What does it mean to be chosen by God ?
In Job 36 it is told that it is we ( humans) that choose iniquity ( ungodliness and not choosing godliness which is to choose God)
Compare that to Hebrews 11, and we hear the testimony about Moses was that he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God ( choosing God) than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for the season of his life....
Job 36:21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Ezekiel shows the same appeal of God, how it is Israel ( men) who choose death and to continue in the evil of their ways withpout turning from them.
God says in Ezekiel 18, how Israel needs to cast all of their transgressions away from themselves, and it is making a new heart and a new spirit, to not die, O house of Israel..
Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Again two comparisons, and we read how it is Israel that chooses, but chooses the wrong thing, they choose the fast of glory in the sight of men.
But the fast God had chosen was to free people from these evils, to do the mercy of God instead of the cruelty of the devils pride.
Jesus spoke the very same to Israel face to face, they had chosen to sound trumpets before men to have glory of men, they disfigured their faces to appear to men, instead of the fast God had chosen to undo all heavy burdens..
John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Isaiah 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
So we know God chooses, He has said the choices He makes, and what he chooses, God chooses us all in the furnace of affliction, to refine us for Him.
It is confirmed yet again in Isaiah 66, God looks to the man who trembles at His word, who is of a poor and contrite spirit.
For the wicked, it is clear, it is THEY WHO HAVE CHOSEN THEIR OWN WAY( of wickedness as it suits them best to ave glory of men and not the glory that comes from God only)...
Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Again Jesus shows this very way to us, Jesus had many disciples following Him ( he had chosen them all)
We see it is those disciples themselves who disagreed with Jesus, only because of the things they heard...
Luke 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
Jesus tries to reason with the disagreeing disciples, and for them to focus on the words that are Spirit and life, instead of their own understanding of the fleshly mind, because that is enmity against God, and the carnal mind is enmity against God, and God gives grace to overcome this, by them submitting themselves to God, resisting the devil and the devil fleeing from them, to draw near to God is God drawing near to us, cleaning our hands and purifying our hearts ( making us a new heart and spirit for why will we die?)
Now it is PROVEN, WHEN THE FATHER DRAWS ANYONE TO COME TO CHRIST, THEY HAVE DRAWN NEAR TO GOD, AND THEN GOD HAS DRAWN NEAR TO THEM.....
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Jesus knows who believes and who does not believe, but to the twelve they did not go away, knowing there was nowhere else to go, and we see again the choosing of Jesus, is included to choose devils too..
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
In Job 36 it is told that it is we ( humans) that choose iniquity ( ungodliness and not choosing godliness which is to choose God)
Compare that to Hebrews 11, and we hear the testimony about Moses was that he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God ( choosing God) than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for the season of his life....
Job 36:21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Ezekiel shows the same appeal of God, how it is Israel ( men) who choose death and to continue in the evil of their ways withpout turning from them.
God says in Ezekiel 18, how Israel needs to cast all of their transgressions away from themselves, and it is making a new heart and a new spirit, to not die, O house of Israel..
Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Again two comparisons, and we read how it is Israel that chooses, but chooses the wrong thing, they choose the fast of glory in the sight of men.
But the fast God had chosen was to free people from these evils, to do the mercy of God instead of the cruelty of the devils pride.
Jesus spoke the very same to Israel face to face, they had chosen to sound trumpets before men to have glory of men, they disfigured their faces to appear to men, instead of the fast God had chosen to undo all heavy burdens..
John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Isaiah 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
So we know God chooses, He has said the choices He makes, and what he chooses, God chooses us all in the furnace of affliction, to refine us for Him.
It is confirmed yet again in Isaiah 66, God looks to the man who trembles at His word, who is of a poor and contrite spirit.
For the wicked, it is clear, it is THEY WHO HAVE CHOSEN THEIR OWN WAY( of wickedness as it suits them best to ave glory of men and not the glory that comes from God only)...
Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Again Jesus shows this very way to us, Jesus had many disciples following Him ( he had chosen them all)
We see it is those disciples themselves who disagreed with Jesus, only because of the things they heard...
Luke 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.
John 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
Jesus tries to reason with the disagreeing disciples, and for them to focus on the words that are Spirit and life, instead of their own understanding of the fleshly mind, because that is enmity against God, and the carnal mind is enmity against God, and God gives grace to overcome this, by them submitting themselves to God, resisting the devil and the devil fleeing from them, to draw near to God is God drawing near to us, cleaning our hands and purifying our hearts ( making us a new heart and spirit for why will we die?)
Now it is PROVEN, WHEN THE FATHER DRAWS ANYONE TO COME TO CHRIST, THEY HAVE DRAWN NEAR TO GOD, AND THEN GOD HAS DRAWN NEAR TO THEM.....
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Jesus knows who believes and who does not believe, but to the twelve they did not go away, knowing there was nowhere else to go, and we see again the choosing of Jesus, is included to choose devils too..
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?