Originally posted by geoff
Edgar,
You say that you admit that God might destine some, but not all...
Answer me this, does creation have a Goal, is there a purpose to which God is moving History? Does God have a final intention for creation?
If it is true that God does in fact have a plan, and a goal for creation, then hasnt He destined that outcome?
If God has in fact a destiny for creation, how can you say He does not have a plan for all people? Surely that means He does?
If He has a plan for all people, he must also have plans for individuals, as they make up the 'all people' group, and in order for this not to be the case we should not find any verses indicating individual, or small groups of individuals having a specific destiny.
If there are individuals who are destined, and groups of individuals who are destined, and all people who have a destiny, there is really no good reason to assume that God does not do this, especially when it is clear He does do it.
The ETERNAL WILL AND PLAN for creation and for man in particular is found in Genesis.
That has NEVER changed.
Man was and is designed and therfore capable of living by Gods knowledge and wisdom.
To forsake the life of the flesh,overcome the devil,
and become "partakers of the divine nature"
To learn the pattern of God and "Go and do likewise"according as I have shown thee.
When a person gets saved he ENTERS into that ETERNAL plan of God.
God planted a garden and laid down the laws of the seed.
Each producing after its own kind.
and as each seed can do no other.
They are predestined to so do!
The seed is in the FRUIT.
Now what you sow you WILL reap.
Therefore if you sow after the flesh you will reap death.
But after the Spirit,LIFE.
Thererfore the arguments about who will be saved or not is NOT the point!
The point is how much is being SOWED!
For if we SOW sparingly we will REAP sparingly!
Now to those who say this or that will go up or down.
Who are we?
But of the same clay as those who are as yet not saved!
Are we in ourselves by NATURE any DIFFERENT?
no! AND TWICE no!
So what then is the difference?
Some one SOWED the GOOD seed in our lives and were FAITHFULL enough to pray for that which had gone forth not to return without FRUIT!
The souls of men are in our hands andf the church.
and we will have to give an account for those we have neglected.
God sowed genereously.
For unless the seed fall into the ground and die it abideth alone.
But if it fall and die it bringeth forth MUCH fruit.
So where in do we glory?
Seeing it is in Him and by His grace that wer are saved.
Are we then who are saved soemhow more worthy than another?
NO!
So why is there disputes about who will be saved!
The message is to ALL!!
and whosoever from among the all will believe shall be saved.
How then can WE say who?
For are we not to" cast our bread upon the waters...."
We are to sow the WHOLE of the feild.
so that EACH person wil have the OPERTUNITY to be saved and if they believe they WILL be!
But by arguing about who will be puts division in the mind and uncertainty in the heart and no faith for those to whom you talk/preach to.
Not only are we to HEAR with faith but also to PREACH infaith also!
If in our thinking we are uncertain of who will be how then can you have faith.
And if you say we do not need to know who.
You have by such talk ALREADY denied SOME!
So you LIMIT God as to what HE can do to those with whom you talk/preach to.
and if you limit God you must therfore have no FAITH in God to do that which He has said HE WILL DO!
For My Word shall not return unto me void,but shall ACOMPLISH that wherein I have sent it"
This applies to the Lord who is the Word made flesh.
As it aplies to the preaching!
Now does that mean I believe everyone will be saved?
NO.
But it does mean that when I preach or speak to one or many I can do so with the realisation and the liberty that comes from if God can save me the chiefest of sinners,He can save ANYBODY!
