Hi Mark,
Yes none of us has any part in the choosing and we can not work up a love for this truth for ourself, it all must be given us. But when we have our eyes opened, when we see the fruit of the Holy Spirit being developed in us, can we not know we are in the race? Paul did not beat around the bush when he was talking to believers about who they were and what they were chosen for.
1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
v. 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Hi gk,
I do understand about getting discouraged and looking around at the evil of this world is really disheartening. Before I knew this truth it was so disturbing seeing what seemed to be so much pointless tragedies and sufferings. But knowing the truth should help us look at things differently now. This is all temporary, but a moment in time.
James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
I see this age as a dark backdrop, a time in while this world is learning about evil through experience. What seems to be way too much wickedness and suffering, is actually all framed and limited by how God designed things. There are those that were created to be vessels of dishonor (2 Tim 2:20), they now do desire to do evil.
Isa 59:7 Their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed innocent blood;
Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
Wasting and destruction are in their paths.
v. 8 The way of peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways;
They have made themselves crooked paths;
Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.
There is a purpose for this, we must all experience evil and there needs to be those that bring that about. It's not exactly as it seems to be, where human beings seem to suffer without any limits at all. Pain actually is very much limited, as a person will pass out at some point of suffering, that is built in and automatic. If our bodies have to much abuse it will die and all suffering at that point does cease. So suffering can only reach a certain point and can not last beyond that.
I think that it is very hard to see beyond this suffering and think of it as having a useful purpose. But it does give us a backdrop from which we can contrast things with. It takes our having knowledge of evil to fully understand God's goodness. Here is a excerpt from article no. 6.
http://bible-truths.com/lake6.html ------------------------
Everything in the universe is a contrast with or to something else in the universe. Nothing can be known about anything without contrasting it with other things. You cannot think a thought nor can you perform a deed without a working knowledge of these contrasting factors.
v
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Things are heavy or light, sharp or dull, big or small, tall or short, strong or weak, hot or cold, left or right, north or south, in or out, new or old, beginning or end, fast or slow, fat or skinny, straight or crooked, up or down, high or low, moving or still, positive or negative, visible or invisible, etc. You get the idea. Now then, this same law of knowledge pertains to inanimate things and things of a spiritual nature as well. Again it is only by understanding one thing relative to another or one thing contrasted with another that enables us to intelligently communicate and live our lives. Let’s look at a few of these: happy or sad, giving or stingy, build or destroy, kind or cruel, energetic or lazy, haughty or humble, intelligent or stupid, wise or foolish, right or wrong, true or false, good or evil, righteous or wicked, love or hate, life or death, temporary or eternal.
Having a working knowledge of these relative and contrasting terms and concepts is absolutely essential in living our lives. We must all come to know and to experience both good and evil. The universal teaching that God "never intended" for man to eat of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is as false and unscriptural as anything could ever be. It was both essential and paramount that man should eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Knowledge of both good and evil is an attribute of God Himself. If we are to be the "sons of God," we too must partake of this quality of God’s nature. How could man ever be fully made into the very image of His Creator God if he did not possess even the basic fundamental attributes of his Creator and Father?
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Now of course we are sad to see the suffering of others and I think it is necessary to feel compassion and mercy for others.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;
We are being made into His image and these are most definitely traits of our Father in heaven.
Lam 3:22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
But we must not take our sorrow for all this present suffering too far and look on our Father as wrong or mean or whatever, because we can't comprehend the fullness of what He is doing. We should always keep in mind that He is perfect in wisdom and everything that He does is right and good whether we understand it or not. I pray He will grant you this peace and ease your mind.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Topic: He wants to what?! (Read 11953 times)