GOD FASCINATES

One of the leaders of a religious group that is teaching God has reconciled all persons (without exception) to Him or predestined everyone to be saved, but others will not be saved, gave me this explanation:

“There is a human choice to be made when God calls us to Christ through the Spirit (John 6:44). Scripture implies that not everyone will accept God’s gracious offer of salvation, as unbelievable as this may sound.”

He also made this comment:

“If it is so that some, indeed, will reject Christ in the presence of the Spirit, then that is what is possible. It’s not for us to explain ‘how could’ such a thing happen.”

Because of the exultation of the human free will, according to him, it is “unbelievable as this may sound” that others could reject Christ, or what God has offered.

This is a part of my reply to him:

“Actually, I just wanted to know how you could reconcile your teaching with the Bible that all are predestined and yet not all will be saved,

“Also, it is not my intention to know ‘how come’ ‘..why some might refuse salvation.’ For the Bible tells us why (Rom. 8:6-8; 1 Cor. 2:14-15; Jer. 17:9).”

I added:

“Perhaps, what is unbelievable is to believe that God who could moved one’s heart (Ezra 1:1; 7:27) and “…those who walk in pride he is able to humble” ( Dan. 4:37) and even the king’s heart is in His Hand and He “directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases” (Prov. 21:1) — could not move (without coercion) the heart of those he predestined, so they would believe.”

Would you like to believe that God has predestined everyone to be saved, yet others ended up unsaved or lost their salvation? or to believe that God has enabled all His predestined sheep — His spiritual chosen people — to believe and really be saved?

Would you like to believe that your free will completed or sealed your salvation? or, to believe that Jesus Christ is your Saviour and He has completed and finished and assured your salvation?

Because of 1 Corinthians 15:22, which says: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (NKJV), there are those who claim that every person is "in Christ" and, therefore, has life or even, as they teach, has been justifed, saved, etc.!

But, God's Word declares in John 3:16 --

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

If we do not believe in Him, we do not have everlasting life -- no life!

We could be "in Adam" and die, though we do not have faith in him. But we could never be "in Christ" and "shall be made alive," if we have no faith in Him.

Consider also Romans 3:21-26 --

"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, THROUGH FAITH in Jesus Christ, to all and on ALL WHO BELIEVE. For there is no difference; for all have sinned (in other words, "in Adam")and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, THROUGH FAITH, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one WHO HAS FAITH in Jesus."

So important, then, to examine ourselves whether we are really in the faith.

Are YOU?

Benigno "Ninoy"Aquino, who is regarded now as a hero in the Philippines, has seen God when he suffered solitary confinement, during the Martial Law days in the Philippines.

“Ignorant... unstable” twisted your Holy Word (2 Pet. 3:16)!
Lord, why have You allowed it to be twisted?
Isn’t it tho many plans are in our heart,
It’s Your Sovereign purpose that prevails (Prov. 19:21)?

Tho we make plans, it’s You Who determine our steps (Prov. 16:9).
Even hearts’ desires and longings of a king,
You direct wherever You please (Prov. 21:1).
Yet, why allowed Your Word to be twisted?

You do what You please with the powers of heaven
And the peoples of the earth (Dan. 4:35).
And those who walk in pride You are able to humble (Dan. 4:37).
Yet, why allowed Your Word to be twisted?

Tho Your Word declares, You chose us who believe (1 Thess. 1:4-5),
But why allowed others teach everyone are chosen?
You say believers are saved and justified (Rom. 1:16-17; 3:38).
Why let others preach everyone is justified and will be saved?

You declare nothing is impossible with You (Luke 1:37).
But why let others imply it’s not possible for You
To create a new heart, a willingness that one may accept Your Gift?
Why allowed Your Word to be twisted?

Holy, Holy, Holy, are You, according to Your Word (Rev. 4:8 ).
So, Just are You in bringing wrath (Rom. 3:5)
On those “who are self-seeking... who reject the truth…” (Rom. 2:8.)
Why let others, as if, to say, You are Love, Love, and Love?

My God, my God, why have You .… ...? But …!
Didn’t You allow even the Personal Word,
Your Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be crucified?!
Truly,You work out “everything in conformity” with Your Will (Eph. 1:11).

And the Word that goes out from Your mouth,
Will not return to You empty,
Will accomplish what You desire
And achieve the purpose for which You sent it (Isa. 55:11).

Like Your Son, Your Literal Word triumphs
Over misinterpretations and mistakes!
Forever it endures in spite of those who want to destroy it!
So grateful, Oh Lord, for the joy and peace Your Word gives!

The popular teaching is that Jesus Christ came to seek and save those who would like to be saved!

But the Bible does not say that. It says: "For the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) came to seek and to save the lost" (Lk. 19:10, ESV). Our salvation does not depend on ourselves. It depends on the Saviour. And those who realize that they are lost and hopeless to save their own selves will surely welcome the coming Savior, who can really save them!

Then, everyone will be saved for all are lost anyway?

Not everyone will accept that he is lost. Not everyone will listen to God's call. Jesus Christ said:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd" (Jn. 10:11-16).

Notice Jesus Christ has his own sheep -- His people and He "will save his people from their sins" (Mat. 1:21). They will listen to His voice.

Now, do you belong to His flock? Are you one of those whom Jesus sought and saved?

Others believe that everyone knows or will know God.

Perhaps, in the sense of Romans 1:20 that because of creation, we have no excuse to say that there is no God, or we know that there is God. Even the demons know of His existence.

But will everyone know God intimately?

God's Word states that at the second coming of Jesus Christ would be "...taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:8, NKJV).

It is clear that there are "those who do not know God." Anyone could just say he knows God, but we read in Titus 1:16, "They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work."

Consider also 1 John 4:8, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." Those who know God are able to love God.

And if you return to 1 Thessalonians 1:8, you will notice that those who do not know God, also do not obey the gospel. So, if you really know God, your tendency is to love Him and to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water" (John 4:10, NKJV).

It is convenient for others to teach that we reject or refuse God, simply because of our so-called freedom of choice. Of course, we could choose to reject Him. But we could make that erroneous choice, if we have an erroneous concept of God.

In other words, if we are ignorant of God’s Goodness and fail to grasp His Divine Splendor, then we would not find Him attractive and pleasurable. There is a greater tendency for us to find this material world more appealing, for we could easily perceive it by our physical senses.

But God is Spirit. His Excellence could not be fully perceived by ordinary human beings.

However, if He bestowed us His grace and enable us – healing us of spiritual blindness -- to have a glimpse of His Divine Beauty, we will surely draw near to Him and follow Him – not because we are forced, but because we are attracted. For we’ll realize not only His Supreme Worth, but also our great need for Him!

When Jesus asked His disciples, “Do you also want to go away?" consider the answer of Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:67-68).

Would you choose to reject or refuse God, if you really know Him and what He offers? Would you not ask to have Him instead?

Nothing or no one in this world could attract and fascinate us like God.

Unfortunately, many are not aware of God's Attractiveness or Magnificence and find the creation or other things more attractive, interesting, or desirable than the Creator!

Because we try to mold God according to our human understanding, we could entertain the thought that His Supreme Goodness could be disregarded. We could even believe that His Wonders and Sovereign Grace could be rejected!

Would you like to have a glimpse of His Excellence? You may proceed to:
http://www.sermoncentral.com/contributor_profile.asp?ContributorID=13866

We read in Isaiah 1:2-3:

"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!
For the LORD has spoken:
'I have nourished and brought up children,
And they have rebelled against Me;
The ox knows its owner
And the donkey its master's crib;
But Israel does not know,
My people do not consider'" (NKJV).

We naturally drew nearer and attached ourselves to the one who nourished and brought us up.

God nourishes us!

But there are those who do NOT know. There are those who do not consider that God is their Loving and Sovereign Provider. They may know Him in their head, but NOT in their heart.

Blessed, indeed, are those whom God reveals Himself to them as their Heavenly Father Who nourishes them!

Some are teaching: “GOD SAYS HE WILL COMPLETE THE WORK HE HAS BEGUN IN US. YET SCRIPTURE ALSO INDICATES THAT SOME WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH HIM.”

Indeed, there are those who will not cooperate with God. But they are not among those whom God has begun His spiritual work of redemption.

Paul wrote:

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:4-6).

When he stated, “… He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” – he was referring NOT to every human being, but to the believers – those who have “partnership in the gospel” – or as we read in verse 1, “To all the saints in Christ Jesus…”

It is wrong to imply that God who began to work in the life of a person – enabling him to come to Jesus, granting him repentance and faith – will not enable him to cooperate with Him until the end. The Sovereign God is not subject to the so-called “ningas-cogon” mentality – that He is good only to start something, but cool off before finishing it.

Besides, Paul wrote: “…BEING CONFIDENT of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” He didn’t doubt. He was sure. He was confident.

For the completion of God’s Work in the life of the believers does not rest in our own hands.

Paul also wrote, "HE WILL KEEP YOU STRONG TO THE END, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Cor. 1:8-9).

We read further in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And verse 4 states, “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

If God started to work in your life, will it be completed?

Yes, for He is faithful. So, “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12-13).