Chapter 6: Salvation

Transcription

1 Chapter 6: Salvation Salvation Predestination The Bondage of the Will Why I Do Not Believe in Negative Predestination? The Foreknowledge of God and His Predestination Free Will The Choice of God The Called And Chosen Ones The Parable Of The Sower The Drawing And Choosing of God Whom Has God First Chosen? What Will Happen to Those Who Are Not Chosen Ones? Salvation Easy Or Difficult? Obeying God and Jesus The Love of Money Love God, Jesus and Your Neighbors Salvation Is Gift in Jesus What Is Sin? Faith in Jesus Who Will Not Enter God s Kingdom? Faith, Mercy and Deeds Keeping the Faith Who Can Be Born Again And How Does It Happen? The Spirit of Truth Forgiveness False Doctrines What If What You Believe Is Wrong? Apostles Creed Little Flock and Great Multitude The Who Are The Sealed by the Angel? Other Issues Related To Obtaining the Seal of God The Book of Life Who Will Rise Up in Connection With the Coming of Christ?

2 First Resurrection How Do the Resurrected Change? The Resurrected Are Like Angels The Reward in Heaven Jesus Brings the Reward with Him Salvation by Works and Salvation by Grace Salvation by Grace Through Fire Where to Get Saved to Heaven? What Does The Bible Say About King David? What Does The Bible Say About Abraham? Salvation What does salvation mean? Is the salvation predetermined, i.e the question of predestination? Where do you go if you are saved? Who are going to be saved? Is salvation easy or difficult to achieve? Who are not saved? What is it that resolves? Faith or good deeds? What is characteristic of the last times? Where do those who are not saved go, to Hell? In this article, I ask myself for example, the abovementioned questions. 2 The 2:8: Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the brightness of his coming; 9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. 12 Then all who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. The above verses are important. Life starts from the

3 truth. The truth requires love to find it. Once it has been found, it must be believed. Satan will do everything that people do not find the truth of the Bible. No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. (Jhn 3:13) Predestination What does it mean? Who will be saved? Is salvation or damnation decided in advance for every human being? Predestination means the eternal choice made by God. According to Jean Calvin, the founder of a reformed church, in the 16th century, God has decided in advance whom he is to save and whom He will reject. Calvin found horrifying that God would have created some people for salvation and others to be lost. On this basis, Calvin developed a steep, double predestination doctrine according to which God created some people for salvation and others for the damnation. The Calvinist legacy is the notion of irresistible mercy and the doctrine that it is impossible for the pre-selected chosen to abandon faith (the so-called once saved always saved doctrine). How could this be generalized to all people? What significance has Christ s redemption work then? What about human free choice, free will? There are, however, passages in the Bible that indicate that God has already before the beginning of time chosen certain persons for his ministry and thus for salvation. God has for grace and according to his own intentions chosen from mankind a group for salvation, which he has preordain for eternal life. In Christ we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose

4 of the one who does everything according to the intention of his will, to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: (Eph 1:11-12). God has preordained a number of people to salvation. This could be called a positive preordain. And is there a God s negative preordain? No, there is not. God s predestination does not include condemnation; nobody is therefore predetermined to damnation. God wants that all people would repent and be saved. For that purpose, Jesus also proclaimed the gospel that people would make their own choice of salvation after hearing the gospel message. The Bondage of the Will The Reformer Martin Luther, about 500 years ago, accepted the idea of a positive preordain for the saved, but left the negative preordain open concerning damnation. On this basis, it is understandable Luther s perceptions that one cannot influence in one s own salvation, the doctrine of The Bondage of the Will, of which he wrote in It seems to be very close to Calvin s doctrine. I will study more closely related biblical verses. Already at this point I want to say that in my understanding in many places the Bible calls upon man to repent and to obey both the commandments of God and Jesus in order to be saved. It means that man can compete with himself and thus with his own effort get God s forgiveness and through faith and grace achieve salvation. Salvation can require hard work, while damnation can be easily achieved., while damnation can easily be achieved. Jas 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith,

5 and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him? Rom 8:29-30 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified. There are a number of passages that can be used as a justification for predestination as Calvin: Rom 9:15 I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. 21 Or hasn t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? 23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, God is like a potter who has the right to create vessels for any use, even to be abandoned. We do not know about God s intentions, we know just what he declares in the Bible. God has indeed created people for different purposes. Therefore, in his word, he has allotted to each a measure of faith.. Rom 12:3 For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you. Why has not God given everyone faith according to the same measure? And yet, God desires all to be saved. 1 Tim 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth.

6 One could draw the conclusion that salvation is possible even for someone whose faith is weaker than those that God has chosen before the world began: Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; 5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor on us in the Beloved, 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, which 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him; 11 in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will; But are people marionettes with no will of their own who do not understand their own good and do not even think about the importance of choice? Reformed theology solves the problem of human undecided behavior in another way: Since God is omnipotent he has created us so that some know and understand to receive Christ in their free will. God s mercy and the free will of man are therefore not in conflict with each other. So, if God has preordained certain people for salvation, then what is the fate of others? Are they doomed to destruction? But God says he wants all people to be saved!

7 2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The Bible cannot be controversial, so some explanation for this seemingly contradiction must be. In the Catechism, the Lutheran Church is committed to Luther s teachings, which he has expressed in the Catechism this way: I believe that I cannot from my wisdom and my power believe in Christ and come to him, but that the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel. The Holy Spirit calls many: For many are called, but few are chosen. (Mat 22:14) Why are not all called? The answer to this may simply be that the message of the gospel does not reach all people, but those that are reached they are all called. The fact that there are so few chosen ones is due firstly to the fact that only a small part of those invited will accept the invitation. Another possibility is that before God s creation, God has seen and determined that a small number of people he calls and elects to lead mankind as kings and priests together with Christ: And made them kings and priests to our God, and they reign on earth. (Rev 5:10) At least the apostles and even Christ Himself was chosen according to the Ephesians before the creation of the world. Perhaps Judas Iscariot, even though in this regard the foreknowledge of God meant that He knew beforehand that Judas was going to betray Jesus. God has called many others: few have come to be elected, or would I say be accepted in God s eyes. However, it has often happened that the chosen person will not endure until the end, but abandons his faith under external pressures. The pressures and temptations, and the great miracles at the end time, will misguide people and are

8 actions of Satan. No one, in my view, was predetermined in condemnation. Jesus wondered if he could find faith when he comes for the second time. The reformed theology of Calvin (and Ulrich Zwingli) emphasizes the glory and sovereignty of God. Did Jesus by his death redeemed actually only those whom God had chosen to save? If it is considered that Jesus died for all, then the principle of human free choice is adapted; without the free choice, the death of Jesus for all is not acceptable. Jehovah s Witnesses have also put forward the idea that Jesus, unlike the Scripture, is not the Mediator between all men and God, but only the chosen ones of God, a small flock of 144,000. These chosen ones are Jehovah s Witnesses in their edifice. Why I Do Not Believe in Negative Predestination? Why would God call people not once but several times during life if God had already made a binding choice? Why has God found it necessary to produce the Bible to mankind and all the wise teachings in it? Or why does God bring forth in His word a tempting prize for those who enter the kingdom of God if He has already made a choice in advance electing the people who can enter it? If God has already made his choice and determined who are selected, how can the chosen ones fall and abandon? Why does God allow trials for those who cannot endure trials? Everyone cannot endure till the end in faith. If God has already chosen his own, why does he want everyone be saved? If all is determined like Calvin says, why does the Bible urge us to choose the way of salvation and to strive for it? 2 Pet 1:10-11: So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail. For in this way you will be generously granted entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and

9 Savior Jesus Christ. Why should we seek to strengthen our calling and our choices if God has chosen us in advance? Is not all accomplished in God s way? Rom 9:21-23 A potter has the right to do what he wants to with his clay, doesn t he? He can make something for a special occasion or something for ordinary use from the same lump. Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can t he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction? Can t he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory. God showed patience for vessels of wrath and did not predestine them to destruction, even though he must have seen in advance their coming fate. Why did God demonstrate long-suffering patience to the vessels of wrath or to those who were going to destruction unless he waited for these to the last moment to repent and thus become part of the salvation provided by God? God desires everyone to be saved, but has ultimately given the choice to humans. When God is all-knowing, even before, he certainly knew that Adam and Eve would break his command. He must have known that Satan wants for himself the same kind of worship as God. God planned to have a human who would be born from a virgin and who is the descendant of King David, who will live sinless life and finally with his death will redeem mankind from the power of Satan. He has also planned and known that a small group of twelve will follow Jesus as apostles, and this small group of Saints will rule the kingdom of God together with Jesus and that there will be a great multitude who will be saved in the last times. All those who are to be saved have a free choice, but if they endure faithfully to the end, they will be saved from the great tribulation. All

10 this is what God has planned before the creation of this world. Everyone decides on their own destiny. Either believe in the gospel of the kingdom of God and in the redemption sacrifice of Jesus by crucifixion or reject it as foolishness. Most of the humanity reject the gospel they hear and do not see it necessary to examine it spiritually. 1 Cor 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor 2: Now the natural man doesn t receive the things of God s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can t know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. (Mar 16:16) The Foreknowledge of God and His Predestination God s foreknowledge what does it mean? Now the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jer 1:4-5) More examples: 1 Pet 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen. 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Jesus Himself was also foreknown by God.

11 1 Pet 1:20 For He [Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. Some translations say foreordained or chosen: He was chosen before the creation of the world. Chosen contains the idea of preexistence, but if the word foreknown is used, it only confirms the existence of God s plan. An excellent example of the effect of one word on the significance of the translation. God s plan is, based on the foreknowing of God, that Jesus Christ is to be born on earth as the Son of God, and as the prophet who proclaims God s plan for the salvation of mankind into the Kingdom of God. God also, according to his foreknowledge, called his elect to obey Christ, so that they could be sanctified to rule the Kingdom with Christ. Knowing beforehand, before the foundation of the world, does not mean that Jesus any more than the rest the chosen ones, would have existed in heaven with God except in God s plan. In another place, I ask a bit provocatively: if Jesus pre-existed in heaven, what about the other chosen ones? Why does not the Bible speak of their being in heaven? Free Will The Choice of God even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Eph 1:4-5). In whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will; (Eph 1:11)

12 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom he predestined, he also called; and these whom he called, he also justified; and these whom he justified, he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (Rom 8:28-31). Here Paul describes how a man s development is advancing towards the crown of righteousness. The concept of God s drawing could be added to this; John 6:44 No one can come to me except the Father who has sent me draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day. Those who have gone through this process, God has predetermined to be conformed to the image of his Son. What does it mean to be like Jesus? Stop for a moment to think! In these writings I will tell you more about it. Wonderful things! What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! For he said to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy (Rom 9:14-16). God has made two kinds of vessels i.e. people. Rom 9:21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for

13 glory 24 even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. 25 As He says also in Hosea, I will call those who were not my people, my people, and her who was not beloved, beloved. 26 and it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, you are not my people, there they shall be called Sons of the living God. 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is [only] the remnant that will be saved. It is important to realize that the vessels of wrath are not predetermined to destruction, but they have drifted there without responding to God s call. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed; (Deu 30:19). Man has free will to choose between life and death. Then Jesus said to his disciples: If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mat 16:24) So he sat down and called the twelve. He told them, If anyone wants to be first he must be last of all and servant of all (Mar 9:35) If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether this teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. (Jhn 7:17) Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! (Jhn 7:37).

14 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, (Act 3:19). Man can want to have faith, man can want do God s will. To do God s will means repentance and return so that your sins may be wiped away. How many times God provides the opportunity for us to return and have sins forgiven. If one has to forgive seventy times seven then God will do the same thing. God had chosen the people of Israel to be his own mercy vessel, but natural Israel did not accept the invitation of the Son of God. This is why God has called for his people those that were not his people, i.e. pagans from the gentiles. The Called And Chosen Ones For many are called, but few are chosen. (Mat 22:14) Let us approach the subject through the parables used by Jesus. Mat 22: Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying: 2 The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king [God] who gave a wedding banquet for his son [Christ]. 3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come. 4 So he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who have been invited, Look, I ve prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened calves have been slaughtered. Everything is ready. Come to the wedding! 5 But they paid no attention to this and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest grabbed the king s servants, treated them brutally, and then killed them.

15 7 Then the king became outraged. He sent his troops, and they destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited [jews] were not worthy. 9 So go into the roads leading out of town and invite [all the people of the world] as many people as you can find to the wedding. 10 hose servants went out into the streets and brought in all the people they found, evil and good alike, and the wedding hall was packed with guests [gentiles]. 11 When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He said to him, Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes? But the man was speechless. 13 Then the king told his servants, Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the outer darkness! In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few chosen. Although Jesus says that many are called, he means all who only hear the invitation. This is evident from verse Jhn 12:32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself. Only a few will be selected, as the gospel of Matthew predicts. In verse 22:8, it is stated that the originally called (Jews) were not worthy. The invitation was extended to everyone who was found. Call to the kingdom of God is thus given to the gentiles as well as to the Jews. The guests must also behave in the manner required by the invitation and prove to be righteous in order to stay elected. At first, only many were invited. Many mean Israelis. When they did not accept the call, the host decided to expand the number called, saying that the previously called were not worth it. This is how the Jews lost their status as a chosen people, but the call of God

16 still applies to them. Then the call came to the nations, all the people of the world. Jesus promised to draw all men to himself if he is lifted up from the earth. Even though the invitation concerns everyone, it will be as Jesus said about many being called and few being chosen Many people do not follow invitation, or if they do, they are not dressed properly. Dressing means that put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 13:14) i.e., believe in Jesus and what He taught about the kingdom of God. In Mat chapter 22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. (Mat 22:2). In verse 9 of the parable it says: Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast. Main highways can mean radio, television, literature, etc. all the mass media s means of transmitting the invitation today. But all cannot be reached even if the invitation is open to everyone. To accomplish the same purpose Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples of people in all nations. To fulfill the missionary order, the gospel has been translated into more than two hundred languages. In some countries, some other religion may be so dominant that the testimony of the kingdom of God is not possible, and therefore the invitation does not reach everyone. Mat 22:14 says few are chosen; This does not mean that the number of recipients who have been called is only a small number but that they are proportionally a small number compared with the total called. Remember that the survivors of great tribulation are a great multitude. This great multitude might be even greater, but some of the chosen ones will fall away during the great

17 tribulation: Mat 24:21 For at that time there will be great suffering, [or tribulation] the kind the kind that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and certainly will never happen again.22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and display great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the chosen ones. 31 He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. In practice, the call means hearing of God s word. Hearing the word of Christ follows faith and after faith follows prize: So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). The Prize is according to Jhn 5:24 eternal life: Truly, truly I tell you, the one who hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. On this basis, therefore, it should be easy to access in eternal life. But can you easily reach the kingdom of God? Does the Bible give conflicting information about the ease of salvation? An explanation related to this is given, for example, in my article Two different salvations. The Parable Of The Sower The Parable Of The Sower; This is one of the most important of Jesus parables. Mat 13:18 Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and

18 doesn t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. 20 As for what was sown on the stony ground, this is the person who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy; 21 but since he doesn t have any root in himself, he lasts for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among the thornbushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can t produce a crop. 23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most assuredly bears fruit, and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. People hear in the Church the priest speaking the word of God, but the priest does not much preach of the kingdom of God. Preaching of the kingdom of God was the most important thing for which Jesus was sent (Luke 4:43). If you do not even talk about it, your faith will remain inadequate. Invitation and election are not irrevocable and no invitees have been tied to an invitation. There is no such call of God that man could not render void by one s own decision. Man must constantly compete to be worthy of the caller. Paul found confusing doctrines in churches that were not in accordance with the gospels declared by the apostles. He warns: Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ to follow a different gospel, 7 which is not really another one. To be sure, there are

19 certain people who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel about Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that person be condemned! A good and legitimate question today is: Is the gospel of this day in the churches and congregations are declared according to the gospel proclaimed by the apostles? God s word is also to be understood. A person who understands also produces fruits of the Spirit, someone hundred-fold, some sixty-fold and some thirty-fold. The [Jesus ] parable is about a sower: the seed means a word of God s kingdom and fruit means the fruit of the Holy Spirit, or the spreading of God s word to other people. The parable describes how God s word is sown abundantly, and so God calls out listeners. Unfortunately, rarely the seed falls into a good ground, a receptive human mind. But if that s the case Jhn 1:12 says: However, to all who received him, to those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God s children, At that time Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from wise and intelligent people and have revealed them to infants. (Mat 11:25). I have sometimes heard a question presented to a church s representative and heard the answer: Unfortunately, we do not know about this, it is a mystery of God. And yet, we know, the Bible tells the answers to many questions. When a man hears the call (the word of salvation from God) and understands what he is hearing, the important decision is then followed; whether or not he should believe. At this point, the salvation of each person is

20 resolved. God has by no means settled this beforehand. It may well be that God has made a positive choice for some people, even so that this person becomes e.g. a prophet, another one becomes a teacher, some became apostles, etc. If God is making such a positive choice for some it does not mean that for everyone has been made a decision for salvation or damnation. To such holy ones is Paul referring to in Rom 1: 6-7 You, too, are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be holy [or saints]. May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be yours! Likewise 1 Pet 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as strangers in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled in his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God s own possession, that you may show forth the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The Drawing And Choosing of God No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, They will all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me. (Jhn 6:44-45) Drawing is explained happen after the human being ceases to trust only in his own reasoning and instead begins to listen to what God says to him.

21 Isa 54:13-14 All your children shall be taught of Yahweh; and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not be afraid; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. We all are children of God and if righteous they receive the protection from violence and destruction. Against the tribulation of the last days, they receive the seal of God to guard them. When a person looks for God, then Jesus starts drawing him. Jhn 12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. Heb 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. 2 Tim 1: He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own works but according to his own purpose and the grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Which He gave us before the eternal times in Christ Jesus. I.e. the purpose and plan of God was created before the world began, that He should save us with a holy calling in accordance with His plan and grace. Although Paul addressed the message to his student Timothy, it also touches upon us who have accepted the invitation. All are therefore called, and when they remain faithful to Jesus word, they will also be chosen. But, even the chosen ones may be misled or else abandon their faith. Peter also stresses: 2 Pet 1:10 So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail. Predestination supporters believe that humans do not have free will. If a human being had no free will, he

22 could not resist God s calling and could not abandon faith. Perhaps the most famous example of abandonment is Judas Iscariot. The Bible does not in vain warn those who, after being in steadfast faith, renounce it; there is no forgiveness for them. Such has also been interpreted to be so-called unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit. Rev 17:14 They will wage war against the lamb, but the lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him. Jhn 6:37 All those who the Father gives me will come to me. Him who comes to me I will in no way throw out. 6:65 So he said: That s why I told you that no one can come to me unless it be granted him by the Father. If someone accepts the word of God, God will let him become Jesus disciple. Everyone has free will and choice in this regard, the freedom to abandon Christ too. God gladly gives each person access to his Son as a disciple, if only a man truly repents and believes in Jesus and His teaching. God says he wants ( desires ) that all will come to repentance and be saved:1 Tim 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth. Rom 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. In the aforementioned verse 8:28, there is a question of living people who love God. Such hearts God is searching. If the fate of human salvation had been predestined, there would be no need to examine the human hearts. God s calling and predestination takes place only at this later stage and is also conditional and requires that man remains faithful to the end. Jesus did not say to his apostles

23 that they had chosen to become as Jesus followers, but Jhn 15:16: You did not choose me, but I chose you. Jesus did just what God wanted him to do. Had God in some way pre-determined with regard to each disciple that Jesus calls them as his own? Jesus chose them at that moment. Others remained faithful except Judas. Surely God has been able to see the coming apostles beforehand, but has not predestined them to be faithful as Judas Iscariot s fate shows. Paul writes in Eph 1:13 You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed in him you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Again, this verse confirms the above interpretation: first, you hear the gospel of salvation, then you become a believer, and finally you obtain the seal of the Holy Spirit. If these Ephesian believers would be predetermined as Christ s own, Paul could write to them in this way: God has predestined you to receive Christ, and to obtain the seal of the Holy Spirit. Whom Has God First Chosen? People tend to think that man himself chooses God. Is it so? Who chooses, man or God? God calls people, often several times. Man chooses either to believe or to reject it. And not always deliberately. Is it really a question of God s choice of man as Jesus said: You did not choose me but I chose you (Jhn 15:16). Frequently presented Bible verse related to predefinition is: Rom 8:29-30: For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among. And those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and

24 those whom he justified he also glorified. Eph 1:4 says: just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love. The chain of measures goes according to the Romans 8th chapter like this: Firstly God predestines, secondly he calls, thirdly He justifies and fourthly he glorifies (To exalt, or give glory or praise to). The first phase takes place in God s heaven. The person to be predestined does not exist but in God s mind and plan. When God calls, the person is on earth. God may call a few times and yet many do not hear. The third phase is that God justifies, which according to a dictionary means to absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin. This could take place after the last judgment. The last phase is called glorification. About the called and chosen is said that 1 Pet 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled in his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Eph 1:3-5,11 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his presence. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will, in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will; 2 The 2:13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth; For these verses, a question of interpretation has been

25 raised as to whether the verses concern individuals or whether it is predestination to the Christian church, which is one body. God, however, does not save unrighteous individuals on the ground that the majority of church are righteous: Rev 2:23 and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. Jesus looked at the Sardis church: Rev 3:3 So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won t know the time when I will come to you. 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy. For a certain small number of people, God has chosen (predestinated) before the creation of the world for salvation and has called them. This is the small crowd that Jesus said in Luke 12:32: Don t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. God has therefore seen the future development before the foundation of the world. He has seen the fall of mankind as well as the redemption sacrifice of Christ and the creation of the kingdom of God Christ as the king and co-rulers of a small group of saints (the little flock ) who take their place after the first resurrection and the second coming of Christ. It has also been suggested that if an individual is chosen, he could never give up on faith. Mat 24:24 For there will arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones. Satan s activities at the end of time are successful; he will be able to deceive even the chosen ones. To this I would say: God is omniscient. He surely knows that many chosen have made the right decision of faith, but their faith does not last. Believers must be persistent and cautious not to be fooled by Satan s miracles.

26 For God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 The 5:9) What Will Happen to Those Who Are Not Chosen Ones? and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them. (2 The 2:10) Jesus said (Jhn 14:6): Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. The path shown by Jesus is narrow and long. You have to go through the narrow gate. To find the gate and the path behind it, you have to know the truth so that you can walk the path that Jesus has pointed out. 2 The 2:9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. Those who love the truth, do not get lost in this deception. Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up, says Yahweh of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 4:3 You shall tread down the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, says Yahweh of Hosts. Jer 30:11 For I am with you [Israel], says Yahweh, to save you: for I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will chasten you justly and will by no

27 means leave you [Israel] unpunished. People of last times do not care about the truth of the Bible. They also do not follow the Bible s instructions, for people are looking for teachers whose teaching tickle their ears. 2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with healthy doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their own needs, Although Jesus said that his yoke is easy, and the burden is light, it is not enough for people. They want to hear nice things, like, for example, everyone goes in heaven. Salvation Easy Or Difficult? What does salvation mean? Most of us want it, others actively, while others do not even think about it. Perhaps the most common definition of human salvation is that you go to heaven after death. Generally people believe they have an immortal soul; good people can get to heaven after death and bad sinners, in turn, will have to suffer eternal agonizing fire in Hell. Many churches teach that after having received Jesus in your life and after you have been forgiven your sins, you have received salvation. Some even believe that once you are saved you are permanently saved. In the Middle Ages, salvation could be bought with money or at least shorten the time spent in the purgatory. When using indulgences the time in purgatory was shortened, and then people finally got to heaven. Everyone must die at least once. Salvation means, that one does not have to face the second death, but the righteous will receive eternal life i.e. immortality. unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

28 1 The 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. Rev 2:5 Therefore, remember how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. If you don t, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. (Rev 3:19) At the moment we are living in a similar Laodicean church. We are not cold nor hot. We are indifferent and numb. Maybe we go to church once or a few times a year and we think that s enough. Church services are similar one after the other, often especially televised church services are for the most part singing and playing, entertainment. Bible teaching is not part of today s church service. There are verses in the Bible that could lead to the conclusion that salvation is quite simple and easy: Rom 10:13 for whoever will call on the name of the lord will be saved. Is that all it takes? Take for example 1 Jhn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not difficult. Or this one: Heb 5:9 once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him You need to obey Jesus to be saved. Or then it is difficult: Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to tribulation, and shall kill you; and you will be hated of all the nations for my name s sake. 10 Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another. 24:13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved. Or: 1 Pet 4:18 If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will

29 happen to the ungodly and the sinner? John the Baptist will surely reach the kingdom of God/Heaven among the first, right? Let us read what the following Matthew s verses tell us. Mat 11:9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. How does Jesus characterize John the Baptist? He is more than a prophet. I will send my angel And yet: Verily I say unto you, there is no greater among those born of the wives than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Does this mean that the kingdom of God has really high admission requirements when John the Baptist would be least in the kingdom of heaven? Or how can this be interpreted? After contemplating this, I came to the conclusion that the earthly John is compared to the heavenly powers in the kingdom of God. The saints of God s Kingdom will be powerful servants of God. Among them, says: Rev 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. 27 He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father: These saints of the Revelation who rule the Gentiles one over five cities, another one over ten cities are not only great in the spiritual sense, but also powerful in carrying out their mission. No man, not even John the Baptist, has had such powers, and in that sense, the kingdom of God has a higher status over the people of the land, no matter how righteous they are otherwise. Mat 11:11 must

30 therefore not be interpreted as imposing an absolutely impossibly high standard for the salvation in God s kingdom. Below I will write what the Bible says in more detail. I ve taken to the next section plenty of quotes from the Bible; they tell you what the Bible says about salvation. What should we do to save ourselves? Enter in through the narrow gate, for wide the gate and broad the way that leads to destruction, and many are they who enter in through it. For narrow the gate and straitened the way that leads to life, and they are few who find it. (Mat 7:13-14) Obeying God and Jesus Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. (Act 5:32) For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother (Mar 3:35) In Jhn 7:17 Jesus reminds you that his word is the truth: If anyone wants to do his will, he will know whether this teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. At another place in the Bible it is called upon to pray to God in spirit and truth. Jhn 4:23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. In spirit and truth but not according to the doctrines decided in synods for many hundreds of years after Christ and the apostles. Such serving of God is futile; we must obey God s true commandments. Mat 7:21 Not

31 everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Act 5:32 We are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him. 1 Jhn 2:3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. 4 The person who says, I have come to know him, but does not continually keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. Rev 21:8 But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death. Mat 28:18 Then Jesus came up and said to them: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day until the end of the age. 2 The 1:8 in blazing fire. He will take revenge on those who do not know God and on those who refuse to obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 Such people will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction by being separated from the Lord s presence and from his glorious power. This is an interesting description of eternal punishment. The disobedient ones will not be thrown in the fiery lake where they would suffer forever. Their punishment is the eternal destruction of being separated from the Lord s presence. What does this mean? Do they just cease to exist? Disobedience is perhaps the most