It Is Better To Be Known By God

[Rippon]

I'll lead into Galatians 4:9 with an inclusion of verse 8 :

Previously , however , when you did not know God , you were enslaved to gods that essentially are not gods .But now , when you know God , or better yet , are known by God , how is it that you are turning back again to those weak and beggarly rudiments to which you want to be enslaved all over again ?

To be "known by God" is indeed better yet . The Lord is , of course , omnicient -- He knows everything and everyone minutely to say the least . But He has a special intimate love for His beloved ones -- His saints -- the elect . There is nothing general about his knowlege of His own , it is particular , distinct and complete . With His everlasting love He draws them and them only to Himself .

1 Corinthians 8:2,3 :

If anyone fancies he knows anything , he does not yet understand as he should ; but if anyone loves God , that person is known by Him .

Of course for one to love God , the Lord had to first love that individual . God does not know -- with that special knowledge -- millions past present and future . " I have never known you " are sobering words .

I have read many on the BB insisting that God loves everyone , draws everyone and calls everyone . One has even said that God has predestinated everyone ( to glory I suppose he thinks ) . B.B. Warfield used to say something about the fact that salvation is all about particularism . I agree . We as believers are to witness to everyone we are given the opportunity -- but God is particular . He was particular with His choice of Israel alone out of all the nations of the earth . (We understand that all Israel is not Israel .) .

We have no merit which gives us some favor in His eyes . It is really His good pleasure . His particular love is not capricious either as some have accused Calvinists of believing . He is just and yet merciful . I will take mercy any day -- His justness or fairness would condemn me to perdition .

I am expressing too many thoughts here for a good OP . Any comments on the verses I quoted ?

( All passages are from the MLB )

 

[Rippon]

Jeremiah 31:3 ___ I have loved you with an everlasting love ; therefore I have prolonged kindness to you .

God's eternal love for His possession is explicit in the Bible . The Lord has an everlasting intimacy with , and affection for , certain ones . God's choice , His elective choice and predestinating purpose can be found in Romans 8:29 :

... for those called in agreement with His purpose ...

Those , not each and every . Those -- from among the rest .

And this truth is found in 1 Peter 1:2 :

chosen in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father ...

The Lord's special , discriminating and particular love was evidenced in Christ . He is the One that was " foreknown to be sure , before the foundation of the world ... ( 1 Peter 1:20 ) . As it was for Christ , so it is for His bride . In Ephesians 1:4 "He has chosen us in Him before the world was founded ...".

In Romans 8:39 the Bible says that nothing will separate us from His love .

The elect are redeemed from out of all the people . See Revelation 5:9 : ... "Thou wast sacrificed and hast bought them for God with Thy blood , out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation . " Or what about Revelation 7:9 : " [ taken] out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation ... "

In the KJV it refers to the elect as " the purchase of His blood " and " the travail of His soul " . Some hymns of the Faith reflect that as well . Why have professed believers fought against these truths ?

Some think that the matters I have mentioned here are too restrictive in speaking of God's love . They are more comfortable with a universalistic message . But to honor His Word is not to hide what His Word emphasizes .


( Except where I noted , all Scripture is from the MLB )

 

[Jarthur001]

But He has a special intimate love for His beloved ones -- His saints -- the elect . There is nothing general about his knowlege of His own , it is particular , distinct and complete . With His everlasting love He draws them and them only to Himself .

AMEN!!! AMEN brother...

For some reason people have the wrong idea about "Known" by God. This is not a simple knowing of something or somebody. It is more then just knowledge. When speaking of the saints it carries the same meaning as "Mary knowing no man". Mary "knew" no man meant she had not been intimate with a man. God is saying of the saints He knows us in a intimate way. We are His bride. We are His adopted sons. God not only knows of the staints, He KNOWS us very intimatly from the beginning of the world.

He loved US and gave His life for US in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for US.

* Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

* As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.



In Christ...James