Preface
One of God’s laws is SIN RESULTS IN SPIRITUAL DEATH (Romans 5).
Therefore, all humans must die spiritually, i.e. be separated from God eternally.
God’s grace: God was willing to come up with a miraculous plan to “save” some of us.
It’s a wonderful miracle (full of God’s grace) that any of us can get to Heaven.
Now, maybe we can handle the “WHO and WHY them?”.
God is everywhere ... He knows and sees everything (past, present, future)
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
“I make known the end from the beginning … and what is still to come” (Isaiah 46:10)
“I am … the Beginning and the End, says the Lord” (Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13)
More: Job 37:16, (Psalm 90:4, 147:5), Proverbs 15:3, Acts 15:18, 1 John 3:20
This is the key to everything: God has seen all of man’s history, his free-will choices, etc.
God knows peoples’ hearts, thoughts, motives, etc.
“… the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9).
“I am the One who searches the hearts and minds of people” (Revelation 2:23)
More: 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Kings 8:39, Psalm 44:21, Proverbs 20:27, Jeremiah 17:10
God knows the type of people He wants to spend eternity with
“I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15)
More: 2 Samuel 22:28, (Psalm 34:18, 149:4), Proverbs 3:34, Zephaniah 3:12, James 4:6
A repentant heart towards God is absolutely necessary:
“… unless you repent you will all likewise perish (physically & spiritually) (Luke 13:3, 5)
Truly, the poor (in various ways) are the most likely to have the right heart attitude:
“He (Father God) has anointed Me (Jesus) to preach the gospel to the poor” (Luke 4:18)
“Has God not chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?” (James 2:5)
More: (Isaiah 61:1, 66:2), Luke 7:22, Matthew 11:5
God predestines and chooses His “elect” (His people)
“To God's elect ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Peter 1:1-2)
“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world … having predestined us” (Ephesians 1:4-5)
“And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (in the gospel)” (Acts 13:48)
More: (Romans 9:11, 11:5-7), Ephesians 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, Revelation 17:14
God’s guardian angels protect His people until they obtain salvation
“Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those
who will (in the future) inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
God’s people must hear His true gospel (good news)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)
“… he (Paul) is a chosen vessel of Mine (Jesus) to bear My name
before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15)
More: Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:47, (John 17:18, 20:21), Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:17
Father God “gives” His people to Jesus
“All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me” (John 6:37)
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44)
More: (John 6:39, 6:45, 6:65, 10:29, 17:2, 17:9, 17:24), Matthew 15:13
God’s people are able to believe in Jesus and His “foolish” gospel
“… that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:15)
More: (John 3:16, 3:36, 5:24), (Acts 13:48, 16:31), (Romans 1:16, 3:22, 10:9-10)
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
God has a personal relationship with His people; they “know” each other
“I know My sheep, and I am known by My own … My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life” (John 10:14, 27)
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)
More: Jeremiah 31:34; Nahum 1:7, (John 8:47, 14:17, 17:3, 18:37), Luke 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:12, 2:19
Some people think they know God, but are mistaken (Matthew 7:23, 25:12).
God makes sure His people make it through to the end
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined …
whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)
God’s elect are: foreknown >> predestined (chosen) >> called >> justified >> glorified
.
One of God’s laws is SIN RESULTS IN SPIRITUAL DEATH (Romans 5).
Therefore, all humans must die spiritually, i.e. be separated from God eternally.
God’s grace: God was willing to come up with a miraculous plan to “save” some of us.
It’s a wonderful miracle (full of God’s grace) that any of us can get to Heaven.
Now, maybe we can handle the “WHO and WHY them?”.
God is everywhere ... He knows and sees everything (past, present, future)
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
“I make known the end from the beginning … and what is still to come” (Isaiah 46:10)
“I am … the Beginning and the End, says the Lord” (Revelation 1:8, 21:6, 22:13)
More: Job 37:16, (Psalm 90:4, 147:5), Proverbs 15:3, Acts 15:18, 1 John 3:20
This is the key to everything: God has seen all of man’s history, his free-will choices, etc.
God knows peoples’ hearts, thoughts, motives, etc.
“… the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9).
“I am the One who searches the hearts and minds of people” (Revelation 2:23)
More: 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Kings 8:39, Psalm 44:21, Proverbs 20:27, Jeremiah 17:10
God knows the type of people He wants to spend eternity with
“I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57:15)
More: 2 Samuel 22:28, (Psalm 34:18, 149:4), Proverbs 3:34, Zephaniah 3:12, James 4:6
A repentant heart towards God is absolutely necessary:
“… unless you repent you will all likewise perish (physically & spiritually) (Luke 13:3, 5)
Truly, the poor (in various ways) are the most likely to have the right heart attitude:
“He (Father God) has anointed Me (Jesus) to preach the gospel to the poor” (Luke 4:18)
“Has God not chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?” (James 2:5)
More: (Isaiah 61:1, 66:2), Luke 7:22, Matthew 11:5
God predestines and chooses His “elect” (His people)
“To God's elect ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Peter 1:1-2)
“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world … having predestined us” (Ephesians 1:4-5)
“And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed (in the gospel)” (Acts 13:48)
More: (Romans 9:11, 11:5-7), Ephesians 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, Revelation 17:14
God’s guardian angels protect His people until they obtain salvation
“Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those
who will (in the future) inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
God’s people must hear His true gospel (good news)
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)
“… he (Paul) is a chosen vessel of Mine (Jesus) to bear My name
before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15)
More: Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:47, (John 17:18, 20:21), Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:17
Father God “gives” His people to Jesus
“All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me” (John 6:37)
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44)
More: (John 6:39, 6:45, 6:65, 10:29, 17:2, 17:9, 17:24), Matthew 15:13
God’s people are able to believe in Jesus and His “foolish” gospel
“… that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:15)
More: (John 3:16, 3:36, 5:24), (Acts 13:48, 16:31), (Romans 1:16, 3:22, 10:9-10)
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
God has a personal relationship with His people; they “know” each other
“I know My sheep, and I am known by My own … My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life” (John 10:14, 27)
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)
More: Jeremiah 31:34; Nahum 1:7, (John 8:47, 14:17, 17:3, 18:37), Luke 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:12, 2:19
Some people think they know God, but are mistaken (Matthew 7:23, 25:12).
God makes sure His people make it through to the end
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined …
whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)
God’s elect are: foreknown >> predestined (chosen) >> called >> justified >> glorified
.
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