IMAGINE
Do we really have "free will"? Did we really make that very important decision to "accept Christ" ourselves? Here's a verse to ponder:
"You did not choose me; but it is I who chose you" John 15:16
IMAGINE
Imagine for a moment that eternal torment might be wrong. Imagine it to be the sorry result of one or two key scriptural words mistranslated. Imagine, if you can, that Jesus Christ really did remove sin, just as John the Baptist said He would (John 1:29). Imagine, too, that He will destroy the works of the devil, which scripture says He came to do (I John 3:8). Imagine if you can, that He who wills ALL to be saved (I Timothy 2:4), is able to accomplish what He wills (Ephesians 1:11). Imagine that the same ALL dying in Adam will one day be vivified in Christ (I Cor 15:22). In other words, imagine that the second Adam will do greater good than the first did harm. (Rom 5:18-19); this should not be hard to conceive. Imagine that He is the Savior of ALL mankind (I Timothy 4:10), who will abolish all death, including the second (I Cor 15:26). And can you envision a universe finally freed from sin, all creatures of all time ultimately reconciled to Him (Col 1:16-20)? **
**quoted from "The Really Bad THing About Free Will", by Martin Zender
posted by Don @ 9:13 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
A couple of years ago, as I was struggling to break free from all of my tradition, I felt that God was coaxing me to not be afraid to imagine the absolute best about Him and His relationship to the world He created.
Isn't it something when we find that we have believed illusion so much that we have to use our imaginations to find reality.
Steve-
You are so right. I have found personally, and by the comments on various blogs, that free will seems to be one of the biggest stumbling blocks in a person's attempt to break free of bondage. I suppose free will and the idea of ET. For me, it was a website asking me to think of the best case scenario. Very similar to your experience. Amazing how the Spirit works, huh...Boy, glad He kept speaking Truth.
I believe God pre-destined us to be Sons and Daughters of God.
I have learned- after many years of hard and exhausting work, that I CANNOT do anything truly good and selfless. Any good that comes from me is from God.
I cannot choose to do right, it is God in me that chooses. I have given my life to Him and He has my permission to live and move in me. So now, it's not about me whipping myself into shape. It's about me stepping aside and letting Jesus carry me.
This is where the rest comes in...
Wow- Stevew, you have proposed a very deep question and yes, I think it is amazing how we have to re-educate ourselves- not in how to find God, but in how to be found by Him.
Great post! It is funny how we must break free of the traditions of men to actually believe God is truely loving and forgiving. By the way, I finally linked to your blog. Sorry it took so long, sometimes I just forget to do things.
Great post! I hope this doesn't show twice, but I tried to comment earlier and it never posted. Also, I wanted to let you know I linked to your blog finally. Sorry it took so long. Sometimes I just forget!
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