We have a wonderful, marvelous God. He loves us. 1 John 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” He is for us. Romans 8:31-32 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” He wants us to be His special people.
There is much that He does for us. He gave His Son so that we can have salvation. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” He gives His power toward us who believe. The apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:18-19 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” The apostle Paul also prayed in Ephesians 3:16 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”
God will establish us and guard us from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.” He will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. 1 Peter 5:10-11 “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” He has the ability to preserve us blameless until Christ comes again. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” He will complete his good work in us. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
What is our proper response to God? Consider Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” It is by the grace of God that we have been saved. We are not saved by our works. But God has created us in Christ Jesus for good works. Therefore, our proper response to the grace of God is to live soberly, righteously, and godly. Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” His desire is that, in response to His grace, we deny ourselves ungodliness and worldly lusts and be zealous for good works.
Consider Titus 3:3-8 “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” God saved us according to His mercy and our response should be to be careful to maintain good works.
In our attempts to do what God desires, we can be strengthened with His power. The Apostle Paul depended upon the strength from Christ. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul prayed in Colossians 1:9-14 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” We should seek the strength that comes from God as we seek to please Him and be fruitful in every good work.
Our heavenly Father has done much for each one of us that we could not do for ourselves. He gave His son to die in our place and take away our sins so that we can be declared righteous in His sight. He gives us many spiritual blessings in our lives to include the gift of the Holy Spirit and the strength to do what we need to do. God works within each one of us to do for His pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Our response to all that God does for us should be to work out our salvation with the proper respect for Him.