32.
The cup of salvation Class 13******July 7 “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of my salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.” Psalms 116:12-14 The cup of salvation is the individual portion or inheritance of God’s children. It is their lot in life. One does not choose one’s cup. Which one of us decided to be born black, or poor, or in this time period? The cup is given to us. Each cup is as different as each individual. Within each cup are things bitter and things sweet. God gives each of us blessings, talents, wisdom and opportunity. The families that we are born into, and that we later have, our abilities to learn and to work, are all a part of our cup. Even our limitations and our health and potential for illness are part of our cup. All of these things are measured unto us by the Father. He knows how much pain and suffering that we can bear, and he sets limits for this as well as the length of our lives, and he determines the things that we must do in order to be saved. The most important part of our cup, or our inheritance, is God. “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” Psalms 16:5-6. The bitter things in our cup are the difficulties that everyone born on this earth must suffer. We must overcome all of the obstacles and hardships found within the cup of salvation in order to be saved. Our cup is given to us, but the choices that we make can make the bitter things in our cup even more difficult. In other words, we can make our lives harder than it has to be when we disobey God and make unwise choices.
We must also fulfill our calling that God has given us. Our calling, and the work that God has given us to do in behalf of his house, is also part of our cup. The cup of salvation is Christ’s cup. Our cups, our lives, include a sip, just a small amount of the cup that Christ drank. The mother of James and John 33. came to Christ and asked him if her son’s could sit on his right and left side in his kingdom. He asked them if they were able to drink of his cup, and be baptized with his baptism. They said that they were able to, and he said that they would indeed drink of his cup and be baptized with his baptism, but it was not given to him to say who would sit on his right and left side. We know that this cup and this baptism were the work, as well as the suffering and crucifixion of Christ, Matthew 20:20-23, Matthew 26:39. His apostles did indeed have to suffer as he did, most if not all were put to death as he was.His disciples considered it an honor and a blessing to suffer for Christ. Christ also told us that we must take up our cross and follow him. At the last supper there were two cups that were shared between Christ and his apostles. Luke 22:17-20. The second cup in verse 20 was the cup of the testament in his blood. What was the first cup in verse 17 that they divided among themselves? Even the wicked have a cup, or portion in life that they are given at birth. These things you do not choose. Their cup is different than the cup of salvation. They will never accept or obey the Lord. “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” Psalms 11:6. Another way to look at the cup of salvation is portrayed in the history of Jacob and Esau. Here were two sons, twins of one woman. One God loved and the other God hated. It is the lot of the children of God and the children of the devil. We are all born of this earth, as if from one woman, which Rebecca was an example of. One is the
seed of the promise and one is the seed of the devil. The children of the devil, just like Esau, despise the birthright, which is the inheritance of the father. The inheritance of our heavenly Father is the law, and his holy word. But they cry and want the blessing anyway. God gives Satan’s children the blessing of Esau. He gives his own children the blessing of Jacob.
Please read: (76 verses)
About the cross of Christ---
Matthew 10:25-39, Matthew 16:21-28, About Jacob and Esau--Genesis 25:27-34, Genesis 27:1-46