The Individual Walk of Believers and the Favor of God

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The Favor of God: The walk is different for Every Believer Jason Paul TH500-Foundation of the Christian Faith December 8,2018 Introduction What is the favor of God? The definition of favor means demonstrated delight. The favor of God can be described as tangible evidence that a person has the approval of the Lord. Finding favor also means gaining approval, acceptance or special benefits or blessings. There is a close association among favor, grace and mercy, which are sometimes used to translate the same Hebrew and Greek words (such as “Chen” and “Charis” both mean grace and favor).

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Whenever favor of God is demonstrated in the bible there has always been a connection or relationship status with God and His word. Isaiah 66:2 says,” These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” To examine the subject God’s favor, it is important to grasp three main concepts. The first is “positional side”, the Bible teaches that Blessings now are received through Jesus Christ.

It is important to realize that God’s point of that favor is already given to man. God’s favor is not something that can be earned, it is freely given to all. Secondly, the “experiential side” of things to consider as well. Although God has ordained promises and declared laws that does not mean it is automatically experienced. The favor of God come through not being indolent but through hardship and sufferings. Thirdly, the “purposeful side”, this is given according to the purpose of God’s will in a person’s life.

It can be immensely given but it is propositional to what God has ordained for a person. This is presumed that God is partial and exercises favoritism. Definitely God is not but choses people who are willing to do the purpose of God without and question. So, it is not about favoritism but about the heart of man and the preparedness to the will of God Partial. The concept of favoritism is often confused with the model of favor of God. Peter argues that God is not partial in Acts 10:34-35,” I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right ” The favor of God is given to those to who remain faithful in the purpose of God and ministry accordingly.

The Attribute of God: Grace The attributes of God can never be fully comprehended but can be learned through the knowledge that has already been given. God reveals about him in different spheres which is a favor of God because He chose to reveal Himself to mankind. Man saw the favor of God personally who having a relationship with him. The author Tommy Tenney in his book says” God reveals Esther’s life just how He worked through one young woman to save the Jewish people from total annihilation by an impossibly powerful leader.” God has used many ways to reveal Himself especially through love, sacrifice, anger, suffering, grace, kindness, joy, peace and etc. Every single attribute has given the man a blessing from God. God showed His attributes towards man even though being unworthy and sinful. At the very beginning of time God has showed favor but it was according to the purpose that He had ordained towards man. Simply put Grace is God’s unmerited favor because it is an underserved, unworked gift from God to mankind. The word grace appears 159 times in the Bible. It is sometimes used to refer to people finding grace or favor in the eyes of God, particularly in the OT. But most of the time it is mentioned in God’s grace to us through the gift of Christ. Interestingly Jesus never talks about grace. The gospel of John tells us he was full of grace. He, Jesus was the embodiment of Grace. The Author J.I Packer explains grace this way, In the New Testament grace means God’s love in action towards men who merited the opposite of love. Grace means God moving heaven and earth to save sinners who could not lift a finger to save themselves. Grace means God sending His only Son to descend into hell on the cross so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God and received into heaven. Men and women believe by the grace of God. This is why there are different ways Grace is expressed: common grace, saving grace, securing grace, sanctifying grace, serving grace, sustaining grace. Grace is sovereign – we cannot contribute anything to it but just to mention a few. Grace, then, meets the demands of justice and holiness rather than to set them aside. Grace is never granted at the expense of any of God’s attributes. This is a comforting thought which we should pause to ponder. Can you possibly conceive of a God who is all-powerful and all-knowing and yet whose power could be employed at a mere whim? During the Hitler regime the Nazis had seemingly unlimited power combined with an intelligence network that was frightening. That knowledge and power were frequently exercised at the expense of justice, truth, and mercy. God is not like that. God’s infinite power and wisdom are always employed in accord with His attribute of grace. Because of sin God requires sacrifices to make atonement and restore his favor. In the Old Testament animal sacrifices were presented at the sanctuary with the hope that God would accept them and forgive the sins of the offeror. Such acceptance was not automatic, however, for the offeror had to have an attitude of repentance and humility. When Christ died on Calvary, the perfect sacrifice was presented, making it possible for all who believe to enjoy God's favor.

The Distinction between Favor and Grace The Favor of God is just like the mercy of God. He may choose to give to those who He pleases according to the will He was kept. What is the difference between favor and Grace? The favor of God is where God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Favor is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy. God gives favor to those who are persistent in pursuing the will of God. According to the Bible, we have all sinned. As a result of that sin, we all deserve death and eternal judgment in the lake of fire. With that in mind, every day we live is an act of God's favor. A plea to God for favor is asking Him to withhold the judgment we deserve and instead grant to us the forgiveness we in no way have earned. Favor is given directly given to the amount of faith exercised. Favor is given to those who are consistent to the purpose of God. The blessings then received from God is directly proportional to the amount of faith that has been exercised by the believer, whereas grace is given freely and abundantly to everyone who believe in God. Favor is the loving kindness, compassion, or forbearance and prosperity shown to one who walk in the purpose of God. Whereas, grace is an abiding presence of God in our souls which lifts us up to His own life; favor is something shown during the lifespan of a believer.” God made you the way He wanted you to be and he does not make mistakes. He has a plan for your life that is much bigger than you can imagine.” Here the author argues that favor of God is given to all but it is according to the plan and purposes of God in each believer. The favor of God cannot be present without the continuous presence of God in each individual. This statement is powerful in itself as it shows one cannot expect God to do anything if there no expression of faith towards the divine favor of God. Often grace is preferred more than the favor of God but the notion has shown a disadvantage as it handicaps the believer to be complaisant in the will of God. This often times raise a question, does God require anything from you other than receive grace? Without a doubt, everyone receives the grace of God but the favor of God are accessed through the obedience and faith and the believer who is lax and insensitive in the walk of God and still expect favor from God for ministry. The author here is trying to show how to pursue the will of God without being complaisant. We are here to become great men and women, and with that purpose in view, we must eliminate everything in our religion and philosophy that tends to make the human mind a dependent weakling. If you would serve God and be truly religious, do not kneel before God, but learn to walk with God, and do something tangible every day to increase the happiness of mankind.

This is religion that is worthwhile, and it is such religion alone that can please the Infinite.” The importance of this passage shows that there is difference between grace and favor of God as grace is given freely to all but one can truly see the favor of God only if by the staying consistent to the purpose and will of God. “God has a program of character development for each of us. He wants others to look at our lives and say, He walks with God, for he lives like Christ.” The walk with Christ requires a believer to be persistent and consistent only then one can witness the favor of God. This is the reason why favor of God is different from grace of God as it requires discipline in a believer’s life and ministry. The will of God favors those who remain faithful in life that God has ordained for the person. Favor and Favoritism Whether or not God has favorites is a tricky question because it is based upon our human understanding of favoritism, which usually means unfair treatment of anyone who is not favored. To completely understand the answer, we have to start with the truth that God is always just. Without a doubt God loves everyone because every human being is created in His image. His judgment is always right. So, if He favors someone, it is the only right thing to do. The very thought of favoritism, related with a place of higher status and less responsibility. But God’s favor often comes with added duties and more difficult challenges. Jesus was the embodiment of everything God favors. In Luke 9:35 God calls Jesus “A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my son whom I have chosen; listen to him’.” . God chose prophets and kings for His own sovereign reasons. God chose Solomon from all of David’s sons to become the next king in 1 Chronicles 28:5-6 “Of all my sons- and the Lord has given me many- he chose my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. He said to me: Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father” . He gifted him in wealth, in popularity, and in wisdom. However, many of those whom God favored were persecuted and suffered hardship because of the mantle of responsibility God placed upon them. For an Instance, there have no further record as to why Mary was chosen, but the result of God’s favor upon her was that she had to bear great sorrow and difficulty as the mother of the Messiah. That sums up God’s sovereign right to choose: What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses in Romans 9:15, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend upon human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” So, is God’s favor arbitrary? Do our choices have any impact on whether we are among His favorites? Isaiah 66:2 says, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” God wants to show all His favor, but in His sovereign knowledge, He chooses some for special assignment and blessing. When God gave Moses instructions about building the tabernacle, He named two men that He had specifically chosen to do the artistic work. “Then the Lord said to Moses in Exodus 31:1-4,6 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri . . . and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge. . .. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him” .Sometimes, God chooses people because He has gifted them in special ways for special service. As they fulfill the calling, He placed on their lives, they find favor with Him.

God is not limited in His favor. He does not rank people in order of importance, nor is His favor something that needed to be earned by contest. Oswald Chambers says in his book, “God did not direct His call to Isaiah— Isaiah overheard God saying, “. . . who will go for Us?” The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude.” Every child of God who comes to Him through faith in Jesus Christ has the favor of God. Psalm 5:12 says, “For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” It is not our righteousness that earns favor; they are declared righteous through the cleansing of our sins by the blood of Christ. Growing in faith and seeking Him, God demonstrates His favor by drawing near to His people. He desires to bestow favor on everyone who seeks Him. He grants spiritual gifts to all His children to use in His service. Even the Lord’s discipline is a means of showing favor to His children. Hebrews 12:5–6 says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” God’s favorites are His children, purchased through the blood of His Son. As we honor Jesus, God’s favor is bestowed upon His Believers. That favor may manifest itself through greater responsibility, blessing, or even suffering for His sake. When we are God’s favorites, we know He is always with us and will reward us for everything done for Him. Thus, favor of God is not given to those strictly follow God’s divine purpose and fulfill His commandments.