I used to think that I had to choose Christ (Gospel, Jehovah)

[ahigherway]

-Then God told me: "You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you!"

I was like:




Blessings to all: sinner, saint and whoever else reads this!
brian

[pcamps]

I think we all do Brian when we first believe.We believe we sought,found and chose to believe in him We only have to look back once our eyes are opened to see none of this is true.God is a God of appointment,He always turns up on time.He knows where we reside, he knows where we are, we might be mending our fishing nets,at the tax booth counting one for the tax man one for me, we might be sitting under a tree thinking nothing good can come out of Nazareth. He shows up at our door or wherever we are,uninvited to keep His chosen appointed time.


And when Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.Luke 19:5

[Elijah to come]

He chooses us and calls us, but we still must have some choice once He calls to want Him when He calls us, I am sure He does choose us as you say, we must though as He asks to repent and believe the gospel, I think that means we have to choose to do it, we cleary have choices in life and we do have us that is us and Him that is Him and truly at salvation they merge and work more fully together, but Christians clearly have choices their own they are responsible for, I really don't think God does everything for us, even though He does the biggest things like dying for us and giving us His Bible to read and know and obey by choice

[Elijah to come]

apostles called, they chose to follow

the rich young ruler was called, he chose not to

Paul was called, he followed

Judas, friend Jesus said, was called, he didn't chose to follow

I wonder this it is all God stuff is really something, David killed Goliath, with God's help, but was it all God and none David, did God get praise yes for David obeyed and had courage God gave him he used, Did David sin yep he chose it, both good and bad choices, I wonder

are we going to end up that the bad is all ours and all the good we do isn't us but God, we didn't obey with ourselves or us, when people say that you know it is good to be David and they bowed to him and loved him because he chose to be good and obey God and have courage and risk his life and chose to love God, and people loved David and Moses because loved God and they knew God was in them, their is a reason it doesn't say God killed Goliath and David did, because David by choice was a man after Gods own heart, and God loved David because it was him that loved God, not God doing it all like we are robots

people are playing a dangerous game with "we are Christians" and taking works and holiness, and doctrine an obeying and justice and hate of wickedness, and fear away from God, just grace love, confess it is all done, don't worry you can't go wrong God does it all

This is an interesting way to preach the gospel, listen to God evangelize wow

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[d]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

How to be saved is the question to God, keep the commandments is the answer, then he has to do something, repent was his problem of the 10th commandment and 1st coveteousness, just one thing was his problem, money, he had to forsake and come follow Jesus, he had to make a choice, he was called, but he didn't chose to follow and listen to the problem, but it is possible with God, but still not many rich go to heaven, so it isn't God's fault we got choices and keeping His commandments is part of it even though it doesn't pay for the sins, it is repentance and obedience, what have to do and have a relationship with Him, it is not all Him, nor all us, it is both, some things are all Him the cross, some things are all us our sin, but we can chose good and it is ours, God does not say to David I killed that you didn't do it, oh David God says you had nothing to do with it, it was all me, nope, people say wow that was incredible David, you say to your Child you do good around the house today with your duties, truth rules

and if you say we are not good, only God in a certian way, He was telling the ruler He was God, a play on words, David was righteous, David was good and it says so, Christians we are good for we are saints, a good man who has a good heart does good things the bible says, Christians are hearts are the only ones that are good we are new creations, good hearts from God

Oh the thinking and lies, I got you satan, going to take you out, I know the lies you are putting in their head, way a head of you, not ignorant of your devices.

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

[ahigherway]

The disciples, when called, responded "automatically." They were drawn by God. When Jesus said "follow me," they didn't say "who are you?" or "why should I?" or "I'm busy right now" or "where are we going?"

Ever noticed that?

Paul, too, was drawn by God supernaturally. He was called from his mother's womb, with a purpose by God to do what he did. He didn't need to "make a choice," because God already made his choice for him. That seems pretty clear to me, anyway..

Judas also had no choice. When satan entered him, it was by divine decree, and he did what he was called to do.

We are not free. We are actually very limited in our choices. Even deciding which road to take to work is usually done on automatic, because we are creatures of habit. Once the habit is created, it is difficult or impossible to break without God's Intervention. The rich man was also stuck in habits, and could only leave his riches if God intervened (which He didn't in that case). "What is impossible with men, is possible with God."

We are creatures of habit, and we cannot break out without God's Hand to break us out. And God is not breaking most people out right now.

But it only takes God to say it, in an Instant, a twinkling of an eye, and He sets us free!


Blessings,
brian

[AlabamaStorm]

Originally Posted by Elijah to come

He chooses us and calls us, but we still must have some choice once He calls to want Him when He calls us, I am sure He does choose us as you say, we must though as He asks to repent and believe the gospel, I think that means we have to choose to do it, we cleary have choices in life and we do have us that is us and Him that is Him and truly at salvation they merge and work more fully together, but Christians clearly have choices their own they are responsible for, I really don't think God does everything for us, even though He does the biggest things like dying for us and giving us His Bible to read and know and obey by choice

How exactly does a spiritually "dead" person make a spiritual choice? The only thing that is alive within the sinner is his "flesh". Are you saying that the "flesh" makes a spiritual choice for Christ?

[AlabamaStorm]

Originally Posted by Elijah to come

This is an interesting way to preach the gospel, listen to God evangelize wow

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[d]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Actually, Jesus did not preach the Gospel (the covenant of Grace) to the rich young ruler. Jesus appealed to him under the covenant of works, of which the young ruler testified he was under ("what must I do"...), not the covenant of grace: "Lord, have mercy".

Here is Christ proclaiming grace to those under the covenant of grace:

Luk 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Luk 17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Luk 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Do you see the difference between those who approach Christ with "Teacher, what must I do" under the covenant of works vs. "Jesus, Lord have mercy", through the covenant of grace, and the response they receive?

Also, look at the rich young ruler, he refers to Christ as simply a teacher. Now, consider the lepers under grace, they knew Jesus as Jehovah God, their Master, Lord of heaven and earth.