SSC - Short, for SoulsisterClaire :
We will deal with the two books of life later, but if you want to go ahead on your own, and read certain verses which contains these two books - read theses verses > Exodus 32:32 & 33 -- Psalm 69:28 & Psalm 139:16 --- Revelation 3:5 Revelation 17:8 & Revelation 20:12 & Revelation 20:15 & Revelation 21:27 Revelation 22:19 --- Philippians 4:3- take note, that this book of life, is the Lamb's book of life, because the Lamb's book of life is where all the names of those who were chosen from before the foundations of the world are written.
Question #1 - The very first thing that needs to be said. Is that neither you nor I choose who our Father would be. The same is with God , who is either our figurative Father or our literal Father. The Word tells us that we are sons of God. This can be a difficult understanding by most who claim to be Christians, and sons of God.
I think we should start out by looking at Romans 8:14 - "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God". Here is where the surrounding verses are so critical. This of course is called context. You can not be led by the Spirit unless you have a contact with the Spirit. The Prophets had spirit upon them. This was a spirit from God to the Prophet to communicate with the Prophet directly. This however did not give them eternal life abiding in them. Christians , in order to have eternal life abiding in them, "must" have the Spirit that God gives you, which makes you a son of God. Only a son would listen to his Father , because he was his Father. The same is true in the literal realm. To be a son of a Father, you must be of his seed. WE will come back to Romans 8 shortly. But let us go to Galatians 3:16 to see, and understand this "seed". We as sons of God have the seed of his Son in us. Which is the one seed Christ. In verse 16 it tells us "thy seed" which is "Christ". As
Isaac was the promised seed, so was
Christ the promised seed.
Galatians 4:28 says - "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise"
Turn back to Romans , but look at Romans 9:7 "In Isaac thy seed shall be called" - Which is a figurative way of saying that Christ who is the promised seed of/from God, so also was Isaac promised by God unto Abraham to be the promised seed of Abraham and Sarah. Romans 9:8 tells us - "They that are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed". Isaac was chosen to be the promise seed of Abraham and Sarah. We as Christians, who have Christ in us, are the promise seed of/from God. This is what "makes" us sons of God.
Now back to Romans 8:14 , those who are led, are those who have the promise seed, and walk by faith, who are led. You can have the seed, but stop walking by faith, which means you will not allow yourself to be led.
As I said before -Context. This context of Romans 8:14 actually starts in verse 4 and ends in Romans 8:30.
Romans 8:9 tells us that If we be in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God that dwells in you. You can not be in the Spirit, unless the Spirit of God dwell in you, which is the promise seed. God himself is not in us literally. His "seed" is. The second half of this verse tells us that --- "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ , he is none of his".
The understanding of eternal life abiding in you is in Romans 8:10 & 11 - "But if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin ; but the Spirit (Christ in you) is life because of righteousness" ----- Verse 11 says that our seed of Christ in us, is a "mortal" body, that will be
quickened . "Mortal" means , that which has life, and does not need to be raised from the dead in a literal sense. That is why the word "quickened" is used here. Spirit can not die, and the Spirit of His Son in us, Christ IN us, goes to the grave with us, but is "Mortal" - that which has life in. There are two resurrections #1 - corruption unto incorruption, and mortal unto immortality - I Corinthians 15:51 thru verse 54.
Ephesians 1:4 - 13 Predestined
When Christ died, we died with him, and when he was raised, we were raised with him, and when he ascended up into the heavens, and was seated on the right hand of God, we were seated with him - Reference: Romans 6:3 thru 11 & Ephesians 2:6 & I Corinthians 6:14 & 15
Galatians 4:6 - "And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father".
The Spirit of his Son in our hearts, is also the promise seed, as was Isaac. This "seed" has eternal life abiding in it. It is mortal. And it is only given unto those whom God has chosen to be his children. This is not our choice, but only the Father's choice. We choose to believe, because we have the Spirit of his Son in our hearts - which is Christ in us, the hope of glory - Colossians 1:27. We do not believe to receive the Spirit of His Son, we believe because we have the faith of Christ , and the mind of Christ in us.
I told you it would not be simple, but the understanding is simple !
Love IN Christ - Hervey