2 Kings 8:14-15 In the Matter of Salvation!

 “Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me you would surely recover.” But it happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his place.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He told me you would surely recover: The king certainly did recover, or would have, had not the wicked Hazael committed murder.

i. “He represents the prophet’s answer by halves, that by his master’s security he might have the fitter opportunity to execute his treasonable design.” (Poole)

b. So that he died: Hazael took an evil inference from Elisha’s prophecy and seized the throne. He should have taken the prophet’s announcement as a warning to check his own heart; instead he acted on that evil – and was fully responsible for his own actions.

i. “The predestination of God does not destroy the free agency of man, or lighten the responsibility of the sinner. It is true, in the matter of salvation, when God comes to save, his free grace prevails over our free agency, and leads the will in glorious captivity to the obedience of faith. But in sinning, man is free, – free in the widest sense of the term, never being compelled to do any evil deed, but being left to follow the turbulent passions of his own corrupt heart, and carry out the prevailing tendencies of his own depraved nature.” (Spurgeon)

ii. “An ancient Assyrian inscription, called the Berlin inscription, says, ‘Hazael the son of nobody, seized the throne.’ This designation indicates that he was an usurper with no dynastic line.” (Dilday)

(Guzik)

In the Matter of Salvation!

This quote bears repeating! “It is true, in the matter of salvation, when God comes to save, his free grace prevails over our free agency, and leads the will in glorious captivity to the obedience of faith.” (Spurgeon)

I’m reminded what Paul said: 

“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭19‬-‭20‬, ‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We won’t be perfect and sinless until we see Jesus face to face but until then we can only strive to be more like Jesus and with the obedience of faith try to sin less. 

What is your matter of salvation?

Blessings