@EmSw
I submit to you Ephesians 1:4-14:
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."
You were chosen to be holy and blameless in His sight. Have you reached that pinnacle? Whose fault is it that you haven't reached it yet? Is God's hand so short that He can't do that? Have you done anything to reach that pinnacle? How will you reach that pinnacle if you do nothing? If you do nothing, you will stay in your sins and be a servant to sin. A servant to sin will never be holy and blameless. So, you were chosen to do something.
We read in
Ephesians 4, what we need to do to obtain holiness and blamelessness. Let's not stop at chapter one, thinking this is the total picture.
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
First, we should no longer walk in the futility of our mind. For this darkens our understanding, and alienates us from the life of God. This also causes blindness of our hearts, and we give ourselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness and greed. Until a man does no longer walks in the futility of his mind, he is alienated from the life of God.
Second, we have not learned Christ to live this way, that is, if you have heard Him and taught by Him.
Third, the truth in Jesus is that we put off the old man, which is our former way of life. The old man grows corrupt by its deceitful lusts.
Fourth, we need to be renewed in the spirit of our minds.
Fifth, we should put on the new man, which was created by God in true righteousness and holiness. These are the things we are predestined to do.
From this we see how a man obtains holiness and blamelessness. Just believing will not bring these things to pass. Man must put off the old man and put on the new man, or he walks in darkness and is ALIENATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD. I ask, how many people who are alienated from the life of God possess eternal life?
In conclusion, if you do nothing for your salvation (that is, put off the old man), you will stay alienated from the life of God. If you do nothing (that is, put on the new man), you will not reach righteousness and holiness, for which you were predestined. Putting off the old man, and putting on the new man is the God's plan for all of us.
The Cross was not plan B. Our Heavenly Father, who is timeless, has had the entire plan worked out from eternity past, to include who He has chosen. What you and I aren't directly privy to is who He has chosen. So what do we do about that?
You put off the old man and put on the new man.
Ask yourself: "Do I love God?"
"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19
I love God by keeping His commandments.
