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[rick]

First I would like to say hello to all and may the grace of God be in all of you.

New International Version

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

What a marvelous thing to receive this stone ! I understand this white stone is symbolic it's not a  literal stone but it's an acquittal. No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Now in Heb 10: 26-27 it says for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary.

I'm asking myself what would be considered the greatest sin on planet earth ? As I think of my personal sins I think what are they compared to Paul the apostle who was the chief sinner of all .

In Heb 10: 26- 27 I'm seeing the greatest sin on earth that could be committed where than can be no more sacrifice ( this aged only ) would be having the knowledge of the true gospel of Christ and departing from it going back to the Old Testament if you would thinking by obeying the law of God And keeping it one could save themselves .

But what is tripping me up somewhat is 2 Peter 2: 20 -21 for if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein , and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have know it to turn from the holy commandments delivered unto them.

Now I see in 2 Peter 20-21 the same thing as in Heb 10: 26-27 which has to do with the knowledge of the truth and if that is so then I understand Heb 10: 26--27 very well.

Any comments would be appreciated and also may God bless you all .

[John from Kentucky]

In this present age God is only saving a very few relative to the mass of mankind.

The Scriptures tell us the few saved in this Pentecost age, the Elect, were selected by God before creation.  There is no free will.  The Elect did not select themselves.  God selected the Elect.  If God selected you to be saved now, then you will be saved now.  You cannot decide not to be saved. We do not have power to change God's will.

On the other hand, if God does not want you saved now, then there is nothing you can do to save yourself.  You will be saved in one of the ages to come.  Only Jesus saves.

The good news is God will save everyone.  That is why God tells us not to worry about anything.  God will take care of it.

However, the great false church teaches otherwise and deceives the many spiritual simple minded.

[Kat]

No our salvation is not up to us, we do not have any means of ourselves to obtain salvation. But the warnings in Scripture are very real and of course we have to take Christ's warning seriously to "hold fast."

Rev 3:11  Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Rick, there is the parable of the Sower and the seed that I think Christ lays it out just how there are those who are among the chosen believers, at least for awhile, but do not endure to the end

Luke 8:11  "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
v. 12  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
v. 13  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
v. 14  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
v. 15  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

You see that these all listen/hear this truth, but none of these over time can endure (impossible without the Spirit), so for one reason or the other they depart or just drift away. There is another parable that carries this idea even further, the Wheat and the tares. So there are some that seem to endure to the end, but it turns out they were never chosen at all.

Mat 13:24  Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
v. 25  but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
v. 26  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
v. 27  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'
v. 28  He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'
v. 29  But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
v. 30  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[rick]

Hi John and Kat,

Yes, I agree with what both of you said , I understand all our choices we make from birth to death are caused. This is most certainly how God directs everyone's footsteps.

I'm thinking if God says anything then it's going to happen such as Heb 10:26-27 for instance, it's God who removes the blindness from our eyes and leads us to the truth but then God also said to Mosses He was going to hardened pharaoh heart.

Was trying to understand what purpose in coming into the truth only to harden ones heart afterwards but in any event what ever happens is Gods intention according to His counsel.

I do understand that every human being is box in fully and completely as Gods sovereignty demands it.

I trust in All that God does and also believe He shall bring all to salvation. Like Ray said, God converted Saul to Paul in about two seconds and if God wills He could convert the whole world in less time .

May God keep shedding His truths to us but then I must conclude by saying let Gods will be done.

May God keep gracing us no matter how much pain we go through. God bless everyone.

I'm very thankful to God that my understanding in His plan grows further apart from Christendon and matures on a daily basis which this is of God not me.

[AwesomeSavior]

Hi Rick:

You asked what would be considered the greatest sin on planet Earth?

I believe Ray had mentioned somewhere in his Lake of Fire series that the greatest sin, or "the depths of Satan" (Rev. 2:24), would be to teach that a loving God is going to torture people forever and ever, and that Satan could not think of a more wicked thought!

Dean

[rick]

Hello Dean and God bless.

Thank you for you response, I guess that is a controversial question as one may deem one thing worst than another.

To me, rejecting Christ would be the Ultimate sin but having said that I understand or am at least  grasping the fact that God really is operating everything including our thoughts and actions as wel as our choices.

So in a certain way I feel totally helpless in that I'm just like anyone else and all are fully controlled ,no exceptions.

I'm wondering if this is what God meant when He said that we are naked, poor and wretched ? I know this also has something to do in how God created us making us spiritual weak but as I continue to learn these truths that Ray has taught I'm coming to understand just what Gods sovereignty really is in my life, who here cannot relate to King Nebuchadnezzar ?

We all felt at one time that we ruled our lives , we did as we pleased with no one to answer to we were the masters of ourselves and like King Neb we are learning and seeing the truth as to who and what we are and how powerless we are. Everything depends on God and His Council .

You probably discovered one question always brings another question and Christ is the answer to all question in certain ways . Christ is the tree of life Christ is the white stone He's the living waters He's everything.

God bless you dean .

[Kat]

So in a certain way I feel totally helpless in that I'm just like anyone else and all are fully controlled, no exceptions.

I'm wondering if this is what God meant when He said that we are naked, poor and wretched ? I know this also has something to do in how God created us making us spiritual weak but as I continue to learn these truths that Ray has taught I'm coming to understand just what Gods sovereignty really is in my life, who here cannot relate to King Nebuchadnezzar ?

We all felt at one time that we ruled our lives , we did as we pleased with no one to answer to we were the masters of ourselves and like King Neb we are learning and seeing the truth as to who and what we are and how powerless we are. Everything depends on God and His Council .

Rick, the way I think of this is we start out thinking 'we' can make something of ourselves, we think by our free will choices we can accomplish great things, make our fortune. But if God opens our eyes to truth, we realize that is false human ego and pride and we are in this carnal condition what you said naked, poor and wrenched. Of ourselves we can do 'nothing' good and we realize that God is sovereign, totally in control and only He is good.

Rev 3:17  Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

So we need to understand that God is first showing us (proving to us by our own actions) our hopeless state of wretchedness. Then He will draw us to Him to forgive us and cleanse us of all sin. We have to not only accept His sovereignty over all there is, but also embrace it. Because I believe that is the unity of the Spirit, to love who and what God is, so we can live as one with Him through Christ. Then we can really experience a state of perfect harmony with Him, and that is the only way that we can ever reach a real peace and joy that "surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:7).

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[rick]

Hello Kat,

That is so true about embracing Gods sovereignty not only in our life but in the life of every human being.

From the rising of the sun till its setting Gods intentions are being done in the entirety of the universe. I am excepting Gods sovereignty in the light He has given me and I as a part of Gods creation has come to that understanding and it is comforting to know our lives are in the hands of a loving creator.

I have been comforted by and in His truths and pray never to return to the old ways but pray to keep advancing in His truths in this life until death where I will sleep until the resurrection of the dead in Expectations of being born again into His kingdom.


God bless.

[Musterseed]

We sing as one, we are your children Lord. We His sheep know His voice when He calls us. HOw amazing is that. I met a lady who's husband is a Shepard here in the Valley, NS. She told me that her husband can call out one sheep out of thousands that they have on their farm and invited me to watch Him herd them.Also the sheep are guarded by a donkey. The donkey's here also guard cattle. I did not know this. I learn something new every day and Thank God He is in charge of everything because I was such a foolish donkey. Amen Lord.

[cheekie3]

Pamela -

We sing as one, we are your children Lord. We His sheep know His voice when He calls us. HOw amazing is that. I met a lady who's husband is a Shepard here in the Valley, NS. She told me that her husband can call out one sheep out of thousands that they have on their farm and invited me to watch Him herd them.Also the sheep are guarded by a donkey. The donkey's here also guard cattle. I did not know this. I learn something new every day and Thank God He is in charge of everything because I was such a foolish donkey. Amen Lord.

That is good to know. Thank you for sharing.

So Donkey's are smart enough to do the shepherds' bidding. Very Interesting.

Kind Regards.

George

[Joel]

I have heard that a donkey in a herd of sheep or cattle makes a good guard animal because of their own herding instincts, and they will attack a coyote or a wolf. Another animal I hear that makes a good guard is the llama.

Joel

[lilitalienboi16]

Pamela -

We sing as one, we are your children Lord. We His sheep know His voice when He calls us. HOw amazing is that. I met a lady who's husband is a Shepard here in the Valley, NS. She told me that her husband can call out one sheep out of thousands that they have on their farm and invited me to watch Him herd them.Also the sheep are guarded by a donkey. The donkey's here also guard cattle. I did not know this. I learn something new every day and Thank God He is in charge of everything because I was such a foolish donkey. Amen Lord.

That is good to know. Thank you for sharing.

So Donkey's are smart enough to do the shepherds' bidding. Very Interesting.

Kind Regards.

George

Oh is there a pun in that statement somewhere!