THE LORD KNOWS WHO ARE HIS.
(Numbers 16.5) (Nahum 1.7) (John 10.14) (2Timothy 2.19)
In my many conversation I often heard from the people saying to me that they belong to GOD. This theme really spark my curiosity and I started search the Bible in order to find out truth about such claims. While searching I found many other interesting statements concerning this issue.
2Timothy 2.19
19.Nevertheless, the firm foundation of GOD stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." (John 3.33)
Numbers 16.4-11
4.When Moses heard this he fell on his face,
5.and he spoke to Korah and to all his company saying, "Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself, the one whom He will choose He will bring near to Himself."
Nahum 1.7
7."The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him."
John 10.14
14."I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me."
I know for a fact that it very much a custom among Christians to claim that they belong to GOD. In the Bible it is very rare occasion when GOD actually revealed to a person that he or she belong to Him.
GOD called Abraham as His friend, but Solomon GOD called as His son, this revealed whose GOD chose to be His sons and His friends.
Isaiah 41.8
8."But you Israel, My servant Jacob, whom I have chosen, Descendant (Genesis 22.18) (Isaiah 41.8) (Galatians 3.16) of Abraham My friend," (2Chronicles 20.7) (KSB).
GOD directly talks to David about His son Solomon:
"I will be a Father to him and he shall be a son to Me, I will not take My steadfast love from him as I took it from him, who was before you," (1Chronicles 17.13).
"He shall build a house for My name. He shall be a son to Me and I will be a Father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever." (2Chronicles 22.10).
"He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts, I have chosen him to be a son to Me and I will be a Father to him." (1Chronicles 28.6).
"I will be a Father to him, and he will be a son to Me, when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men," (2Samuel 7.14).
I think that those people who claim that they belong to GOD have a little more arrogance than they should. According to the passages above, only GOD knows who belong to Him unless He Himself reveal this to a person as He did to Abraham, David, Solomon and to few others.
Eventually all of us will know who among us belong to GOD and who does not then the Lord GOD will judge all inhabitants of the Earth. And below some more personalities whose GOD accepted as His.
Genesis 5.24
24.Enoch walked with GOD, then he was no more, because GOD took him.
(Genesis 5.18-24) (Jude 1.14-15) (Hebrews 11.5)
Hebrews 11.5
5.By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because GOD took him up, for, he obtained the witness that before his being taken up, he was pleasing to GOD.
2Kings 2.1.11
1.Now, when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to Heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
11.As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into Heaven.
Thessalonians 4.17-18
17."Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.
18.Therefore, encourage one another with these words."
Matthew 24.40-41
40.Then two will be in the field, one will be taken and one will be left.
41.Two women will be grinding meal together, one will be taken and one will be left.
Until these events happen, I think it is very premature to declare that some of us already belonging to the Lord, because how shameful it will be for those who claimed it and then left behind.
People can belong to GOD in number of different ways as already stated above, but the most difficult and terrifying test will come in the future, then those who disobey world authority and reject the mark of the beast. By doing this they will literally sacrifice own life for believe in Christ, which will be the ultimate proof of belonging to GOD.
But until all these things happen we shall make all effort possible to deserve such great and wonderful honor as belonging to GOD, by obeying GOD'S Commandments and live according to His principals and ideals.
(Numbers 16.5) (Nahum 1.7) (John 10.14) (2Timothy 2.19)
In my many conversation I often heard from the people saying to me that they belong to GOD. This theme really spark my curiosity and I started search the Bible in order to find out truth about such claims. While searching I found many other interesting statements concerning this issue.
2Timothy 2.19
19.Nevertheless, the firm foundation of GOD stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." (John 3.33)
Numbers 16.4-11
4.When Moses heard this he fell on his face,
5.and he spoke to Korah and to all his company saying, "Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself, the one whom He will choose He will bring near to Himself."
Nahum 1.7
7."The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him."
John 10.14
14."I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me."
I know for a fact that it very much a custom among Christians to claim that they belong to GOD. In the Bible it is very rare occasion when GOD actually revealed to a person that he or she belong to Him.
GOD called Abraham as His friend, but Solomon GOD called as His son, this revealed whose GOD chose to be His sons and His friends.
Isaiah 41.8
8."But you Israel, My servant Jacob, whom I have chosen, Descendant (Genesis 22.18) (Isaiah 41.8) (Galatians 3.16) of Abraham My friend," (2Chronicles 20.7) (KSB).
GOD directly talks to David about His son Solomon:
"I will be a Father to him and he shall be a son to Me, I will not take My steadfast love from him as I took it from him, who was before you," (1Chronicles 17.13).
"He shall build a house for My name. He shall be a son to Me and I will be a Father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever." (2Chronicles 22.10).
"He said to me, ‘It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts, I have chosen him to be a son to Me and I will be a Father to him." (1Chronicles 28.6).
"I will be a Father to him, and he will be a son to Me, when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men," (2Samuel 7.14).
I think that those people who claim that they belong to GOD have a little more arrogance than they should. According to the passages above, only GOD knows who belong to Him unless He Himself reveal this to a person as He did to Abraham, David, Solomon and to few others.
Eventually all of us will know who among us belong to GOD and who does not then the Lord GOD will judge all inhabitants of the Earth. And below some more personalities whose GOD accepted as His.
Genesis 5.24
24.Enoch walked with GOD, then he was no more, because GOD took him.
(Genesis 5.18-24) (Jude 1.14-15) (Hebrews 11.5)
Hebrews 11.5
5.By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because GOD took him up, for, he obtained the witness that before his being taken up, he was pleasing to GOD.
2Kings 2.1.11
1.Now, when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to Heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
11.As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into Heaven.
Thessalonians 4.17-18
17."Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will be with the Lord forever.
18.Therefore, encourage one another with these words."
Matthew 24.40-41
40.Then two will be in the field, one will be taken and one will be left.
41.Two women will be grinding meal together, one will be taken and one will be left.
Until these events happen, I think it is very premature to declare that some of us already belonging to the Lord, because how shameful it will be for those who claimed it and then left behind.
People can belong to GOD in number of different ways as already stated above, but the most difficult and terrifying test will come in the future, then those who disobey world authority and reject the mark of the beast. By doing this they will literally sacrifice own life for believe in Christ, which will be the ultimate proof of belonging to GOD.
But until all these things happen we shall make all effort possible to deserve such great and wonderful honor as belonging to GOD, by obeying GOD'S Commandments and live according to His principals and ideals.