2072- CHOSEN
OF GOD-
The theme
this week is Predestination- meaning God picked us- believers- to be his
children before the ‘foundation of the world’.
In Ephesians
chapter one we read that God pre- planned for us to become his kids- in this plan
he chose us to be Holy- without blame- spotless.
This is a
progressive work- meaning it takes place thru out our life.
The bible
says ‘after we believed we were sealed by the Holy Spirit’.
The old King
James Bible says the Spirit is the Earnest of our inheritance- until the final purchase
is come to fruition.
You can take
this as saying ‘God’s Spirit is the guarantee- the down payment- until we are raised
from the dead- and are in the new heaven- at the end’.
But you can
also look at it from God’s view- that his Spirit- which he gave us when we
first believed- is working in us until we become all that he wants us to be-
fully submitted to his will- and becoming like him in every way.
The term
‘Earnest’ is the same word we use in Real estate- earnest money- or down
payment.
So- the Spirit
is the down payment- that God himself made- to assure that he will someday get
the whole purchase- us!
At the
bottom I will post the main verses on this- God choosing us.
In the bible
we read of this theme mainly in the Apostle Paul’s letters- but we find it in
Jesus teaching too- mostly in the gospel of John.
Jesus says
things like ‘all that the Father give to me come to me- and those that come I
will never cast out’.
‘My sheep
hear my voice- they know me- they follow me’.
‘No man is
able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand’.
‘You have
not chosen me- but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU and ordained you that you should go and
bring forth fruit- and your fruit should remain’.
‘No man can
come to me except my father in heaven draw him’.
One of the
main chapters in the bible that covers this issue is Romans 9.
While the apostle
Paul teaches this doctrine [Predestination] he uses an example from the book of
Genesis- chapter 25.
He says
Rebecca [the wife of Isaac] had 2 sons- she was pregnant with twins.
In Old
Testament times- being the first born- the oldest child- meant a lot.
He would get
the lion’s share of the inheritance.
In the case
of the twins- Jacob and Esau- God did something special.
He said ‘the
youngest shale rule over the oldest’.
Ok- Paul
teaches that God simply made this decision by his own predetermined will.
The boys
were not yet born- had no track record of being good- or bad.
Yet God
chose to pick the youngest son and give him something that he did not give to
the oldest son.
In Romans 9
Paul says this is Gods choice- he says ‘does not the potter have the right over
the clay to make one pot the way he wants’.
Yes.
So God- in
his Divine Purpose- has chosen us- not because of what we did- or will do- no-
he chose us by Grace to become his kids.
This
doctrine has caused lots of wars in the Christian church.
Some famous
church fathers are known for teaching it- Saint Augustine from Hippo- North
Africa taught it in the 5-6th century.
He was a
famous teacher in the Catholic Church.
The
Protestant Reformers of the 16th century believed it.
The bible-
in my view- does indeed teach it.
What we get
from knowing this teaching is that God’s grace is all from him.
We had
nothing to do with our first birth- and we in reality had nothing to do with
our New Birth.
We were dead
in sins- and God gave us new life because he loved us- and chose us.
In this life
he is working progressively in us- that as time goes by we will fulfill his
ultimate will in this life.
Paul says
‘it is not of him who wills- or strives- but it is of God- who shows mercy’.
There are
indeed a lot of implications to this doctrine.
People say
‘is this fair- that God chooses some- but not all’?
The way the
apostle Paul answered this question is God is sovereign- he has the right to do
what he wills.
Christ died
for us- he gave his life for the sins of the world- all who come to him he
receives.
We preach
this good news [gospel] to everyone.
We should
not discriminate- God’s love is for all.
When people
believe- it is a gift of grace- God gives us the faith to believe.
We should be
thankful that he chose us- he gave us this new life- by a Divine act of grace.
Ephesians
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians
1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Ephesians
1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Ephesians 1:11 In whom
also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them
he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 9:10
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our
father Isaac;
Romans 9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of
him that calleth;)
Romans 9:12
It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Romans 9:13
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Romans 9:14
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Romans 9:15
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will
have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Romans 9:16
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that
sheweth mercy.
Romans 9:17
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised
thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth.
Romans 9:18
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he
hardeneth.
Romans 9:19
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted
his will?
Romans 9:20
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed
say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Romans 9:21
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel
unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
John 17:24 Father, I
will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they
may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the
foundation of the world.
2Timothy 1:9 Who hath
saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began,
1Peter 1:2 Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the
Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto
you, and peace, be multiplied.
Revelation 17:8 The
beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless
pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder,
whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the
world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Genesis
25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and
the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis
25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be
so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Genesis
25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner
of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be
stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Note- Do me a favor, those who
read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read
them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [FaceBook#]
- I have posted lots.
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