God saves only those He “knows (approves of)” …
And this has nothing to do with God’s approval of John 3:16 believers!
God doesn’t give people His free gift of grace,
and then approve of them! That’s ridiculous!
… No, John 3:16 believers must gain God’s approval.
So, there are 2 types of “believers”: the worthy and the unworthy.
Revelation 3:4-5 • “You have a few names even in (your) Sardis (church) who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
Romans 12:1-2• “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service … that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Is I confused … Are the acceptable worthy?
Or are the worthy acceptable?
More “worthy” verses …
2 Thessalonians 1:5,11 • Matthew 10:38-39 • Ephesians 4:1
• Philippians 1:27 • 1 Thessalonians 2:12
From Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,
concerning the verb “ginosko”, Strong’s #1097 …
“In the NT ginosko frequently indicates a relation between the person “knowing” and the object known; in this respect, what is “known” is of value or importance to the one who knows, and hence the establishment of the relationship, e.g. especially of God’s “knowledge”, 1 Cor 8:3 “if any man love God, the same is known of Him”; Gal 4:9 “to be known of God”; here the “knowing” suggests approval and bears the meaning “to be approved” in 2 Tim 2:19; cf. John 10:14, John 10:27;
… The verb is also used to convey the thought of connection or union,
as between man and woman, Matt 1:25, Luke 1:34.
… ginosko frequently implies an active relation between the one who “knows” and the person or thing “known” (see above)
… thus in Matt 7:23, “I never knew you” (ginosko) suggests,
“I have never been in approving connection with you”.
Matthew 7:
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name,
and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Can you see that the blue and red portions above are total opposites?
They demonstrate the difference between eternal life and eternal death.
2 Timothy 2:19 • “The Lord knows those who are His”
John 10:14 • “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep,
and am known by My own.”
John 10:27-28 • “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish”
1 Corinthians 8:3 • “But if anyone loves God,
this one is known by Him.”
Galatians 4:9 • “But now after you have known God,
or rather are known by God …”
John 8:55 • “Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him
… I do know Him and keep His word.”
John 17:3 • “And this is eternal life,
that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
And this has nothing to do with God’s approval of John 3:16 believers!
God doesn’t give people His free gift of grace,
and then approve of them! That’s ridiculous!
… No, John 3:16 believers must gain God’s approval.
So, there are 2 types of “believers”: the worthy and the unworthy.
Revelation 3:4-5 • “You have a few names even in (your) Sardis (church) who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
Romans 12:1-2• “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service … that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Is I confused … Are the acceptable worthy?
Or are the worthy acceptable?
More “worthy” verses …
2 Thessalonians 1:5,11 • Matthew 10:38-39 • Ephesians 4:1
• Philippians 1:27 • 1 Thessalonians 2:12
From Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words,
concerning the verb “ginosko”, Strong’s #1097 …
“In the NT ginosko frequently indicates a relation between the person “knowing” and the object known; in this respect, what is “known” is of value or importance to the one who knows, and hence the establishment of the relationship, e.g. especially of God’s “knowledge”, 1 Cor 8:3 “if any man love God, the same is known of Him”; Gal 4:9 “to be known of God”; here the “knowing” suggests approval and bears the meaning “to be approved” in 2 Tim 2:19; cf. John 10:14, John 10:27;
… The verb is also used to convey the thought of connection or union,
as between man and woman, Matt 1:25, Luke 1:34.
… ginosko frequently implies an active relation between the one who “knows” and the person or thing “known” (see above)
… thus in Matt 7:23, “I never knew you” (ginosko) suggests,
“I have never been in approving connection with you”.
Matthew 7:
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name,
and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Can you see that the blue and red portions above are total opposites?
They demonstrate the difference between eternal life and eternal death.
2 Timothy 2:19 • “The Lord knows those who are His”
John 10:14 • “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep,
and am known by My own.”
John 10:27-28 • “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life,
and they shall never perish”
1 Corinthians 8:3 • “But if anyone loves God,
this one is known by Him.”
Galatians 4:9 • “But now after you have known God,
or rather are known by God …”
John 8:55 • “Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him
… I do know Him and keep His word.”
John 17:3 • “And this is eternal life,
that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
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