How long has it been since you embraced something extraordinary? Hebrews 11:13 informs us that those who had faith saw the promises from afar, and “embraced” them: drew them to themselves, hugged them by faith, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in this world — foreigners in transit to another country — “the Father’s land” of Future Earth.
We limit the Lord’s blessings when we accept some ministries but not others, as many did in the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 3:3-5). Doing so limited the Lord’s blessings on their lives. God promised Abraham the world! (Romans 4:13) This earth and every good thing in it are God’s to give and ours to embrace by faith- wholeheartedly.
Many have divided Bible Truth into dispensations – different eras of God’s administration, i.e., some in which He does miracles and others in which He does not. Or they confine spiritual gifts to the days of the twelve apostles, or postpone the kingdom of God on earth until after Jesus returns. But all things are ours — including founding apostles as well as caring pastors. (1 Corinthians 3:3-5) God gives all gifts, whether personal spiritual gifts or church ministry gifts, for the good of all.
Many limit their learning — and thus their experience — to the founder of the denomination to which they belong. But Luther’s teaching of Salvation through Grace alone is ours; Knox’s understanding of church eldership is ours also; Calvin’s view of God’s Sovereignty is ours as well. Wesley’s strong grasp on Sanctification, William Booth’s military-based campaigns of social change through evangelism and Billy Graham’s preaching on Individual Responsibility and Personal Decision are all ours — all things are ours!
Some focus on certain great men of God and the importance of their messages. But evangelicals such as Spurgeon, Finney and Graham are ours! The Pentecostal Gift of the Holy Spirit is ours! The charismatic Gifts of the Holy Spirit are ours! Holiness is ours! We need to embrace God’s call and His promises in the way that the Old Testament faith heroes did (Hebrews 11).
Faith to worship God sacrificially (Abel)
Faith to walk alone with God (Enoch)
Faith to build for the future (Noah)
Faith to go in a new direction (Abram)
Faith to walk away from the world (Moses)
Faith to “enter into” what God has promised (Joshua) (The Christian’s Promised Land is God’s promises in Christ.)
We need to embrace John 3:16 (the Cross), Acts 2:4 (the Baptism in the Spirit), 1 Corinthians 12 (the gifts of the Spirit) and 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (sanctification of spirit, soul and body). All of these things are ours — not just some of them. The NT Greek word for “greet” and “salute” — and even “farewell” (“aspazomai”) means: “to draw to oneself”, “to embrace”. This word is used by the apostle Paul 21 times in Romans chapter 16, when greeting the brethren with a “holy kiss” (much as do many Europeans).
Significantly, verse 17 warns against those who cause division in the church. In the midst of embracing, we find a strong warning against division! The factions in the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 3:4, 5) were dividing God’s people into various groups, based on different ministries. But towards the end of the chapter, Paul writes, “Let no man glory in men. For all things are yours.”
This is possessive but not selective or divisive, since Paul is encouraging his readers to embrace not just one ministry but all ministries! “All things are yours – Paul, Apollos, Peter, the world, life, death, things present, things to come – all things are yours.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)
How possessive should we be of these things? As possessive as Christ is of us and as God is of Christ (verse 23). How long is it since you saw God’s promises as belonging to you and embraced them?
Make this statement: “I embrace and possess all things that are mine in Jesus Christ — gifts, ministries, miracles, good health, close friends, strong fellowship, and ongoing experiences of God’s mercy, grace, peace and power — for all these are mine, in the name of Jesus!”
This is a welcoming Statement of Faith! A Big, all-embracing spiritual Hug! A hug to end all hugs! Feel better now?