THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
Reading the book of Revelation should convince anyone of the sovereignty of God without needing to believe that He predestines some to heaven and others to eternal damnation with no choice of their own.
His sovereignty is also proven in that He has pre-determined the present and eternal results of man’s moral and spiritual choices. We can no more avoid their consequences than we can ignore His physical laws and jump off a high building without injury. God’s word is final, but – – !
THE SIN ISSUE
Satan told Adam and Eve that they could be like God and become gods unto themselves. That they could decide about good and evil instead of obeying God. They believed him but he lied.
That lie is at the core of the sinful human nature and we wrestle with it every day. We must confess its ongoing influence upon us, repenting of our love for self-rule and determining to humbly love and obey Father God Who alone defines good and evil.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Everything that our souls long for awaits us in the Kingdom of God. Abundant life is for all who make Him their king and invite Him to rule over them, but it’s a choice.
My sense is that few understand how much our obedience to God affects the flow of Abundant Life to us, and through us to others. There are no options for that, although many try good works, belief systems, various disciplines, and “religion” in various forms.
God will determine the destiny of those who declare Jesus their Savior while apparently refusing His Lordship, but Jesus was very direct about that and it’s a risky place to be.
Do you agree that we take God’s laws of life lightly sometimes even though He has set them with finality and ultimate authority? Don’t we often use our freedom of choice to do what we want, disregarding clear instructions from Jesus and the Apostles?
We’ll look at examples of that next time, and then in #4 we’ll consider the impact of the belief system that some choose in place of free-will.
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, OH USA
April 29, 2021
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