Quote from Micah, "The word process comes to mind".
Amen, altho I am sure not evryone will see the process as I do, I do see it as a process, as follows :o)....
In my opinion, this is about(dare I write the verbotten words) the mystery/paradox of free will. While it is difficult to receive that predestination and free will work together in a way that is beyond our ability to define(seen through a glass darklybecause His ways are higher than our ways), it is nevertheless clearly stated within the Logos that they do, hence- I respond with apologies to all who feel that all the ways of God must find explanation within the logic of man..............TOUGH, IT AIN"T GONNA HAPPEN HAHAHAHA!
For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD and WHO HAS BEEN HIS COUNSELOR, For FROM HIM and THROUGH HIM and TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS!
Ro. 8:19-21 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
According to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, FUTILITY entered- through transgression. Transgression occurred because of the pure gift of free will. It is through reconcilation, also a pure gift ,unmerited and freely given, - that the whole creation is being "drawn" out of darkness/chaos/iniquity into light/harmony/love. As each adversarial free will "comes into subjection"... "Bows the knee and confesses with the lips" the Lordship of Jesus, the creation comes closer to full deliverance from futility "into the glorious liberty(free wills united in love) of the sons of God". In other words, the whole creation was subjected to futility, even that part of creation that did not transgress-because of transgression. When every "adverserial free will" is won into the love of God.....the "whole creation" will be set free from futility.
God created it. He planned it. He set wheels within wheels in motion by giving free will to all, KNOWING the result and the final outcome(love wins)- for all things work according to the counsel of His will according to the kind intention which He purposed in Himself, the summing up of all things in heaven and in earth in Christ.
1 Peter 1:2
Elect(chosen) "according to(kata)" the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Acts 2:23
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Futility:
mataiotés: vanity, emptiness
Original Word: ματαιότης, τητος, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: mataiotés
Phonetic Spelling: (mat-ah-yot'-ace)
Short Definition: vanity, purposelessness
Definition: vanity, emptiness, unreality, purposelessness, ineffectiveness, instability, frailty; false religion.... <missing the mark)
Cognate: 3153 mataiótēs (a noun) – aimlessness due to lacking purpose or any meaningful end; nonsense because transitory.... <this sounds like chaos to me)
seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
IMO All wills were created free, allowing for chaos/division/darkness. The love of God(unveiled in Christ and Him crucified-) is drawing all wills into harmony/union/light. God planned the process before He created it- to teach all, and foreknew how it would all take place, as all things work according to the counsel of His will. His fundamental purpose in all of this(in my opinion) was to create an everlasting celebration of the glory of love encompassing the endless interaction of billions of creative beings, "the sound of 10,000s x 10,000s of voices praising God, like the rushing of many waters".
Forgiveness. Christ and Him crucified. The highest expression of love ever in the universe. Returning love for hatred and pain, life for death...."If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me"
This, I think, is why our oneness/union/koinonea/love is the key to evangelism. If we cannot forgive one another, who are born of Him, how will the world see that we are His disciples, who forgave us when we were yet adversaries, driving nails through His hands.
By this the world will know that you are my disciples.... Chirst crucified, unveiled in us, manifesting the wisdom of God to the principaliteis and pwers in the heavenly realms.....disarming them through the life of Christ lived through and among us, wow :o)
