late 19th century, the first Monday in September has been set aside to honor the American worker via the observance of Labor Day.

There are lots of verses in the Bible about labor. Some reference laboring over the earth for food. Some reference a mother's labor giving birth to her child. I recently read a paragraph from a Charles Spurgeon sermon that put the word labor into a new Biblical context for me.

When God makes someone into a Christian, the three persons of the Trinity labor. They work. They act.

I'm fascinated by how Spurgeon explains it,

. . . but in the making of a Christian it needs the labour of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit must all work to create a new creature in Christ Jesus.

The Father must beget, the Son must redeem, the Spirit must regenerate;
- Charles Spurgeon, Lessons from the Apostle Paul's Prayers (emphasis mine)

Woah! That passage blew my mind.

You see, for most of my life, I mistakenly believed that I was born a child of God. When I read the Bible years ago, I realized that is not exactly true to God's Word.

I learned that God makes a distinction between His creation and His child. I was immediately God's creation, just like the moon and the stars, the plants and the animals. Of course, people are made in the image of God, so I had (and you have) a leg up on every other creation.

But I only became His child when I put my faith and trust in Jesus alone as my Savior for the forgiveness of my sins. As God's child, I'm assured everlasting life in God's presence. (John 1:12-13)

It's important to note that I couldn't work for my eternal salvation, but God could and did.

The Son must redeem

Because Jesus died on the Cross for me, He paid for the sins I committed in the past, in the present, and in the future. He took the punishment that was intended for me.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace . . .
Ephesians 1:7 (emphasis mine)

But why would Jesus take the punishment for my sins? He tells us Himself,

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (emphasis mine)

The Spirit must regenerate

When I placed my faith in Jesus Christ alone, my body became a temple of the Holy Spirit. Immediately, the Holy Spirit made me into a new creation, God's child.

. . .he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
Titus 3:5 (emphasis mine)

The Father must beget

Beget means to produce offspring. I was granted the privilege of calling God my Father when I transformed into His child. How did I become His child? By believing Jesus is my Lord and Savior, the one who saved me from my sins.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:12-13 (emphasis mine)

LET'S PRAY

This Labor Day, let's not only honor the work of man, but in prayer, let's set aside time to honor the work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Let's thank God for the opportunity to be saved and for the labor that each Person of the Trinity puts forth to welcome us as His children into the Kingdom of God.

And let's praise God for hearing the prayers of His children as we pray to the Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, with guidance from the Holy Spirit. (Rev 5:8)

Reader, Did Spurgeon's sermon surprise you or make you think about the work of the Trinity differently? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Hit reply and let me know what was new for you!

Blessings,

Michelle | To God Be The Glory
Be On The Lookout For God #BOLO4G

Helping women nurture a deeper relationship with our one and only living God through prayer and the Bible

P.S. I pray that you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you haven't and have any questions, please reply. I'd be grateful for the chance to talk with you. If you have become a child of God as a result of reading this blog, please, please email me. I want to rejoice with you. (Luke 15:10)

ENDNOTES

Spurgeon, Charles. 2018. Lessons from the Apostle Paul’s Prayers, page 15.

The Good News: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

Scripture Attribution: Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: This publication is based upon unceasing prayer, constant Bible study, and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Although the author has made every reasonable attempt to achieve complete accuracy of the content in this article, the author and Pray God's Way assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, or inaccurate information. For privacy reasons, some names may have been changed or omitted. The content is not intended to replace the reader's prayer time, Bible study, common sense, or pastoral, legal, medical, or other professional advice. These writings are meant to edify, encourage, and inspire the reader. That means you should pray and listen to the Holy Spirit so God can guide your steps. He knows best. To God be all the glory.

Pray God's Way

God's Labor of Love

As we enter the season of giving . . .

Thank you for sharing with me.

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