We as Christians can sometimes get a bit uppity — a bit arrogant; looking down upon those who don’t believe or don’t know Jesus. We know Christianity is correct. We know we have the right answer. Unfortunately, sometimes we share or live that out in a way that is not winsome, but rather haughty.
The Israelites sometimes got into that same quandary. They knew that they were God’s elect people — His chosen and holy Nation. And they were quick to let that be known to others. But they forgot the reason. They thought they must have been chosen because they were better than others; superior in some way.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.
Deuteronomy 7:9
Our text for today dispels that error. God tells us in Deuteronomy 7:7, “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all people.” Instead, He tells the real reason: it is because He loved them and was keeping the oath that He swore to their fathers. In other words, God chose them for His own reasons, out of His own love, and not because of who they were, what they had done, or how superior they were.
The same is true for us. Jesus tells us that we did not choose Him, but He chose us (John 15:16). In other words, we are saved because of God, not because we are somehow superior. We are God’s holy people — set aside and consecrated by Him, for Him and His purposes. We are His treasured possession, not because of any superior aspect of ourselves or because we’re better than anyone else, but because He has chosen us for His own purposes and His own reasons.
Our scripture also says that He “keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Yet, He does this after He has kept His covenant and steadfast love for us through Jesus. In other words, through His love, His works, His death, and His resurrection — through His love, mercy, and forgiveness — He has chosen us. He has saved us.
And now, we get to return that love and keep His commandments in joy. We cannot earn our place as the chosen; we are given that place out of God’s love. Now we get to love Him and keep His commandments out of sheer response — out of steadfast love for His mercy and grace. We are His treasured possession, as He has shown us through the work, the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus. He has shown us to be His treasured possession, and our only response, our only privilege as His holy people, is to love Him and keep His commandments.
How awesome is that?!
Thank you, Lord!
“Gracious Lord, we are amazed that we are Your holy, treasured possession through faith in Jesus Christ, who showed His steadfast love on the cross and through the empty tomb. Grant us, Lord, to respond in kind, with steadfast love and by keeping Your commandments. For we know that You are God, and we worship and praise You now and forever! In Jesus’ name, amen!”
Scripture
- Deuteronomy 7:6-9
