God's Love
God the Father knew from the beginning that he was going to give his only begotten Son to die for us. This is love, when the Father knew there was no other way to save man but threw his Son, Jesus Christ. The Father sees us as Christ, the blood of Christ covers us so we are seen as Christ instead of sin that we are now. Though we live in this world and are sinners the Father does not see us as this as long as we repent and ask our savior for forgiveness of sins.
God knew what his plan was from the beginning and is able to carry his plan to the end.
Eph: 1:4: 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:
Eph: 1:5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
God chose us before the foundation of the world, this is one awesome statement that is being made. God knew from the foundation of the world that the blood of Christ was going to be the only way that any sinner could ever get into heaven. There is no other way for you to be saved, but by the blood of Christ.
Predestination is a very controversial issue in the Christian world, but remember that the most important issue is Christ. With this in mind we can begin to discuss predestination: this is when God knows the outcome of a situation that people try to use as a means to enable self. Man wants to blame God for the way things are and since God did things his own way and doesn't much care what we really think, since we consider almost all things based on the flesh. God designed all creation for his own purpose not ours.
No one comes to Christ unless the Father calls them, so it is God's choice who he brings to his Son. Does this mean that some are not called? Yes. Yes. When Lazarus was called from the grave, he crawled out bound hand and foot. We cannot stay in the grave of the flesh when the Father calls us to come to his Son. We will come because we desire to since the Father put it in our heart. Each person that is saved is chosen by the Father and the Son never looses any of us. This is a very reassuring thing that we cannot be removed from the hand of the Father.
God knew who he would call and who was intended to be in the flesh. This is no different than if you go to a jeweler and ask him to make you two rings. The first is to be a diamond and beautiful, the second will be out of coal and very crude. This is no different than the Father choosing who he will call. You see God can do what he wants.
M'r: 9:43: And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
M'r: 9:44: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
M'r: 9:45: And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
M'r: 9:46: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
M'r: 9:47: And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
M'r: 9:48: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
We tend to think of man as a wonderful being, not born in sin and a servant to Satan. God sees things differently, man that does not come to Christ is a worm and that is all. When man is sent to hell it says where the worm dieth not, it does not refer to man. God created man, some to honor and some to dishonor, but it is all a sweet savor to God.
Eph: 2:1: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph: 2:2: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
God loved us while we were yet sinners (dead in sin) and sent his Son to pay the price for our salvation. We were just like those who are lost except that the Father called us from the prince of the air or more commonly referred to as Satan. When God calls someone they will come. What is it with the world when they think this is incorrect? If the Father calls you, you will feel the need to find him. This desire makes you seek Christ the Son and that is the only way to the Father. If you turn from the Son, then the Father never called you. This is God we are talking about and he can do what ever he chooses. He does not have to ask our permission to choose who he will.
God works with us through out our lives to teach us his will. He begins with chastisement and continues through when we become obedient to him, then onto the sprinkling of the blood. Since God has to chastise us in order to teach us his ways, why do we have such a hard time saying that God doesn't have to call everyone? He can call who he chooses and chastise who he chooses. We perceive this from the flesh and feel that it would not be fair otherwise, but the flesh cannot perceive God. We have to consider this from a spiritual side. Christ will not turn any aside, however only those the Father calls will come.
Judas was not called by the Father and he did not accept Christ even though he was with Jesus daily. You see that the Father must call in order to bring someone to his Son. If you call or I call it does not matter since you are not God. Christ called Judas to be one of the twelve and he never believed. What can we say then about the love of God, how great is it? All through history God has been showing man that he cares for his own, he has even blessed the world because of his children. God will not cry when he cast away those that refused the Son, since they automatically refuse the Father also. God also has allowed those whom he chooses to receive their rewards here and now. Many of these are not Christian and are only filling their fleshly desires instead of God's will. That is why the rich cannot be rich enough. They want more. But with other awareness they could have found richness beyond this world. But this is a Christian concept and the world cannot understand.
Col: 1:12: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col: 1:13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
A true Christian gives thanks to the Father who delivered them from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his Son. We as Christians have nothing to glory in, other than our Lord since we had nothing to do with becoming a Christian. God choose us first and all we did was follow the desire that he placed within us. When you consider how little we deserve and how very much God has done, you begin to be able to live very humble in the Lord instead of self-righteously thinking you did the whole thing yourself.
God the Father has done all this as he has chosen, not that we chose him, but that he chose us and delivered us to his Son for redeeming.
Col: 1:14: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col: 1:15: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col: 1:16: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
God has placed whom he chose in power since he created the thrones, dominions and powers. We can try to get to heaven through who we believe is in power but God gave rules. When we try to break God's rules it is because we are not God's. That is what Satan has been doing since he was created. Satan realized that God put all things in order and Satan only has to accomplish breaking one little thing to make God's word imperfect. God even placed all odds against himself by making such explicit rules. God did not give generalizations but specifics and Satan only has to break one to win. Satan has spent his entire duration since Adam trying to break one word that God has spoken. Of course up to date the score card is all points for God and non for Satan. The score will always be the same since God is God. If Satan can break one little word of God he wins. But lets face it God is God and all things are held in check by his word and were created by his word. And his word is Christ. Christ is not going to loose.
This is why when people think they will get to heaven by Buddha, Mohammed, Mother Mary, Zeus, Mother Earth, The Sun God, Money, Horoscopes, Transcendental Meditation or Good Works they are wrong. You see these are all the same, meaning a different way than God's way. There is but one-way and there is a reason for it and that is through Christ.
Col: 1:17: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col: 1:18: And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col: 1:19: For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col: 1:20: 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.
Col: 1:21: And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col: 1:22: In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
God's love is larger than any can realize. He has set all of creation into a large revelation of his love for those he called and patience for those he did not call, since he is willing to wait till the time he designated appropriate to judge the wicked. He has given the wicked their whole life time to turn to him, but they will not.
Some of you are still not sure if enough has been done to give these lost souls that are not called a second chance.
Lu: 16:19: There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Lu: 16:20: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Lu: 16:21: And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Lu: 16:22: And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Lu: 16:23: And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Lu: 16:24: And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Lu: 16:25: But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Lu: 16:26: And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Lu: 16:27: Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Lu: 16:28: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Lu: 16:29: Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Lu: 16:30: And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Lu: 16:31: And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
This is in reference to Christ, even though he rose from the dead they will not believe. How much does God love his children? He has set up a proving ground for us little complainers that need to be shown that he has done all that could ever be done for those that are destined to hell. If someone will not believe that Christ died for them, it is meaningless for you to die for them since you have nothing to offer in death. But our Christ did, since he took up his life again and took the sting of death away from all those that are willing to meet him as their savior.
You would think that this would be enough for our God to give his Son, but this was only the beginning that was set in motion at the foundation of the world. God's love will travel far for his children to see that there was not anything left undone for the lost sinner, except that some are not called by the Father. Those not called by the Father will not come to Christ, and do not want to. Those that do not want to come to the Father or the Son have a different father and his name is Satan. How can this be since God calls everyone? Christ will not turn any away that come but only those given to him by the Father will be with him in the end. The Father only calls those that he chooses to come to Christ, those that do not come to Christ have Satan as their father.
God gives us this message throughout the bible, but we as people do not want to hear this. However God has also given us much more proof of this than we have covered. God has promised that there will be a thousand year reign by Christ on this planet. What purpose would this serve to God to have Christ rule for one thousand years?
Heb: 11:40: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
You see that God has only promised his own something better, if you are not a Christian you have to go to Satan for yours. This is a sad thing that the people of this world cannot see what Christ has done for us. God in order to make the point rather clear has set up a stage with a ridiculous amount of proof for his children to see. He has given us our history but too many of us are too lazy to review it to see how much God loves us. He has given us our present but we are too busy doing our own things that we don't take the time to see what God has done for us. We end up thinking how can God be so harsh as to not save people who have tried a little. They have feelings too.
Since God knew that we were going to behave in this manner he setup a period of time known as the millennium and told us what was going to happen. God's only begotten Son Jesus Christ is going to rule this planet earth for a thousand years. Can you imagine what that will be like? If someone falls from and they break their back, Jesus will heal them and make everything better. Everyone on the earth will actually have heard the most wonderful ministry that has ever taken place since Christ was crucified. Teachings for a thousand years is something that only the angels have had and man before the flood. To walk for all your life without war, no greedy politicians, no so-called ministers trying to get your check book, no lawyers, no doctors, no rich people, poor people, just a lifetime that will be setup for people to get to know what being a Christian is all about. Taught by the one who wrote the book.
When all this is going on, I think Jesus will let his own watch so they can see and understand. Towards the end of the millennium Satan is going to be loosed and a multitude of people are going to assemble themselves against the Son of God. Can you imagine that after being raised with Jesus in your life that anyone could turn against him? Now with this in mind consider the thought that people are basically good. This is absurd and if you believe it then you are calling God a liar. Man is fallen and only through Christ can he be saved, but most will not accept Christ. They will so things their own way instead of God's.
God is going to allow people the opportunity to consider if everything that could be done was or if there was more possible. You see there is nothing that will change the mind of the lost. That is why we are to be a light in the world as Christians so that the lost sinners may find the way. This is how great God's love is and if you will not accept it the way he has offered it to you then there is nothing left. For those who will not accept God's way it is because they are like their father Satan. Satan will not do things God's way because there is no place in his heart for the father, since it is full to the brim with self. This is just like Satan's children and we must remember there is a difference between Christians and the world. The world does not know the truth and accepts lies. We are to try the spirits and make sure we are on the right path for our glorious Lord and Savior Jesus our Christ.
