The Plan? Harmony In Our Differences

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,⁴just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1)

The Second Sunday of Christmas continues to lay out God's plan and purpose for us.  

With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 

Did you get that?  to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 

All creatures large and small, animal or human, rocks and hill and all nations; are to  be gathered unto God's plan for all creation.

There will be neither Jew, or Greek, male of female.

No separation, no social levels, no language barriers to divide anything.

All belong to God to work together for the good of all.

All our part, in this intimate relationship, is to:  live for the praise of his glory.

All have been made to worship, witness and praise God; as we live and grow in his name.

Even "The Heaven are telling of the glory of God."

Though the years there has been much discussion about the idea that we must "do" things -- work -- for God's approval.  

That work is, supposedly, what makes us right and good and acceptable, in God's sight, are our "good works."

Not true.

 ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

What is confusing, in this flawed picture, of good works, is that what we "do" most always comes from God's guidance through the Holy Spirit. Even though we do it, we do it at the prompting of God working in and through us.

We can take no credit, receive no special reward.

God is soooooo opposite of the human mentality.

The only thing that makes sense, in this quandary, is that we are saved by grace through faith.

Thanks be to God.

⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us.