Does God chose people?
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He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(John 1:11-13)
if i have it in me to become a son of God, where did i get that power?
whom shall i thank?
none other than God, the one true God, whose lovingkindness is everlasting
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(John 1:11-13)
if i have it in me to become a son of God, where did i get that power?
whom shall i thank?
none other than God, the one true God, whose lovingkindness is everlasting
It says HIs own received Him not. Were they predestined by God to not receve Him? If so, why for the Jews were God's elect.
Satan came before God and the Lord said
did God think
He knew us before we had life and will know us when we're dead.
"have you noticed my servant Job?"
Satan said he's coddled, let me shake him, then we'll see what's in his head. did God think
"i'd better not; i might turn out to be the fool;
i don't know what ol' Job will choose to do?"
no, God knows His children, the hair on every head. He knew us before we had life and will know us when we're dead.
i agree with that. i don't think we as humans have any other power at all - but to accept His will, or to struggle against it.
but if it be His will that i be His servant, no amount of struggle on my part can overwhelm Him. He is God and i am man. that's what i wanted you to see from the example of Jonah.
try reading Romans again. not all Israel is Israel. the Lord has made a new covenant with man, without forsaking the former one.
but if it be His will that i be His servant, no amount of struggle on my part can overwhelm Him. He is God and i am man. that's what i wanted you to see from the example of Jonah.
try reading Romans again. not all Israel is Israel. the Lord has made a new covenant with man, without forsaking the former one.
J
But does God always get His will or way?
there are many instances in Scripture where God sovereignly overrules mankind, but there are also instances that seem to show that man, in their will to rebel, work independently of His desire.
Matt 23:37
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."
1 Tim 2:4
[God] who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
Deut 30:19-20
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
there are many instances in Scripture where God sovereignly overrules mankind, but there are also instances that seem to show that man, in their will to rebel, work independently of His desire.
Matt 23:37
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."
1 Tim 2:4
[God] who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
Deut 30:19-20
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
that's His patience, His mercy, and His longsuffering on display
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation
(2 Peter 3:15)
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
(Psalm 145:8)
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation
(2 Peter 3:15)
The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
(Psalm 145:8)
i am dust; even to be able to choose is His mercy; He could have made me without even self awareness, but He chose me to be as i am, knowing good from evil, and finding both in my hand to do. this is a gift from God! i didn't create myself.
when i sit down to watch TV with my son, i hand him the remote control. he knows what shows i would probably like to watch and which ones i wouldn't, and when he chooses what i like instead of what i know he'd rather see, i delight in it, because it shows me that he loves me.
he doesn't always pick shows i'd rather see. i don't take the remote away when he turns on his shows - because i love him too, and i care more about being with him than whatever is on TV. but some shows - i can't suffer through haha, and i either make him change the station, or i leave him to himself.
when i sit down to watch TV with my son, i hand him the remote control. he knows what shows i would probably like to watch and which ones i wouldn't, and when he chooses what i like instead of what i know he'd rather see, i delight in it, because it shows me that he loves me.
he doesn't always pick shows i'd rather see. i don't take the remote away when he turns on his shows - because i love him too, and i care more about being with him than whatever is on TV. but some shows - i can't suffer through haha, and i either make him change the station, or i leave him to himself.
J
How you interacted with your son is similar to how I see that God interacts with us. He gives us the remote and we make choices with it. Some that please him and some that don't. If we love Him with all our hearts then we always try to choose that which pleases him. This is how I see our free will in operation.
This is also why we are given so many commands in the Bible. The given commandments imply our ability to either obey or disobey them.
This is also why we are given so many commands in the Bible. The given commandments imply our ability to either obey or disobey them.
J
As I was driving in the car, I thought how God works through people despite their belief in predestination or not.
John Wesely was heavily against Calvinism and predestination, but this is one of the reasons that he nearly rode himself to death all throughout England because he desired none to perish and all to hear the gospel so that they could accept it.
George Whitefield was Wesely's contempary and was a Calvinist, but he also preached heavily to those in England desiring them to be saved.
Maybe God allows certain circumstances that allow people to believe a certain way in order for them to be most effective for the gospel.
just some thoughts.
John Wesely was heavily against Calvinism and predestination, but this is one of the reasons that he nearly rode himself to death all throughout England because he desired none to perish and all to hear the gospel so that they could accept it.
George Whitefield was Wesely's contempary and was a Calvinist, but he also preached heavily to those in England desiring them to be saved.
Maybe God allows certain circumstances that allow people to believe a certain way in order for them to be most effective for the gospel.
just some thoughts.
C
For a lack of knowledge mman will perish. Adam fell to give man a choice and Jesus came to fullfill it. Why cant God do whatever he wants. Hes God. For you to say that you are denying God and going directly against the Word. If God couldnt do whatever he wanted then that would make him a respector to persons. So I turn away from here shake this dust off my feet for a testimony against you. For it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of the Lord.
N
God chooses everyone. For different purposes. Unfortunately most people don't know they've been chosen for anything. They don't see God's hand in their lives, in the world and so they continue with their own plans, their own way of doing everything. And God's Ultimate Purpose will be attained regardless.
For me, I choose to be a part of God's plan anyway He chooses to do so.
For me, I choose to be a part of God's plan anyway He chooses to do so.
If God could do what He wanted, Everyone would be saved, Everyone would be healed and the world would be at peace.
God is sovereign but in His sovereignty He has put everything on a faith basis, And told the Prophets and Apostles what to write down in what we know as the Bible. And the Bible teaches that people have to believe God in order to receive the blessings.
Why would it make God a respecter of people, If He couldn't do what He wanted??,
If He could do what He wanted, and chose whoever He wanted, Then that would make Him a respecter of people.
C
Peace be still. For the day cometh.....If God couldnt do whatever he wanted and was bound then he would br lesser than me. I have free will but God is bound? Satan get thee behind me, for behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Salvation is like a 'partnership' between God and man. God did not have to saved man but becasue of grace He made it possible for men to be saved through Christ. Man's part is to take advantage of that salvation God made possible by obeying Christ, Heb 5:9.
There is nothing merciful in forcing men to be lost against their will.
There is nothing merciful in forcing men to be lost against their will.