I am very discouraged right now.I am currently injured and in need of Gods healing on my left toe ,i am also broke and in need of a financial blessing.And believe me i dont say that because i desire money ,i am a giver not a taker.i am depressed and my current church home is to far for me to atttend now.i probably need to move my membership. Any prayers appreciated.
Yes Jaz, I believe we are interpreting that verse in the same way. The only reason that I added all that extra information, particularly Matthew 20:22,23, was Jesus' reference again about His baptism (in a horrible death & burial); & to Zebedee's sons that they too, would suffer as He did, as they remained faithful to Him, prepared to even die for the One Who purchased them.
For Jesus, His Baptism was pointing to His coming death to which He would walk without distraction; for believers, baptism is looking back in identification with Him, with gratitude, & willingness to walk the same path as He walked, in all holiness & perseverance. GBU.
Going back to my comments of the 4th of July about Jesus seeming to have subtle digs at the scribes and Pharisees , in the Gospel of Luke , those who are righteous in their own eyes . Luke chapter 15 and the parable of the one lost sheep that goes astray , in verse 7 we read that the 99 were not just sheep that didn't go astray , they were 99 just persons ( they don't really exist do they ) which need no repentance ( everyone needs to repent ) so Jesus is talking about people who think that they are just and who think that they don't need to repent . Seems to be a bit of a theme in Luke .
Romans 9:22 seems to indicate yes to the question. I don't want to be trapped with your anger in answering such a question; to be quite frank. We could of course ask the same question about Satan; but we must remember that he was in heaven and as a verse in Job states all the sons of glory saw the creation so there wasn't anything hidden as there is with man. As for God predestining him to fall it is the same issue though. The bottom line is scripture; as you rightly suggest all of it to determine a clearer perception of truth. I am not ignorant if you have read my posts on the fact that God desires the death of no man and hell was meant for Satan and his angels. Again; you could argue that God predestined these things because of the rebellion and sin of man; no one is in hell who isn't aware to some degree of sin; and that means that I don't hold to some Calvanist views that children need baptism or God would send anyone to hell; again backed by scriptures I have referenced before.
Or of course the reverse logic is why would God save anyone; we were all astray as Isaiah states; we were all children of wrath previous to salvation. Or perhaps I could state this God will not choose anyone to enter heaven who isn't covered by the blood; or wants to be there in order to have a pleasurable place to sin; or self rule or any other nonesense. Serving the Lord doesn't come naturally; the outer actions can happen but not the heart transformed to that of Christ who came not to be served but serve and of course greater love is this that a man dies for his friend.
Your second question of course can't be helped but to be sensed by me as another trap of the same venue. I don't wish to make or break fellowship because of quibbling these issues. I have to appeal to Deut. 29:29 there are hidden things of God.
Whatever our theological differences in the end a set number are in heaven and hell. It's your prerogative to think what you will of me; read the Word.
I believe we are somewhat limited in this knowledge of how God would judge soul that has absolutely heard nothing about the Gospel.
For one we can't be for sure about that number.
However, we do know God can send the message of salvation in many ways that points to the need of a savior, perhaps in types as he done in the old testament.
What Paul says in Romans 10:17 we often quote. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Then we come to verse 18! "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words UNTO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.
So we do have record that the Gospel went out to the whole world and I believe if it's any thing that would be reserved it would be his word in some way.
Many of these "Third world countries" have gotten the Gospel in some fashion well before we became a nation. At some time or another there was an decay and judgment.
We are also headed for judgment due to pride.
We do get a glimpse of the fair judgment or atleast different degrees of judgment of God in the parable in Luke 12 and in Matthew 11:21-24.
Truthfully, it's more likely Biden is the antichrist because he's pro abortion which is killing and against God. he's pro homosexual as he hires gays and trans in his cabinet. he's pro war and pro death to young people like the innocents he killed in Afghanistan withdrawal just so he got credit to be out by the 911 anniversary. he prosecutes his political rivals like Hitler did and now is trying to assassinate him through ss. Trump is pro Christian, Biden isn't.
You are my dear bother in the Lord, but I am going to be blunt with you. I believe you still haven't answered my question. All you did was reiterate what you have already said and then reworded my question incorrectly. This is what you said I asked: The question is; did the translators properly translate exactly word-for-word what each and every word meant in those specific languages? This is what I asked you: since the Holy Ghost inspired the authors of the original manuscripts to keep them pure (which I wholeheartedly agree with) why do YOU BELIEVE He didn't inspire the authors of the KJB in the same way? Wouldn't it be much wiser for the Holy Ghost to do this? English became one of the most spoken and understandably languages in the world?
You must believe that every Tom, Dick and Jane should be able, since the last original manuscript was written, to read and understand Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic so they could compare the KJB with these manuscripts to be sure it is what the Holy Ghost wrote! And to have easy access to them! (I hope I haven't misunderstood you.) God knew mankind wouldn't have access to these manuscripts or know these ancient languages so why not give us a Holy Ghost inspired translation in a language He knew most of the of the world's population could understand, even, if the KJB was translated into other languages?
All you said about the NIV history I sent you was that you read it? I wanted to hear your opinion of it, at least the paragraphs I ask you to be sure to read.
I would be glad to do a history of the KJB but first I'd like to see what you have written for me with a comparison of an exact verse from the KJB next to the same verse in Greek and what you think of the info I sent you. I'll be working on the KJB history while I wait.
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name."
Hi Brother Chris , so , are you saying that you think that the baptism Jesus is referring to is his crucifixion , 3 days dead and then resurrection to eternal life and glory with God his Father ?
What I know is that the four riders of Apocalypse , one of GOD and three of the Devil, they are already running /walking with their Powers that reflects in whole world, for example, Trump is the most publicized person in the entire world today, and is not he the Rider of the Red Horse? Revelation 6:3-4
3 - And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great Sword. (devilish /evil Sword, to take peace from the earth)
Ezekiel 7:5-16, among many other biblical references:
5 Thus saith the Lord: An evil, an only evil; behold, it cometh. 6 An END is come, the END is come; it awaketh against thee; behold, it cometh. 7 Thy doom is come unto thee, O inhabitant of the land: the time is come, the Day is near(the Lord's Day), a Day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting...8 Now will I shortly pour out my wrath upon thee, and accomplish mine anger against thee, and will Judge thee according to thy ways; and I will bring upon thee all thine abominations. 9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will bring upon thee according to thy ways; and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I, the Lord, do smite.
10 Behold, the Day, behold, it cometh...pride hath budded. 11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth: neither shall there be eminency among them. 12 The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
Hi Richard: I appreciate your comment and, of course, God knows the outcome of all of this. I do believe that predestination in scripture is referring to the Church Of God that Jesus founded during His ministry so that no other church can claim to be her as it would need to follow the teachings in the scripture exactly as Christ said She would be. That certainly leaves out the Catholic Church and many others. I believe the true Church Of God is all the true saints God has and will have at the rapture at which time we will all be in unity. But you didn't answer my questions. I will list them below and can you give me just a straight forward answer? A yes or no and then why you believe this way:
!)Do you believe God chooses some souls before they are born to be the elect destine for heaven and those who are not the elect destine for Hell?
2) If souls are chosen before birth to go one place or the other, why would a greatly loving God create souls that He has already deemed not of the elect to end up in hell?
The woman chose her place herself. "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."(Re.12:14). The time tag is distinct for Israel. There is also another group, remnant of her seed, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."(12:17) Compare with God's curse on the serpent,"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."Ge.3:15)
Now we shall attend to what the woman signifies. Re.17:1 gives her an epithet, 'the great whore' the angel with the vial informs us that it is judgment time. She is after all spiritually called Sodom, Egypt and in the next two chapters the name Babylon a hold-all for the nations that are ungodly. "Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:/With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Israel chose her place from which she is at present fulfilling the prophets of old."and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness."(Is.31.8-14) God's answer is in 18:21. "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."
"and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
The beast is similar to the beast arising from the sea and the Spirit clues as we ought to interpret,"And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition." As with seven angels representing the seven days we also have the beast representing spiritual darkness in high places. The tag 8 sets the beast a creature of the post-rapture period.
The first generation beast was a variation of the four beasts that Daniel saw in his night vision. Lion, bear leopard were in parts characterised his form but what made him function was the false prophet who had "two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. In the second generation beast he was scarlet coloured all through. The tag of scarlet is associated with power of redemption,"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."(Is.1:18). Yes, you guessed it,- the false prophet has morphed into the Pope of the Holy See of Vatican! His infallibility is a piece of blasphemy and part of the beast's regalia."full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."(17:3). There are other blasphemies that shall be presented in future but ten horns as signified by shakers and movers, "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast."
The sea is distinct from the waters. The lower parts of earth(Ep.4:9) is implied in "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,"- Ge.1:2 The woman is seated on the waters," And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."(17:11)
Not sure if I stated this previously but the end is near. Many of the persuasion you mention don't believe there is a Rapture at least before the Tribulation; most think the Second Coming is the end of the Millennium as it is taken symbolically as the church age.
I am not sure what He has revealed to you; but if you are anything like me the burden of the coming Tribulation is overwhelming.
I am convinced God is well into judging His church; who in the most part unfortunately look ready to embrace the coming Antichrist. I can say this with confidence as Revelation 13 makes it clear that ALL those whose names are NOT written in the book of life will worship the Beast. In that light of course predestination is very clear. That may disturb you but I doubt anyone who has bugged you is willing to acknowledge that truth. For now at least the gates of hell will not prevail against the church at least the true remnant; but Daniel states the saints WILL be overcome in the soon to come judgments on the earth.
IF He has called and equipped you to warn what is to come there will be no doubt. As Jeremiah said when he tried to say nothing His Word was like fire in his bones.
Hi Jaz: I'm not sure if you were asking Jesusgirl87 this question or me. If it was me then, I don't mind you're asking me at all. I look forward to these discussions.
My thought in answering you is that I felt it not quit right for us to assume by the time God calls His Bride home that there will be anyone who hasn't, in some way, come to know the truth of salvation, especially with the internet and the many social media platforms available. Today the internet is pretty much considered a necessity more then a play thing and I know there are entities that believe everyone should have it, even for free and are trying to accomplish this.
But, as I was saying this is something we must trust God for, that His loving spirit is going to reach them all. We just must do the best we can to reach as many as we can.
I know there is a lot of worldliness and evil on the internet but there are a lot of true Christians who are on there also who preach the truth. I'm not promoting it, just saying it is there and has a tremendous potential for outreach. But Gid could just speak to a heart and draw them to Him without any intervention from anyone or anything. I believe that is what Jesusgirl87 is saying because it is our our conscieous that calls us to God. Jesusgirl87 please pardon me if I have misunderstood you. Bless :)
I would say that rather than arguing that concept that I would say even taking into account choices; decisions; etc in the end it is foreknown who would be saved and who wouldn't have been. Or one could say our choices also are predestined as God is the one who gives us a mind and options available; and clearly there are things limited to this life. The passions of this world and flesh and the devil; or more simply for "self" won't be applicable in the next life; for those in hell of course there is nothing left to choose for pleasure; and in heaven we will for now be souls that are in His presence; and later with new bodies that will be perfectly suited for heaven and where we will serve the Lord for all eternity.
There is the argument that those who are "Arminian" make which I also accept; namely that it is the PLAN of salvation that is predestined which is certainly true; whether or not we ascribe it to the level of an individual. God's PLAN is that only through the Son is one saved; and we need His atonement through His substitutionary death to bring us to life. There are many cults and religions that mention Christ but not as God; but a great "Prophet" usually or teacher; or "ascended master". It takes supernatural insight to realize He is God in the flesh or part of the Godhead bodily. Not believing He is who He says He is of course involves deliberate rejection of the truth and the authority of God's Word despite the history; eyewitnesses; and changed lives we see around us. Perhaps more damaging or damning are those who make claims to believe but don't truly have a root in Him and fall away; these individuals ignore John 14:15 about keeping His commandments if we love Him.
We again need to see that God called out from other nations those who would be the Patriarchs of Israel; such as with Abraham and Moses. God knows who will respond and sends either missionaries or dreams and visions for these people.
First of all, Michael, thank you for your service for our country. I am praying that our Lord Jesus Christ bless you with a place to stay, with a good landlord and a healthy environment.
Please pray for my daughter for her salvation, physical, mental, and spiritual protection. that god may allow for me to have full custody so that we may serve the lord together. her mother does not allow her to attend church, nor read the bible, nor pray. her mother is very evil. that god may eradicater her completely from out lives. thank you brothers and sisters in christ.
Thak you Brother for that great explanation , I did already know about that but you have explained it much better than I could have done .
It does however show , how confusion can arise if we take just one or two scriptures to back up an idea . We must take the Bible as a whole and it is perfectly consistent when we do this . It's only when we don't study it all thoroughly that we can be confused or mislead by others with their own agendas .
Hello Jaz, good morning.. I believe that those will be judged by their conscience, the light they had and or rejected. As the Scripture says in Romans 2:12-26, & John 1:9, 3:19-20. Thank you for your question.....
Hello Jaz. In my reading of this verse, I feel that Luke 12:49-53 must be included, Jesus giving this message in the midst of His other teaching in the chapter.
So, taking the whole passage (vv 49-53) into consideration, I see the Lord speaking of what His Coming means, to both Himself & those who are affected by it. By His coming at the Father's appointed time, both the Work of Salvation and also of Judgement had commenced. Of Salvation: that it was always the Divine Plan that He must go through the waters of suffering & death, so overwhelming in its force (not only of pain & horror to the Body, but of the weight of man's redemption in His Spirit & before the Father), that it also pressed & kept Him under till the Work was done. Could anyone else bear such a 'weight of responsibility', that only He could? As Jesus also spoke to the mother of Zebedee's children: "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ( Matthew 20:22,23). The day would come when the sons would suffer as Jesus did, but only He could bear the sins of the World, which assured the Father's acceptance & forgiveness to all who came through His Son in faith.
Jesus' Coming not only initiated judgement (where sins would be brought to light, and the faithful & faithless separated), but His Death & Resurrection would also cause division, whether in households, friendships or by community rejection. As Jesus also said in Matthew 10:34-36, "I came not to send peace, but a sword". The Gospel is a Gospel of Peace for those justified by faith (Peace with God, Romans 5:1), but the Gospel can come as a sword, which sets the faithful at variance with those who deny Christ - for our love for Christ must wholly transcend the love shown towards man. If Jesus' 'baptism' through self-sacrifice was so compelling & complete, how should we now live in such Light & Redemption? Excuse these extra thoughts on these verses.
Is it me or are we missing a part 19?
Forgive me but I always fall behind when traveling and this cellphone doesn't help much.
For Jesus, His Baptism was pointing to His coming death to which He would walk without distraction; for believers, baptism is looking back in identification with Him, with gratitude, & willingness to walk the same path as He walked, in all holiness & perseverance. GBU.
Or of course the reverse logic is why would God save anyone; we were all astray as Isaiah states; we were all children of wrath previous to salvation. Or perhaps I could state this God will not choose anyone to enter heaven who isn't covered by the blood; or wants to be there in order to have a pleasurable place to sin; or self rule or any other nonesense. Serving the Lord doesn't come naturally; the outer actions can happen but not the heart transformed to that of Christ who came not to be served but serve and of course greater love is this that a man dies for his friend.
Your second question of course can't be helped but to be sensed by me as another trap of the same venue. I don't wish to make or break fellowship because of quibbling these issues. I have to appeal to Deut. 29:29 there are hidden things of God.
Whatever our theological differences in the end a set number are in heaven and hell. It's your prerogative to think what you will of me; read the Word.
I believe that is a very good and fair question.
I believe we are somewhat limited in this knowledge of how God would judge soul that has absolutely heard nothing about the Gospel.
For one we can't be for sure about that number.
However, we do know God can send the message of salvation in many ways that points to the need of a savior, perhaps in types as he done in the old testament.
What Paul says in Romans 10:17 we often quote. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Then we come to verse 18! "But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words UNTO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.
So we do have record that the Gospel went out to the whole world and I believe if it's any thing that would be reserved it would be his word in some way.
Many of these "Third world countries" have gotten the Gospel in some fashion well before we became a nation. At some time or another there was an decay and judgment.
We are also headed for judgment due to pride.
We do get a glimpse of the fair judgment or atleast different degrees of judgment of God in the parable in Luke 12 and in Matthew 11:21-24.
That's just my take Jaz.
Perhaps others can add.
God bless.
You are my dear bother in the Lord, but I am going to be blunt with you. I believe you still haven't answered my question. All you did was reiterate what you have already said and then reworded my question incorrectly. This is what you said I asked: The question is; did the translators properly translate exactly word-for-word what each and every word meant in those specific languages? This is what I asked you: since the Holy Ghost inspired the authors of the original manuscripts to keep them pure (which I wholeheartedly agree with) why do YOU BELIEVE He didn't inspire the authors of the KJB in the same way? Wouldn't it be much wiser for the Holy Ghost to do this? English became one of the most spoken and understandably languages in the world?
You must believe that every Tom, Dick and Jane should be able, since the last original manuscript was written, to read and understand Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic so they could compare the KJB with these manuscripts to be sure it is what the Holy Ghost wrote! And to have easy access to them! (I hope I haven't misunderstood you.) God knew mankind wouldn't have access to these manuscripts or know these ancient languages so why not give us a Holy Ghost inspired translation in a language He knew most of the of the world's population could understand, even, if the KJB was translated into other languages?
All you said about the NIV history I sent you was that you read it? I wanted to hear your opinion of it, at least the paragraphs I ask you to be sure to read.
I would be glad to do a history of the KJB but first I'd like to see what you have written for me with a comparison of an exact verse from the KJB next to the same verse in Greek and what you think of the info I sent you. I'll be working on the KJB history while I wait.
God Bless :)
(Tears in a bottle 2/2)
Thank you for the scripture in Malachi
3:16& 17
Malachi 3:16
"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name."
King James Version (KJV)
I do not remember reading it before.
Keep spreading the Word.
Jesus is the Way.
If ' yes ' , me too !
What I know is that the four riders of Apocalypse , one of GOD and three of the Devil, they are already running /walking with their Powers that reflects in whole world, for example, Trump is the most publicized person in the entire world today, and is not he the Rider of the Red Horse? Revelation 6:3-4
3 - And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great Sword. (devilish /evil Sword, to take peace from the earth)
Ezekiel 7:5-16, among many other biblical references:
5 Thus saith the Lord: An evil, an only evil; behold, it cometh. 6 An END is come, the END is come; it awaketh against thee; behold, it cometh. 7 Thy doom is come unto thee, O inhabitant of the land: the time is come, the Day is near(the Lord's Day), a Day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting...8 Now will I shortly pour out my wrath upon thee, and accomplish mine anger against thee, and will Judge thee according to thy ways; and I will bring upon thee all thine abominations. 9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will bring upon thee according to thy ways; and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I, the Lord, do smite.
10 Behold, the Day, behold, it cometh...pride hath budded. 11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of their wealth: neither shall there be eminency among them. 12 The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
!)Do you believe God chooses some souls before they are born to be the elect destine for heaven and those who are not the elect destine for Hell?
2) If souls are chosen before birth to go one place or the other, why would a greatly loving God create souls that He has already deemed not of the elect to end up in hell?
Thank You for your answers. God Bless:)
The woman chose her place herself. "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent."(Re.12:14). The time tag is distinct for Israel. There is also another group, remnant of her seed, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."(12:17) Compare with God's curse on the serpent,"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."Ge.3:15)
Now we shall attend to what the woman signifies. Re.17:1 gives her an epithet, 'the great whore' the angel with the vial informs us that it is judgment time. She is after all spiritually called Sodom, Egypt and in the next two chapters the name Babylon a hold-all for the nations that are ungodly. "Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:/With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Israel chose her place from which she is at present fulfilling the prophets of old."and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness."(Is.31.8-14) God's answer is in 18:21. "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."
"and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
The beast is similar to the beast arising from the sea and the Spirit clues as we ought to interpret,"And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition." As with seven angels representing the seven days we also have the beast representing spiritual darkness in high places. The tag 8 sets the beast a creature of the post-rapture period.
The first generation beast was a variation of the four beasts that Daniel saw in his night vision. Lion, bear leopard were in parts characterised his form but what made him function was the false prophet who had "two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. In the second generation beast he was scarlet coloured all through. The tag of scarlet is associated with power of redemption,"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."(Is.1:18). Yes, you guessed it,- the false prophet has morphed into the Pope of the Holy See of Vatican! His infallibility is a piece of blasphemy and part of the beast's regalia."full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."(17:3). There are other blasphemies that shall be presented in future but ten horns as signified by shakers and movers, "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast."
The sea is distinct from the waters. The lower parts of earth(Ep.4:9) is implied in "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,"- Ge.1:2 The woman is seated on the waters," And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."(17:11)
The woman chose her place herself. (Re.12:14)
I am not sure what He has revealed to you; but if you are anything like me the burden of the coming Tribulation is overwhelming.
I am convinced God is well into judging His church; who in the most part unfortunately look ready to embrace the coming Antichrist. I can say this with confidence as Revelation 13 makes it clear that ALL those whose names are NOT written in the book of life will worship the Beast. In that light of course predestination is very clear. That may disturb you but I doubt anyone who has bugged you is willing to acknowledge that truth. For now at least the gates of hell will not prevail against the church at least the true remnant; but Daniel states the saints WILL be overcome in the soon to come judgments on the earth.
IF He has called and equipped you to warn what is to come there will be no doubt. As Jeremiah said when he tried to say nothing His Word was like fire in his bones.
Gotta run for now; God bless.
My thought in answering you is that I felt it not quit right for us to assume by the time God calls His Bride home that there will be anyone who hasn't, in some way, come to know the truth of salvation, especially with the internet and the many social media platforms available. Today the internet is pretty much considered a necessity more then a play thing and I know there are entities that believe everyone should have it, even for free and are trying to accomplish this.
But, as I was saying this is something we must trust God for, that His loving spirit is going to reach them all. We just must do the best we can to reach as many as we can.
I know there is a lot of worldliness and evil on the internet but there are a lot of true Christians who are on there also who preach the truth. I'm not promoting it, just saying it is there and has a tremendous potential for outreach. But Gid could just speak to a heart and draw them to Him without any intervention from anyone or anything. I believe that is what Jesusgirl87 is saying because it is our our conscieous that calls us to God. Jesusgirl87 please pardon me if I have misunderstood you. Bless :)
There is the argument that those who are "Arminian" make which I also accept; namely that it is the PLAN of salvation that is predestined which is certainly true; whether or not we ascribe it to the level of an individual. God's PLAN is that only through the Son is one saved; and we need His atonement through His substitutionary death to bring us to life. There are many cults and religions that mention Christ but not as God; but a great "Prophet" usually or teacher; or "ascended master". It takes supernatural insight to realize He is God in the flesh or part of the Godhead bodily. Not believing He is who He says He is of course involves deliberate rejection of the truth and the authority of God's Word despite the history; eyewitnesses; and changed lives we see around us. Perhaps more damaging or damning are those who make claims to believe but don't truly have a root in Him and fall away; these individuals ignore John 14:15 about keeping His commandments if we love Him.
We again need to see that God called out from other nations those who would be the Patriarchs of Israel; such as with Abraham and Moses. God knows who will respond and sends either missionaries or dreams and visions for these people.
Again His ways are above ours.
God bless America.
God Bless you and to God be the honor and glory.
It does however show , how confusion can arise if we take just one or two scriptures to back up an idea . We must take the Bible as a whole and it is perfectly consistent when we do this . It's only when we don't study it all thoroughly that we can be confused or mislead by others with their own agendas .
So, taking the whole passage (vv 49-53) into consideration, I see the Lord speaking of what His Coming means, to both Himself & those who are affected by it. By His coming at the Father's appointed time, both the Work of Salvation and also of Judgement had commenced. Of Salvation: that it was always the Divine Plan that He must go through the waters of suffering & death, so overwhelming in its force (not only of pain & horror to the Body, but of the weight of man's redemption in His Spirit & before the Father), that it also pressed & kept Him under till the Work was done. Could anyone else bear such a 'weight of responsibility', that only He could? As Jesus also spoke to the mother of Zebedee's children: "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ( Matthew 20:22,23). The day would come when the sons would suffer as Jesus did, but only He could bear the sins of the World, which assured the Father's acceptance & forgiveness to all who came through His Son in faith.
Jesus' Coming not only initiated judgement (where sins would be brought to light, and the faithful & faithless separated), but His Death & Resurrection would also cause division, whether in households, friendships or by community rejection. As Jesus also said in Matthew 10:34-36, "I came not to send peace, but a sword". The Gospel is a Gospel of Peace for those justified by faith (Peace with God, Romans 5:1), but the Gospel can come as a sword, which sets the faithful at variance with those who deny Christ - for our love for Christ must wholly transcend the love shown towards man. If Jesus' 'baptism' through self-sacrifice was so compelling & complete, how should we now live in such Light & Redemption? Excuse these extra thoughts on these verses.