I know not why His saving grace to me He hath made know...
I don't mean to start a debate, but the more I read my bible, the more fired-up I become over God's wonderful truths!! I can know with an assurence that before the foundation of the world, God chose me to be His child. Why He did, I'll never know, but the truth is this- Christ died for ME. He loves me with an everlasting love, and has chosen to give to me something that He chose not to give some- everlasting life.
I know not all of you agree with me that God chose and elected who He would save, and that others He has passed over. But allow me to explain this truth.
If Christ really died on the cross to save every single person from their sins and from hell, than we must have a very un-able God. How could He die for someone's sins, and then watch that person procede to go to hell? I belive Christ died on the cross to save His elect from hell. We are all sinners, in need of a Saviour. We have no abitlity to save our own selves from hell, as we are dead before salvation. And so Christ mercifully died to take away our sin. If we had the choice to choose between Christ and the devil- Heaven or hell, our sinful natures would automaticly choose sin. We have no goodness, and no ablitlity to choose God or anything else good. So Christ died, and before we get saved, He awakens our dead hearts and give them life- He saves us. We are DEAD in tresspasses and sins before we are saved. How can a dead man choose God?
I do not understand why God hates some, and love others, and I probably never will until I get to Heaven. But I believe He does.
This is part of Romans 9, and it deals with alot of diffent aspects. Everything in italics is what I said about it. I'm kindof starting in the middle of a lenghty exposition by Paul, so you might want to go read the begining of Romans 9.
I'm really sorry, but I cant seem to get this into a cut. Sorry!
9For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
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;)
Very self-explanatory. This shows that God does'nt chose according to our works. He chooses us to fullfill His purposes.
12It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau? For no other reason than to fulfill His plan. But the Word shows very clearly here, as in other places, that God does, and can, hate individuals.
14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Here, Paul is ready for what we naturally think- "What?? God hates people? That isn't fair!! Surely that isn't righteous!"
And so Paul refutes that thought already forming... Yes, it is righteous for God to hate people.
15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
You simply can't say it any clearer!! God loves, shows mercy to, and saves THOSE WHO HE WANTS TO!
16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Once again, he says loud and clear- we cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we wish or work. God shows us mercy and SAVES!
17For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
God didn't love Pharaoh, or show him mercy, yet it says here that God could still use a wicked man like Pharaoh to show His power!
18Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Once again- "whom He will He hardeneth" - God hardens people's hearts.
19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Once again, we humans find this totally unfair and we reply:
"God, this is NOT fair. Here you are, hardening people's heart, so that they hate you, and do not chose salvation, yet You still hold them accountable for not loving You and sinning- even though it is Your fault that they hate You and sin agaisnt You!!"
20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Here is His answer- "First of all, you shouldn't even be questioning my power. Now, when a potter decides to take a lump of clay, devide it, and use one lump to make a beautiful vase to sit on a shelf and look pretty, and the other lump into a chamberpot, should the chamberpot say 'hey! why did you make me a chamberpot?' No. The potter has that power to decide, and no one would riddicule the potter for doing so." -
* obvioulsy I've totally paraphased that and God didn't really say all that! I've just made it easier to understand what God was getting across.*
22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Here He says "What if God, willing to show people His wrath, and wanting to make His incredible power know, endured for a long time the people'(vessels) that He had fitted for destruction." So God endured these sinner's wicked actions and affronts just to make His power know, and to show His wrath.
23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Here is the other side... Not only does He show His wrath and power through the wicked, but He shows the riches of His glory through the vessles He has formed and before ordained for Heaven.
How glorious!!!
24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
...and the chapter continues.
I know not all of you agree with me that God chose and elected who He would save, and that others He has passed over. But allow me to explain this truth.
If Christ really died on the cross to save every single person from their sins and from hell, than we must have a very un-able God. How could He die for someone's sins, and then watch that person procede to go to hell? I belive Christ died on the cross to save His elect from hell. We are all sinners, in need of a Saviour. We have no abitlity to save our own selves from hell, as we are dead before salvation. And so Christ mercifully died to take away our sin. If we had the choice to choose between Christ and the devil- Heaven or hell, our sinful natures would automaticly choose sin. We have no goodness, and no ablitlity to choose God or anything else good. So Christ died, and before we get saved, He awakens our dead hearts and give them life- He saves us. We are DEAD in tresspasses and sins before we are saved. How can a dead man choose God?
I do not understand why God hates some, and love others, and I probably never will until I get to Heaven. But I believe He does.
This is part of Romans 9, and it deals with alot of diffent aspects. Everything in italics is what I said about it. I'm kindof starting in the middle of a lenghty exposition by Paul, so you might want to go read the begining of Romans 9.
I'm really sorry, but I cant seem to get this into a cut. Sorry!
9For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
10And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
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;)
Very self-explanatory. This shows that God does'nt chose according to our works. He chooses us to fullfill His purposes.
12It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Why did God love Jacob and hate Esau? For no other reason than to fulfill His plan. But the Word shows very clearly here, as in other places, that God does, and can, hate individuals.
14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
Here, Paul is ready for what we naturally think- "What?? God hates people? That isn't fair!! Surely that isn't righteous!"
And so Paul refutes that thought already forming... Yes, it is righteous for God to hate people.
15For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
You simply can't say it any clearer!! God loves, shows mercy to, and saves THOSE WHO HE WANTS TO!
16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Once again, he says loud and clear- we cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we wish or work. God shows us mercy and SAVES!
17For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
God didn't love Pharaoh, or show him mercy, yet it says here that God could still use a wicked man like Pharaoh to show His power!
18Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Once again- "whom He will He hardeneth" - God hardens people's hearts.
19Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Once again, we humans find this totally unfair and we reply:
"God, this is NOT fair. Here you are, hardening people's heart, so that they hate you, and do not chose salvation, yet You still hold them accountable for not loving You and sinning- even though it is Your fault that they hate You and sin agaisnt You!!"
20Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Here is His answer- "First of all, you shouldn't even be questioning my power. Now, when a potter decides to take a lump of clay, devide it, and use one lump to make a beautiful vase to sit on a shelf and look pretty, and the other lump into a chamberpot, should the chamberpot say 'hey! why did you make me a chamberpot?' No. The potter has that power to decide, and no one would riddicule the potter for doing so." -
* obvioulsy I've totally paraphased that and God didn't really say all that! I've just made it easier to understand what God was getting across.*
22What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Here He says "What if God, willing to show people His wrath, and wanting to make His incredible power know, endured for a long time the people'(vessels) that He had fitted for destruction." So God endured these sinner's wicked actions and affronts just to make His power know, and to show His wrath.
23And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Here is the other side... Not only does He show His wrath and power through the wicked, but He shows the riches of His glory through the vessles He has formed and before ordained for Heaven.
How glorious!!!
24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
...and the chapter continues.