Christ refers to Jesus of Nazareth, a central figure in Christianity, recognized as the Son of God and the Messiah. Believers see Him as the savior who provides salvation through His death and resurrection. Key elements associated with Christ include His teachings, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection, and the concept of grace. In Christianity, Christ embodies love, redemption, and hope, making Him a pivotal figure in faith and spirituality. Understanding Christ is essential for exploring Christian beliefs, worship practices, and theological discussions.
The faith we have doesn’t belong to us & we we do not gain grace through Faith by our own free will.
Jesus is the Founder and Perfector of our Faith, He’s not just the Perfector but THE *FOUNDER)…
What does that mean?
*FOUNDER Biblically Defined is as follows: n. One that FOUNDS ESTABLISHES and erects… n. One who BEGINS; an author; one from whom anything originates.
Therefore, Jesus founds, establishes, builds, initiates, and originates our Faith. (He has complete control of our level of Faith)
This Truth of His sovereignty is evident; we don’t establish ourselves, we can’t establish ourselves, AND we are unworthy of establishing ourselves. We don’t manage the Faith we have in the Truth of God, He does.
Jesus alone by the Will of The Father Wills our Faith, He decides who will be established in Him, according to His preordained Books.
Hebrews 12:2 “…. Looking to Jesus, THE FOUNDER AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The following verse also clearly asserts that God PREPARED US BEFOREHAND TO HAVE FAITH, and HE WILLED US to be HIS WORKMANSHIP. (Not free will)
Eph.2:8-10 “For by Grace, you have been saved through FAITH. And this is NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one may boast. For WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, that we should walk in them.”
*What is the Biblical definition of WORKMANSHIP?
n. Manufacture; meticulously design, is created with thought & skill, particularly by manual labor. n. That which is EFFECTED (The power to produce an outcome, full forced execution; operativeness), made or produced
We are His Workmanship; he executes, operates, designs, and produces His people’s Faith by the Power of His Grace. We don’t execute, produce, etc. our own Faith.
The Grace we receive ISN’T because of anything we do (no matter how great), say (no matter how righteous), or think. We receive His Grace through His Sovereign Faith (not our free will faith); We can only be saved by the perfect Faith of Jesus Christ that can only save us by His Grace.
We have righteousness through Faith.
Whose Faith?
Jesus’ Faith.
ALL have sinned and fall short, but we are justified by Faith through HIS GRACE AS A GIFT… FREE GIFT. Faith isn’t our own doing; I can’t have more faith by the power of belief, mind, or intention; it is a GIFT, and I can’t do it.
What is a GIFT?
A present; anything given, the property (which is faith) VOLUNTARILY TRANSFERRED by one person (Jesus Christ) to another (you and i) WITHOUT COMPENSATION; A DONATION.
FAITH IS A GIFT.
Therefore, we don’t work for it or work at it; there’s only ONE, Christ Jesus, and He alone chooses who receives Faith, He alone Saves, He alone follows the Will of His Father.
No human can manipulate, control, command, demand, or alter what has been established before the earth’s foundation. No human can interfere with the Book of Life; only God can change The Book of Remberence.
… the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE AS A GIFT, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Romans 3:22-24
If the slain Lamb (Jesus Christ) is the only one worthy to open the Scrolls in the last days, How can a person think that a human can determine their fate through free will?
If you believe or have been taught that you’ve earned Grace through works, sewing a seed to a Church of Wolves, or that Grace is received through your ACTS OF GOOD DEEDS, and your Faith is contingent on your works. Whatever your works may be they are FUTILE in and of themselves (whether expecting an increase after paying tithes, or believing that the desires of your heart will always be granted by God), if you believe God needs you to help Him attain His Will, If you blame believers lack of faith on their physical health decline, if you judge appearances, but condone slander and gossip, if you believe attending Church is enough to go to heaven, if you trust your pastor to interpret the Bible for you, if you hate admitting to your sin nature because you believe God doesn’t need repentance. If you lie to people, yet at the same time demand others are honest with you.
Or to say your Faith is futile and is without Grace, according to the scriptures.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:19-24
To understand we must read the texts proceeding and following the central passage being investigated.
We lay our treasures success, & glory in Heaven with Heavenly, imperishable things, where our treasures are invincible indestructible, & imperishable.
Jesus says His words are Spiritual, we don’t see merely physical existence, we realize & act as if the biological, physical & material are nothing more than a shadow illustrating the Truth and Reality of the Spiritual & Eternal infinite…
The Spiritual Heavenly realm is where we abide in Spirit continually, awaiting our flesh to eventually succumb to nature, freeing us from it’s sinful members & elements.
What we treasure; hold dear, protect & feel sentimental towards is where our heart is.
Our Heart is revealed by our desires & our passions.
✝Matthew 6:19 “….Do not lay up for yourselves treasures (grk: Thēsaurós; Treasured thoughts in mind or heart) on earth, where moth and rust destroy (symbolizing the decay of the temporal physical realm) & where thieves don’t break in and steal (symbolizing the fallen nature, fallibility and sin of man’s heart) …”
“…but lay up for yourselves TREASURES (grk: Thésauros: precious thoughts in mind & heart) in HEAVEN (eternity, Gods realm; parallel dimension outside of the physical laws of time, space, dimension…, unseen with the physical eye, nor understood with the human mind, because the physical is merely a shadow or form of the Spiritual Substance), where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Heaven is perfect, whole, complete & incorruptible…. “
So…..
-“The eye (grk; optanomai: vision, sight/ minds eye) is the LAMP (grk; illuminator) of the BODY (grk: ‘soma’; physical or mystical body, flesh or Body of Christ.)”-
Our Eye is a lamp that illuminates the body.
Our physical body is declared a temple of the Holy Spirit & we are the seperated members of the Spiritual body/ Bride of Christ.
With Eyes that see we illuminate the unadulterated Truth of our Spiritual bodies; through the physical .
Light doesn’t sugarcoat shit.
A lamp’s purpose is to give light in the darkness, our eye is meant to SEE through the Dark; lamps are useless in the LIGHT.
So our EYE gives Light (illumination) through the darkness, our Eye illuminates all it looks at, or through.
A lamp is only needed where there is darkness, a lamp is worthless in the Light.
“…if your Eye is HEALTHY (grk: ‘haplous’; simple, sound, perfect, whole) your whole (entire) body will be FULL OF LIGHT (grk; phóteinos: bright; describing revelation/revealing Nature of light), …”
Jesus said those with EYES can SEE, What kind of EYES? Spiritual Eyes… Holy Eyes, singular Eyes…
(Jesus tells us that His Words are Spirit & the flesh is of no profit at all), Spiritual EYES shine light (revealing Truth& illuminating the secret places that are hidden) in the darkness, revealing the Absolute Truth.
These EYES SEE what the blind cannot because the blind cannot even see that they are in the darkness, and their eye is unhealthy (incomplete, perplexed, plural), they are not Lamps, therefore they can’t SEE, they only assume, it’s all they can do.
“….but if your eye is bad (grk; ponéros: evil or grievous; diseased: neglectful/abandoned, careless), your whole body (entire being/ Mystical Body, Body of Christ) will be full of darkness (grk: skoteinos; dark: moral, intellectual darkness, unenlightened, ignorant) ….”
If our Eye (Vision, Minds Eye) is Evil and careless our mystical body and part in the Body of Christ will be intellectually and morally blacked out, blinded.
“….If then the light (grk:phós; source of light, radiance) in you is darkness (grk: skotos; the power of darkness- Soul loses all perceptive power), how great is the darkness (Obscurity: becoming unknown, forgotten, drown out by the density of darkness; insignificant & eternally lost in the Sightless plight”
Those with EYES can SEE because the EYES that Jesus speaks of are Spiritual eyes, the physical cannot comprehend this. The EYE provides LIGHT for the body (the whole mystical body, wisdom, Truth)… Who is the Light? None other than Jesus Christ is the Light. Jesus alone gives us sight, He alone opens the eyes of the blind.
Then directly after this passage, Jesus says:
“…. No one can serve two masters (grk: kurios; owner: a person of Authority in which the servant follows & serves the Masters interest- consciously or subconsciously we ALL follow one of 2 masters (God YHWH OR Satan, temporary god of the earth), for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
To follow Christ we MUST die to ourselves, crucify the desires of the flesh with Him, take up our Cross and follow Him, if we follow the desires of the flesh, seek after the interests of our own pleasure and feel no war between the Sin nature and the Spirit warring in our members (our bodies) then we are not God’s. God chastises those who He loves, if we aren’t chastised by God we aren’t children of God.
“…..You cannot serve God (grk: theos: Creator) and money (grk: mamónas: riches, possessions, property)….”
The love of riches, possession and physical Property is the Root, Source and Core of ALL evil.
The Eye is Spiritual, we have the Holy Spirit, and we are His Temple to dwell in, He gives us not only Grace, Faith, Salvation, Hope, and Joy BUT He gives us Light, Vision, Truth, & many Fruits; He also gives us the conviction to keep the temple tidy for Him.
Jesus is The Way, Truth & Life. Jesus is also the Light of The World, He died to set us free from the reward of the flesh, in so doing He showed us that the physical realm is nothing more than a metaphor or shadow outlining the True Spiritual Reality. The veil was torn.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
John 3:19-21
The Light lives in us whom God chooses to put His Light in & Vision is directly from God.
God’s Sovereignty is unlimited, because He Himself is limitless.
He foreknew & Predestined ALL THINGS for His Purposes & His Glory so that all things, good and bad would be subject to His Power & Authority.
All things, in Heaven and on earth are donated (provided, given to us) so we could utilize these gifts by the Will of God.
To assume that the physical is independent of the Spiritual & to believe some things are not actually in God’s Will, striping Him of His Majesty and Power.
God has complete sovereignty over His entire creation & He has already purposed every future action & deed to accomplish his end goal. He puts all things in order, He is Order, & He purposes disorder (chaos) to accomplish His plan.
Those He foreknew He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. Those He predestined He also called, those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.
Romans 8:29-30
God’s sovereignty is clearly defined in Colossians 1. It says:
“Jesus is the image of the invisible God, firstborn of creation. By him ALL THINGS were created, in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— ALL things were created THROUGH HIM and FOR HIM. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
Colossians 1:15-17
Absolutely NOTHING is outside of His complete control, even our very faith He appoints.
“For by the Grace given to me I say to everyone do not think himself more highly than he ought to think, think with sober judgment, EACH ONE ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF FAITH THAT GOD HAS ASSIGNED.”
Romans 12:3
God is so precisely sovereign that He assigns what measure of Faith His people will have.
By Grace, He assigns us WITH His Faith according to His Sovereign Will. We don’t receive Grace because of our own Faith, we receive Faith because of HIS Grace. All things begin & end with Him…
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, who is the FOUNDER and PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2
“ALL that the Father gives Me WILL COME TO ME & whoever comes to Me I will NEVER cast out.
Jesus
Can a human’s will override the Will of the Almighty God? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
We receive God’s Mercy on account of our disobedience,
without our disobediance we wouldn’t receive His Mercy, & He wouldn’t be so highly glorified in giving us Mercy… God literally consigns (charges) us to disobedience so that He can have Mercy on us.
Scripture proves this when Paul says: “Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy BECAUSE OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE, SO THEY NOW HAVE BEEN DISOBEDIENT so that by THE Mercy SHOWN TO YOU THEY ALSO MAY NOW RECEIVE Mercy. For GOD HAS CONSIGNED ALL TO DISOBEDIENCE, so that He may have Mercy on all…..
Oh, the depth of the riches & wisdom & knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments & how MYSTERIOUS are His ways. -Romans 11:30-33
“… formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, & insolent opponent. But I RECEIVED MERCY because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief & the Grace of our Lord overflowed for me with THE FAITH & LOVE THAT ARE IN Christ Jesus. “ -1 Timothy 1:13–14
“Faith is the ASSURANCE of things Hoped for, the conviction (evidence) of things NOT SEEN.” -Hebrews 11:1
How do we have assurance? How do we have conviction/evidence of Faith? Only through the Spirit of God who Works in the unseen realm! Jesus is our Faith. That’s why the apostles asked the Lord to directly: “Increase our faith!” (God gives Faith) -Luke 17:5.
Jesus is the Founder & Perfector of FAITH.
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. NOT that we are SUFFICIENT IN OURSELVES TO CLAIM ANYTHING as COMING FROM US, but our SUFFICIENCY IS FROM God…” -2 Corinthians 3:4-5
HE FORMS LIGHT AND DARK
Isaiah 45:7; God says that He is: “The One who forms light and also creating darkness, causing well-being and also creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” He doesn’t just say that He merely allows darkness & calamity, He says He creates it Himself.
I Chronicle 29:11 tells us that God is sovereign over everything that is in the heavens and the earth, and that He exalts Himself as head over ALL, with might in His hand to make great and to strengthen everyone that He pleases to strengthen. “
God even sinlessly uses sin for the praise of His own glory. Paul makes a Truth statement: “From Him & through Him & to Him are ALL things,”.. Therefore God willed sin to completely demonstrate the perfection of ALL His attributes, in order that: “to Him [would] be Glory forever” -Romans 11:36.
Isaiah 45:7 says God says He is: “The One forming light and also creating darkness, causing well-being and also creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” He doesn’t just say that He merely allows darkness & calamity, He says He creates it Himself.
Isaiah 31:2 teaches that God is wise and brings forth disaster, and does not ever retract his words.” As His words create All things.
Isaiah 47:11 says that “God Himself brings about evil and disaster upon the unrepentant, & Amos 3:6 declares that when calamity occurs in a city, the Lord is the one to have done it.
Psalm 33:10,11 tell us that “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.” Proving that people have belief in their own freewill but the people’s will are immediately nullified at the only One with a true free will, which is the sovereign God.
We receive God’s Mercy on account of our disobedience, without our disobedience we wouldn’t receive His Mercy, & He wouldn’t be so highly glorified in giving us Mercy… God literally consigns (charges) us to disobedience so that He can have Mercy on us. Scripture proves this when Paul says:
“Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy BECAUSE OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE, SO THEY NOW HAVE BEEN DISOBEDIENT IN ORDER THAT by THE Mercy SHOWN TO YOU THEY ALSO MAY NOW RECEIVE Mercy. ¡For GOD HAS CONSIGNED ALL TO DISOBEDIENCE¡, so that He may have Mercy on all….. Oh, the depth of the riches & wisdom & knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments & how MYSTERIOUS are His ways!~~~ -Romans 11:30-33
He ordained beforehand the actions of men. He sovereignly planned every outcome, paved every step, and calculated every second of everything whether physical or spiritual.
He gave authority to Pilate to judge the Son (John 19:11); he raises up adversaries against his chosen ones (Exodus 4:21; I Kings 11:14-23) and ordained the actions of evil men by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God that they would nail Christ to the cross (Acts 2:23). Yet in all this God is not the author of sin, but rather he has ordained evil through secondary causes so that his divine purposes may prevail and glorify his name (Genesis 50:20).
The sovereignty of God completely encompasses the righteousness that men do, as well as the evil.
He does this in a way that we cannot fully understand because when we think of being a sovereign individual, we don’t have any personal experience of being actually sovereign and being able to do whatever we want, whenever we want to whoever wants… Sovereignty has no limits. Sovereign humans are limited in Sovereignty because we are but an image of God.
God has ordained that evil is for the glory of his Name, & He has full dominion over the elements of evil men as well. No matter the evil, no matter how Heinous, God has a purpose and a reason for it. This does not alleviate wicked people from their moral responsibility, but rather further condemns them, as they are willing actors in their evil plans, & since God is no respecter of persons, this makes even more sense.
Sin is evil, abominable, corrupt & detestable, & in direct opposition to God. Nevertheless, the very creation of sin is good, not the sin itself but the tool it became ti be used for the Glory of God. God would not have willed it into being if it didn’t serve Him. I’ll prove that Scripture affirms both God’s Will for sin & man’s responsibility for sin.
†SCRIPTURE: When Peter preached a sermon on Pentecost, he convicted the people of Jerusalem of their sin against Jesus their Savior..
Peter: “This Jesus . . . you crucified & killed by the hands of lawless men” -Acts 2:23
Killing Jesus was a sin, the sin was committed by Pilate, Roman soldiers, priests, & religious leaders who cried for Jesus’s crucifixion. Then mocked God’s Son in His torment.
Peter, after calling our the wickedness of their sin, he validates the FULL SOVEREIGNTY of God over ALL these wicked & sinful events;
He says: “… Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested to you by God with mighty works & wonders & signs that God did through Him in your midst… —★ JESUS, DELIVERED UP ACCORDING TO THE PREDETERMINED PLAN & FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD, you crucified & killed by the hands of lawless men.” -Acts 2:22-23
God not only knew that His Son would be tortured, mocked, & slain, but it was according to His PREDETERMINED & ETERNAL PLAN for God, in ORDER that these events took place. ” …putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” -Acts 2:24
It’s such an marvelous & heartening attribute to grasp. . God chose to save His people because they were sinners, saved through the blood of His Son…. As a display of SOVEREIGN MERCY. So that we would be converted from sin & washed by His Will through His Atoning blood & in being washed, God is GLORIFIED in His Son. God is even Glorified now in the Power that His Grace provides.. He is a Glory for enabling us not to sin & I’m turn He’s glorified even more.
The paradox of sin’s origin enables us, who are in Christ, to be able to perceive & discern with Divine transparency God’s amazing Love & Mercy in His Son… “to the praise of His glorious Grace” (Eph 1:6).
A voice from heaven declared to Nebuchadnezzar: “… sovereignty has been REMOVED from you, & you will be driven away from mankind, & your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, & SEVEN PERIODS OF TIME WILL PASS OVER YOU ***UNTIL YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THE MOST HIGH IS RULER OVER THERE REALM OF MANKIND BESTOWED IT ON *WHOMEVER He WISHES. ‘*** Immediately, The Word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was FULFILLED; (Gods Will completely anniahlated his will.) & he was driven away from mankind & began eating grass like cattle, & his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. Daniel 4:31-33
How did He get out of Gods punishment? Was it his choice, is there any implication of choice here? Nope.
“But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven (He looked (Saw) to Heaven) & my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High & praised & honored Him who lives forever; For His DOMINION is an EVERLASTING DOMINION, & His kingdom endures from generation to generation. ALL the INHABITANTS of the earth are ACCOUNTED AS NOTHING… But He DOES ACCORDING TO HIS WILL IN THE HOST OF HEAVEN & AMONG THE INHABITANTS OF EARTH; & NO ONE CAN WARD OFF His HAND.. Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” Daniel 4:34-37
To the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.. IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION through His blood… the forgiveness of our trespasses, ACCORDING to the riches of His Grace, which he lavished upon us… in ALL WISDOM & INSIGHT… Making KNOWN TO US THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL… according to His Purpose, which He SET FORTH in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time… to unite all things in Him, things in heaven & things on earth. Ephesians 1:6-10
We are saved by Jesus from being eternal slaves to sin, which is a part of the penalty of that sin… being a slave to it.
Prior to the instant of salvation, we are bound to, & love our own sin, we don’t feel the sting that we inescapably experience after Salvation.
If we feel no sting after engaging in sin, it’s improbable that we are truly saved, because the Holy Spirit is the One that transmits that sting through us, in whom He inhabits.
We can’t cease sinning entirely so long as we are physically alive in this perishing flesh.
as Paul said, “if we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us & we make God a liar.”
We are guaranteed our Eternal Inheritance with Him if we are truly His.
“& you were dead in trespasses & sins… following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom WE ALL once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body & the mind, & were BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by Grace you have been saved— & raised us up with Him & seated us with Him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”
Ephesians 2:1-6
We are also saved by God from the wrath of God & eternal death & damnation.
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”
We are saved by Jesus from being eternal slaves to sin, which is a part of the penalty of that sin… being a slave to it.
Prior to the instant of salvation, we are bound to, & love our own sin, we don’t feel the sting that we inescapably experience after Salvation.
If we feel no sting after engaging in sin, it’s improbable that we are truly saved, because the Holy Spirit is the One that transmits that sting through us, in whom He inhabits.
We can’t cease sinning entirely so long as we are physically alive in this perishing flesh.
as Paul said, “if we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us & we make God a liar.”
We are guaranteed our Eternal Inheritance with Him if we are truly His.
“& you were dead in trespasses & sins… following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom WE ALL once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body & the mind, & were BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by Grace you have been saved— & raised us up with Him & seated us with Him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”
Ephesians 2:1-6
We are also saved by God from the wrath of God & eternal death & damnation.
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”
We are saved by Jesus from being eternal slaves to sin, which is a part of the penalty of that sin… being a slave to it.
Prior to the instant of salvation, we are bound to, & love our own sin, we don’t feel the sting that we inescapably experience after Salvation.
If we feel no sting after engaging in sin, it’s improbable that we are truly saved, because the Holy Spirit is the One that transmits that sting through us, in whom He inhabits.
We can’t cease sinning entirely so long as we are physically alive in this perishing flesh.
as Paul said, “if we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us & we make God a liar.”
We are guaranteed our Eternal Inheritance with Him if we are truly His.
“& you were dead in trespasses & sins… following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom WE ALL once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body & the mind, & were BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by Grace you have been saved— & raised us up with Him & seated us with Him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”
Ephesians 2:1-6
We are also saved by God from the wrath of God & eternal death & damnation.
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”
(some paraphrasing & modifications by Camille Russo for the hearer to more easily understand)
It is God who works in you, both to Will and to work for His good pleasure.
† Philippians 2:13
It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
† Romans 9:16
The Word plainly declares: “There is none that seeks after God” † Romans 3:11 Did not Christ say to the men of His day: “You will NOT come to Me, that you might have life” † John 5:40 ?
Yes, but some actually did “come” to Him. Who were they? John 1:12, 13 tells us: “But as many as received Him, to them He GAVE POWER TO BECOME the sons of God, to them that believe on His name: WHICH WERE BORN, not of blood, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, nor of THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD”
In and of himself the natural man has the power to reject Christ, but in and of himself man does not have the power to receive Christ. And why? Because man has a mind that is “enmity against” God… “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” † Romans 8:7 & Because man has a heart that hates God… “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.” † John 15:18
A man simply chooses what is according to man’s nature; therefore… before he will ever choose that which is Divine and Spiritual, a new nature must be GIVEN to him; in other words, man must be born again.
The Holy Spirit does something in each of God’s elect: He works in His elect; “For it is God who works in you TO WILL and TO ACT on behalf of His good purpose.” † Philippians 2:13
People will say: “NO! the Spirit’s work of conviction is the same both in the converted and the unconverted, the only difference is that the converted yielded to God’s effort whereas the unconverted resist them.” (Allowing God to transform them because of their own choices and ability to choose)
But, if this were the case then the Christian would have reason for boasting and self-glorying over their co-operation with the Spirit; BUT this would clearly contradict Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: it is the gift of God, so that NO MAN MAY BOAST.”
Let us appeal to the actual experience of the Christian reader:
Was there not a time (may the remembrance of it bow each of us into the dust) when you were unwilling to come to Christ? There was. But since then you have come to Him, Yes?
Are you now prepared to give Him ALL the glory for that?
“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.” † Psalms 115:1
Do you not acknowledge you came to Christ BECAUSE the Holy Spirit BROUGHT YOU FROM UNWILLINGNESS TO WILLINGNESS?
What is the human Will?
Is the human will a self-determining agent? Or is it determined by something else? Is the human will sovereign or a servant? Is the human will superior to every other faculty of a human’s being so that the will governs them? Or is it moved by their impulses and subject to their pleasure?
DOES THE WILL RULE THE MIND, OR DOES THE MIND RULE THE WILL?
Is the will free to do as it pleases, or is it under the necessity of rendering obedience to something outside of itself?
Does the will stand apart from the other great faculties or powers of the soul? Is the will a ‘man within a man’, who can reverse the man and fly against the man and split man into segments, as a glass snake breaks in pieces?
Or, is the will connected with the other faculties, as the tail of the serpent is with his body, and that again with his head, so that where the head goes, the whole creature goes, and, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he? First thought, then heart (desire or aversion), and then act.
Is it this way; the dog wags the tail? Or, is it the will (the tail) that wags the dog? (Silly)
Is the will the first and chief thing in man, or is it the last thing- to be kept subordinate, and in its place beneath the other faculties?
Is the true philosophy of moral action and its process that of Genesis 3:6: ‘And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food’ (sense-perception, intelligence), ‘and a tree to be desired’ (affections), ‘she took and ate thereof’ (the will).” (George S. Bishop).
These are questions of more than academic interest. They are of practical importance. We believe that we do not go too far when we affirm that the answer returned to these questions is a fundamental test of doctrinal soundness.
THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN WILL.
What is the Will?
We answer: The will is the faculty of choice, the immediate cause of all action. Choice necessarily implies the refusal of one thing and the acceptance of another.
The positive and the negative must both be present in the mind before there can be any choice.
In every act of the will, there is a preference: the desiring one thing rather than another. Where there is no preference, but complete indifference, there is no volition (choice, discretion).
To will is to choose (determine), and to choose is to decide between two or more alternatives (choices).
But there is (always) something that influences the choice; something that determines the decision.
Hence the human will cannot be Sovereign because it is the servant of that something that influences the choice.
The human will cannot be both Sovereign and servant. It cannot be both cause and effect.
The will is not causative, because, as we have said, something causes it to choose, therefore that something must be the causative agent.
Choice itself is affected by certain considerations, and is determined by various influences brought to bear upon the individual himself, hence, volition is the effect of these considerations and influences, and if the effect, it must be their servant; and if the will is their servant then it is not Sovereign, and if the will is not Sovereign, we certainly cannot predicate absolute “freedom” of it.
Acts of the will cannot come to pass of themselves – to say they can, is to postulate an uncaused effect.
Ex nihilo nihil fit-nothing cannot produce something.
In all ages, however, there have been those who contended for the absolute freedom or Sovereignty of the human will.
Men will argue that the will possesses a self-determining power. They say, for example, I can turn my eyes up or down, the mind is quite indifferent to which I do, and the will must decide. But this is a contradiction in terms. This case supposes that I choose one thing in preference for another while I am in a state of complete indifference. Manifestly, both cannot be true. But it may be replied, The mind was quite indifferent until it came to have a preference. Exactly; and at that time the will was quiescent too! But the moment indifference vanished, the choice was made, and the fact that indifference gave place to preference, overthrows the argument that the will is capable of choosing between two equal things.
As we have said, choice implies the acceptance of one alternative and the rejection of the other or others.
That which determines the will is that which causes the will to choose.
If the will is determined then there must be a determiner.
WHAT IS IT THAT DETERMINES THE WILL? We reply, The strongest motive power which is brought to bear upon it. What this motive power is varies in different cases. With one it may be the logic of reason, with another the voice of conscience, with another the impulse of the emotions, with another the whisper of the Tempter, with another the power of the Holy Spirit; whichever of these presents the strongest motive power and exerts the greatest influence upon the individual himself is that which impels the will to act. In other words, the action of the will is determined by that condition of mind (which in turn is influenced by the world, the flesh, and the Devil, as well as by God) which has the greatest degree of tendency to excite volition …
Among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
If you have faith in Christ, you were predestined by God before He even created creation itself. If not, God’s word isn’t true.
God’s will is Sovereign, our will is bound to sin, & isn’t free.
Got ordains ALL things, free will is the philosophy of Lucifer, although God ordains everything, it’s spirit can’t be God’s. God is a God of Order, not chaos. Lucifer hated being under YHWH’s sovereignty & desired to break away from God’s will & establish a will of his own, & establish a people of his own & many Christians follow in his steps, unknowingly, hence why Scripture says we are either a slave of sin or a slave of righteousness. A spiritual slave has no sovereign will of their own.
WHO HE FOREKNEW, HE ALSO PREDESTINED to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover WHOM HE PREDESTINED, THESE HE ALSO CALLED; WHOM HE CALLED, THESE HE ALSO JUSTIFIED; AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THESE HE ALSO GLORIFIED.
Romans 8:29
HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, HAVING PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION as sons BY JESUS CHRIST to Himself, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which HE MADE US ACCEPTED in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:4-6
IN HIM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, BEING ourselves *PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM who works all things according to the counsel of HIS WILL…
Ephesians 1:11-12
The words translated “PREDESTINED” in the Scriptures above are from the Greek word PROORIZO, which means; DETERMINING BEFOREHAND, ordaining, & deciding ahead of time.
….when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (FOR THE CHILDREN NOT YET BEING BORN, NOR HAVING DONE ANY GOOD OR EVIL, THAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD ACCORDING TO *ELECTION MIGHT STAND, NOT OF WORKS BUT OF HIM WHO *CALLS), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I HAVE HATED.”
Romans 9:10-13
…..Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the *ELECT, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory….. 2 Timothy 2:10
Even so then, at this present time THERE IS A REMNANT ACCORDING TO THE *ELECTION OF GRACE. And if by grace, then IT IS NO LONGER OF WORKS; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
Romans 11:5-6
For we know, brothers loved by God, that HE HAS *CHOSEN YOU……
1 Thessalonians 1:4
But YOU ARE A CHOSEN RACE, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may PROCLAIM THE EXCELLENCIES OF HIM WHO *CALLED YOU out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9
“What shall we say then? IS THERE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WITH GOD? CERTAINLY NOT! For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOMEVER I WILL HAVE COMPASSION.” ***So then IT IS NOT of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore HE HAS MERCY ON WHOM HE WILLS, AND WHOM HE WILLS HE HARDENS. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? FOR WHO HAS RESISTED HIS WILL?” But indeed, O man, WHO ARE YOU TO REPLY AGAINST GOD? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” DOES NOT THE POTTER HAVE POWER OVER THE CLAY, FROM THE SAME LUMP TO MAKE ONE VESSEL FOR HONOR AND ANOTHER FOR DISHONOR? WHAT IF GOD, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, ENDURED WITH MUCH LONGSUFFERING the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that HE MIGHT MAKE KNOWN THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY ON THE VESSELS OF MERCY, which *HE HAD PREPARED BEFOREHAND FOR GLORY, EVEN US WHOM *HE CALLED, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness….”
If you have faith in Christ, you were predestined by God before He even created creation itself. If not, God’s word isn’t true.
God’s will is Sovereign, our will is bound to sin, & isn’t free.
Got ordains ALL things, free will is the philosophy of Lucifer, although God ordains everything, it’s spirit can’t be God’s. God is a God of Order, not chaos. Lucifer hated being under YHWH’s sovereignty & desired to break away from God’s will & establish a will of his own, & establish a people of his own & many Christians follow in his steps, unknowingly, hence why Scripture says we are either a slave of sin or a slave of righteousness. A spiritual slave has no sovereign will of their own.
WHO HE FOREKNEW, HE ALSO PREDESTINED to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover WHOM HE PREDESTINED, THESE HE ALSO CALLED; WHOM HE CALLED, THESE HE ALSO JUSTIFIED; AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THESE HE ALSO GLORIFIED.
Romans 8:29
HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, HAVING PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION as sons BY JESUS CHRIST to Himself, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which HE MADE US ACCEPTED in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:4-6
IN HIM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, BEING ourselves *PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM who works all things according to the counsel of HIS WILL…
Ephesians 1:11-12
The words translated “PREDESTINED” in the Scriptures above are from the Greek word PROORIZO, which means:
DETERMINING BEFOREHAND, ordaining, & deciding ahead of time.
….when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (FOR THE CHILDREN NOT YET BEING BORN, NOR HAVING DONE ANY GOOD OR EVIL, THAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD ACCORDING TO *ELECTION MIGHT STAND, NOT OF WORKS BUT OF HIM WHO *CALLS), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I HAVE HATED.”
Romans 9:10-13
…..Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the *ELECT, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory…..
2 Timothy 2:10
Even so then, at this present time THERE IS A REMNANT ACCORDING TO THE *ELECTION OF GRACE. And if by grace, then IT IS NO LONGER OF WORKS; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
Romans 11:5-6
For we know, brothers loved by God, that HE HAS *CHOSEN YOU……
1 Thessalonians 1:4
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whoever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whoever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, Who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness….
God’s indisputable Sovereignty is incompatible with limitation of any manner
He foreknows AND He Predestines ALL THINGS for His Purpose & His Glory. NOTHING is outside of His perfect control. His Sovereignty is something we can’t experientially realize because we are not God, but we can perceive it for how God’s word relays if we are drawn by His Spirit, through His Word.
God exists outside of time. He created everything that exists, before time even began.
God sees every moment in time as the present. We humans can only experience time in a linear manner.
Time, in our perception, is as a straight line & we move slowly through life from one point to another, only remembering the past, which we have already traveled through, yet unable to see the future that we are approaching.
God exists outside of time.
He created everything that exists before time even began. God sees every moment in time as the present.
God is the ETERNAL Creator, He constructed this world & EVERYTHING in it, including space/time dimensions (length, width, depth & time). God dwells in a different realm, the Spirit realm. He exists beyond the perception of our physical senses. He’s not limited by these physical laws & dimensions, as we are. He is LIMITLESS.
‡ Scripture ‡
† “IN THE BEGINNING, God CREATED the heavens & the earth…”… “&… God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. & let them be for signs & for seasons, & for days & years…”
Genesis 1:1, 17
Because of God’s own purpose He calls us, He even called us before the Ages (time) began.
† … “God, who saved us & called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose & grace, which He gave us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE AGES BEGAN…”
2 Timothy 1:9
He created ALL THINGS whether they be visible or invisible… This includes not only all matter & time but this includes thoughts, ideas, feelings, & ALL THINGS!!!!
† “… For BY Him ALL THINGS were created, in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him & FOR HIM.”
Colossians 1:16
† “… He chose us in Him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy & blameless before Him.”
Ephesians 1:4
† “… By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen WAS NOT made out of things that are visible.”
Hebrews 11:3
† “… For thus says the One who is high & lifted up, who INHABITS ETERNITY, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high & holy place, & also with him who is of a contrite & lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, & to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Isaiah 57:15
† “… God is Spirit, & those who worship Him must worship in Spirit & Truth.”
John 4:24
†”… with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, & a thousand years as one day.”
2 Peter 3:8
† “… Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth & the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.”
Psalm 90:2
† “… For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.”
Psalm 90:4
† “I AM the Alpha & the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who IS & who WAS & who IS TO COME, the Almighty.”
