(This was posted at a forum, so excuse the choppiness of it.)
This was posted during a discussion on "Chosen Christians" or "Predestination" or "God's Divine Will", whatever you want to call it.
This is probably a draft, so bear with me.
God chooses us, but I also believe we have to accept this gift. He doesn't push it onto us. Why would souls perish in Hell then, if He chooses certain people? God chooses everyone for the gift of salvation, and we have to act on it and accept His gift.
Its like if someones picking teams for kickball. Say I pick a few people, and one of those people says "I don't want to play on your team." I believe thats the same way God chooses souls, and He has chosen everyone! Why would there only be a select few of people going to heaven?
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his word, as he seems to some, but he is waiting in mercy for you, not desiring the destruction of any, but that all may be turned from their evil ways.
And the answer why there is only a select few of people going to Heaven? (By theory of Predestination.) Simple. Because they rejected God's gift of salvation.
And in response to Ephesians 2:1;
And we can also choose to reject or accept God's gift of salvation when the Holy Spirit convicts us while we are dead. The Holy Spirit brings to light what we do not know. And then we can either reject what God is speaking to us, or we can accept his gift. There is even a verse in the Bible that speaks of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Thesselonians 1:4-5 "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction..."
I also believe the whole chapter of Ephesians 2 has nothing to do with God picking a certain group of people to become his chosen few to be "saved". I have not seen any verses in the Bible which say that.
Here is also another verse.
Romans 10:12-13 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all that call upon him: for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If there are only a few select chosen, then, how do you know if you're chosen? Why are we supposed to spread the gospel if God has already chosen people?
Also, I read Chapter 15 and 14. I believe you may have taken John 15:16 out of context. If you read that chapter, you will see Jesus is talking to the disciples. And remember, the disciples were to go and make disciples in the world after Jesus ascended into Heaven. They were chosen for a very special job, to go and make disciples out of the world. And thats not to say God doesn't choose special people in the body to do certain works, but I do not believe he chooses people to go to Heaven.
And also if you read in Acts 16:18 it says, "I am sending you to them to open their eyes, so that they may turn away from darkness to the light, away from the power of of Satan and to God. Then their sins can be forgiven, and they can have a place with those people who have been made holy by believing in me."
We have to BELIEVE in Christ and that he is our redeemer and savior. Its a concious decision that we must make. If God chooses us and makes the decision for us, then what reason is there to turn away from sin if he already picked us to go to heaven?
That entry was really good and I enjoyed reading it...Thanks!!! I'm glad you think I should publish and I'm thankful of the inspiration you gave me to keep going. Thanks again!!! lol.
until later
cya, lauren
I believe God is COMPLETELY sovereign and we are COMPLETELY helpless. Meaning anything that we do is because God decided we were going to do it before he created us.
I believe that we have a conciousness of our Salvation and belief in Christ because he made us concious of it.
(I love debating this topic if you want to discuss it further.)
Annette Margaret is an Italian, French, Jewish, Christian girl. She has been equated to Josephine from Little Women, Zipporah from the Bible, and apparently, she's told she looks like women from The Godfather, The Sopranos and women from Sicily and Italy in general. She's a jack of all trades, and hopes to master a few.
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The Freethinker?
Did you start to wonder what Annette's blog title means? Well, she's often been called a freethinker, because she's a little different from everyone else.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
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