That's the very fatalism I'm talking about.
Surely, God has more than just a degree of control in things, but to say we are purposely made, or not made ahead of time a person who will believe is destroying Christianity altogether for me. That's where I check out, thank you. What a meaningless gospel.
This is because, they
never "press onwards to the "prize"", of the "High Calling of God." And, are
content with sitting on their
free gift. So, they
never come to a "
remembrance", of what, or who they are/
were!
No, Paul made it quite clear that election is based on God's predetermined plan for salvation to be through faith, not through works.
Of
course it's by faith, and
NOT through some "entitlement/
works program", that one becomes saved!
It
is however
"works BY/THROUGH faith", where one becomes "Spiritually mature!"
But, post after post, thread after thread? "This
"free gift of salvation?" Is as
FAR as
EVERYONE seems to wish to
ASPIRE TO!
So "don't even DARE" in teaching/testifying/baring witness to ANYTHING BEYOND the "principle doctrines of Christ! "DON'T EVEN THINK IT!!"
Because, YOU will then be "pigeon-holed", and tossed into the "works FOR salvation", or "works in maintaining salvation" "round file!"
After all? The Disciples and Apostles of Christ in the N.T.? Are the ONLY ones that HAVE "Knowledge of God!"
And NOBODY ELSE DOES!
Which begs the question, then, "Why have so many Israelites not believed?"
After all, they are the 'chosen' (elect) people of God.
Answer:
1) Because of their
GROSS UNDERESTIMATION concerning the
strength of "the adversary!"
PLUS?
2)
God's JEALOUSLY! = Wrath!
With "that" combination? There is NO WAY OUT! NONE! NADA! ZILCH! ZERO!
And?
NO ESCAPING!
The really sad part of this is? It's HAPPENING to the gentiles NOW!
NayborBear said:
But?
Not ALL believers and confessors of Jesus Christ, are "elect!"
Pass
NayborBear said:
The "elect" are
proven warriors from a previous period of time, or "everlasting." One COULD even "liken" them to Michael's angels:
Revelation 12
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
The only difference being, that the "elect" are in flesh bodies.
Okay, you're scaring me now.
You ain't
seen "SCARY" Yet! It will be as "scary", as it will be SO INCREDIBLY SAD!
There's a tiny shred of truth in what you're saying here.
God does know ahead of time who will, in the end, be among the elect, that is, he knows who in this life will be born as a result of the promise, not as the result of works. And he knows how to position them in history ahead of time to accomplish his ends. But to say he purposely made the soil of your heart believing soil, and someone else's not believing soil, well, that's where I get off the bus. That for me is the most meaningless of gospels.
Perhaps, you should "get back on the bus."
Then, you may realize there's more then
"just a tiny shred" of
truth!
And there's that "ambiguous" term "works" again.
Are you speaking the "works" of a "man?" So that he might obtain "acts ATTRIBUTABLE towards "righteousness?" Such as that which Abram did, upon encountering Melchizedek?
Appears God thought PRETTY HIGHLY concerning Abrams WORKS!
Ever SINCE then? "Religionosity", has "ASSUMED CONTROL" over that which God HIMSELF deems as "RIGHTEOUSNESS!"
A pretty sad "state of affairs", Christendom has sunken into. Ain't it?
NayborBear said: If you be a thinkin' there's not a whole lotta differences between that which "the serpent" (Adam and Eve)
done, what the "Pharoah" (Moses)
did, what Herod (Jesus)
did, and what "abortions" are doing?
You'd be a thinkin' correctly!
Well? I'm not 100% correct
all the time. And am willing in the acknowledgement, of when I may "carry a tangent too far?"
I stand corrected, on the "abortion" issue.
The Previous "acts?" Were "committed", because they were
SCARED!
The "abortion" issue, on the other hand, is committed, in OUTRIGHT DEFIANCE, and GODLESSNESS! With just a little less fear concerning the "stopping" OF God's WILL!
Rest assured though! "Fear", is "IN THE MIX!"