Nice one George
I don't know how Christ will get me to obey Him except He will get me to, thats all I have is my faith in Christ. but I do know every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord.
Maybe it is through the gift of faith and belief that He will get you to obey. Believing is one of the requirements to being saved.
Act_16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Rom_10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Honestly I think your off to a good start being here in the company of other believers
Believe He will finish the work He started and also make your calling and election sure.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Judging from the Scriptures above, I get the feeling it takes an concerted and conscious effort to overcome. This is of course according to the grace and power given to us.
I begining to think that many scriptures cannot come to pass until the resurrection and God changes us all.
I'm actually starting to think an resurrection of sorts is happening now in this age. Years ago I read a comment Ray made that eluded my understanding of it till recently. My mind was blown when I first heard it, because I always wondered what Jesus meant.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.htmlGREATER WORKS
John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes on Me, the works that I do he shall do also, and greater works than these he shall do, because I go to My Father.
I’ve had people ask me numerous times, ‘Ray can you walk on water, have you raised the dead, have you…?’ As a matter of fact I have. Which is greater, to raise somebody back to physical life, so that they can physically die again or to raise someone who is spiritually dead to spiritual life? God is doing greater things through the called, chosen, Elect few of His church, than He did in His own ministry, when He fed 5000, walked on the water, calmed the storm, healed the sick and raised the dead. He said we would do… “greater things,” they are greater. They are not greater if you’ve got a carnal mind, they are not greater then, it sounds like foolishness. That’s what it will sound like to you, unless you have the spiritual mind to see it.
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It's possible I'm misunderstanding him and that the Elect will be resurrected only in the next age. I know we haven't been perfected or completely changed yet, but we are certainly in the process of being changed as shown through the Scriptures Kat gave. I've also considered I may be spiritualizing it too much.
Anyways the whole point of this was to try to encourage you. It is all just as much for me, because for along time I thought I didn't have to do a thing, never realizing He gives us power and grace to overcome. No doubt all is of God. And I also sometimes think it's a co-op when Jesus says things like this.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Never knew what a yoke was till Ray explained it as having a spot for two so that they may pull together. It's still His yoke with Him leading the way, encouraging us, comforting us and giving us strength. We are pulling it with Christ only because Christ is pulling it with us.
You know the Scriptures Rick. We can do nothing of ourselves, but through Christ we can do all things. Be not only an hearer of the word, but a doer also. God help us all.
Another rambling from another George.