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Topic: The Elect !
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beloved57
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wildb
quote:
Faith is a gift and fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
1 Corinthians 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit;
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Yes Also if we read Jn 6:29, we find that Faith or believing on Christ is the Work of God, And that God the Holy Spirit.
Christ pointed that out this work more specifically as to the work of the Holy Spirit here Jn 16:8-9.
8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
He works the Fruit of Faith within God's elect world because by nature they do not believe in Him. Phil 1:29
29For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him , but also to suffer for his sake;
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WildB
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quote:
Originally posted by beloved57:
carol:
quote:
Salvation is limited to those who believe.
And those who believe, believe by the effects of the atonement. Believing is the fruit of the atonement.
Faith is a gift and fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
1 Corinthians 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit;
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
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That is all.....
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beloved57
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Paul writes of the Elect Angels 1 Tim 5:21
21I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.
If there are elect Angels, this presupposes there were non elect ones as well. It appears with these creatures as well God made a Sovereign Choice of them who would be vessels of Honor and those who would be vessels of dishonor. The elect Angels who maintained there integrity were made vessels of Honor to serve His Holy Purposes, but the non elect angels He made to rebel with their leader and apostatize to also serve His Purpose. Rev 12:4
4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
In regards to these apostate creatures we read 2 Pet 2:4
4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
But these were different from those of the Elect Angels, the Election of Grace among them, for because of their Election they were confirmed in their Holiness. Their election was before their Holiness, hence securing it, just as some men are by election, Chosen unto Holiness Eph 1:4
4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
And note, the none elect angels that rebelled, God had no mercy on them. This is vital because many religionists appeal to God as being too merciful and too loving to punish sinners everlastingly, but this account refutes that heresy, for are not angels His creatures ? Was God not still Love, even though He obviously did not Love these rebellious creatures to be merciful unto them for their sin ? The Chosen among Men partake of His Great Love and Mercy in spite of their Sin Eph 2:4-5
4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved )
But, God chose not to show this rich mercy and great Love to the sinning angels. Could He if He so willed ? Yes He could have, but He chose not to. Was He still a God of Love as Per 1 John 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
But that fact did not obligate God to Love and be merciful to those angels, as well as it does not obligate God to be Love and be merciful to non elect men and women who have sinned also. So it is, we have an biblical example of Election with the Angels, and so it is with men.
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beloved57
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carol:
quote:
Salvation is limited to those who believe.
And those who believe, believe by the effects of the atonement. Believing is the fruit of the atonement.
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Bloodbought
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Hi Carol
Can I ask you, what does “election” mean to you? To me it means the choice is Gods not ours. God does not send anyone to hell. All have sinned and all are headed for hell and God is not responsible for that. So man is held responsible for his sin. He is caught with sin and in the prison house of sin and he is unable to release himself. Without the mercy of God in electing him to salvation, he would be lost eternally.
God would have been just if He did not intervene, because He was under no obligation to save anyone. But He chose to elect and save some from this terrible dilemma of sin. The atonement is limited to those who are the elect. That means, Christ did not die in vain for those who believe not.If He did, it depicts a very weak God who provided atonement, but was unable to apply it.
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Carol Swenson
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The atonement is not limited, but the blessings obtained in the atonement are limited. Salvation is limited to those who believe. Do you know what that does? That removes the limitation from God’s side and puts it on our side. It brings the responsibility home: all those who are damned are damned because they believed not, not because the atonement was limited. The only limitation in the gospel is "those who believeth." The Lord has given His own Son, and the Son of God has been lifted up on the cross "That whosoever believeth … should not perish but have everlasting life."
Or do you believe that God creates billions of people with the intention of sending them to hell for an eternity of torment and they have absolutely no choice?
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Bloodbought
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Matthew 16:24
24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Only the elect will do that.
Matthew 19:21–22
21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
This young man was not elect and could not be a loyal follower. He did not believe that there were any better possessions than what he had on earth. That faith was not imparted to him.
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WildB
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quote:
Originally posted by Bloodbought:
Christ received the first preference vote and paid the ultimate sacrifice to bring His number one loyal followers into His kingdom.
Please qualify your statement with text.
For ALL HAVE SINNED and there is no such thing as "number one loyal followers" as it matters to this age of Grace and membership of the Body of Christ.
The topic is Elect, ELECTIONS!
Being a number one loyal follower does not pay the Election bus fair.
![[cool_shades]](graemlins/cool_shades.gif)
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That is all.....
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Bloodbought
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Christ received the first preference vote and paid the ultimate sacrifice to bring His number one loyal followers into His kingdom.
He chooses His members like choosing apples from a tree. He doesn’t choose the ones that are clinging to the tree and looking good, He chooses the ones that have fallen off into the gutter and seem to have no hope, while the others hang on smiling thinking they are better. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. When we let go of all our own efforts to persuade Him to elect us and realise that we are rotten with sin and deserve rejection, He will pick us up and give us faith to trust Him and make us royalty.
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beloved57
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Lets look at this principle of Divine Election within the writings of the NT. Matt 24:22,24, and 31
22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
And no, these scriptures do not pertain to all earthly jews, but people of every tribe and tongue.
Lk 18:7
7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Rom 8:33
33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 9:11
11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth )
Paul preached the purpose of God according to election in His Gospel.
2 Tim 2:10
10Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
This points to Eternal Salvation in Christ is for the elect's sake ! Christ must have died only for the elect !
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Bloodbought
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Hi beloved57,
Interesting topic.
Some say that man has a free will to chose his own destiny. Well he has, but the destiny he chooses in his natural condition is hell, because he has no spiritual ability to chose otherwise. God in His mercy chose to save some out of that terrible condition of sin and depravity. Without the mercy of God in electing Christ to die for our sins and electing us to accept His sacrifice, we would all be lost.
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beloved57
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There is absolutely no question, the meaning of Election is that God Almighty has made a clear Choice, for the very word signifies a selection and appointment. God has exercised His own Sovereign prerogative and picked out from among His creatures of mankind, those whom He purposed to save by His Grace. Ps 135:4
4For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for [U]his peculiar [/U]treasure.
Notice unto Himself ! Now compare that statement with this one Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself[U] a peculiar [/U]people, zealous of good works.
Same People are they not ? Remember Paul addressed this epistle as unto the Faith of God's Elect Titus 1:2
1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect [Chosen], and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Now it should be understood, there is no election or selection or choice, without a deliberate singling out, and no singling out without passing by or rejection of the rest as per Rom 11:7
7What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and[U] the rest were blinded[/U].
The rest ! The word rest is the greek word loipos:
with a certain distinction and contrast, the rest, who are not of a specific class or number
The rest here means those jews who are not of a specific class or number, which would be the Election of Grace, God's Chosen People. You see, just being an ethnic jew born in the Nation of Israel, did not make one Chosen of God, one of His elect.
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beloved57
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Those were some pretty good comments.
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WildB
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Abraham and the Hebrew Nation -
By Cornelius R. Stam
To get the clearest understanding of God's purpose concerning Abraham and his seed, let us first imagine ourselves in the position of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and read carefully and prayerfully some of the promises made to them.
THE PROMISES TO ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB
"And I will make of thee a great nation...and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:2,3).
"...Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
"For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
"And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered" (Gen. 13:14-16).
"...Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be" (Gen. 15:5).
"And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God" (Gen. 17:8).
"...In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.
"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed..." (Gen. 22:17,18).
"And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 26:4).
"And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 28:14).
A PERPLEXING PROBLEM
A simple reading of the above passages must convince the unbiased reader that the Hebrew fathers to whom these promises were originally made could understand them in no other way than that God was to bless and multiply their offspring, give both them and their offspring the land of Canaan and make them a blessing to all the world.
But approximately two millenniums later Paul, by the Spirit, wrote concerning these promises:
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ" (Gal. 3:16).
This statement from the pen of Paul has caused theologians no end of trouble. Elmer Barnes says of it:
"Now no one ever probably read this passage without feeling a difficulty, and without asking himself whether this argument is sound, and is worthy of a man of candour, and especially of an inspired man. Some of the difficulties in the passage are these. (1). The promise referred to the posterity of Abraham at large, without any particular reference to an individual. It is to his seed; his descendants; to all his seed or posterity. Such would be the fair and natural interpretation should it be read by hundreds or thousands of persons who had never heard of the interpretation here put upon it by Paul. (2). The argument of the apostle seems to proceed on the supposition that the word "seed" i.e. posterity, here cannot refer to more than one person. If it had, says he, it would have been in the plural number. But the fact is, that the word is often used to denote posterity at large; to refer to descendants without limitation, just as the word posterity is with us; and it is a fact, moreover, that the word is not used in the plural at all to denote a posterity, the singular form being constantly employed for that purpose....Indeed the plural form of the word is never used except in this place in Galatians. The difficulty, therefore, is that the remark here of Paul appears to be a trick argument, or a quibble more worthy of a trifling Jewish Rabbi, than
a grave reasoner or an inspired man. I have stated this difficulty freely just as I suppose it has struck hundreds of minds, because I do not wish to shrink from the difficulty in examining the Bible, but to see whether it can be fairly met."
This difficulty, stated so candidly by Barnes, has induced many to adopt a system of interpretation which is called the "spiritualization" of the Scriptures. Under this system, for example, the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are reconciled with Galatians 3:16 by giving the former a "spiritual" interpretation, thus changing their obvious meaning altogether. By Abraham's seed the Church, the Body of Christ, was meant; Canaan refers to heaven, etc.
One outstanding Bible teacher who partially adopts this system boldly states that Galatians 3:16 is "a very simple and direct exegesis of the text in Genesis" and contends that the promises in Genesis predicted the coming of Christ, Abraham's single Seed! Still, wavering a little, he also says: "In regard to the prophecies of Abraham's seed, it does seem to me that the Old Testament leaves plenty of room for Paul's interpretation!"
But one thing should be clearly understood: that if Paul's words in Galatians 3:16 are an exegesis or interpretation of the text in Genesis then Genesis does not teach the blessing of the world through the nation Israel.
RECOGNIZE THE MYSTERY OR ALTER PROPHECY?
But why change any part of the Word of God to make it harmonize with another? It is all perfectly harmonious as it is. The key to the difficulty is to be found, not in the alteration of prophecy but in a recognition of the mystery revealed through Paul.
Galatians 3:16 is not an exegesis or an interpretation of the promises in Genesis at all, but a commentary on the Holy Spirit's use of a word, and part of the revelation of the mystery.
Paul writes by revelation, pointing out that in speaking of Abraham's descendants, God passed over all those words in which the singular and plural forms differ, and chose the word seed which, while singular in form, is used to denote many as well as one.1 He did this because He knew that Abraham's multiplied seed could never prove a blessing to the world except in Christ. Indeed, the spiritual bankruptcy of the multiplied seed is now being demonstrated while the blessing of the world is wrapped up in Christ. The world will be blessed through the multiplied seed of Abraham, to be sure, but it will be the regenerate seed of the future. Thus the world will be blessed through Israel when she finds her place in Christ. Meantime the blessing is vested in Christ alone and we are called the seed of Abraham only because we are in Christ, who is Abraham's Seed. And we received this position, not by promise, but by grace. Thus the apostle says:
"But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise, by faith of2 Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe" (Gal. 3:22).
"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ: that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:14).
"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29).
But this is a revelation of the mystery, not of prophecy, nor does it for one moment invalidate the plain promises made to the Hebrew fathers.
When a promise, however gratuitous, is made, the promiser has at least one moral obligation toward the promisee: he, the promiser, does not intend to give, of the promise. If he knowingly misleads the promisee to expect something he, the promiser, does not intend to give, he commits an injustice. And thus it is with the promises in Genesis. Surely Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were given to understand that God would bless the world through their multiplied seed,3 and if God did not intend to do this was He not misleading them? He used the word "seed" simply because He knew that all was bound up in one Seed—Christ; that the multiplied seed would some day become a blessing to the world through the single Seed.
That God intends to keep the original promise just as it stands is clear from many passages in both the Old Testament and the New. We quote a few of these, entreating the reader to examine them as prayerfully and carefully as the original promises in Genesis:
"But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
"And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed" (Isa. 61:6,9).
"And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
"In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you" (Zech. 8:13,23).
"And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 3:12).
"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
"For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
"As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes"4 (Rom. 11:25-28).
Endnotes
1. In the original as well as in English.
2. Or, the fidelity of.
3. The following passages show how Israelites down through the centuries did understand it in this way: Gen. 32:12; 48:3,4,19; Ex. 32:13; 33:1; Deut. 1:8,11; 9:28; 11:9; 19:8; 27:3; II Chron. 20:7; Luke 1:72-74; Acts 3:25,26.
4. Note: Not "for the Father's sake" but "for the fathers' sakes," i.e. the Hebrew fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/articles/1081803342.html
AND
The Unsearchable Riches of Christ
by Pastor J. C. O'Hair
Truth in Ephesians - Christ in the Heavenlies | Table of Contents | Chapter 69: Reconciliation and the Mystery
ACCORDING TO GOD’S GOOD PLEASURE
It is interesting to prayerfully consider Ephesians 1:9, concerning God’s revelation of the Mystery
“HAVING MADE KNOWN UNTO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE, WHICH HE HATH PURPOSED IN HIMSELF.”
This confirms the truth of Ephesians 1:5:
“HAVING PREDESTINATED US UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL.”
Note, “according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself” and “according to the good pleasure of His will.” He hath made known the mystery of His will. This will is God’s predestinated purpose.
In studying the Pauline messages we must be very careful not to confuse God’s prophesied plan and program with His “predestinated purpose,” the mystery of His will concerning the position and possessions of members of the Body of Christ, revealed to and through the Apostle Paul.
Now let us note some very interesting factsin Ephesians; namely, that all of the spiritual benefits and blessings, which the believer has in Christ Jesus, are:
1. ACCORDING TO GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE IN CHRIST. Ephesians 3:11.
2. ACCORDING AS GOD HATH CHOSEN US IN CHRIST BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. Ephesians 1:4.
3. ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE. Ephesians 1:7.
4. ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY. Ephesians 3:16.
5. ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE GIFT OF CHRIST. Ephesians 4:7.
6. ACCORDING TO THE EFFECTUAL WORKING IN THE MEASURE OF EVERY PART. Ephesians 4:16.
7. ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL. Ephesians 1:5. 8. ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE WHICH HE HATH PURPOSED IN HIMSELF. Ephesians 1:9.
9. ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM WHO WORKETH ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL. Ephesians 1:11.
10. ACCORDING TO THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER. Ephesians 1:19.
11. ACCORDING TO THE GIFT OF THE GRACE OF GOD GIVEN UNTO PAUL BY THE EFFECTUAL WORKING OF GOD’S POWER. Ephesians 3:7.
12. ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US. Ephesians 3:20.
After carefullyconsidering these verses, which tell the source and measure of all the believer’s benefits and blessings, we should be filled with wonder, amazement and thanksgiving, but not with any skepticism or doubt as to what God can do and does do for the sinner saved by His infinite, matchless grace, love and mercy, and why God bestows such unspeakable and manifold blessings upon those of the children of Adam who are willing to be the recipients of His grace.
GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE—PREDESTINATION
Note Romans 8:28 to 31:
“AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. FOR WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW HE DID ALSO PREDESTINATE, TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN. MOREOVER WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE, THEM HE ALSO CALLED: AND WHOM HE CALLED THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED:
AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED. WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN TO THESE THINGS? IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?”
This causes us to cry out with Paul: “ O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor?” Romans 11:33 and 34. In all the Scriptures, where the purpose of God is mentioned, it is mentioned in connection with predestination, as the purpose which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. II Timothy 1:9. It is God’s eternal purpose purposed in Christ Jesus before the world began. God’s spiritual program under the dispensation of the mystery is according to His eternal or predestinated purpose; that which God purposed in Christ Jesus before Abraham, or even Adam, was created.
Now note carefully and prayerfully Ephesians 1:3 to 5:
“BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HATH BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN THE HEAVENLIES IN CHRIST; ACCORDING AS HE HATH CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME BEFORE HIM IN LOVE: HAVING PREDESTINATED US UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL:’
1. Blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
2. According as God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world.
3. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself.
4. According to the good pleasure of His will.
Here we have the grace and glory purpose of God, the dealings and doings of the sovereign God of all grace; all in, by, and through the Lord Jesus Christ, and all for Christ’s sake. It is easy to remember the three “p’s”. It is according to God’s purpose, God’s pleasure, and God’s power.
Now note three other “p’s” in the matter of salvation. Note Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Those who are members of the Body of Christ are God’s workmanship, created by God in Christ unto good works. God is the expert Workman. In the Epistle to the Ephesians we are in God’s “saint” factory. We learn in this Epistle, in the matter of making saints, “the people,” “the process,” and “the product. “
1. THE PEOPLE, or human material with which God must work. Note Ephesians 4:18—Ephesians 2:1 to 3— Ephesians 2:12. They are “alienated from the life of God.” They are “dead in trespasses and sins.” They are “walking according to the course of this world.” They walk according to Satan’s control. Their conversation is in the lusts of the flesh. They. are by nature the children of wrath. They are in the world without God and having no hope. This is almost waste material. Now we can see why only the grace and power of God can transform such helpless, sinful, human creatures into saints.
2. THE PROCESS—The Divine process—“But God Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us.” Ephesians 2:4. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8 and 9. God’s workmanship. The Creator creates anew. God creates, or recreates, by the one Divine baptism of Ephesians 4:5. By this baptism the believing sinners are taken out of Adam and placed in Christ and identified with Him as the Head of the New Creation.
3. THE PRODUCT—“To the saints”—“Believing ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:13. “Ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God, And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner Stone; In Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In Whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19 to 22.
“We are members of His Body.” Ephesians 5:30. We are alive. We are raised up with Christ. We are seated with Him in the heavenlies. The Holy Spirit intends that the children of God should read the Epistle to the Colossians with the Epistle to the Ephesians, for they give us very much the same precious truth, but one is the complement and commentary of the other. Both of these Epistles deal with alienation, reconciliation, and the new creation. In each of these Prison Epistles of Paul we have the message of grace and glory. As to the future of grace and glory, note Colossians 3:3 and 4: “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” Ephesians 2:7. “‘That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Thus we see something of God’s eternity of grace.
PAUL’S DISTINCTIVE MINISTRY
Now let us read Colossians 1:20 and 21: “And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.” Note Paul’s words in Colossians 1:23, “Whereof I Paul am made a minister;” in Colossians 1:29, “Whereunto I labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.”
Paul was neither conceited nor deluded. Paul was in earnest. He was truthful and sincere. The risen Christ had given him a distinctive, unique ministry, something entirely different from any program or ministry or message which he had committed to Peter and the Eleven. Paul, in his Bible ministry, uses the first person pronoun more than one thousand times in speaking of himself.
According to Colossians 1:20 to 28, Paul was made a minister by Christ and was working and striving by that Divine power within, to testify the gospel of the grace of God which he received from Christ, to finish his course with joy, according to Acts 20:24; to make known the message of reconciliation; to fill up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ in His flesh, for His Body’s sake, to fulfill (or complete) the Word of God with God’s secret, which God had never mentioned to any prophet. priest, king or apostle until the glorified Christ made it known to this man Paul.
Perhaps you are saying, or thinking, “What strange language!” The language way seem strange. but it has been in the Bible all these years; and the strange thing is, that people and pastors alike have paid no attention to it. In fact. the majority of Christians do not know it is in the Bible.
But note in Colossians 1:23, Paul declares that the gospel was preached to every creature under heaven. Then note the three verses that follow:
“WHO NOW REJOICE IN MY SUFFERINGS FOR YOU, AND FILL UP THAT WHICH IS BEHIND OF THE AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST IN MY FLESH FOR HIS BODY’S SAKE, WHICH IS THE CHURCH: WHEREOF I AM MADE A MINISTER ACCORDING TO THE DISPENSATION OF GOD WHICH IS GIVEN TO ME FOR YOU, TO FULFIL THE WORD OF GOD: EVEN THE MYSTERY WHICH HATH BEEN HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, BUT NOW 1S MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS.” Colossians 1:24 to 26.
What does this mean?
Was not the suffering of Christ sufficient? In what sense did Paul supplement the sufferings of Christ? Certainly not, for the sinner’s redemption. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust that He, might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but. quickened by the Spirit.” The Lord Jesus Christ settled the sin question on the cross and then abolished death and entered into heaven, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:10.
We might ask also how we are to reconcile Paul’s statements in I Corinthians 3:11 and I Corinthians 3:10. In verse eleven, Paul declares that other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. But in I Corinthians 3:10 he says. “as a wise masterbuilder I have laid the foundation . . . let us all take heed how we build together thereupon.”
No spiritual saint can faithfully study the Pauline Epistles and fail to observe that the Apostle Paul had a very special and important part to play in announcing for God the casting away of Israel, which brought the ministry of reconciliation for Gentiles, the beginning of the dispensation of the grace of God, the proclamation of the unsearchable riches of Christ for Gentiles, the revelation and the proclamation of the mystery of God’s will, His eternal predestinated purpose given in Christ before the world began. All of these truths are related to the building up of the Joint-Body of Ephesians 3:6, and they were revealed and proclaimed so that all might see the dispensation of the mystery.
Note very carefully this statement of Paul, in Colossians 1:25 and 26: “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God: Even the Mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints.” This special dispensation of God was given to this special apostle, who was not one of the Twelve, for a very specific task, and a most important duty; namely, to complete the Word of God with the mystery, with it Divine message and spiritual program concerning which all the preceding ages and generations had been ignorant, as well as silent.
When the Lord Jesus saved, and first called Saul of Tarsus into service, He said, “I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15. And what a sufferer he was! In his last Epistle he said, “according to MY GOSPEL, wherein I suffer as an evil doer even unto bonds.” II Timothy 2:8 and 9.
The Lord ordained and willed that the capstone of Divine Truth, called “the Mystery”, should be added to prophecy, and the fulfillment of prophecy, to complete the Word of God, with intense suffering on the part of this chosen vessel. So the Lord restrained Paul from writing his Epistles which tell His secret in detail, until he was suffering in the prison at Rome. But years before that, he had suffered intensely for preaching the gospel of the uncircumcision to Gentiles. Note his sufferings in II Corinthians 11:22 to 28. Then after all this, read his testimony in II Corinthians 12:1 to 9, concerning his thorn in the flesh, which came with the revelations from Christ. Paul mentioned the mystery in I Corinthians 2:6 to 7 and Romans 8:28 to 30, but not in detailed explanation.
Years before Paul reached the Roman prison, he told us Gentiles of his uncompromising bold stand against the other apostles and disciples, “that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Galatians 2:5. How he struggled, and laboured and fought and suffered to keep religious men from covering up God’s grace message with religion. You try this today if you want to know what a task it is. I wonder if Paul’s sufferings are appreciated by us, or if we really understand or appreciate the gospel of the grace of God, to say nothing of the dispensation of the Mystery.
But until our neat lesson, in our study of the Epistle to the Ephesians, just a few words about alienation, reconciliation, and the new creation, as they are mentioned in Ephesians and Colossians. We read in Ephesians 4:18 and in Colossians 1:21, that the children of Adam, who were not the children of Abraham, were alienated from the life of God. But in Ephesians 2:13 to 18 and in Colossians 1:20 and 21, we learn that Jesus Christ made peace by the blood of His cross and by this work God reconciled alienated Gentiles. The reconciled Gentiles were made new creatures in Christ Jesus.
http://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/ohair/HTML/UROC/chapter68.html
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Matt 24:31
31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Does God have a elect people ? There is one scripture that says God's own elect. Lk 18:7
7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Is the fact that God has an election a theory of a man name calvin, or is it a scriptural truth ? I believe those who in unbelief and disdain, that shrug off election and other similar truth's of scripture as that of being the mere opinion of a man, will have much to answer for in the day of Judgment, which is not far away.
I will by God's Grace provide scriptural proof that election is the word of God, in that God, before the world began, made a distinction, a election among His creature man, choosing who would be objects of His special and peculiar Love and Favor. To begin lets look at a few verses of scripture.
Deut 7:6; Ps 135:4; Isa 41:8-9
Deut 7:6
6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
What is truly amazing, is that most adversaries of the blessed Truth of election, have no problem receiving this Truth here in Deut, however they accept it as being applied to a carnal, natural people, Natural Israel, ethnic jews, but they reject the ideal of it applying to a Spiritual People, of all different ethnicities, having been Chosen in Christ before the foundation Eph 1:4
4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
I have news for you, the Chosen in Deut 7:6 are the same exact Chosen in Eph 1:4.
The Love God Loved them with in Deut 7:7
7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
This is the same Love spoken of in Eph 1:4
4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
God does not have different Love, its always grounded in His elective purpose in Christ Jesus per Rom 8:39
39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now what makes us believe that this Love in Rom 8:39 is any different from the Love of God spoken of in Deut 7:7 ?
There is no difference, its the same Love, for the same People, just that in Rom the Love is found out to be of a wider dimension than first revealed in Deut 7:6-7. For God so loved the World in that same manner Nicodemus. Jn 3:16. Thats Jesus point in Jn 3:16, that God had a Chosen, special, peculiar, people unto Himself, above all other People upon the Face of the earth.
James describe them here Acts 15:
13And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
This is part of the same People God spoke to in Deut 7:6-7, but it was not known then, but they too are of the Seed of Abraham Gen 17:5
5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
The Seed of Abraham, no matter what race or geographical location, are the Chosen or Elect of God.
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