Featured The Doctrine of Election in a Nutshell

I have said much more and I have quoted the words of those chosen of God to make these things known. We are presented in this epistle with the revelation of a mystery, according to the words of the author. He calls it "the mystery of Christ." He says it was hidden from former ages and he defines the mystery as the purpose of God for this particular age. It is addressed to gentiles and it is an explanation of the workings of God to achieve his purpose. His purpose is to build a house in which, or in whom, he, God, can dwell. It must be a sinless house because God will not dwell where sin is and we have 4000 years of previous history from the fall of man to prove this. God has chosen Christ to be that man in whom he will dwell. He alone has overcome sin and is perfect and is now in a resurrected body that is glorified and can sit in the presence of God in heaven. Jesus Christ could not have done that until after he was resurrected and his body glorified.

When we see the church, the body of Jesus Christ metaphorically, as it is being presented, with a clear physical representation in Christ himself in his earthly ministry. He was the Son of God but with an earthly body that was weak and entirely dependent upon the Spirit of God that dwelt in him to give him power to live without sinning against God.

Now take a look at what God has done for us through the resurrected Christ. He has done exactly for us what God did for him. He gave us his Spirit to dwell in our bodies. This makes us a son of God and a NEW creation. Isn't that what God did for Jesus when he made his body. He was the ONLY begotten son of God in the flesh. He was the only man who had the Spirit of God in him from his conception, and that without measure, according to this;

John 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

Unlike us, Jesus never had any connection with Adam in his body. His body was never dead before the cross.

1 Corinthians 15:45
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

One must think in these terms. The body of Christ is formed in this age after his resurrection. Those who are put into the body are those to whom he has given the Spirit of Christ. The presence of the Spirit in the body is the agency of the quickening. He is the power over sin. So then, a person receives the Spirit at the moment he believes the gospel of Christ. This is identified in scripture as passing from death to life, or as salvation from the penalty of our sins, which is eternal death, separation from God, in the lake of fire. At the same time the Spirit baptizes, or immerses us into the body of Christ as a functioning member in that body according to his own discretion and gifts us in that capacity.

1 Cor 12: 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
(Now you Calvinist's are ignorant)


In 1 Cor 12, we have the workings of each member of the Godhead in relation to forming this body. The first 13 verses are dealing with the Spirit's role in it's formation and in it's performance. Look at the 3 parts;

(The Spirit)
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
(The Lord Jesus)
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
(God the Father)
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

There is always a trinitarian signature on all God's revelations because God is one and functionally he is three.

If one does not allow this truth to govern their thinking they will not begin to understand God and his great truths.

I have a lot to say on this subject of election and how God deals with it in two different epistles, one written in AD 58, and the other written in AD 60, the first in relation to the remnant of Israel and the second to the gentiles. I might add right here that God would not make this mystery known before there was some history because it could not be understood without it. When the history revealed what was happening, then it could be explained. None of this was possible under the old covenant but there had to be a new testament for this to take place. When God said that he ordained this before the foundation of the world he meant that his purpose was fixed and would be accomplished in and through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for humanity. The spin you guys put on his work of redemption is scary when one considers the end of such a doctrine.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The history that unfolded in the first century showing Israel was preached to first, then afterwards the gentiles were added as a target of God's gift of salvation ten years later. Both Romans, with the Jews, and then the world with the gentiles were added. Look:

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Words mean things. Follow the logic. The Jews had the firstfruits of the Spirit. Look at Ephesians where gentiles are under consideration.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Read the whole context. Then notice this "we" and "ye" verses;

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
___________

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

We and ye are Jews and gentiles and it is what this letter is about. It reveals the mystery of Christ.

 

God elects his children. That is who God elects. In John chapter 1, verse 11-12, we are told, "he came unto his own (Judah) and his own received him not, but to as many as received him, to them he gave them power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name..

There is nothing here about preelection before the foundation of the world. His own did not receive him after it was expected they would. It was not the preselected who received him, but to as many as believed.

Believing is required for the new birth. Why? Because it is from God. It is a birth into the family of God. He does not just indiscriminately give his Spirit to men. They must believe in Jesus. The Spirit of God in the body is the agency of the new birth. He is life as has already in this chapter been pointed out. Look;


Jon 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Jesus Christ is the son of God from his conception. How do I know this? Because all men who have the Spirit of God are sons of God. God elects those whom the Spirit indwells and puts into the body of Christ. The Spirit indwells those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died to atone for the sins of the whole world. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. Water in the physical has the same properties as the Spirit in the spiritual. There can be no life without it. It falls from the heaven in such abundance that all living may drink. It falls all over the world. All must drink to live. One must drink of the Spirit only once.

You need to reset because your religion does great harm to the truth.