Salvation: Predestination and thinking beyond time.
My last post began to delve into the concept of how the Lord and a saved individual communicate; or perhaps better expressed "commune" with one another. We all have to beware of what is expressed in Matthew 7:23 when after a whole laundry list of things that were done "for the Lord" or "in His Name" Jesus states "I never KNEW you" before they are cast into damnation.
Obviously in a marriage situation there is a close analogy; two people don't get to know each other intimately without there being a unity; in that case of "one flesh".
I have probably delved into the concept another time of the fact that our salvation was determined before the foundation of the earth (see Rev. 13:8). In the practical understanding we have of our mortal existence on earth we see a time and place when our salvation occurred; perhaps more precisely stated as its activation. I have no doubt that those who through God's foreknowledge WOULD come to faith are guaranteed to live until that moment of confession and contrition ( Romans 10:9).
This can be proven more or less by the usual scenario; people who witness to us and circumstances that occur that trigger our interest in "spiritual" matters. Or; we could say simply that as God determined where and when we would be born; which parents; etc. certainly He also determines those details when someone is "Born Again".
Because assurance of salvation is something we all need to consider in light of 2 Corinthians 13:5 and other passages such as Phillippians 2:12 where we are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" we need to be cautious of our own profession of faith and that of others. We can't use the "grace card" to sidestep obedience to the Lord to His commandments. 1 John 5:3 states that His commands aren't "burdensome" much as would be the case if we tried to follow all the details of the Old Testament law. Christ shows that true worship is from the heart.
My last post began to delve into the concept of how the Lord and a saved individual communicate; or perhaps better expressed "commune" with one another. We all have to beware of what is expressed in Matthew 7:23 when after a whole laundry list of things that were done "for the Lord" or "in His Name" Jesus states "I never KNEW you" before they are cast into damnation.
Obviously in a marriage situation there is a close analogy; two people don't get to know each other intimately without there being a unity; in that case of "one flesh".
I have probably delved into the concept another time of the fact that our salvation was determined before the foundation of the earth (see Rev. 13:8). In the practical understanding we have of our mortal existence on earth we see a time and place when our salvation occurred; perhaps more precisely stated as its activation. I have no doubt that those who through God's foreknowledge WOULD come to faith are guaranteed to live until that moment of confession and contrition ( Romans 10:9).
This can be proven more or less by the usual scenario; people who witness to us and circumstances that occur that trigger our interest in "spiritual" matters. Or; we could say simply that as God determined where and when we would be born; which parents; etc. certainly He also determines those details when someone is "Born Again".
Because assurance of salvation is something we all need to consider in light of 2 Corinthians 13:5 and other passages such as Phillippians 2:12 where we are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" we need to be cautious of our own profession of faith and that of others. We can't use the "grace card" to sidestep obedience to the Lord to His commandments. 1 John 5:3 states that His commands aren't "burdensome" much as would be the case if we tried to follow all the details of the Old Testament law. Christ shows that true worship is from the heart.
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