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NASB | Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. |
Subject: Free will and predestination co-exist? |
Bible Note: Hi Steve, Bradk, Jeff, and Ebrain; You said, “you were curious if I had ever read Rom. 10:9?” Wherein you add, God brings its message of faith unto us. Having read Romans 10:9 like you asked, I don’t find God bringing this message unto us, contextually I find a beautiful footed preacher sent unto us with this message (10:15). Which message is not of faith, but rather the word of faith (10:8). And so faith presents a WORD. I believe that this word of faith is none other than the word of His GRACE, which has the testimony that needs to be boldly spoken toward those who are divided toward it (Ac. 14:3-4). I do not recognize any faith, as living, which does not present GRACE. The church of Galatians had faith, but GRACE had been removed from its message (Gal. 1:6). Mark has a problem with God FIRST choosing us by His grace before we were born from our mother’s womb (Gal. 1:15). He rather believes that we choose, then God moves in response to our choosing. This message of Mark is not the essence of Rom. 10:9. This is why he was warned of the danger that he was in, for while you are right His gospel is called the gospel of Christ, you are wrong when you add, that His Jesus is my Jesus. For unless we have God choosing us FIRST (2Thes. 2:13), we are not in the calling of the gospel (2Thes. 2:14). Without GRACE leading the way, so that we could have faith (Ac. 27), we are in the gospel of Christ, which is perverted (Gal. 1:7). There is no doubt in my mind that Mark is in Christ Jesus, my Lord, but there is doubt that he is of God in Christ. According to the doctrine of Christ, we need to be in both the Father and the Son (2Jn. 1:9). AGAIN: I believe that the doctrine of Christ is the teaching of grace (Tit. 2:10-14), which you can see includes the gospel of Christ with the calling of God. All of this is more perfectly set forth as BY grace THROUGH faith IN hope. And so the whole point of Romans 10 is to set forth the gospel vs. 9 with its calling vs. 10. Wherein we can call upon God in Christ Rom. 10:12). It therefore cannot be BY faith, unless we are into the GRACE to have hope (Rom. 5:2). Our justification cannot be by faith (Rom. 3:28), unless we are FIRST justified by GRACE (Rom. 3:24). Without the calling of God by grace, we cannot have our call unto Him through a living faith. Mark is always in danger of intellectualism, of faith by the mind, rather than by the heart (Rom. 10:10). This was the whole point of my message to Mark, and to anyone of faith without the grace to have faith from the heart. I am sorry for any offense that I might have caused by this truth being presented with zeal. I hope that all could bear with a little of my folly, for as Paul, although I am rude in speech, it is not without knowledge (2Cor 11:6). Please forgive my rudeness, and accept my knowledge. This is not because I am insensitive, or judgmental, as some might rail, but because I have full authority to rebuke in love (Tit. 2:15). We don’t know anything about love, unless we know that it edifies, meaning;- builds others up with the truth (1Cor. 8:1; Eph. 4:16-15; Rom. 14:19). While you are right I intended to bring Mark down, that was not my only reason, for I also intended to build him up in the most holy faith (Jd. 1:20). Having hope, even against hope, that Mark and those like him, might have a love of the truth of God’s choosing of us, so that we might be saved, is vitally important (2Thes. 2:10 with 2:13). I would have some kind of secret love without the truth, which I presented as worked into us by God, so that its light could come out of us (Jn. 3:21), without which we are in condemnation (3:19). Remember all of this TRUTH is set forth in the love of God in Christ (JOHN 3:16). Paul informs us of this same TRUTH in Ephesians 2:8-10, wherein the key word is not faith, but grace, meaning;- God’s workmanship, which creates us in Christ. This is why Paul adds, it is the truth that reveals the grace of God (Col. 1:6). Jesus also telling us that it is the truth that makes us FREE (Jn. 8:32). I believe that we need to be made free from the bondage of the lie of the devil, who has children who are in their own will be done, after all he, Satan, is the father of his own will being accomplished (Jn. 8:44). Only those who can acknowledge THIS TRUTH have been given repentance, so that they can be recovered out of the devil’s will being done (over their lives) (2Tim. 2:26). This answer should also be read by the following people: JEFF, BRADK, EBRAIN, AND STEVE Blessings in His grace, Ztheberean |