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Salutation

To all who find time to visit this site and read my posts, thank you. Grace and peace to you all!

Thanks to all who pray for me that I might grow in Christ and proficiency in my writing. Thanks to those who have left comments on the site or via emails. It’s been encouraging.

My intention in all of my posts is to enrich all who read them with Christ’s life through God’s words Eph 4:15, 2 Pet 3:18. The bible is full of counsel for human existence—both spiritual and temporal 2 Pet 1:3, 2 Tim 3:16-17. From it, to the measure I have been given grace and faith, I passionately want to communicate it with the spirit of love. Though, because I’m yet growing both in Him and writing, I may not come across perfectly.

I pray as I always do, that He continue to give grace and glory to you all Psalm 84:11NLT, 2 Cor 3:18.

Have a blest and happy new year.

Maranatha!

Exhortation to the Heart

This rich exhortation is from “God Hath Spoken” by T. Austin-Sparks

God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV)

The principle of the New Covenant is a first-hand individual revelation of Christ as the knowledge of God in terms of glory in the heart of the believer. Every individual believer only comes into true Christianity by a revelation of Christ in his or her heart, so that the knowledge of Christ is all their own, and as real as when God commanded light to shine in darkness. But that is not all. That shining must be progressive. Christ is far too vast to be seen in more than minute degrees at any one time.

The bulk of the New Testament is taken up with getting Christians to see what an immense realm it is into which they have come, and how they must go on… Christianity can only be kept living and fresh and full of impact as Christians are living in an ever-growing apprehension of Christ as the Holy Spirit reveals Him in the heart.

This apprehension may only come as necessity is laid upon us by reason of suffering and trial. Capacity will increase by the stretching of suffering (see Hebrews 12, and read “child-training” for “chastening”). There is no succession in Christianity other than that of the revelation of Christ to the heart by the Holy Spirit. It is not a system to be perpetuated, but a Life to be possessed. The value of the Scriptures is that they contain depths and fullnesses which have never yet been fathomed; and when we speak of “revelation” we do not mean anything extra to them, but of that which is in them, but only known by the inward “writing” and “shining” of the Holy Spirit…. A thing can be in the Bible, and we can have read it a thousand times, but until the Holy Spirit makes it Life to us it will be unfruitful. Hence, there is a place and need for an inward revelation of the Word of God, and this is the only true succession.

Nothing can be preserved alive through generations save as every one entering its realm does so on the basis of such a personal, inward, living, and growing revelation of the truth, so that the origin and beginning is constantly repeated in experience.

Maranatha!

Spiritual and Bodily Resurrection

Resurrection Life

 

One of the beauties I have found in the scriptures is the principle that everything spiritual has a physical or natural expression. The physical is inferior to the spiritual though, it is always the physical first before the spiritual 1 Cor 15:46. Man was first created from the physical or natural substance and then made spiritual by God’s breath Gen 2:7.

God’s breath gave man life and spirit and His dealings with man always start in the spirit. For this reason, given man’s fall (man’s spiritual death because of Adam and Eve’s sin), spiritual resurrection must of a necessity first happen to man before man can experience physical or bodily resurrection to life. Everyone will resurrect bodily to the state they had while living in their mortal body. This accounts for why Christ came to give us life in its abundance now  John 10:10, 5:24, 40.

What is spiritual resurrection
In John 3:1-10, we’re told a Pharisee (person schooled in the laws of God), ruler of the Jews—not necessarily a political leader but, obviously a religious guru or teacher named Nicodemus came secretly by night to Jesus to commend Him and interact with Him as a fellow religious teacher.  He failed to realize that Jesus was not a religious man or a theologian. Jesus, being the resurrection and life, saw that Nicodemus was not resurrected though he was a sincere teacher of God’s people. So, in verse 3, Jesus told him of his need to see the kingdom of God and the only way by which it could happen is to be “born again”—spiritually resurrected. Apparently, he was confounded because he had not experienced what it means to be spiritually resurrected or born again.

In verse 5, Jesus proceeded to explain the concept of “born again” and the further benefits to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”.

To be born again is a miraculous deliverance by which, Christ comes to indwell a person. The person is spiritually resurrected by Christ into Christ. A person dead in the Kingdom of darkness is forcefully rescued by the Word and Spirit (the stronger Man) and brought into the Kingdom of Light Col 1:13, Luke 11:22, 1 Pet 2:9.

Paul the Apostle explains it as a gift of God that cannot be worked for—it’s only to be received by accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of mankind by faith Eph 2:8-9. It is a gift which the love and grace or power of God makes available to whoever believes in His only Son John 3:16. This powerful action of Water–the Word (Christ) and the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) resurrects sinners from a spiritually dead life to God’s spiritual life which, Jesus described as, to see the kingdom.

Furthermore in v6, He accentuated the difference between those who’re spiritually resurrected or born again and those who are not. All these was daunting for Nicodemus as it is today for anyone who has not received this grace of God (Jesus) that has appeared for the salvation of all mankind. Therefore, in verse 7, Jesus encouraged Nicodemus and extends the same to you today if you’re not born again, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again”. It’s not to be figured out—it’s to be believed! Believe in Christ then, the understanding comes 1 Cor 2:14.

Core Benefits of Spiritual Resurrection
Seeing the Kingdom: It is only as we’re born again that we can see the Kingdom of God. God is Spirit and His Kingdom is spiritual not intellectual John 3:3, Luke 17:20.

Entering the Kingdom: Those who’re born again enter His Kingdom—to enter, is to possess it. Being spiritually resurrected entitles us to take firm hold of the Kingdom or eternal life 1 Tim 6:12. This practically affects the quality of life of those engaging in this pursuit. It impacts their spirit, soul and body and consequently, everyone that comes in contact with them because of the fruit the Spirit bears out from them.

Sleep not death: Death for those who are born again is but sleep. They sleep in the Lord of life. They sleep waiting for their Saviour’s voice to invite their corruptible bodies to put on the incorruptible, to be clothed like the angles of God having no selfish ambition but to please God consistently Luke 20:35-36. Indeed, the creator of the heavens and earth is the God of only the living though they may temporally sleep Matt 22:32.

Physical or bodily resurrection: Most crucial, all who are resurrected spiritually (regenerated) will, without fail experience bodily resurrection to life 1 Tim 6:19. This privilege and hope of resurrecting to life makes those who have it to surrender totally to God. It creates a heavenly mindedness, Christ centeredness and a hunger for God’s will to be done on the earth (in us and among the world) that nothing on earth or from the pit of hell can dissuade Isa 45:8, Heb 6:7. Paul the Apostle and others had it as their vision and drive. It accounted a great deal for their devotion to pursue diligently and sincerely after the Spirit of grace (mercy and power) unending Heb 4:16, 1 Pet 1:13, 2 Pet 3:18.

What is bodily resurrection
God created angles that worship and serve Him ceaselessly in Heaven. Out of His sovereignty, He chose to create man that will worship, praise and serve Him on the physical earth realm perpetually. By so doing, man will look after His creation on the earth declaring His praise and glory. But, death through sin came to interrupt His plan.

But, the plan of the Almighty cannot be thwarted by a fallen angel. So, God has promised that a new earth shall come down wherein righteousness (His will) and His alone will be done to replace the present 2 Pet 3:13, Isa 65:17. To achieve it, He has promised bodily resurrection to those who will dwell in it. They will dwell as humans not spirits so that His original plan stands!  A righteous earth inhabited by a new creation created new in Christ 1 Thess 4:13-18, 2 Cor 5:17.

To complete His plan, His Word by which all things were created came—praise God. Immanuel even our Christ came Col 1:16. Now, He has destroyed both the god of sin and death and all who believe in Him are restored and being restored to the former glory that God ordained for man. Praise be to God, our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus accomplished the task by shedding His Blood and His bodily resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the unfathomable privilege awaiting all who receive Christ and live or abide in Him.

In Matthew 27:50-54, a definition and description of bodily resurrection was given to all mankind so that no one will have an excuse to disbelieve. Christ rose from the dead after three days as He said John 2:19. The news that must be told clearly about His resurrection is this; many godly men and women who had died and buried came out of their graves along with Him. It was an actual event and the scriptures tell us it will happen again 1 Thess 4:14. Selah!

What are we saying, is it that spirits came out from their graves? No! Mortal men and women who worshipped and feared or reverenced God while in their mortal bodies before they slept, came out of their graves again as humans clothed with gloried or immortal bodies 1 Cor 15:44. This is the definition of bodily resurrection. Consequently, the devil will have no dust to feed on. Hell and the lake of fire will be his doom.

It is imperative that we note, all those who rose followed Christ to everywhere He went. People who knew them could see and hear them. I suspect that Simon who the Holy Spirit told that he will not see death before he had seen the baby Jesus was among them Luke 2:25-32. And probably, he would have told the people, “You all can now understand why I was excited to see the Baby at the temple on that fateful day. In Him lays the salvation of mankind”! Having this blessed hope actively affects one’s present livestyle to Holiness, Patience, Love, consistent Prayer, forgiving others etc Matt 10:16.

All who believe or accept Christ, follow or live in and for Him will resurrect to lifebeauty and glory. While, all who reject Him and live for self and for the devil will resurrect to condemnation. Meaning, humans who reject Christ now are presently being enveloped with the spirit and life of the anti-Christ and consequently will suffer the same fate with the devil, demons and the prophet he used to deceive.

The implication of bodily resurrection
John 5:28 states that everyone will rise from the dead and Luke 24:36-43, makes it clear that after resurrection, we will still be humans not spirits. We will have flesh, bone and be able to eat natural food. This truth generates unspeakable joy for those in Christ because in this state, they will have the life of God in them. While those who rejected Christ’s atonement, practiced wickedness and evil will face and experience unimaginable anguish because they are cut off from His life John 5:29. Being cut off from God’s life while clothed with immortality is total darkness and irreversible doom. It is not comparable to lacking God’s life while clothed with mortality. Selah!

Mortals who reject Christ still enjoy the grace of His atonement somewhat; because they are around people with the Spirit of Christ (the body of Christ) full of life and grace who call on God through the power of the Holy Spirit consistently.

Without ambiguity, on the earth, there are two kinds of people. The first are those born of the flesh and so, are fleshly or belong to the first Adam. The second are those born of the flesh, but have become born also of the Spirit making them spiritual or belonging to Christ (the last Adam) 1 Cor 15:45.

Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” Now, He is risen! He is alive today and forever—and drawing all peoples to Himself. This gospel of the Kingdom is the message of His body to the world today!

Have you responded to His call to be resurrected or born again? Don’t delay further! Answer His call today John 20:31. He is full of mercy, grace—inexhaustible grace and generosity! Even those who have responded, that is, the many membered body, He is still ever drawing her to experience more of His grace to enable her participate in all His length, width, depth and height (the stature of His fullness) Eph 4:13, 5:17.

Therefore, marvel not, “That I say to you, except you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” even if you are a Bible scholar, a leader of religious people and sincere teacher who can theologically authenticate why Jesus is a teacher sent from God.

We must receive Christ’s sacrifice, enjoy it and suffer for it now as ordained by God; then, we shall truly, very truly resurrect to eternal life with God. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s Rom 14:8. Amen!

Maranatha!

Predestination 2

The fact that Adam used his God given ability of choice to choose the way of self and the devil as opposed to choosing the way of the spirit authenticates the truth that the flesh (self) profits nothing John 6:63. Had he chosen the law of the spirit of life (faith in God) the law of sin and death could have had no chance! But God, Who is omniscient, had made a provision for man (all humans) through the obedience and sacrifice of The Lamb.

Jesus had the ability and the chance the first Adam had to choose self, the way of the devil or the way of the Spirit and He proved to both principalities and man that God can be chosen over self and the devil. Praise God! Therefore, he opened the door by which man’s original destiny should be actualized.

So whoever chooses or eats and drinks Christ (the Bread and drink from heaven), is automatically exercising that glorious privilege the first Adam had but failed to use. The first tree in the midst of the garden was not to be eaten but the Lamb of God hung on the cross (Christ), must be eaten for anyone to have His Spirit and enter into a life of communion with God.

God, being the Alpha and Omega KNOWS AND SEES all who will choose Christ (the way of the Spirit) over the devil and self even before they are born. Since the way of the devil and clay (self) is destined to destruction, all who choose it gain destruction and hell. But, all who choose the way of the Spirit are destined to victory and eternal living with the Almighty God. Man is now able to choose Christ because of the grace of His sacrifice—which, the bible tells us is made available for all men but only those who accept or choose to believe it enjoy its core purpose Titus 2:11, 1 John 2:2, John 10:10

Predestination therefore, is on the basis of God’s foreknowledge, which is based on the slain Lamb and the free gift of choice God blessed man with. Man’s use of his God given will to choose Christ glorifies God more as opposed to the idea that He is scared that man will reject Him forever and as such, He made some to be robots as to get them to compulsorily love and serve Him. If this assertion is right, He would have created man as a robot from the beginning and, man wouldn’t have got the chance to choose to disobey Him. Jesus proved this interpretation is wrong! The glorious song will be sung one day by multitudes that chose God over the devil and self. Indeed, Jesus is the first-born among many brethren not conscripts Rom 8:29.

It is true we’re forcefully rescued from the kingdom of darkness but, that is not without our using our gift of choice from God to believe (that is accept) His gift of salvation John 1:16, Rom 10:13. This is the reason no human is born again from their mother’s womb though God can decide to reveal His plan for an unborn soul ahead of time. While Jeremiah’s destiny was revealed before he was born, that of Saul (Paul) was only revealed after he was born Jer 1:5, Gal 1:15. God has a destiny for everyone!

Someone may ask if Saul asked or exercised his free will before Christ saved him in a dramatic incident. My answer is yes. Saul responded to the voice and grace of God (Christ) that appeared to him though he had the choice to be stiff necked like Caiaphas the High Priest Matt 26:64, Heb 4:7. Salvation is not initiated by man but man needs to respond when God draws John 6:44. Christ visits the world today even in more dramatic ways yet some people don’t respond to Him—they choose not to. How many people has God saved in plane and car crashes and yet they pretend they don’t understand that God is inviting them to accept Christ. How many people have arranged to meet up with a  friend  only to hear  the person has passed away prior to their meeting. Yet, they refuse to be alerted that they need Christ the Saviour since, they too will pass on someday.

If you’re reading this post and you’ve not responded to Jesus Christ, think of how many times you have heard the gospel in many different ways in your heart with or without a physical person speaking to you—that is the voice of the Holy Spirit, please respond and believe in Christ, as it is not too late.

No one needs to get frigid when we talk about exercising the will as if to say it negates Eph 2:8-9 because it doesn’t in any way! No one can boast of using his or her will to achieve salvation because if God did not create man with the ability or nature of will and if Christ did not die and resurrect, the case of using it wouldn’t arise 1 Cor 4:7, Philippians 2:12-13. Even believers are called upon to use the gifts of the spirit and not to leave it dormant as some people do 2 Tim 1:6. It’s in the same way; those without Christ are persuaded by the gospel to use their God-given faith and will to believe in Christ Jesus. Heb 11:6 says, without faith we can’t believe or come to God and see Him for who He is—the One Who rewards those who worship Him! Even those who come to Him can’t function in His gift(s) in their lives without keeping faith in Him.

So, no Israelite will be saved because they are Israelites according to the flesh—no gentile will be saved by keeping ordinances but all, whether Jew or Gentile, who hear the gospel and believe in Jesus Christ will be saved. Every human has  faith and the ability to exercise it. It’s a gift of God to man. It distinguishes man from the beast of the field. The inability of man to have faith towards God caused by Adam’s fall has been restored to man through Christ’s sacrifice made before man fell. This is the reason some people in the Old Testament were able to serve God by faith. His atonement is not limited. In other words, it’s for the benefit of the whole world but only those who choose it enjoy its full benefits.

For clarity, I am saying that one benefit of CHRIST’S ATONEMENT is the restoration of the ability for man to choose God and the other is salvation that results from actually making the choice. No one who has faith toward God will be damned. Faith toward God translates man into His spiritual house and opens up the privilege of joining His great house on the earth where, through teaching, reproofing, correcting and training in righteousness, the Treasure in the jar of clay is let out by the breaking of the jar and the treasure of Gold and Silver (redemption) begins to overlay the wood (soul) Rom 12:1-2. This principle and privilege will be open till God chooses to bring it to a close at such a time He has set.

God intervenes to harden men’s heart ONLY after He has sent warnings upon warnings. We can see this principle running through the whole scriptures Prov 29:1.

So Rom 9:29, is not telling us that God has made some people to be dishonorable and some honorable but according to His sovereignty and will, He has destined clay for dishonourable use while His Spirit in man is destined for a glorious end.

The story of Esau and Jacob like other biblical stories depicts for us spiritual things with physical realities which, eventually, manifested as was seen with Esau’s choice. Also, Jacob amplifies Eph 2:8-9 and Rom 12:2, which tell us that those who choose God receive His life in them and gradually shed the fleshly nature and increasingly put on gold (Christ) the silver of redemption Gal 3:27, Lev 5:15-16. The power to persevere through to maturity is a blessing from God as we submit (yield our will) to abide in Him James 4:7. It’s the attraction of love relationship John 14:15, 2 Cor 8:24.

Interpreting predestination as God creating some people to be destroyed and some for salvation is absolutely defective irrespective of theological camp. Every soul that comes into this world is from the first Adam who was ab initio predestined for salvation. God has never created new people except those who make a choice to believe in Christ Jesus the Lord of all salvation and are learning obedience from Him Acts 4:12, 2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15, Eph 2:10.

The first man God created had faith because he had the image of God. Because of his sin, the image was distorted. Nevertheless, he was still a creature of God who needed regeneration. All humans descended from Adam. To this end, Acts 2:21 states, “But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” 1 Tim 4:10.

For clarity and by way of definition, everywhere I have mentioned humans in this article, I mean beings that descended from Adam and Eve and as such, have mortal bodies; flesh, blood and bone Rom 9:11.

Finally, to treat predestination from the point of the fall of man rather than before man’s creation is misleading. Forgetting that God created only one man whom He destined for salvation has lead to a great misunderstanding of this doctrine; a doctrine that should cause all souls to rejoice in God’s love for them.

God’s principles have been in motion before man was created. God has already shown mercy and poured out His blessing (Christ) Proverbs 10:22 and blessings 1 Tim 6:17 to mankind.

The Holy Spirit is within the bride of Christ saying, “come” and the bride is hearing it and echoing it—Whoever is thirsty, “come!” and drink of the water of life freely Rev 22:17. This is the gospel message the body of Christ is preaching to the world. Hopefully that is your message.

All humans are destined for salvation. I plead with you to receive Christ Jesus if you’ve not done so and you’ll receive the free gift of regeneration (salvation) John 3:16.

Maranatha!

Predestination

God does not just do loving things, He is Love. Out of His love, He freely and willingly created man in His own image and likeness though being fully aware that man will fall. Because He is love, the alpha and omniscient, He does not offer mankind a gift He knows they can’t receive. This is why from the foundation of the earth, He prepared the Lamb and sacrificed Himself so that in His appointed time, He’ll make public spectacle of His enemy at the cross on behalf of man. So, God’s nature in man is a gift.

Man through lack of faith in God fell. But God had a first-hand plan to restore man by offering him His sacrificial gift.

One of the strongest characteristics of a gift is that it can be rejected. Every gift that cannot be rejected is anything but a gift. In which case, we must find another name for it.

Salvation is an eternal gift from God to man. It’s a gift that has an eternal value which must be received by man to enjoy eternity. It’s not an afterthought gift—it was prepared by God from the foundation of the world, sealed and presented to mankind at His appointed time in Christ.

God is not just the source of faith, He is the Faith
God being the faith, exhibited faith in man irrespective of knowing that man will abuse the gift of free will He gave to him to use the way he chooses. He was teaching man by example what it means to have faith in Him.

The Foundation
God’s original intention is for man to fellowship with Him by faith as exhibited by His relationship in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. And, that His intention has not changed. After man fell, because of His love for man, He gave him a school master (the law) to constantly remind man of Him and consistently show them that they will never enjoy Him again except they return to Him by faith.

Rom 7:14 tells us that the law is spiritual while man had become carnal (faithless) as a result of the fall. So, the law always shows man that he is weak and needs a savior. God created man as a being of faith and will, but also gave man the law knowing that its burden will eventually drive man to exercise that faith to seek for a saviour. It remains the truth that man fell because he used his will to place his faith in the devil (self-gratification). This is actually the crime man committed against God. To have used the blessed privilege God gave him of free will to reject and hurt God—an eternal crime that needed eternal remedy.

Manifestation of the Remedy
It is God’s character to always give a foretaste. So right from Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets, He started indicating to the devil that he is in big mess because man will once again, in a scale that beats the devil’s imagination, would freely, willingly and joyfully choose Him (God) their creator over him (Satan). Therefore, Heb 11:26 associated those people of faith in the Old Testament with Christ even before He was manifested.

His appointed Time
God’s grace that rested on the men of faith in the Old Testament exploded on the earth as a result of the death and resurrection of Christ (the physical manifestation of what took place from the foundation of the earth 1 Pet 1:20, 1 Cor 2:7, 2 Tim 1:9, Titus 1:2), which was what the people of faith in the dispensation of the law tapped into but has now appeared to all mankind—born and unborn. It’s made available even for the unborn because Adam’s fall made man’s DNA totally depraved. Nevertheless, we must remember that God did not create man originally depraved. Man’s salvation is not found within man but within the sacrifice God had already prepared outside of man. This sacrifice is however only accessed by faith. How wise God is!

God who created man knew that man will remain a being of faith as He created him in spite of falling. Man can only lose this privilege after death. This is why we’re to accept Christ’s sacrifice while we’re still living. So, without Christ’s sacrifice no one could have been saved not even those who kept a great deal of the laws of God in the Old Testament. It’s on this platform I will discuss the topic of predestination below.

My greatest intention here is to inspire believers to pray, study and converse with the Holy Spirit on this topic and arrive at least on a conviction rather than just swallow what is popular or convenient. I will borrow from those who are wiser than me to say, understanding this doctrine is not a prerequisite for salvation nevertheless; I believe it does affect our walk and service to the Lord Rev 3:8. Everyone who is in Christ must recognize that the devil cannot force them against their will to deny Christ.

There are very few Christian doctrines in which, even renowned teachers of the scripture quote more names of saints who are not mentioned in the bible in order to authenticate it as much as in the teaching of foreknowledge, Predestination, election and calling.

At this point, let me mention that every calling of God is based on election and election is based on predestination which is based on His foreknowledge 2 Tim 2:19, “The Lord knows those who are his,”. God calls every human being!

What is His foreknowledge based on?
Difficult questions like this makes predestination one of those tough Christian doctrines many believers fear to study closely. So, it’s been left to theologians and even many theologians have not painstakingly and prayerfully sought God’s answer but have taken the position of being content to accept what past reputable servants of God laid down. While, we’re encouraged to behave like the Bereans regarding most teachings, this one seems to be an exception, but such position in my opinion is resorting to tradition which does not encourage conviction Rom 14:23, 5.

The difficulty of the doctrine is made even more difficult because it is usually expounded in such an academic fashion. I believe it’s done so as to conceal what is actually being said which is, in its finality, that some people are destined for salvation and consequently others are not. Its ripple effect means some people are for honourable use and others for dishonourable and as such, they can be dispensed of by God to hell and eventually to the lake of fire. Any attempt to hold a different view to this not too correct perspective is usually met with vehement resistance and viewed as disrespect to faithful servants of God whose works have been a huge blessing to the body of Christ. Such view gives credence to a laisser-faire attitude to spiritual discipline.

The silent punch in the doctrine that God elected only some for salvation and not others, in the main, paints God as originator of evil though it’s quickly cushion with Rom 9:10-29, who are you to question the maker—He is entitled to do whatever He likes. They call it sovereignty but, that is misinterpreting the beautiful sovereignty of God which, protect and favours man whom He has made for His own good not bad pleasure.

While Romans 9:10-29 portrays the unprofitable state of all mankind and God’s vehemence against evil and His determination to rescue man, Rom 9:30-33, points man to God’s solution. The answer to man’s predicament is faith in the prepared sacrifice of His Lamb. Jew or gentile, whoever humbles him or herself to acknowledge their filthiness in spite of their pretentious law keeping and look to the Stone in Zion will be saved Luke 18:1-14, John 4:7-25, Matt 15:21-28, John 6:37.

Scripture meditation and Conviction
I believe foreknowledge is on the basis of the sacrifice of the Lamb which avails for all who He brings into the world. No human comes into existence without God’s permission Gen 30:2, Deut 28:11, Ps 127:3. No human is destined to hell by God 2 Pet 3:9. All humans without exception are destined to salvation. The basis of my believe is this, God created only one humanthe man Adam and everyone else came from him. The original plan for man who Adam represented is for salvation. This is God’s sovereign will for man—though, He willingly placed in man to choose Him or Satan. However, as a loving Father, He did not fail to instruct man on the right path Gen 2:15-17.

Examining predestination from the time of man’s fall rather than before the fall, leads to error in its interpretation. The fact that the bible tells us that God’s Lamb was sacrificed from the foundation of the world, gives us a clear picture that God knew that man was going to fall. Nevertheless, He chose to create man not as a robot but a living soul with the ability to make free choice. It is important to note that man’s free will is a gift resulting from God’s nature of faith embedded in man. Man’s fall did not make him the creation of the devil. Devil created nobody. The nature of the devil got infused into man. Man becametotally depraved but that didn’t change God.

Because God is omniscient, Alpha and Love, His plan for man did not change. And His sacrifice stirred by His love for man opened a window of escape for man. That window made it possible for man to once again put their faith in God their creator. And men through all ages have being taking advantage of faith’s open door to return to God.

It’s not forced because God knows better that forced love is no love Mark 8:34, Rev22:17. We as humans know that when we’re loved without coercion is better than when we’re loved because we have forced it even if it is done subtly. When people love us for what they can gain for themselves rather than loving for the sake of love it repulses us. Loving for the sake of love is what creates true relationship and intimacy. God knows this truth far better than we humans! And, this is the truth of intimacy He seeks with man.

God in creating man put this His nature in man (Adam) and Eve. They kept using His nature in them to love and fellowship with Him until the devil came and contested their loyalty to God just as he does today with everyone who is in Christ. At this point, God could have turned them to robots so that they’ll not exercise the gift of free choice He gave them but He did not because He had made a provision for man’s escape. It is extremely crucial that we note that He made a way of escape without changing His original intent to see man love Him as a loving father by the use of the gift of choice He gave man in Christ. How are you using yours?! John 14:15.

On the earth, man is the only thing that has life and the Spirit of God in itself. Other things have life—for existence e.g., the plants and animals. God did not breathe into them to give them life like He did with man whom He created in His own image. So, Oxygen in man is not the Spirit of God in man.

All the time they were in the garden and kept their eyes and expectation on God’s usual evening visit, obeyed and served Him, His Gold and Silver overlaid or clothed their souls so they were not naked. And their clay or body remained an agent or a vehicle to express the Gold and as a result enjoyed health.

Unfortunately, after man had lived for a while in the garden of Eden loving God by not eating from the tree as commanded by God, the first opportunity they had to show that they indeed prefer Him to self and Satan, they failed by obeying the enemy, consequently showing contempt toward God their creator. Without reference to God, man got into communion with the devil and learnt how to please self and obey Satan. Their choice instilled a fallen nature to all mankind.

However, man was still destined to salvation because of God’s love for man. Man made of clay served as a jar containing the Spirit of God which is the Gold buried in the earth. The result is that man lost the Gold in him, the Gold that is honourable, eternal and the hope for eternal bliss with God. Man became, so to speak, a beast living for itself and for the one who ruined his destiny (Satan).

We will continue our meditation on “Predestination” in the next post

Maranatha!