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NASB | Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 1:4 just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love |
Subject: Predestination |
Bible Note: There has probably been more posted in chat rooms and theological forums on this subject than almost any other. First I suggest you read through the Bible and mark any passage of verse that would shed light on the concept of being predestined to either wrath or salvation. When you collect all the verses and not Just Rom 9 (which was quoting many OT passages so you really should study the OT passaged along with Rom 9) then you form your opinion based on all of these verse. Both sides, will passionately argue their side of the debate. One reason this is such a popular topic? Theological Universities. One of the main problems with Theological Universities is that they are often guilty of spending enormous amounts of time, effort, and energy teaching students about the Great debates in church history, (Calvin, Luther, Arminan (not sure about that spelling) and so the student comes out of the school one one side of the debate or the other and having formulated his reasons. Then he goes about trying to convert christians that are already living for the Lord in faith. If on the other had the student forgets about the Great debates he has been studying and arguing all semester and just reads his Bible with the view of knowing God he will find he has a passion for the Lost and he will find himself preaching to the lost about the love of Christ and he will notice that the Spirit of God and the pure Gospel message at least "assumes" the listner is destined to be one of the elect. Or in other words the student will release it is not his job to determine who is the elect and who isn't so he will go about preaching as though all can be. Thus even the one of the view that man has no free will as it relates to salvation will preach like the lost people he is talking to do have free will, so then.. what difference does it make. If you preach the gospel to the lost as though all can be saved, and the person on the free will side of the isle preaches that way too, then forget about the debate and win the lost! Then there is the issue of the student that does not preach the gospel but instead spends all his time debating with the saved. This person has a messed up heart that needs fixing by God whether he thinks he is predestined or no. Another thing is to use the Desert Island and Faith approach to Bible Study. That is.. read the bible as though you really believe God is in you and that you are born again (this is of course to the christian) and read the bible as if you were on a desert Island with just the Holy Spirit to guide you and read it throughly. If you come away without any human influence in a view of "some are going to be saved whether they like it or not" (exageration mine :) or if you come away with a view that God created some people (or most people) to populate eternal flames and they can do nothing to avoid their destiny. Then you have to live with that view. However I trust you will see it differently. |