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Digital Ministry Body of Christ CodeXplorer and my own site: Xeoncross
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Tumblelog
You have got to try this!
I am building a very cool system that you can use a http://codexplorer.com. Test it now. I am building a very cool system that you can use a http://codexplorer.com. Test it now. I am building a very cool system that you can use a http://codexplorer.com. Test it now. I am building a very cool system that you can use a http://codexplorer.com. Test it now.
March 31, 2005 at 9:08 pm
Test TumbleLog
This is what would be in the text area of the tumble log. MySite.com is also in here with some other cool stuff...
May 14, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Test Tumblelog from admin area
This is the textarea\'s tumblelog text. Ye Haw! so be it.
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July 12, 2007 at 6:40 pm
God Delights in You
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. - Psalm 37:23God hasn't forgotten you - and He isn't too busy for you. He doesn't think about you only when you come before Him in prayer, or attend church. No - God cares about you so much more than that! God loves you so much that he has worked out a plan for every detail of your life. He has directed your steps and, through His Holy Spirit, is showing you His plan for your life - a plan that covers every last detail of your existence - and delights God.
September 2, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Once Saved Always Saved
Posted by david on May 14, 2008 at 12:38 am
I have heard people claim that once you are saved - you are always saved. After you accept Jesus you can do anything you want and not worry about going to heaven. However, I don't remember any particularly strong verse to support that thought. One of the ones used (if I am correct) is John 10:29 which states:
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand." - John 10:29
Now this seems to support that thought just fine. However, I was reading the book of John this morning and I saw that Jesus talks about this subject exactly.
"Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." - John 15:2 AMP
Now wait, these verses seemed to contradict each other. But the bible is the Word of God - God doesn't contradict Himself. Therefor, I must be missing something. Sure enough, God put a thought in my mind.
No one can "snatch" Christians from God, but He can cast them out.
At that point I understood how we will never be "kidnapped" by anyone or anything. You will not go to bed saved one night - and wake up in hell finding you lost your salvation. God isn't going to wake up and realize "Oops! looks like Satan got in here last night and stole some of our Christians..." God will never allow anyone to snatch us away from Him.
The only way that we can be in danger of hell is if He cuts us off the vine and throws us to the fire. "Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away". God warns us that we are to bear fruit or He will cut us off from Him. If we turn our back on God and walk away from Him he will let us. If we choose the things of this world over God and stop bearing fruit he will cut us off.
Now this may sound mean, but we often forget that God loves us enough to give us free choice. And if we turn our backs on God and run as fast as we can from His will and His commands - then he will let us - and will throw us out into the darkness away from Him forever. We will get our wish. God doesn't force people to love others, help the poor, share the gospel, or praise Him. He gives us that opportunity.
If we were saved forever when we accepted Jesus (regardless of what we did after that) then we would no longer serve out of Faith or Love for God. Instead, we would be bound forever, without free will, to God.
Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. - Hebrews 11:6
Bear Fruit
May 13, 2008 at 11:55 pm
The truth is, you and I can never save ourselves by anything we do or do not do. Our salvation is based solely on one fact: whether we accept or reject Jesus. If we accept Christ Jesus and continue to abide in Him, we will bear fruit.
Today majority of Christians are trying to bear fruit from their flesh. God doesnot receive that kind of fruit. The fruit of the love is the fruit of the Spirit, and this is furnished ONLY by fellowshipping with Abba. This truth is so important and yet so overlooked. As we spend time with Abba, His Spirit sheds abroad God's love in our hearts as we yield to Him and THIS is how we bear fruit.
A person detached from Jesus, cannot bear fruit that Abba accepts.
Dave, God's purpose in sending Jesus was not to save us from eternal death. That was just an outcome. His purpose was to give us eternal life, and when we were clothed with eternal life, eternal death was snuffed away. There is so much more to eternal life than just being saved!
I recommend two readings: (1) If you are the sons of God
(2) Eternal Life
Much love Sid
Bear Fruit
May 13, 2008 at 11:56 pm
The truth is, you and I can never save ourselves by anything we do or do not do. Our salvation is based solely on one fact: whether we accept or reject Jesus. If we accept Christ Jesus and continue to abide in Him, we will bear fruit.
Today majority of Christians are trying to bear fruit from their flesh. God doesnot receive that kind of fruit. The fruit of the love is the fruit of the Spirit, and this is furnished ONLY by fellowshipping with Abba. This truth is so important and yet so overlooked. As we spend time with Abba, His Spirit sheds abroad God's love in our hearts as we yield to Him and THIS is how we bear fruit.
A person detached from Jesus, cannot bear fruit that Abba accepts.
Dave, God's purpose in sending Jesus was not to save us from eternal death. That was just an outcome. His purpose was to give us eternal life, and when we were clothed with eternal life, eternal death was snuffed away. There is so much more to eternal life than just being saved!
I recommend two readings: (1) If you are the sons of God
(2) Eternal Life
Much love Sid
Links
May 13, 2008 at 11:59 pm
On Saving Ones Self
May 28, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Hi David,
I was just reading the above post, and you stated
<blockquote>
"The truth is, you and I can never save ourselves by anything we do or do not do. Our salvation is based solely on one fact: whether we accept or reject Jesus."
</blockquote>
This is contradictory. The first sentence, you say we can do nothing to save ourselves, then follow it up with "whether <u>WE</u> accept or reject Jesus".
You just threw the ball back in our court, that its up to us to choose salvation. As a Reformed Presbyterian, and a strong believer in the reformers such as Martin Luther, John Knox, John Calvin, etc; I have to say that the Bible is pretty clear that it is Amazing Grace that saves us. God hand picked us from before we were created.
Consider when Pharohs heart was heartened against God. God used Pharoh as a vessel of His wrath. Pharoh had no say in the matter.
Consider Malachi 1:3 , when God clearly stated that He hated Esau, before Esau was even born.
I believe Romans 9 is very clear on the topic.
Anyways, I just wanted to throw out an opposing view point on Soteriology.
On Double Predestination
June 6, 2008 at 12:35 am
That's not true.
Scripture is crystal clear on this issue.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that <b>whoever believes</b> in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
That's absolutely universal. The free gift of salvation is offered to everyone, whoever believes shall be saved.
Romans 9-11 is dealing with why God chose the Gentiles and rejected the Jews. Why did God reject the Jews? Because of their unbelief. And why did He chose to show mercy on the unbelieving Jews than those who did not even know Him? Because God shows mercy on those He chooses to show mercy.
Regarding Pharaoh's heart being hardened...God never takes the initiative in hardening a persons heart or making it wicked.
Here are verses that speak about the hardening of Pharaoh's heart...
God hardens Pharaoh’s heart:
Ex 4:21 21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that
you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power
to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people
go.
Ex 7:3 . 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my
miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you.
Ex 9:12 12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not
listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.
Pharaoh hardens his heart:
Ex 8:15 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his
heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had
said.
Ex 8:32 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not
let the people go.
1 Sam 6:6 Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did?
About 3 verses say "God hardened Pharaoh's heart..." and about the same number of verses say "Pharaoh hardened his heart..."
This verse makes it even more clear:
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.THEREFORE God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. [Romans 1:21-24]
I have written an article on Predestination on our site at Imrah. The Bible couldn't be clearer on this. The election of God is based on God's foreknowledge. Whom He foreknew, He predestines, Romans 8 tells us. The epistle of Peter says "The elect who are chosen according to God's foreknowledge....".....This makes us wonder what God foreknew....He foreknew our heart...our response to His message.
Calvin's message on Predestination is rotten. God places life and death before and do you know what He tells us to do? CHOSE LIFE!
Sidharth
On Double Predestination
June 6, 2008 at 12:35 am
That's not true.
Scripture is crystal clear on this issue.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that <b>whoever believes</b> in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
That's absolutely universal. The free gift of salvation is offered to everyone, whoever believes shall be saved.
Romans 9-11 is dealing with why God chose the Gentiles and rejected the Jews. Why did God reject the Jews? Because of their unbelief. And why did He chose to show mercy on the unbelieving Jews than those who did not even know Him? Because God shows mercy on those He chooses to show mercy.
Regarding Pharaoh's heart being hardened...God never takes the initiative in hardening a persons heart or making it wicked.
Here are verses that speak about the hardening of Pharaoh's heart...
God hardens Pharaoh’s heart:
Ex 4:21 21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that
you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power
to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people
go.
Ex 7:3 . 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my
miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you.
Ex 9:12 12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not
listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.
Pharaoh hardens his heart:
Ex 8:15 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his
heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had
said.
Ex 8:32 32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not
let the people go.
1 Sam 6:6 Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did?
About 3 verses say "God hardened Pharaoh's heart..." and about the same number of verses say "Pharaoh hardened his heart..."
This verse makes it even more clear:
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.THEREFORE God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. [Romans 1:21-24]
I have written an article on Predestination on our site at Imrah. The Bible couldn't be clearer on this. The election of God is based on God's foreknowledge. Whom He foreknew, He predestines, Romans 8 tells us. The epistle of Peter says "The elect who are chosen according to God's foreknowledge....".....This makes us wonder what God foreknew....He foreknew our heart...our response to His message.
Calvin's message on Predestination is rotten. God places life and death before and do you know what He tells us to do? CHOSE LIFE!
Sidharth
Choice and Predestination
June 6, 2008 at 10:12 pm
You're both right you know. As humans we use linear logic to solve and approach topics. Due to the fact that matter exists in our world, we experience something called "time" - which is how we relate the movement of mass. This leads us to a "cause and effect" world. I do something - and then something comes of it. It is linear.
But God isn't like that, He can predestinate people while still allowing free choice. It doesn't have to be one or the other. Because outside of a cause and effect world - they could both occur at the same time. Like the difference between a sphere and a line. After all, since God is all knowing - He has to know who will choose Him. He can also throughout scripture shows the free choice that He gives us.
