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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: We know that Paul was educated for his day and we know that education is valuable. As a matter of fact I am convinced that the more a person reads such things as the classics in literature and grows in other knowledge such as logic, math, etc, they are going to find the reading of the Bible yield more understanding because they are going to use logic and expect the Bible to read in context and other such common sense techniques such as searching where else the subject is discussed in the Bible. Yes I know the theolgical words for these concepts but why use them when only those that are Theological students would understand them. And if you have to define the word to your audience everytime you use it, what is the point of creating a word to encapsulate a bigger thought when you are constantly explaining both the bigger thought and the word. ;) I am not saying a saint is sinning in going to a Theological University, but have you noticed that we have no biblical example of it in the New testament? I do not belive a minister should be ignorant of the Word or theology, but have you noticed that men like Timothy and others in the scripture seemed to be passionate students of the scriptures, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and taught by others in the church that were knowledgeable in the word but the emphasis is always on the student praying, having faith, studying the scriptures with faith in the anointing within him. The Holy Spirit. The reason the church as a whole in America is weak in preaching in the pulpit is that the ministers do not pray and study the Bible as they should after graduation. I would dare say most ministers across denominational lines hold degrees and can argue their side of Calvin or Armenian and yet their preaching is aneamic. They tell us jokes to warm up the crowd and deliver sermons with three points and a conclusion that rhymes and most of the time they have spent more time delivering the 30 minute sermon than they did praying for it. They go on like this year after year and have no clue the reason their congregations are drying up is that the flock is hungry for a fresh WORD from God, a challenge from the word of a "prophet" to call them to dedication to God. They are hungry for truths expounded upon in the Bible that will bring them more into the image of Christ and they are not afraid to be rebuked, they want it, they ask for it. Church History has value, and so does reading Calvin (howbeit I cannot imagine getting through all his volumes in my lifetime :) ) However the heart of the saint must be that they have total faith in the Anointing and that God can and will lead them into all truth. I know that a man is going to be affected by other teachings he has heard, but you can still make a conscience effort when you approach scripture to say "God I want to see things clearly, if I am having a wrong understanding becuase I have heard things said a certain way and it is not in the bible let me see that and agree with your word instead." Can it be that a person reading the Bible today with that heart might see something that is not taught in Bible School? Absolutely. Do not think that all mysteries have been made plain. The word has many truths to yield to you if you have faith. Not contradictions to other parts of the Bible but confirmations and more light. And the flock is hungry for this. About the last thing the flock wants or needs is to hear Calvinism. :) |