Election, that most contentious doctrine.
- Thread starter Evmur
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
And if a person would to ask me, I'd say this: I USED to believe that I chose Him. However, after He allowed me to literally feel His Almighty, Holy Power, and I'm talking about the Power necessary to part an entire sea or river, for example, that's when I realize that He had chosen me. It was that day that His Holy Presence was Powerful enough to nearly kill me, that I realized that I was fake. I wasn't serious about God! But, I could sure write some amazing papers, partake in producing religious critique tapes, and self-proclaim as a "master" of certain Biblical concepts. I knew that something wasn't quite right with me, but if you had asked, I would have told you that I was Eternally saved and that nothing could separate me from the Love of Christ. That included my strip-clubbing, alcoholism, a foul-mouthed jerk, porn addiction. Correct, even though my life did not resemble the life of a True Christian as clearly outlined in Scripture, I was still a Saved Christian. No, no I wasn't.
But when the Lord found me in the Arizona desert, driving down the freeway, and after he nearly killed me through extending the Terror of the Lord upon my mind and body . . . He then came to my rescue after I somehow pulled off of the road. As I began begging for the Lord to save me before died from Holy Terror, He indeed did come to me. Incredibly, the Lord's Peace and Love is even MORE Powerful that Holy Terror. I sat in my car, gasping to breath as I was completely consumed by measurable Peace and Love. It was the most incredible thing imaginable! Barely able to breathe, and looking upward to the 11am clock position, I simply gasped for air in the most amazing way. I was not afraid of dying, but I knew that if I had, it would have been wonderful! This Powerful Peace and Love that I speak of is not like imagining a nut running around throwing flower pedals . . . NO. This Peace and Love was the most Powerful Force conceivable. I knew that the Lord of our Bible was True and correct. I knew that we hold the Right and Proper Faith. And as said, I knew that God had found and Chose me to be His Son.
When we are "Known" by the Lord as I was Known by Him, there is no rejecting Him. It is impossible. No one who is Known and Chosen by God will ever turn away; they will be forever changed. And this change results in a genuine Romans 12:2 Transforamation. And anyone who is Known by God WILL begin to change. Like Saul, later named Paul, some will respond quickly as did he, and like myself, I was more on the slow side, for I had no one around me such as a Barnabas to help and guide me into the reality of what had happened to me.
I found out the Truth . . . which is that like what happened to me and young Saul while on the Damascus Road . . . we are Chosen.
Thank you God! I was on my way to hell, but before I did so, I would have heard the following Words:
Matthew 7:22 NLT - "On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name."
Friends, if you don't believe that you have been Known by Christ . . . study the following seven verses and memorize them. They will change our entire life:
Colossians 2:9-15 NLT - "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."
But when the Lord found me in the Arizona desert, driving down the freeway, and after he nearly killed me through extending the Terror of the Lord upon my mind and body . . . He then came to my rescue after I somehow pulled off of the road. As I began begging for the Lord to save me before died from Holy Terror, He indeed did come to me. Incredibly, the Lord's Peace and Love is even MORE Powerful that Holy Terror. I sat in my car, gasping to breath as I was completely consumed by measurable Peace and Love. It was the most incredible thing imaginable! Barely able to breathe, and looking upward to the 11am clock position, I simply gasped for air in the most amazing way. I was not afraid of dying, but I knew that if I had, it would have been wonderful! This Powerful Peace and Love that I speak of is not like imagining a nut running around throwing flower pedals . . . NO. This Peace and Love was the most Powerful Force conceivable. I knew that the Lord of our Bible was True and correct. I knew that we hold the Right and Proper Faith. And as said, I knew that God had found and Chose me to be His Son.
When we are "Known" by the Lord as I was Known by Him, there is no rejecting Him. It is impossible. No one who is Known and Chosen by God will ever turn away; they will be forever changed. And this change results in a genuine Romans 12:2 Transforamation. And anyone who is Known by God WILL begin to change. Like Saul, later named Paul, some will respond quickly as did he, and like myself, I was more on the slow side, for I had no one around me such as a Barnabas to help and guide me into the reality of what had happened to me.
I found out the Truth . . . which is that like what happened to me and young Saul while on the Damascus Road . . . we are Chosen.
Thank you God! I was on my way to hell, but before I did so, I would have heard the following Words:
Matthew 7:22 NLT - "On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name."
Friends, if you don't believe that you have been Known by Christ . . . study the following seven verses and memorize them. They will change our entire life:
Colossians 2:9-15 NLT - "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."
Good testimony and I don't doubt anything you said in it.
Thing is I believe according to scripture it is evident that he has chosen to give all an invitation. We do have to wait on the drawing convicting Spirit to be saved. I don't believe anyone can just recite the sinner's prayer and be saved. It takes the drawing convicting Spirit of God. At that time, we have to choose to accept him or not. He won't force anyone to accept Him, but he can make us wish that we had.
Even Paul said: “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:” (Acts 26:19)
God knew that Paul would accept and obey.
He brought him down off his high horse and told him what he must do, but he didn't force him.
Thing is I believe according to scripture it is evident that he has chosen to give all an invitation. We do have to wait on the drawing convicting Spirit to be saved. I don't believe anyone can just recite the sinner's prayer and be saved. It takes the drawing convicting Spirit of God. At that time, we have to choose to accept him or not. He won't force anyone to accept Him, but he can make us wish that we had.
Even Paul said: “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:” (Acts 26:19)
God knew that Paul would accept and obey.
He brought him down off his high horse and told him what he must do, but he didn't force him.
-
1
- Show all
Agreed. For anyone who is lucky enough to receive the kind of Power Paul received, it is impossible to reject such incredible goodness.
And again, I agree. When Paul felt that Raw, Almighty Power of God, he realized that hell was real and that if he didn't respond, he'd be going there. So when that realization hits home, and it is juggled in conjunction with experiencing the Goodness, in Full, of the Lord, it is Irresistible Grace. The Veil has been lifted and it is impossible to not respond, thus rejecting the Lord.
Those that had been given to Christ; He shall not lose even one.
And again, I agree. When Paul felt that Raw, Almighty Power of God, he realized that hell was real and that if he didn't respond, he'd be going there. So when that realization hits home, and it is juggled in conjunction with experiencing the Goodness, in Full, of the Lord, it is Irresistible Grace. The Veil has been lifted and it is impossible to not respond, thus rejecting the Lord.
Those that had been given to Christ; He shall not lose even one.
Amen, God CHOOSES all of us!
He comes to the doorway of our heart and knocks.
He will even do many things to get our attention before we understand that it is God trying to Invite us into His Fold.
Sadly, Free Will allows those who have denied Him, to do so.
There is not one single example of us finding God.
But come Judgement Day, there will be Billions who will have to answer why when God Invited them, they Denied Him!
He comes to the doorway of our heart and knocks.
He will even do many things to get our attention before we understand that it is God trying to Invite us into His Fold.
Sadly, Free Will allows those who have denied Him, to do so.
There is not one single example of us finding God.
But come Judgement Day, there will be Billions who will have to answer why when God Invited them, they Denied Him!
Billions is right! You know, I don't feel like God ever invited me. And maybe that's because of all the decades of being in "church" I never heard the Gospel. I have only heard false gospels (but didn't know it). But when the Lord pressed His Nature into me . . . wow . . . all of a sudden my entire life began to change (as it only could).
-
1
- Show all
It really is a difficult task to escape the entrapment of a False Doctrine that has been embedded into our minds and believed as the Gospel Truth. To escape that, is no different than having an accident and relearning to walk again, or to use some other body function. It is literally a brain washing of the baloney and inputting of the real truth. Thankfully, God doesn't give up on us right away. And for the many who are Saved, we [understand] the Value of that.
You know, it wasn't until AFTER my incredible Spiritual Experience that my eyes were actually opened to the Word. Once the Lord Circumcised my heart, I was able to read the Bible with a heart, soul, and mind that was eager to understand what it was that happened to me. And when I ran into the below Seven Perfect Verses . . . my mind was blown away. These following verses instantly began to give me a balanced, proper perspective on what the entire Bible is about. Circumcision of the Heart is the Core, or Heart of the entire Bible. Unbelievable.
Colossians 2:9-15 NLT - "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."
Colossians 2:9-15 NLT - "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."
Attachments
-
1
- Show all
