Senior
Member
- Sep 4, 2017
- 302
- 89
Father God prefers certain people over others
“the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
“I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15)
“a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.” (Zephaniah 3:12)
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
(James 4:6)
“You will save the humble people” (2 Samuel 22:28)
Father God loves certain people and chooses them
“God loved us and chose us in Christ” (Ephesians 1:4)
“God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.”
(1 Thessalonians 1:4)
“salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.” (2 Timothy 2:10)
“the Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying” (Acts 16:14)
It should be obvious that God does NOT choose everyone!
One of the “somewhat hidden” spiritual truths is:
not everyone is given the ability to believe!
Father God gives certain people to Jesus
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” (John 6:37)
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44)
“no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6:65)
“He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (John 17:2)
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am” (John 17:24)
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” (Hebrews 2:13)
“Every plant (tares/weeds) which My heavenly Father has NOT planted will be uprooted.” (Matthew 15:13)
God’s desire is that BACs be fully sanctified (made holy) – progressively
“God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” (Ephesians 1:4)
“you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.” (Romans 1:7)
“salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
“Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father.” (Hebrews 2:11)
“God’s will was for us to be made holy … those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:10-14)
Key #1: BACs “are being made holy”
through the process of sanctification!
“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one” (Hebrews 2:11)
“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)
Key #2: BACs are responsible for choosing (with their free will)
to co-operate with the Holy Spirit!
Some of the instructions to BACs (we have a part to play in our salvation!)
“God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3)
“work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.” (2 Peter 1:10)
“(choose) to be slaves to righteous living so that you will (progressively) become holy.” (Romans 6:19)
“put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:24)
“God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin … live in holiness and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
“God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is
not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God”
(1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)
“work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
“you must live as God’s obedient children … now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’ ” (1 Peter 1:14-15)
“proclaim faith to those God has chosen and teach them … how to live godly lives.” (Titus 1:1)
Many are called, but few are chosen for salvation
“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend’, he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
(Matthew 22:11-14)
Note: The book “A Divine Revelation of Hell” by Mary K. Baxter (1993, Whitaker House) is about Jesus giving Mary a personal tour of hell — off and on during 40 days and nights. Jesus shows her many believers (including pastors) who have been cast into outer darkness!
From “The Applied New Testament Commentary,
1996, Dr. Thomas Hale (medical missionary) …
● “The wedding clothes represent righteousness … many hear Christ’s call. They come at first … They may agree with it. But in their hearts they do not fully give their lives to Christ … they are not prepared to stay and be servants of Christ. They are not chosen. Christ’s servants must be chosen (see John 15:16).”
● “Men do not first choose to follow Jesus. Rather, Jesus chooses men to follow Him. First Jesus calls. Then men are free to follow or not to follow. But no man can follow Christ unless he has first been called.”
There are other reasons why some BACs are rejected
1 page of Scripture verses is available for almost all these topics:
BACs stay righteous by practicing righteousness
BACs stay righteous through their obedience
BACs must endure being faithful until the end of their lives
BACs keep salvation by repenting of their sins
BACs must love, forgive, not judge or condemn
BACs must be victorious overcomers
“His called and chosen and faithful ones
will be with Him (Jesus).” (Revelation 17:14)
“the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9)
“I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15)
“a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.” (Zephaniah 3:12)
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
(James 4:6)
“You will save the humble people” (2 Samuel 22:28)
Father God loves certain people and chooses them
“God loved us and chose us in Christ” (Ephesians 1:4)
“God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.”
(1 Thessalonians 1:4)
“salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.” (2 Timothy 2:10)
“the Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying” (Acts 16:14)
It should be obvious that God does NOT choose everyone!
One of the “somewhat hidden” spiritual truths is:
not everyone is given the ability to believe!
Father God gives certain people to Jesus
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” (John 6:37)
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44)
“no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6:65)
“He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (John 17:2)
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am” (John 17:24)
“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” (Hebrews 2:13)
“Every plant (tares/weeds) which My heavenly Father has NOT planted will be uprooted.” (Matthew 15:13)
God’s desire is that BACs be fully sanctified (made holy) – progressively
“God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” (Ephesians 1:4)
“you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.” (Romans 1:7)
“salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
“Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father.” (Hebrews 2:11)
“God’s will was for us to be made holy … those who are being made holy.” (Hebrews 10:10-14)
Key #1: BACs “are being made holy”
through the process of sanctification!
“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one” (Hebrews 2:11)
“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14)
Key #2: BACs are responsible for choosing (with their free will)
to co-operate with the Holy Spirit!
Some of the instructions to BACs (we have a part to play in our salvation!)
“God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3)
“work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.” (2 Peter 1:10)
“(choose) to be slaves to righteous living so that you will (progressively) become holy.” (Romans 6:19)
“put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:24)
“God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin … live in holiness and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
“God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is
not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God”
(1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)
“work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
“you must live as God’s obedient children … now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’ ” (1 Peter 1:14-15)
“proclaim faith to those God has chosen and teach them … how to live godly lives.” (Titus 1:1)
Many are called, but few are chosen for salvation
“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend’, he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
(Matthew 22:11-14)
Note: The book “A Divine Revelation of Hell” by Mary K. Baxter (1993, Whitaker House) is about Jesus giving Mary a personal tour of hell — off and on during 40 days and nights. Jesus shows her many believers (including pastors) who have been cast into outer darkness!
From “The Applied New Testament Commentary,
1996, Dr. Thomas Hale (medical missionary) …
● “The wedding clothes represent righteousness … many hear Christ’s call. They come at first … They may agree with it. But in their hearts they do not fully give their lives to Christ … they are not prepared to stay and be servants of Christ. They are not chosen. Christ’s servants must be chosen (see John 15:16).”
● “Men do not first choose to follow Jesus. Rather, Jesus chooses men to follow Him. First Jesus calls. Then men are free to follow or not to follow. But no man can follow Christ unless he has first been called.”
There are other reasons why some BACs are rejected
1 page of Scripture verses is available for almost all these topics:
BACs stay righteous by practicing righteousness
BACs stay righteous through their obedience
BACs must endure being faithful until the end of their lives
BACs keep salvation by repenting of their sins
BACs must love, forgive, not judge or condemn
BACs must be victorious overcomers
“His called and chosen and faithful ones
will be with Him (Jesus).” (Revelation 17:14)
Last edited: