The Doctrine of Election and Predestination

[saint701]

Hi Angeltears, Mac, All,


Blessings!

There is so very, very, much to contemplate when discussing our Lord's grace that He has given to us. And yet, it seems to me, how little such is discussed in the places of glory we sing His praises in. Yet His abundance of grace ever remains extended to us all, from the day we first believed until we draw our last breath still believing.

To this point we have seen that salvation is of faith, that such might be by His grace. We have seen that despite our labors and misunderstandings and wrong doings, our Lord has extended to us His abundance of grace and gift of righteousness not for our past sins only, but even our many sins into justification of life. We have understood our Lord's wisdom in doing so, as for Him to do less on our behalf would leave us always at the mercy of our own spiritual inadequacies, for despite our desires to do good, we do sin.

But such is not the case. Our Lord does not leave us in a state of helplessness any longer than it takes us to realize, as did Paul, that His grace is supplied to us through all the love, power and soundness of His Spirit within us, even being in us to will and do for His good pleasure.

What has always amazed me most of all where grace is concerned I find in the Book of Revelation where our glorified elders, the Patriarchs of Israel and the Apostles of The Church, fall on their faces before God and cast their crowns of glory before Him. I say, to me, this is a most remarkable testimony, because they declare their salvation and amazing election to high positions over Israel and The Church were gifts to them of His amazing grace! They were predestined! They were foreknown! God used exactly the same process in choosing them as He used in choosing us! He foresaw them in Christ Jesus before one single soul was ever created!

Such brings many scriptures to mind.

Romans 8

[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
[29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
[30] Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
[31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
[32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
[33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Eph.1

1. [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
2. [11] In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Such amazing grace has caused some to balk, to falter, to stagger at the grace of God. And yet we must not stagger, or falter, or balk, for such is the amazing grace of God that belongs to us. Let us ever strive to grow in our belief in God to truly comprehend the height, depth, length, and width of His great love for us He has given us in electing and predestining us to salvation to His everlasting glory!


Blessings!
Love, In Christ Jesus, Saint701.