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Not easy for the Elect, and also not easy for the many
Kat:
Well the thing is God has develop this plan and it will be carried out precisely as He has ordained it to be. Now His plan has at this time a group of just a few being prepared to serve/help/rule in the kingdom to bring in the rest to salvation. So the elect few have been ordain before the creation to be who and what they are… do they deserved that? Only because it is God's will. The elect are simply fulfilling a part of God's plan, just like the rest are… is it just? Well there is nothing for anybody, that is an elect, to think highly of themselves for.
1Cor. 1:26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called].
v. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
v. 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
v. 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
v. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
v.31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
But as you have said is it easier now for the elect, than later for the rest? Maybe so, if you are blaspheming God now, He will pour out His wrath on them later.
Luk 3:7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
But I don't think all would have God's wrath, if they did not teach horrible things about Him in this life. But all would need to be purged of any wrong behavior would be necessary and teaching righteousness.
It is a privilege to be of the elect, there is no doubt about it, but it is not our decision to be one or not, they are 'elected' by God to be in that position. So you can and should rejoice in the hope of being an elect, but we can take no credit or boost for what we have been given.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Michael:
Hi Levy,
3. So my question is: is there any indication in the Scriptures that she, Jane Doe, as an individual, if she is one of the chosen, that will be easier for her now, than being saved/purified later?
Yes and no.
Using Paul as an example, he was routinely physically beaten, (bad now) , however, he says that he was (spiritually) glad for this, (good now), so I guess it depends on what current life you are asking about. The carnal or the spiritual.
Ray has mentioned in his LOF series that if you are not being persecuted, then you are probably not 'chosen'. (In comparison, Churchianity says that once you are saved, by their standards that is, your life will be great.)
http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html
Anyone going through very severe trials, problems, tribulation, judgment, chastening, and scourging is considered by the Church to be a gross sinner under a curse. Yet what does God’s Word tell us:
"For whom the Lord loves He CHASTENS, and SCOURGES every son whom He receives" (Heb. 12:6).
Do we think this Scripture lies? If God calls you to be a son, then He will SCOURGE you. There are absolutely no exceptions and there is absolutely no way around these Scriptures. I have heard professing Christians of 70 years confess that they never suffered persecution a day in their life. One remarked how lucky we are to live at this time and in this country where people no longer persecute Christians. Unbelievable.
"Yea, and all that will live godly [devoutly] in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution" (II Tim. 3:12).
Ray has also pointed out elsewhere that purification of the non chosen later will not be a picnic, (bad later), but the end result will be good, (good much later).
I'm guessing that your question is as to whether you might want to share the truth with someone knowing that his/her carnal life here on earth may get quite difficult? Would this be correct?
If yes, I would say, share what you know.
When Ray was asked about prayer, 'why pray for something if God is in control anyway'? Ray's reply was that it is your prayer that gets the ball rolling, (this may not be quite how Ray put it, but my point is, your prayer is needed). Thinking along the same lines, it's quite possible that, though a person is chosen, he/she may need your input to get the ball rolling. (I currently have no scriptural, or Ray material, to prove this point. It's just theory on my part).
I personally do not go out of my way to tell people what I know. Not because I want to save them from a life of persecution, but rather, nobody wants to know the truth. In the course of conversation, if someone mentions something that is unscriptural, I will drop a hint to see if they want more, but most do not. A few do, so I will print out Rays material for them, but so far, it has not gone further.
My favorite is when someone at work does or says something off color then says, "I'm going to hell'. I respond as sincerely as I can and say, 'There is no Hell', but for the most part, it goes nowhere. If interest is peeked, I go into a little more detail only to be met with the blank stares of disinterest or looked at like I'm a loony because the church says there is a hell. One time, when sharing this information with a 'Christian', he told me that the information was from the Devil and stormed away. That actually made me smile.
Though I have been a lurker here for a couple of years, I'm still new to all of this and reserve the right to be completely off the mark with this reply. :)
Mike
lauriellen:
i read somewhere that believers NOW are called "overcomers", but it does not refer to believers later as overcomers, as satan will be bound, their hearts will be changed and they basically will not have to 'overcome'...this may indicate that it is harder now.....could be wrong tho...? just a thought.
rsks:
Thanks for the post Michael. You story sounds a great deal like ours. We do have this one neighbor who in his heart it all makes sense to him with all we tell him about salvation for all. Then he goes back to church on Sunday and the "birds of the air" steal it all away from him again and again and again. But he does still keep coming back, but mostly to talk about what the 'church' told him and then he does listen when we tell him the truth.
I am convinced that he is a trial from God too, as it is very frustrating to me and my husband, but we feel compelled to keep telling him the truth. Arrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhh!
levycarneiro:
--- Quote from: lauriellen on December 08, 2012, 11:46:20 AM ---i read somewhere that believers NOW are called "overcomers", but it does not refer to believers later as overcomers, as satan will be bound, their hearts will be changed and they basically will not have to 'overcome'...this may indicate that it is harder now.....could be wrong tho...? just a thought.
--- End quote ---
Nice, that's interesting. So the Elect overcoming in a more hostile world now, with Satan loose, means more rewards for the Elect in the Kingdom. So it's fair: harder now, more rewards later. Makes sense.
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