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God's Blueprint
rocky:
--- Quote from: Gregor on October 07, 2007, 04:47:38 PM ---
Rom.4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
--- End quote ---
I think this is a good verse, and personally I think we can call ourselves "children", because God does; and so did Paul;
but only because he calls things as if they "are", even though they are not. Completion/manifestation isn't till after resurrection.
good point.
Kat:
Hi Gregor,
There is this bit that Ray has concerning knowing if you are children of God.
http://bible-truths.com/lake8.html -------------------
ARE YOU "CALLED AND CHOSEN" OR JUST "CALLED?"
Let me first state that there is an order in the process of being called to Sonship. First you are called, and then you are chosen from among the called. And we have already learned that the "chosen" are also the "few." Quite frankly, not unlike a casting call. Many are called to come to the casting rehearsal, but only a relative few will be chosen for the actual performance. Which are you? I will not be your personal judge, however, as we progress in this series, you will be confronted with dozens of Scriptures by which you can JUDGE YOURSELF by the aid of God’s Spirit.
------------------------------------------------------
The Apostles use the terms children of God when referring to the believers they were teaching.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be...
Rom 8:13 ...but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
v. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
v. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
v. 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
v. 17 And if we are children, then we are heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; so that if we suffer with Him, we may also be glorified together.
I think it is like Ray said, you can JUDGE YOURSELF by the aid of God’s Spirit. It is only by the Spirit of Christ indwelling that we are children of God, and as Paul said, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
I think if we feel like we have been wakened to the scriptures and by the truth that we share here, and our lives are being changed, that is the Holy Spirit and we are the children of God. We can hope and pray we are predestinated to remain faithful to the end, because we do not know for sure.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Deborah-Leigh:
As Kat says and as is taught in Ray Smiths teachings....we do not know for sure.
You may call yourself a child of God but it is the Spirit of God that is the witness. Without the Spirit of God you can call yourself Christ and believe it too :D and be heading to hear the words from the Lord " I know you not...depart from me...." But But but ...... :D
Then again you may think someone else is a child of God and forget that only God knows the heart. Then you might think a person is a Child of God or an Elect and be very wrong. All we can do and all we should be doing is judging ourselves not putting ourselves on a pedestal and going around thinking we are elect or the Children and others have lost the mark. For all have sinned and non are yet saved.
I believe only God knows what He is doing, how He is doing it and what we have in store for us if we are tried and tested and proved faithful! To that end let us endure, encourage and run our race knowing that we fail, we are infirm and although sin may no longer have dominion over us we are still liable to temptations and conformation into the image of Christ. For this it is written
Heb 4 : 15 For DO WE NOT have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a SHARED FEELING WITH OUR WEAKNESSESS AND INFIRMITIES AND LIABILITY to the ASSAULTS OF TEMPTATION ( Every time you see violence against the innocent, do you not suffer the assault ? to your sense of goodness, holiness and propriety with God?) but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE ( That is ..DIVINE INFLUENCE ON OUR HEARTS...ref Ray Smith teachings) and obtain MERCY , and find GRACE to help in time of need.
I submit to you all, is there any among you my Brethren who would say that our TIME OF NEED is passed?
Therefore let us not concern ourselves with apparent contradictions and appearances of conflict or oppsing views. Let us know, believe and adhere to our working out our salvation in fear and trembling knowing that God is working all to the good for those who love Him. Let our loving Him be our standard and encouragement and let us continue to prepare ourselves for His return and to help each other with encouragements and a share in the burden of our chastisements and disciplines recieved at the mighty knowing loving and all wise hand of our Father.
Peace be to you
Arcturus :)
DuluthGA:
God’s blueprint? Answer: Hands down, The Way of the Cross.
Christ’s triumph on Golgotha is the victory and the power and with this is implied His resurrection.
Heb 2: 14 Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into Himself, He destroyed the devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death. [MSG]
Eph 1: 20a All this energy issues from Christ: God raised Him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, [MSG]
Why doesn’t the vast majority of Christians realize that each of us has victory and power in Christ by following Him and entering into a likeness of His death? Answer: It’s not a very palatable subject to preach and would not be a popular money-generator as the masses prefer smooth/easy talk, plus most church-going Christians do not spend much time studying His Word and obeying what they read there.... when there are about eighty verses about this in the N.T. alone. Bottom line: It is God’s plan for most to be blinded and then become graced with His truths in stages, some getting more of the measure of His spirit than others.
I believe all are children of God, believers and non, and that it’s just a matter of time for the nonbelievers’ conversion. If you peel back the flesh, there’s God in all of us, and we all fulfill His intention and we all serve our own eventual mutual benefit. I believe that’s why it makes sense to adhere to nonviolent resistance to evil, besides the fact that it’s a direct command from Christ.
Col 3: 11 where there is no Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman, but Christ is all things and in all. [Green’s Literal Translation]
:)
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