Posted on 03/18/2013 12:23:39 PM PDT by darrellmaurina
What saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believe on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:4,5)
God counted Abraham's faith as righteousness.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. (Romans 4:20-22)
Each of us capable of such faith. I was persuaded that what God promised is true and that he is the worthy object of my trust. And like Abraham he has counted my faith for righteousness.
” I was persuaded that what God promised is true and that he is the worthy object of my trust. And like Abraham he has counted my faith for righteousness.”
He is “worthy” for “you”? An interesting phase. Whatever the case, you’ve done what even Peter, who saw Christ face to face and witnessed His miracles, could not do.
Mat 16:16-17 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
I think your problem is that you think there is no room for faith in a world wherein God draws those whom He predestinated before the foundation of the world. The fact is, man left to himself, is incapable of choosing Christ with his will. I like Spurgeon’s quote on this:
“Free will I have often heard of, but I have never seen it. I have always met with will, and plenty of it, but it has either been led captive by sin or held in the blessed bonds of grace.”
- C. H. Spurgeon
Without the Holy Spirit to lift the darkness from the heart of a man, he cannot come to a saving belief in Jesus Christ, as has been shown over and over again.
1Co_12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Until man is called and drawn by the Father, he cannot do anything of himself. But once a person has seen the light of Christ, unhindered by their usual blindness, what can he do except confess Jesus Christ? He is as hindered in the blessed opposite direction by grace as the man who is hindered by the bonds of sin. Thus, as many as are ORDAINED still believe, and belief is not taken out.
I think this statement reveals one of the problems: what was predestinated?
God did not predestinate who would believe. He predestinated that believers "would be conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29).
He predestinated believers "unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ..." (Ephesians 1:5).
Further,
That we should be to the praise of his glory; who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:12-14)
God knows who will believe. These verses do not say that he forces belief. They reveal what was predestinated: (1) conformanced to the image of the Son; (2) to be holy and blameless; (3) to be sealed with the holy Spirit of promise.
Belief is not the gift of God. To be like his Son is the gift. Adoption is the gift. Forgivenness of sins is the gift. (Eternal life is the gift--Romans 6:23).
And note the order: sealing with the holy Spirit does not come before belief. Regeneration does not precede belief.
“what was predestinated?”
Christians, whom He calls, justifies, and glorifies.
“God did not predestinate who would believe. He predestinated that believers “would be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).”
He predesinates those who would believe:
Act_13:48 ... and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
The relationship is one of causation. Those who were ordained... believed. Not, those who believed, were ordained.
Furthermore,
Rom 8:30 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.
... this is also a relationship of causation. Whom He did predesinate, He calls. Those He calls, He also justifies. Those who are justified, are surely glorified.
It is not, those He calls and justify themselves, are predestinated. It is not, those whom He knew would be glorified by their own running and willing are predestinated, rather those who, by the mercy of God, are called, are justified by God, and glorified by God, because they were predestinated.
Rom_9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
It is the work of God, totally, completely, every second of the day, every day of the month, from now, from before, and to eternity, forever God’s work.
“He predestinated believers “unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ...” (Ephesians 1:5).”
I’m not seeing how the personal predestination of every believer unto the body of Christ, according to His will, helps your cause, which denies it. It is not a “quality” that we are preordained to, or a title that is established before all time. Before “unto” is the word “us.” Therefore, it is a personal plan that God has for each of us, “predestinated” before the foundation of the world. We, ourselves, are predestinated unto adoption, and unto salvation, and unto glorification.
“These verses do not say that he forces belief. “
Of course not, since “faith” is the only natural response a Christian can have when they hear the word of God.
Joh 10:25-30 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. (26) But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. (27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. (30) I and my Father are one.
The Jews didn’t like this idea either. They threw stones at Him after this discourse.
“And note the order: sealing with the holy Spirit does not come before belief. Regeneration does not precede belief.”
It’s been noted a thousand times. You mark it not, as well as the other scriptures.
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