I read a few comments in another thread on the subject of predestination and I could not help but notice that much disagreement existed between different denominations of Baptists. ( honesty demands that noone but Baptists should be commenting).
I think it will be helpful to begin a new thread where I can encourage a look at this subject within the context of where this action of God the Father takes place and where in the scrtiptures God deals with it. Make no mistake about it, it is an act of God the Father and it does have a historical context which I will point out. It also has an ethical context and it must be understood in the context of those actions of God and the theological terms he uses in the scriptures.
It would be nice if serious students of the word would participate instead of these hyper Reformed Baptists and hyper Baptist Briders who do not believe a single word of God in any sensible manner.
My op will springboard off of the following offering on the other thread. I honestly think that my comments on the subject will exalt God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and will lift up Jesus Christ as our way into the presence of God.
I will begin by saying the statement of Mr kyredneck is not a correct statement and the Bible verses he has submitted as proof of his statement in no way proves it. It proves the exact opposite.
Now, let me say I could have chosen other comments to begin this thread and by choosing this author, I am not accusing him of deliberately trying to mislead any one, I am just saying he is in error and does not have light on the subject from the Lord. I do think there are some who has no interest in the truth and does try to mislead, but Mr kyredneck is not one of them.
All I will say now is that the Jewish believers were first to be conformed to the image of Christ through a new birth. Jesus Christ, who from his birth was the image of God, soul, body, and the Holy Spirit indwelling his body, making him a trinitarian entity, and like God. No man living on the earth when Jesus came could make that claim. Men who believed God before Jesus Christ came were servants of God, and at best were "friends" of God, but no man was a son of God. It takes a new birth for that and that can only be accomplished when Jesus finishes his work of redemption and rises from the dead.
So, this information in Romans 8 can be easily seen to be written in a Jewish context. It was written in 58 AD. God dealt with the idea of foreknowledge in this context. We can talk about that later.
In Ephesians 1, the other epistle where predestination is named, is in the context of gentiles and was written in 60 AD. Foreknowledge is not in this context for a good reason. All the usages of the word is in a Jewish context. That means something and is important.
Ac 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ro 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
I would like to discuss this a while but I will remind everyone that an empasis of the scriptures from the time of the fall of Adam has been on the new birth and one can see it previewed in the workings of God all through the scriptures if one is looking for it. The bottom line is that if a man is reconciled to God, whom he has offended by his sin, it will be through faith in what God has told us Jesus Christ has done for us by pouring out his eternal Spirit who is the gift of God to indwell us and to be our life.
He, the indwelling Holy Spirit, also teaches us the mind of God through the words of God and without him a man cannot know it. May the Lord be glorified by our words.
I think it will be helpful to begin a new thread where I can encourage a look at this subject within the context of where this action of God the Father takes place and where in the scrtiptures God deals with it. Make no mistake about it, it is an act of God the Father and it does have a historical context which I will point out. It also has an ethical context and it must be understood in the context of those actions of God and the theological terms he uses in the scriptures.
It would be nice if serious students of the word would participate instead of these hyper Reformed Baptists and hyper Baptist Briders who do not believe a single word of God in any sensible manner.
My op will springboard off of the following offering on the other thread. I honestly think that my comments on the subject will exalt God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and will lift up Jesus Christ as our way into the presence of God.
'Predestin' is found only four times in the scriptures and is ALWAYS in reference to God choosing individuals for a people for His own possession, NOT to events.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Ro 8
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
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: Eph 1
I will begin by saying the statement of Mr kyredneck is not a correct statement and the Bible verses he has submitted as proof of his statement in no way proves it. It proves the exact opposite.
Now, let me say I could have chosen other comments to begin this thread and by choosing this author, I am not accusing him of deliberately trying to mislead any one, I am just saying he is in error and does not have light on the subject from the Lord. I do think there are some who has no interest in the truth and does try to mislead, but Mr kyredneck is not one of them.
All I will say now is that the Jewish believers were first to be conformed to the image of Christ through a new birth. Jesus Christ, who from his birth was the image of God, soul, body, and the Holy Spirit indwelling his body, making him a trinitarian entity, and like God. No man living on the earth when Jesus came could make that claim. Men who believed God before Jesus Christ came were servants of God, and at best were "friends" of God, but no man was a son of God. It takes a new birth for that and that can only be accomplished when Jesus finishes his work of redemption and rises from the dead.
So, this information in Romans 8 can be easily seen to be written in a Jewish context. It was written in 58 AD. God dealt with the idea of foreknowledge in this context. We can talk about that later.
In Ephesians 1, the other epistle where predestination is named, is in the context of gentiles and was written in 60 AD. Foreknowledge is not in this context for a good reason. All the usages of the word is in a Jewish context. That means something and is important.
Ac 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Ro 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Ro 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
I would like to discuss this a while but I will remind everyone that an empasis of the scriptures from the time of the fall of Adam has been on the new birth and one can see it previewed in the workings of God all through the scriptures if one is looking for it. The bottom line is that if a man is reconciled to God, whom he has offended by his sin, it will be through faith in what God has told us Jesus Christ has done for us by pouring out his eternal Spirit who is the gift of God to indwell us and to be our life.
He, the indwelling Holy Spirit, also teaches us the mind of God through the words of God and without him a man cannot know it. May the Lord be glorified by our words.
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