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NASB | Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 13:8 All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain [as a willing sacrifice]. |
Bible Question:
Tim, In your response, you mentioned that you can not choose where to be born. How true! Not only did we not play a role in where we would be born, but we didn't play a role in our birth. The same principle that applies to our physical birth also applies to our spiritual birth. It was not our choice, but God choose us to be born of the Spirit! Just as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus declared to him "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (born from above) Nicodemus took Jesus literally and asked, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. God determined that we would be born spiritually, it was no more our choice that it was our choice to be physically born. That is why Jesus said to his disciples in John 15:16. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Then in John 1:12-13 it says "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. Note: Not a human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. Then in speaking of the Sovereignty of God in choosing who he will, it says in Rom 9:16 "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." It wasn't your desire or effort to seek God. But it was God who by His Spirit caused you to be born from above and he caused your Spirit to awake from the dead and He opened your eyes to the truth. Then we beheld Christ and His wonderful work upon the Cross and we believe the good news of what he did for us. While we thought it was our faith we mustered up, all the while it was God that was working in us to draw us to Himself. Because we were enabled by God to come to Christ. We were the love gift that was given to Christ before the foundation of the World. Once we were awaken by God spiritually we then fixed our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him (that is us - His bride) endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. I don't mean to ramble on, but I couldn't help in when you mentioned we don't choose our place of birth... That comment triggered all this... Take care and may God continue to bless you richly! In Christ...Doug |
Bible Answer: Excellent Post Doug, However you sent it to Me (John Reformed) instead of Tim. God Bless, John |