What He Gives:

Let’s consider these gifts for a moment.

1. Because He is holy, He gives me the gift of transformation as I reflect His character. “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15-16). His holiness calls upon us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. His holiness calls us to be transformed as we renew our minds in His Word. His holiness then is a gift that encourages us to fight sin and temptation in our lives that we may more clearly resemble our Lord and Savior.

2. Because He is righteous, He gives me the gift of justice. Our God is “Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Pet. 2:23). He is fair and impartial in all His dealings with men. He will be just to both the obedient and to the wicked. His character will not allow Him to be otherwise. We may rest our cause in Him. There is great injustice on this earth. There are those who treat us in an unjust manner. But all of us who name the name of Christ can count on God to act justly on our behalf in His perfect time.

3. Because He is good, He gives me good gifts… mercy, grace, and tender kindness. Ps. 145:9 tells us, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.” God is good in that He extended mercy to we who were under God’s wrath. Ps. 57:10a says, “For thy mercy is great unto the heavens.” God is good in His grace and favor toward us despite our sin and failure. God is good in His tender kindness to all His creatures. Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” God’s goodness can be summed up with Eph. 2:4-8, “But God, who is rich in mercy… hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

4. Because He is love, He gives me the gift of forgiveness. He is love, His love is unconditional, and He is the Source of love. It is by His love in sending His Son that I am forgiven. When I accept His love, and act upon it, I can extend forgiveness to others. 1 John is full of appropriate references for this truth, for example, 1 Jn. 4:7-11, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

5. Because He is faithful, He gives me the gift of preservation. He will keep His Word. Ps. 119:89-91, “For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.” He will keep His promises. Deut. 7:9, “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.” He will keep me! Psalm 121 speaks beautifully concerning God’s keeping of His saints. “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. The Lord is thy keeper. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” And finally, “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim. 2:13).