John Zain
Member
God is omnipresent (everywhere), omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing).
He created all angels and humans to have free will.
And He saw everyone’s free-will decisions before the foundation of the world.
God’s “elect†are defined here, as well as their destiny
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
… whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.†(Romans 8:28-30)
The GOSPEL was directed at God’s elect
The elect must hear the gospel, and believe it, to get them started on their road to heaven.
They will co-operate with God’s sanctification process, and be conformed to Christ’s image.
Other people will “believe†the gospel also, but these people are NOT part of God’s “electâ€.
This “other†group is made up of 3 types of “believersâ€:
1) who believe via blind faith … they are just born into Christianity.
2) who believe intellectually … but they are not born-again.
3) who believe enough to be born-again … but they reject being fully sanctified.
(Perhaps you can make this fit into the parable of the 4 soils; I haven’t tried)
Note: God has always taken great pride in His special and precious “remnant†of believers,
of whom he is so proud! These believers are totally dedicated to being obedient to Him,
which is only their reasonable service (see Rom 12:1 below).
Christianity was never intended to be a casual walk in the park ... it sure wasn't for Jesus!
All of the BLESSINGS are directed at God’s elect
“To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:
… (God) who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to
adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will
… In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of His grace … In Him also we have obtained an inheritance …†(Eph 1:1-11)
Only God’s elect will be “faithfulâ€, and progress to being made “holy and without blameâ€.
All of the PROMISES are directed at God’s elect
Fill in whichever passages you please … they all pertain only to God’s elect.
All of the WARNINGS are directed at God’s elect
These are written confirmations of what the Holy Spirit has told born-again people!
The elect will seriously heed God’s warnings/threats … and act on them!
• “… he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.†(John 12:25)
• “Do not be deceived … whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption (eternal death),
but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.†(Gal 6:7-8)
• “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things
the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.†(Eph 5:3-6)
• “… to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves
whom you obey, whether (slaves) of sin leading to death … For the end of those
things (a life of sin) is death … For the wages of sin is death†(Rom 6:16-23)
• “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be
My son. But the (sinners, all sinners) shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.†(Rev 21:7-8)
• “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God … lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we have become partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence
steadfast to the end … Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion†(Heb 3:12-15)
These folks who rebelled (in the OT) ... God left them scattered all over the desert floor!
But, not to worry ... you weren't there.
All of the ADMONITIONS are directed at God’s elect
• “present yourselves to God … as instruments of righteousness to God†(Rom 6:13)
• “present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness†(Rom 6:19)
• “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service†(Rom 12:1)
• “let us cleanse ourselves … perfecting holiness in the fear of God.†(2 Cor 7:1)
• “pursue … holiness, without which no one will see the Lord …†(Hebr 12:14)
• “as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct†(1 Pet 1:15-16)
• “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling …†(Phil 2:12)
Christian life is supposed to start with “count the costâ€
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish …†(John 10:27-28)
Jesus warned to first count the cost of leaving all to follow Him!
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children,
brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and
count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it … So liwise, whoever
of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.†(Luke 14:26-33)
This is a hint of what the narrow and difficult road is all about.
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to (eternal) life,
and there are few who find it†(Matt 7:14)
