There are those who are called and chosen, and even they must suffer; well at least those of them who have not reached perfection. There are Christians and Saints, and even some of them must deal with sin, and there are some of them who have evolved beyond sin and its bondage. Thanks be to God, for any person who has no bondage in sin.
This is a look at people like myself, who believe in God with all their hearts, do not have his Holy Spirit, are still in the flesh and sold into Bondage to sin. Romans 7:14. A totally different kind of Bondage, a different existence, a living hell so to speak.
A look at the other side of Bondage.
Normally when believers gather at churchs or websites, they all are usually overcommers. You know, they have reached the platuae, " Made It', became " Spiritual", have evolved into biblical people, which is really great. They hold all the benefits of being annointed and holding Gods Spirit.
But there is another existence, another side of Bondage. There is the beleiver who has not been called and chosen. The follower of God who has not been given all this magical Spiritual help and annointing. But yet they believe just as much as the " Priesthood" does. But yet they still actively strive with the strife of the two natures, they have not been chosen by God. A hard existence, to actually be just as aware and knowledgable as the more blessed believers, but yet just not able to advance past just being aware.
Romans 7:15;" For that which I am actively doing, I do not understand. for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am actively doing the very thing I hate." There are two natures that are living together here. This person, like myself, has actually been contacted by Gods Spirit in their mind, made aware of him and his truth, but actually given this awareness while actively still living in their body of sin. But not given the progression to go beyond this stage, frozen into it, or placed into Bondage by it. Yet still allowed to grow in knowledge, but the grace they are growing in, does not release them from their bondage to sin. Its like being burned alive. I think its the real hell the bible speaks of. To have to live in your sin, and yet still be given another nature within your mind. Praise be to God for those who have been given release from this, and have progressed onward.
But there is the other side of Bondage.
Romans 7:18;" For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that I don't have Gods Spirit perminently, that is, in my flesh. for the will is present inside of me, the will to do good, but the actual living everyday and doing the good consistantly, is not." This is a stage which perhaps all believers must enter, but yet not all believers are allowed to leave it and pass on. Which makes it a perplexing stage, an undesirable stage, a feared stage, and I think a most misunderstood stage. So what if God may have called you, but just not has chosen you, you are not dammed. You are not a failure with no purpose, its not your fault. We cannot choose ourselves, although many have. And I can't say I blame those who have done that, it is a literal nightmare to live in Bondage, but still be able to see a little of your freedom in the future while you suffer in the present.
Its the other side of Bondage, that " Other Lion", which has attacked you and slayed you.
Rom. 7:19;" For the good that I have a will to do, I just can't seem to consistantly do it. The power and strength is just not consistantly there to help me. But I consistantly live, and keep doing the same evil over and over again, as if I am trapped into the behavior by a power greater than mine." It overshadows my belief, weakens my clarity, the sin overpowers me, me who strongly believes in our God.
I like to call it" The Other Lion." The prey was running from the Lion that it could see, but it was the other Lion that leaped out of nowhere and made the kill. Sin is so much like that. I can recall, so many, many times, I have left my house, prayed up and thinking " Spiritual", things going right and feeling good. Then " It" happened. Out of nowhere a situation came up that just trapped me, got me situated just right to fail. Just swept me off my feet, and sin just had its way with me. And many of those times it was the sin of " Others" that started the situation, it was the other Lion, the one I couldnot see, which slew me. Me, a believer of God, trapped into a situation of sin which was more powerful than I. There is a " Living Hell" in this situation that is very depressing, because at times you get confused as to who is the blame. Do you blame the other Lion, the other person who started it, do you blame yourself over and over again, or do you blame God, who held the Power to either keep you from it in the first place, or he could have just pushed you right through it with no harm done. And that can be quite perplexing and damaging, sometimes no matter who you blame.
But it becomes tiresome, your aware of people being " Slain in the Spirit", but your being slain in the flesh, over and over again. Like a broken record, your life is a continual struggle with sin.
And I want to go into that.
Peace.
I think I know exactly what you are talking about.
Bondage is a " Living Status", which exist concurrent with your belief. Now again, I am not discussing those who have overcome all their sin and have been chosen by God. If allowed, I am discussing only those like myself, who have not escaped from their sin, who still do not have Gods Spirit as a defense against this powerful stuff called evil. Who still are only able to drink " Milk", which I think really means they are not chosen.
1Corinth. 3:1-3 speaks of a carnal state which prevents or perverts Spiritual growth in the persons characther, but still allows them to actually learn a little about the truth. The Milk and solid food principle, is really talking about two stages of belief, or you can say the two " Known" stages of the calling of God, the called and the chosen. The babes and those grown into adulthood, or the annointed. Those who have the Spirit of God and those who do not. I don't believe the called of God have his Holy Spirit perminently inside of them. Why would God give his Spirit to an individual he has decided not to choose and progress into a chosen? That makes no sense at all, only the chosen of God will hold his Spirit, not the called of God.
The called , but not chosen of God, are destined to live in a very hard bondage to sin because their calling is NOT removed, but their annointing is not granted. And this is a tuff situation to be in. One could reasonably argue to God;" Well why call me in the first place, if I am not to be chosen?" Why are many called, but only a few chosen anyway? And I will get into that answer later, but one needs to understand how God is, where this kind of situation is involved. Look at Gods position in this matter. He cannot be argued with, you cannot bargain with him, you cannot force him, you cannot out-think him, you cannot manipulate him, you can only do these things to yourself and others. What God does cannot be altered or changed. If your called, your called, if your chosen, your chosen, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing anyone can do about this! Nothing. You can cry all you want, lie all you want, live in as eloberate an illusion as you want, nothing can alter the calling of God, nothing can approve the choosing of God. There is nothing you can do to bring on the calling or advance into the choosing stage, its ALL Gods decision.
Its the bondage and freedom of human nature in a nutshell. Romans 11:32;" For God has shut up all in disobedience that he might show mercy to all." We all have sinned, every believer begins at that point, but few there be who are released into the narrow path of freedom from bondage. Not even all kept in bondage are allowed to see their future freedom, but a significant amount of humans will be called by God, never released from their human bondage, but allowed to see there freedom in the future. Many humans will be called by God, but few of them released from this bondage to disobedience.
And I want to get into that group. My group.
Peace.
Again Jesus in Matthews 22:14;" For many are called, but few are chosen." This is the orgin of the " Milk and Meat of the word principle." Its NOT a knowledge thing, its not ABILITY. Its nature, its NOT belief. BOTH groups believe, BOTH groups often share the same knowledge, it is NOT knowledge and belief! God does NOT call and choose according to belief and knowledge, because he has called and chosen far too many who didnot believe and had no knowledge. Oh many believers try to base or explain the calling of God on human performance or their own ability, but thats a bunch of carp. We consume milk and meat based on the nature of God, not ourselves. Its a God thing, it is not a human thing, which is why it is not your fault if your not called, or chosen, neither to your credit if you are. We drink milk, or are called, or are able to understand somewhat, the things of God. Drinking milk is not consuming some kind of lightweight knowledge, its a " Living stage in Gods Plan for that life." Its a type of nature, within a human nature, or it is a type of the presence of God. That presence, that visitation of the Spirit, gives the ability to drink milk, or the human couldNOT even drink the milk. The milk IS a stage in the calling. Its not to be dismissed as something everyone can do, because not all humans can drink the milk of Gods word, they choke even on it.
The milk stage is a calling of God, and it is a beginning. A childlike stage. The meat of the word, is a progression into the annointing, its a change of NATURE, not ability to understand the "Deep things" of God, although that can be included in the annointing. But it does not have to be. Which is better or more spiritual, to have all knowledge, or to have Love? Which is better, to be well versed in Gods mysteries, or to have Goodness, Peace, Patience and Kindness down packed into your very being?
So the calling of God, or the drinking of Milk, is a stage or " State of BEING." Its a type of Spiritual existence, being mixed with a carnal existence. They both are there. This is a very, VERY , hard way to live. Its really tuff, this other side of the calling. ONLY Gods hand can do something like this. Place a human into this kind of existence. I won't get into the meat stage much, which I believe to be the chosen stage, or the new nature, not mixed with a lot of carnality.
Now, many are called but few are chosen, means that God is investing still in BOTH groups. The chosen is just more glamourized, for obvious reasons. But the many are an investment of God also. In fact, he is investing into FAR more humans in this group.
And that means something, which I want to get into.
Peace.
Well, before you "get into that" . . .I think the milk part, is dealing with the maturity of the believer. Those that "can't drink milk at all" to me are those that reject pursuing Christ. If you believe, then you're capable for the milk. God wouldn't redeem you without also giving you the ability to take in that which matures you for more. I see the many who are called are those that God wishes to become rivers to pour out his kingdom into others . . .and the few who are chosen, are those who are willing to let God fulfill the wish of his calling in them.
In other words . . .there are a lot of believers out there that are happy with just being believers . . .when God is calling them to be leaders, to be the gates of pearl that usher others into the kingdom of Truth . .but to be a pearl requires much "irritation" (there's that word again Kim . . ) as a pearl is formed from an alien object lodged within the oyster. Most times a grain of said . . .or . .a seed of faith sealed within one of us.
And because it's lodged there, the oyster can't remove it, so it's body automatically releases from it's own body a substance (kind of like blood in us) that coats the grain of sand . . .and the longer it's there, the more coats it gets over and over again. Over time, this becomes what we cherish as a pearl, but it's actually the body's way of protecting itself from any afflictions caused by an irritation.
Not many people are willing to accept this kind of life. There are many oysters . . .but few carry pearls.
Quote from: Mickiel on December 20, 2008, 07:43:26 PM
Now, many are called but few are chosen, means that God is investing still in BOTH groups. The chosen is just more glamourized, for obvious reasons. But the many are an investment of God also. In fact, he is investing into FAR more humans in this group.
And that means something, which I want to get into.
Peace.
Notice Revelations 7:9;" After these things I looked and beheld a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and ALL tribes and peoples, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and palm branches were in their hands. ( the significance of the palm I will explain later). This group is NOT the " Few Chosen." Its the many called. This group is the largest, it engulfs far more humans, its the bigger investment, its the Kingdom Body. Its the Body of Christ. They are NOT " Outside" of the throne of God, they are standing directly in front of it. (the significance of that I will go into later, which points to oppisition to the teaching that only a few will enter into the Holy City).
The Milk drinkers, the Called but not chosen, are the Kingdom Body elect. This group represents a significant portion of the thinking inside of Gods Mind, because he is ALSO sending this group through some significant experiences. He is dealing with two natures in them, not just instilling one. And I believe that to be more difficult than the glamour and ever ready help that the annointed benefit from. The annointed are " Spared" many things, the called must suffer those things spared. Its a definte difference in these two realitys. And this is part of the " Fire of God", or how he thinks, what and how he does seemingly deadly horrible things, and good understandable things, this IS God.
A look at God, can be a pleasing thing, or a horrible thing, depending on what he wants you to see and experience. It can be a look at freedom or bondage. And I want to get into that look at God, a look at the other side of Bondage.
Peace.
In Revelations 22:2, later part of verse;" The Leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the nations." The nations here are not the chosen of God, but the Kingdom Body elect, those cursed and placed into bondage BY God. Healing will be needed and dished out, ONLY because pain and suffering has already been dished out throughout all of humanitys history. We have known only pain and misery, we have not known Gods Peace as a whole populace. This IS the many not chosen. This is the natural state of man. Its the other side of Gods calling, his largest investment, his largest reproduction. There will be more ressurections of sinners than Saints. There will be FAR more people in Gods Kingdom that were not chosen, so THEY are largely on Gods mind, they are the body elect. But his concentration for them, is future tense, as is really most of his creations, God has a definte tendency to concentrate on future things, although he is eternal present, he still looks ahead.
Revelations 22:3 states there shall no longer be any curse, because there are now, and has been curses. Why should God build a Kingdom on the back on any demon curse, when he can build it on the back of his own curses? The bondage is Gods curse. And only he can free a human from it, as ONLY he can place a human into it.
And I want to continue on that.
Peace.
When humans gather they like to discuss THEIR situation, their condition, their blessings, their destiny. But very few will discuss their curses. Will the lame want to discuss their infirmity? Will others listen if they do? Do blind people join the discussion concerning their blindness? Will sinners join the discussion and discuss their sin? Blessings are more glamourus, curses naturally are not, so blessings dominate the discussions. Espically when believers gather.
Women like to discuss their husbands, men like to discuss their jobs and income, and teens like to discuss the latest fads. Christians like to discuss their calling and their rewards, but hardly anyone likes to discuss their curses, their bondage, muchless even admit to it. But God has the largest amount of humans invested into this area, and Jesus death is largely invested in this area.
I think that worth repeating, Jesus death is largely invested in the area of sinners, NOT the annointed. The annointed is a minor investment of God, but it still is a worthy investment, not to belittle it. I mean, who wouldnot want to be annointed? Well you would be surprised at how many humans couldcareless about being annointed, or even God himself. Its just that the annointed of God has been so glamourized, that sinners have been placed on the backbunner, as if God has than in mind also.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
God has INVESTED in the corruption of sin, as well as the carnality of humanity.
And I want to get into that.
Peace.
"This is not 2% milk."
peacemaker
"There are many oysters, but few carry pearls."
Great analogy, Nathan!
Lord, you work All things together for the good of those who love you and who are called, according to your purpose. I thank you, Lord, for the painful situations you have allowed in my life for they have turned my face back towards my "First Love." If it be your will, I will be healed from these infirmities. If not, your Grace and provision of "unfailing love" shall be sufficient for me. Not my will, but yours be done!
peacemaker
Just because you have been infested with carnality, does not mean God is not dealing with you, uninterested in you, or ignoring you. Or he would be this way with this world. God so loved this world, and it was complettely carnal when he expressed his Love for it. The world Jesus died for was carnal, the people he loved were carnal. So the Love of God was expressed and shaped through the carnal nature in man, NOT through the redeemed man. The redeemed man will try to monoplize Gods Love, as if its only for him. But such is not the case. The last will be the first, is a short installment of Gods true feelings for carnal humans. He Loves them. He calls the church out first, and they truly are going to be the last thing on his mind. The first thing on the Kingdom agenda will be the giant wave of carnal humanity to be ressurected and redeemed. This is a look at the other side of bondage.
Did you know that when something is done to everyone, it is made less of a thing to individuality. I can claim being special, if only I have a hold of something, but if everyone has a hold of it, it is not an individual thing. Salvation was conceived within Gods mind like this, its a family thing, a group thing, not a special annointed individual thing. The individuality of being annointed has been brought to the forefront by men, not God. Jesus intent is to serve humanity, while being King over them. We don't rightly understand the true meaning of that, most people who claim to be annointed, do not serve humanity.
And I want to get into that.
Peace.
[quote author=Mickiel
The individuality of being annointed has been brought to the forefront by men, not God. Jesus intent is to serve humanity, while being King over them. We don't rightly understand the true meaning of that, most people who claim to be annointed, do not serve humanity.
And I want to get into that.
Peace.
[/quote]
Most people who claim to be annointed do not serve humanity, they serve themselves or their group. They section off like a group of individuals really, and tolerate each other, as a group of Kings would. Each thinking very highly of themselves, but tolerating the group of Kings as a whole. And when the Kings speak of the subjects, its always in some type of downward motion comming out of their mouths. In Revelations 22:12, Jesus states a principle of how he will judge EVERY human;" Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every human according to what they have done." This means according to two things really, how you have treated yourself, and how you have treated others. And this judgement will be issued out to every human, not according to any calling of God. This is a reward determination, not a punishment determination. So a person can overdetermine themselves , as well as underdetermine others, and this behavior could hold adverse effects on the rewards issued out in Heaven. Jesus intent is to serve, and his intent for his calling, is a calling of service, yet many called people, view it as a calling to Rule over others. And this type of thinking comes out in their behavior. They are " Kings before their time", already talking about ruling, already expressing their desire to teach humanity. They have already subjected humanity, not truly understanding that Humanity was " Born into subjection." But not subjection to God, but subjection to sin, the other side of bondage. These born into subjection to sin, are the vast majority of humanity, or as Christ stated in John 9:39;" For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." The main focus in the Kingdom of God will be on the blind, that they may now see, and those who see, they will become blind, or the Last will become the First, and the first focus, the church, will become the last thing focused on. The church willNOT be the issue. The individuality of being a firstfruit annointed, willnot be a determining factor in Gods Kingdom. Notice Christ parable of the Laborers in Matt. 20:1-16, a sure comparrison to the Kingdom of God future events.
He taught that the Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early to hire laborers, or to call the firstfruits. They were given the job of " Setting the feild up", or you can say establishing and building the church up. He went out every hour and hired laborers, or called more people to the church as time went on. Well when the time for reward came, or payment, those called first were thinking they would be the Kings, or inherit higher positions, or more pay. But the owner, or creator, gave them all the same thing. Same reward, same position, same pay. Notice verse 15;" Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous? Thus, the first shall be last and the last shall be first." Other words, God will do as he pleases, and make Kings of whom he will, and reward people based on HIS wages, not their expectations. And he will render equally to everyman. Hes going to deal with this greed for Kingship, its already revealed in scripture.
God prepares Kingdom positions, not the firstfruits. Some Annointed people are staking claims to rewards, that when rendered out in the Kingdom, will surprise them how Gods standards really are, how God really is with what he owns. How he has a definte favortism for the underdog, those on the bottom.
And I want to go into Gods aspect of thinking like that, which is one of the reasons why humanity was created " As underdogs to Evil." Created to be humbled by things " Greater than themselves." How you can hold an honest assesment of yourself not being called or annointed, not being on top of Gods game, but yet still see the glory in your suffering situation, still see God in that.
Peace.
Once a believer in God begins to realize that he is not called, not chosen, not annointed with Gods Spirit, such a one can begin to hate themselves. I know what I am talking about, heavily blame themselves. You start thinking and believing your not " Good Enough" to be called. To hate your life is not totally a negative thing, not in Gods eyes, because it was God who set up your life to begin with. He is the Potter, we are the Clay. The body count of believers not called is quickly mounting and growing, because they are the larger group. There are more and more people hating their lives, because they know they are not what they ought to be, not what they want to be. And this can be very depressing for a believer, you can feel that God does not want you now. Only later.
But listen to Jesus in John 12:25;" He who Loves his Life Loses it; and he who hates his "Life in this world", shall keep Life eternal." Whatever position God places us in, he does so for a reason, but the rewards shall be the same, Life eternal. Sometimes we can hate ourselves, seeking Gods approval, Gods attention, and if the truth hits us, and we come to accept the truth about ourselves, that we are not super spiritual, then our humanity leaks out to where it always was in the first place. We look into the mirror and see what we are, a child of God in the Flesh.
The sickness of humanitys sin is NOT unto death, it is just like Lazarus sickness, the EXACT same reason is the same, " For the Glory of God." John 11:4. That even Jesus may be glorified " By our Sickness." Understand that, your condition, your pain and suffering, your humiliation, your position of having no position, is an investment of God in corruption.
And I want to go into some things Paul spoke about this.
Peace.
Again I stress that I am not speaking about those annointed, only those not chosen by God yet. Those like myself, I speak from the experience of not being chosen myself. I was subjected to futility, not of my own fault, but because of him who subjected me to it. Look at that in Romans 8:20. This is a very strong biblical principle, creation, or humanity, was subjected to futility, or locked into disobedience, not of its own will, but by Gods will. If you have been called, but not chosen, that IS Gods will, and you must learn the VERY difficult lesson of comming to accept that. It " Is" Gods will that you not be chosen.
Verse 21; Creation itself, or humanity, has been " Set into salvery to corruption." They will be set free from salvery to corruption, so the reverse standard stands true, we have been placed into slavery to corruption. Then astoundingly, Paul even admits that the firstfruits groan within themselves, WAITING eagerly for adoption as sons. Oh what I can say about this scripture, this astouinding point Paul makes that even a Firstfruit, an obvious reference to those called AND chosen, Annointed, are waiting for ADOPTION as sons, AND the redemption of their bodys, which I think is an obvious reference to not yet being Born Again. Look at the verse for yourself, thats what I see in it. People with Gods Spirit IN them, annointed , called and Chosen, a firstfruit, WAITING to be adopted by God, and for their bodys to be redeemed! That means to be Born Again. But I don't want to drift into that too far, or I'll just keep going off subject.
The subject is a look at the " Other side", or not being called by God, but believing in him. No Spirit indwelling, only Spirit visitation. No chosen, only being called. No internal Spiritual characther growth, only growing in grace and knowledge.
The " Twilight Zone", no place to be somebody. The inbetweener, neither cold or hot.
The Suffering.
Peace.
Now all of us who have not been called, but believe in God and Christ with all of our hearts, ( and I will keep repeating that this entails the largest group of created humans) there are far more people who believe in God who have not been called, in addition to the many who believe and have been called but not chosen, these numbers totally eclipse the few who have been chosen. This large group is very significant to God, and in my view, they outnumber the large group of unbelievers, but of course no one can really know that. Its just a suspicion of mine. They may have called or labeled God something different, given him a different name or emanate, but these early humans held to some kind of elysium, that after death things could get better. Generations upon generations of believing humans have lived and died in some kind of belief, espically the years after Adam, after Abraham, after Moses, people may have been heavily influenced by evil, but they still believed. And it was after the counsel of Gods will that they believed, even in their sins.
It was God who worked out the belief, and unbelief as well. Notice Ephesians 1:11;" Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been " Predestined according to his purpose", who works all things after the counsel of his will." God counsels himself. But notice closely the phrase " Predestined according to his purpose", whatever condition your life has began in, flourished in and you died in, all that was predetermined by God. Belief, unbelief, called, not called, chosen or died at birth, it does not matter, all human history was predetermined by God. Paul goes on in vs.12, he states; to that end we were the first to hope in Christ. Hes beginning to reference the firstfruits again, in vs. 13 he states that the first wave of the chosen will be sealed in Christ, and listen to him, " Sealed with the Holy Spirit of PROMISE who is given as a PLEDGE of our inheritance." Even AFTER the giving of the Holy Spirit, after being sealed, receiving the inheritence is still refered to as a " Pledge, or Promise", not things yet obtained personally. And again this is how I view the New Birth, it is a pledge, a promise , but it has not yet been obtained. This is also how I view being called but not chosen, its not over and done with, but you are now living without the Holy Spirit, but you will be grafted on to the same promise and pledge, just at some later time in the future. And ALL of humanity falls into this catagory, belief no longer matters in the future in the area of the calling of God. This IS the number that no human can count, it is the largest concern of God.
God has kind intentions for all of humanity, belief has nothing to do with that. Belief is nothing to God, he can install that into billions of humans in seconds, just as we install things and download them into our computers. So if your a sinner seemily out of control, but yet you have something within you, that is trying to believe, just keep your head up, your predestined future is far greater than your pitiful present. If you have a zeal for God, but it seems to be largely based on knowledge, but you can't seem to grow into the Spiritual giant that your heart desires, just keep your sanity, God has marked out beforehand, your salvation and security in eternity, he Loves you with all of his heart, even though your heart fails you.
And I want to go into the very real heart failings that not being chosen can bring about.
Peace.
Now listen, being called and chosen IS a bondage to God also, being called and not chosen is a bondage as well, just not as much honor in this life. In this Life, now the world to come will hold a far differing standard of honor than this world, remember that. As we examine our calling and election, we must also examine the fact that we have been called, but not chosen. Conversely, both ends need to be examined. This is a serious problem in those not called as well. Its serious with some who think they have been chosen, but are physocoligally unable to accept they may not have been chosen. They just cannot accept it, so they are living out their lives in a serious illusion, this is the group that confronts Christ in complette confidence, and Jesus tells them he never knew them. Jesus didNOT mean that these people were unbelievers or some kind of evil people, he just relates that the Father never chose them at the time that they usurped the position on their own, or they took the Kingdom by the violence of their own belief, because these ARE believers! And these " Take a whole lot of positions from scripture."
So this is one of the greatest adverse " Side Effects" from not being elected by God, weather the human can physcologically accept that in truth, or if they will stick that truth into a serious turtle shell, and protect themselves with a serious wall of protection and pacification. One of the side effects of not being chosen, is denial, and you try to take what has not been given. You steal the blessings, and live out your life in a stolen identity. Believing yourself to be something that you are not. Now, when this kind of believer becomes a teacher, the damage they can inflict is very serious, and is a root cause of religious deception.
And I want to go into several more ways of dealing with not being chosen by God, the other side of this great calling.
Peace.
Ephesians 1:3-4;" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with EVERY Spiritual blessing in the Heavenly Places in Christ, just as he choose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be blameless before him. In Love." This is another contrasting problem for those not chosen, we are NOT blessed with " Every Spiritual Blessing." Those chosen are very fortunate indeed to have such a life as this.
But we don't have this, we are not spiritually blessed with everything. We may have belief, knowledge, and a ton of Gods grace, but it ends there, thats all we have. We must live with the understanding that God has not chosen us, and its not easy to do. Its easier to lie to yourself, or allow others to get you to join their lie, live in " Spiritual denial" with them as brothers and sisters, keep yourselves company, avoid the misery of the truth.
Notice being " Chosen" is not a present or future thing, concerning those who were chosen, its really a thing of the past. They were chosen " Before the foundation of the world was laid", so it had absolutely NOTHING to do with them, how they lived during their time, what kind of human they were or are, because they were not even alive when they were chosen! But even some of them cannot understand this, they feel it had " Something" to do with them. Conversely, all " Not Chosen", were also not chosen before the foundation of the world was conceived by Gods mind. So then not being chosen or called by God has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the human, they were not alive when their fate was conceived.
So a serious problem with many not chosen, is they cannot accept their present predestined fate. Oh and that is understandable, and God knows this, he is complettely aware of this delima, and will help all those involved. It is far easier to accept being called and chosen, than to "not " being gifted with this " Special Attention" from God. Unable to accept this truth, which is about themselves and God, how can they then absorb much of the truth that is in Christ? So the denial opens up doors of other problems, one being the discernment of more truths.
Peace.
The calling of God then is " Spiritual", people were called before the dawn of time , because of Spiritual reasons, or that is to say, nothing human and of the flesh, which again eliminates any personal reason a person could conjure up for their calling. You were called because of Spiritual matters, the fact that you are human, proves absolutely that you had NOTHING to do with your calling.
Conversely;
The facts that you were not called, or called and not chosen, are again Spiritual, not because you are carnal, sold into bondage. The decisions to not choose you during your time as a human, was a Spiritual decision, made by Spiritual beings, and your rejection had absolutely NOTHING to do with you and your sin! The decision was again made, long before you were even alive, so how you live your life now, has nothing to do with Gods decision to not choose you at this time. You have not been too evil, you cannot become " Good Enough to qualify one day."
So then another problem with many who cannot come to grips with not having Gods Spirit, is their inability to personally " Compete" for the prize of the high calling. They are personally trying to make themselves " Good enough", as if to leave God no other choice but to call them and choose them, not understanding God has already made his decision. Actually trying to manipulate God by " Their Goodness." And what they will evolve into later, is a teacher of themselves, who always finds the time to tell others about their goodness. Always telling about what they do not do, how much sacrifice they have made, its all about their life story. Their conversion story is their life story, it has nothing to do with Gods decision.
The calling of God can be masked by personal efforts to be good, but the rejection of God is misunderstood and feared. Because its not really a rejection, its a Spiritual decision made and enforced upon a physical people. Read the 11th chapter of Romans, Paul goes into the fact that God has not rejected his People, but the people were looking at Gods people as only being the nation of Israel. They didnot understand the predestined decision was Spiritual, and the nation God was building was destined to be a Spiritual Nation, comprised of all peoples. They were trying to understand the calling of God physically.
God has not rejected a people whom he foreknew, and had already predestined their situation. Why reject someone who you didnot call in the first place? Thats like refusing to give a job to an applicant, who has never even applied for the job. Its like refusing to give a raise, to someone who does not even work for you. Its extending a punishment to someone who has not even been born yet and committed a crime. No, branches were broken off, so that they could be grafted on again. Humans were shut up into disobedience, so that they would be shown the ultimate mercy that they now needed.
But rather than admit to being " Shut up", which is like God putting you into a closet, many would rather " Spiritually Rebel", or usurp a position from God, because " They know they are good enough", and they then live out their lives proving they are good, serving God all along the way.
And I want to go into that.
Peace.
[quote author=Mickiel
But rather than admit to being " Shut up", which is like God putting you into a closet, many would rather " Spiritually Rebel", or usurp a position from God, because " They know they are good enough", and they then live out their lives proving they are good, serving God all along the way.
And I want to go into that.
Peace.
[/quote]
Another problem with people like myself who seriously believe in God, but do not really know him, is that they pay too much attention to others who have usurped their life in Christ. They give too much reality to others who really have no true relationship with Christ, but appear to have it. They give spirituality to people whom God has not given it to, and they give these kind of people great influence over their minds.
I used to do a lot of acting when I was young. I learned early on that you must convince yourself first, in your role, before you can expect others to believe your role. You must put yourself into the role, become the role, then you can project the role. This is exactly how people take the Kingdom by violence. Its how they call themselves. They put all that they have into the position, they become they desired position, thus, to them, they are the position. They are now called and chosen, and you believe them. So you give them place in your mind. They in turn give you a place in theirs, and that is how most churchs or groups of believers are formed.
Not really knowing the mind of God, people then only have their own minds to discover. I recall once writing on the discovery channel and I met so many people who just " Knew God." And so many who just " Knew there was no God." Then you get these two " Groups together", and they go back and forth. Then in comes a mind that is willing to discover God in truth, watching both groups go back and forth, like watching a ping pong ball travel back and forth across the table. And they get confused, not knowing who to believe, but attracted to both groups in many ways, both holding certain personal power to hit those balls of confusion, both inticing to the mind. And they just get more confused, trusting in the minds of men. NEEDING the minds of people, not really knowing the mind of God. And this goes on in discussions boards everyday, minds being influenced by " People who Know God."
In Romans 11:34, Paul ask;" For who has known the mind of God?" Who has figured God out? Who really knows God? When you begin to approach matchless wisdom, that is God, you pale in significance, no matter what you say or think. The ONLY way to know God, is to know that you do not know him, and pray that he deals with you from there. And IF he so decides, IF, then its no telling where you will begin from there. You can throw everythingelse you have learned out of the picture, because IF matchless wisdom is beginning to teach you, its going to start your mind from scratch anyway, and remove ALL that stuff you trusted in from other people. Now a sound mind is going to begin with you, and nobodyelse is going to be needed in that picture. Your tendency to NEED teaching from others will be TOTALLY broken!
And you may not like what is going to be taught. You may not like the position your put in, you may not like how people are now going to treat you. You may not even like the message.
You may not like the life he gives you, because it may not match this romantic " Spiritual Life" that others are portraying.
And I want to continue on that.
Peace.
I am often reminded of the intense " Need" of certain groups that gather, to believe themselves to be the annointed of God. People called but not chosen will try to attach themselves to these kind of groups, in order to pacify their hurt from not being chosen. The groups that have formed, may well be groups of believers who violently took the calling of God unto themselves, stole his annointing, and fellowship with each under the rash assumption and illusion that God has annointed them into this truth. Violent because it is just that, to tell yourself and others that you have something, that God has not really given you. When these two groups converge, the called but not chosen and the called but not chosen who have usurped the choice unto themselves, a dangerous group mentality is formed, and they always pacify each other. Because the unity in Christ must then be mutated, acted out, believed in with intense emotion. And churchs are easily formed from this dynamic. Proud churchs, steeped in a rotating spiritual pride in their calling. This is also why many peoples work shall be burned up, but they themselves shall be saved, 1Corinth.3:15. Because their work, was their church, not Gods church. The Spirit was their Spirit, not Gods Spirit, but their Spirit was for God, believed in God, did things for God, lived for God, they just didnot know their Spirit was their god.
I hold no intrest in what the churchs of this world are getting into, the people of God are getting into enough to intrest me. Gods people are messed up enough to hold my attention, Gods house has enough trouble inside to hold my curiosity. There is plently enough deception to learn from inside, than to concern myself with whats going on outside.
And I want to discuss that intense need to be " Inside of Gods Church." Because part of that need has assisted in creating whats on the other side of bondage.
Peace.
There are two common reasons most people hold the need to be in Gods church; for protection and survival. The uncommon reasons are status, the need to be different, prosperity and good health, lust for power, wanting to be on the side thats right or is going to win, and they just learned it from someonelse. If you compare these selfish reasons with these contrasting ones, you can see the rude nature in humanity;
Wanting to be in Gods church because you Love him. Because you desire deeply to serve. The need to help others, the need to build others up, a deep desire to spread the good news of God, you just need to be a support to others and you Love doing it and being it, you Love the Peace and Unity of Spreading Love and Truth.
The contrast between these two list; One is inward, the other outward, one selfish and the other unified in its desire for others.
We exist because God is unselfish, and we will inherit eternal Life because God is giving. The contrast to God is then total bondage, as opposed to total freedom. So when God created humanity and set up our reality as he did, only annointing a few at first, this advertly created several interesting dynamics that now exist within his called out process. In his effort to usher in freedom, it has created yet another kind of Bondage, with interesting side effects on the humans who were called but not chosen.
I can't dare say this was inadvertly caused by God, such would be blasphemy, so I said advertly, it was intended. What God intended he then has planned for, what he has planned for, we then can know he has made provision for.
This means God has made provision for those not annointed by him, not called or chosen by him. All that, supports the doctrinal belief we know as Universalism. And I want to explain that.
Peace.
Its my personal opinion, and observation, that the desire of most believing human beings to be a child of God, is the true source of their Godly experience. Not the Holy Spirit, not God himself or Christ, but their own strong willed desire to both believe in God and be in a relationship with God. Really, the truth be told, God has rejected more romances than any being alive. He has not rejected the persons salvation, but he has rejected their attempts at romance with him. But its the way that God rejects humans advances toward him that is so different. He just gives them the silent treatment, he does not " Do" anything. He does not tell them their advances are unaccepted, he does not stop them in their tracks. He sends absolutely no signs of rejection, he just allows them to do and believe as they wish, which IS a type of curse! When God leaves a human to themselves, to think and believe on their own, to form doctrines and gain insight on their own, to worship him according to your feelings, that is simply a curse from God. If he lets your mind do its own thing, You are NEVER going to get the Spiritual picture right.
The greatest human story ever told, is the bible story. The WHOLE story has ALWAYS been told. But it has hardly ever really been complettely understood. God gave the book, he gave us Jesus, but he didNOT give us complette understanding. And BECAUSE of that, we groupe and scrape ourselves to understand this story, and so many of us are personally trying to be a part of it. In essence, trying to " Write ourselves into the Story", trying to be a part of it. Trying, with all our hearts, to believe that God personally, has contacted us personally, I mean, how dare he NOT contact me! After all, I am me, and God must know me. I know me, and I know how Spiritual I am, thus God needs to catch up and discover me, that is if he is a righteous God, I must be included. And this is how most of us think.
Its like;" Well God you had better get this thing right with me, you KNOW I am your child!" And the desire and intent is SO strong, many of us just literally call ourselves to God. Why wait on God, when YOUR belief and Spirituality is ALREADY so strong, well goodness, you may as well walk out on your own faith. Your own understanding, your own emotion. In other words, a do it yourself advance on a relationship with God and the truth. And this is one of the most popular and illrepeated advances on God that I have ever observed, and experienced for myself. And in most cases, satan or demonic forces are not even needed, the person believes so much, is so strong willed in their belief, they can be left alone to guide themselves down the wrong lighted paths.
In example, I am a dual sided thinking man. On the one end, I can be VERY strong willed in areas that I interpit as being Spiritually minded, but yet on the other, very weak minded when it comes to personal Spiritual Characther development. And this is contridiction, and also why I can personally relate to Romans 7th chapther. There are two forces within me, tearing me apart, and putting me back together again. A continual humpty dumpty story, thus is my experience with God. It causes me to both Love God, and hate how he does me. Whateverelse I am, I must look at the bible and my life, and come away with a REAL assement of what I am, as defined by the bible. I have plainly looked into the fruits of the Spirit in Galations, and can clearly see in my life, that they are NOT there. So I know what I am, and what I am not. I have not been chosen by God. Possibily called, but not annointed with his Spirit. And these are things I had to accept about myself, and God has CLEARLY showed me that millions have NOT accepted this about themselves. And I certainly understand why. It can be embarassing, hurtful, a total bummer, heartrending and just a thing that can throw a human into complette , unrecoverable shock, knowing that God has not chosen you.
Yet this IS the total dynamic that I personally believe the 20th century churchs, and belief, have been built on, INCLUDING Universalist churchs, there are no exceptions to this. I believe to this day, this 23 of December, that the entire planet of earth, and EVERY single group that believes themselves Gods annointed, bar none, are going through this dynamic. And from this dynamic, God will call out a future church to come, not formed and developed by ANY group.
This IS the other side of bondage, but God promised to not do anything unless its revealed to somebody. Conversely, the other side of that promise, means he must also, along with the truth, reveal the bondage, the deception.
Lets take a closer look at that in scripture.
Peace.
Let these scriptures set a tone, or a " Pacepath" in your understanding, let Gods word be your pathfinder. Notice the tone of " Things will be revealed" being set here.
2Thess. 2:2-3, here it is being explained not to let just any spirit shake your composure, concerning timetables, or people telling you the day of the Lord has come. It willnot come unless somethingelse is " Revealed first", and I believe that comming revelation is " Just what sin is." Before God allows sin to complette its course, it will be explained.
The spirit world understands how anxcious humanity is to meet God, AND have the things of God, and they also know we are scared of many of the prophecys in the bible, so they play on that. They'll say Christ is here, and he is not yet here. They will tempt " The kingdom of God is here", and it is not here yet. They will throw into your composure that you are now born again, and you are not yet there. Its just a common temptation and tactic, make you think its here, because you really want it to be here anyway. You want the things, desire the things, you want the church of God to be here. You want to be called, you want to have Spiritual gifts, your wants easily evolve into NEED! And when such strong lust has conceived, it will bring forth--- what? Well you think it will bring forth what you want. Really it will bring forth sin, and this is how God is going to reveal the man of sin. This very process.
And let me go further into scripture on revealing things to us.
Peace.
Now 2Thess. 2:1-3 really reveals how God often " Gathers his Thoughts." He creates humanity, puts the story out about Jesus comming, (and its no telling how often those humans of past thought other men were Christ before Jesus came, that error was done before Jesus came, its not just a thing we presently have experienced) He gives us his son, and then takes him away from us. Now come on, thats depressing, give Jesus then take him away. Well Jesus promises to give " A Spirit" in his place. Now come on man, you just KNOW, EVERYONE is going to try to lay claims on this. This promised Spirit. If you don't have this Spirit thing, then you can't see the Emporers Robe, and nobody wants to admit to that.
So belief in God can be intimidating, all these scare tatics being thrown out, the pressure to be a " Called person", the pressure to have " Proof of your calling- like having Gods Spirit, being born again, the Kingdom being within you, all types of " Evidence" , to yourself and others. ALL of these kinds of drama, and how the drama has sucked us all in, IS the process of the man of sin being revealed. NOT how much sin has NOT done to you, but what it IS doing to you, and how easy it has done it. Yes, YOU, your life right now, your experiences right now with God and the bible and your current beliefs! NOT your sin of 10 years ago, not your sin you can see, not your sin that your proud of overcomming, that " OTHER" sin that you didnot see, that other lion that has got you in its grips already, without you knowing about it. That " Other meaning" of 2 Thess. 2:1-3 that you missed. That other thing in your head that exalts itself above the very knowledge of God, and teachs you its own knowledge, and you have believed it. You believe its already here, because you got it. And your not going to turn it loose.
Because it makes you feel real good about yourself.
But let me continue on to the next scripture.
Peace.
In Dan. 2:22, " It is God who reveals the " Profound and Hidden" things." The profoundness of the revelation of knowledge is not what you now know, but what you know about what you know. The " Inner core of Knowledge", or Wisdom. The profound and hidden layer within knowledge. And its the same way with sin. You can have a knowledge of sin, but when you understand what it is, how it got in you, what it does to you, how it blindfolded itself within you, then you are " Becomming Wise to Sin." Or, its being revealed to you.
You can spend time and your lifes energy holding up the things that have filled your head with its loftyness, or you can spend time learning about what deceived your head.
The profoundness of sin is quite astounding, espically when you reference it according to what it has done to you. Sin can hide itself, mask and morph itself, like the chamelon, it can change its apperance in order to adjust to the environment it looks to invent in your mind. But this can be revealed. Again Jesus in Luke 12:2;" But there is NOTHING covered up that willnot be revealed, and hidden that willnot be known." This is the promise to reveal everything, including BOTH sides of the coin, not just one side. The other side of bondage will be revealed, the other side of Gods calling, those not called, will be revealed. The " Other Lion", that man of sin we cannot see, will be revealed.
The church God didNOT call will be revealed, those God didNOT give his Spirit to will be revealed. All distorted forms of deceptive knowledge will be revealed. THAT IS the man of sin being revealed, a complette course of sin will be opened up to our understanding. An explination of what tripped you up and how and why.
And why you were so attracted to what put you into bondage.
And I want to touch on that some.
Peace.
When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin. James 1:17. A look at the other side of Bondage, or the other Lion, is often a look into yourself. Your inate desires that have sparked a whole new way for the powers that be to consider you. A whole new way to study you, a whole new way to see what really makes you tick, a way to examine you that is for real, and reveals who and what you are without prejudice or hypocrisy. A way that lights up your nature with no variations or shifting of shadows. A way to really get to know you. A way to understand what you would do in any and every situation, a way to get to the core of your very nature.
The man of sin revealed, is an introduction to yourself. An insight into the course that you were placed on and why. Recall I mentioned that we do not need to be approached by demons in order to be led astray, we have enough in us to do that ourselves. We don't need the devil to confuse us, we do a good enough job of that ourselves. And God does not have to mislead us either. All of this discussion about free will verses mans own will, or how God manipulates everything, bypasses some very important truths.
James 1:13;" Let no one say when he is tempted, that they are being tempted by God, for he does not tempt anyone." We are tempted when we are carried away and enticed by OURSELVES, our own will and desire. That is strong enough to give birth to the damage, without ANY outside interference by God or satan! Oh God and satan can and will influence, but the natural state of man does not NEED to be influenced to lead it to sin. God can ignore humanity and it would be attracted to sin on its own. Satan could be locked up and taken totally out of the scene and humanity would still be attracted to sin on its own.
And God knows these things. The world was on a course of sin from its conception, thats why Universalism is the only doctrine that matches the truth that could only be the truth. Because what is " In Man", is universally in every man and woman.
And allow me to show you something interesting about yourself. That other side of bondage.
Peace.
When we approach a study of ourselves, oh now were getting into some deep complicated stuff. A look at the other side of bondage, often reveals some pitiful things about ourselves. Did you know that some of us can be in bondage to our own mouths? We speak what we think are wonderful sounding things, and some of them may well be, but its " The other things" that we speak which often hurt ourselves and others. The other conversation that we have, the other group that we hang out with, the other thoughts that we think which we hide. Its the other way that we treat ourselves and others, its the other lion in our tounge that attacks and mames.
James 1:26;"If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not know how to control their mouth, this person deceives their own mind and this makes their religion, their way of life, worthless." You deceive your own mind, because your mind holds enough power on its own, independant of God or satan, to sin itself, and deceive itself. Now a mouth connected to a brain like this, is capable of most anything. Any of us are capable of doing the very things you complain of others doing. Your inability to control your mouth, can superseed ANY belief you claim to hold to. Your own mouth can render your belief useless. Do you see how much power that is?
If God really wanted to test any of us, he only has to put us into situations that involve our mouths. And the rest will be history. Part of the man of sin, is the csarnality in our own mouths. The mouth is a sure fire extension of the mind.
But let me show you another thing.
Peace.
People can actively seek and claim the calling of God for themselves. Be very serious and all for it in their hearts. They will gather together in chruchs formed, or stay in small groups and seek God together, using their aquired beliefs which they agree on. But can such behavior attain the other side of Gods calling? The true side, which personal effort has nothing to do with? The side which was determined before you were born, which again, means that kind of calling has absolutely nothing to do with you, because you were simply not even born yet, neither were your parents. But you see when people claim things outside of Gods will, they MUST prove to themselves and others, that they have it. It is impossible to prove to yourself or anyonelse that God has called you. If you disagree with this, then simply correct me, and prove it to yourself, then me, how you know you are called of God.
Then watch me pick apart any defense you so choose to present, it can very easily be done.
Why can it be done? Because the man of sin is in you. If you must prove your calling, then you are not called. If you try to prove it, then you must extend your will, into the mind of another human, and convince them, because you are hopeless to try to convince God of it. Let me show you the two sides of Gods calling. Notice Romans 11:7;" What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened." It does not matter how sincere those who seek God are, nor how strong your conviction is, if God has not chosen you, your case for spirituality is just a hardcore case to prove. Yet the bible demands that we prove ALL things, but the usurpers of the calling ignore this when it comes to proving their calling. They pacify themselves and expect you to believe them. Believe them why, what do they have to offer as proof? Well they can only use scripture, or their own righteousness. The very exact things I can use to disprove their claims.
God choose a people, he choose Israel as a physical example of a comming Spiritual church. They were a disobedient rebellious people, a type of the SAME aittitude of those claiming to be the church of God now! Israel sought God, but NEVER found him. They were NEVER spiritually chosen by God, but were PHYSICALLY chosen. They were hardened, given to the other side of Bondage. God was right there to be found, but Israel was not in the same area Spiritually as God.
Those who claim God, MUST show his Spirit as evidence, really the Spirit will provide the evidence for them, AND, provide the evidence of not being called. But this evidence is highly ignored. Broken branches trying to graft themselves back on to the tree. So God gave them over to a Spirit of " Stupor", or he left them alone in their bondage, left them to their mind of Sin, or the man of sin. Part of the man of sin revealed, is the stupor of God inflicted. Then the ignorance of man trys to be the wisdom of God, on its own. Impossible and worthless. Again these are the people Jesus never knew, those who cannot see that Jesus didnot call them.
This is the other side of Christian believers bondage. And I want to get into that.
Peace.
The other side of christian believers bondage can be seen in Romans 11:9;" Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them, let them become blind, and be bent over forever." Their table, or the knowledge that feeds them. The knowledge that they spit out on your mind, your message boards, your attention. Their table, their source of wisdom which they believe is God. THIS IS their trap, the other side of their calling. What they are actively learning, believing to be the knowledge of God, IS actually their trap, it has gripped their minds and willnot let go.
Spiritual believers, wells without the actual water, but they think and believe it to be water, because their wills are so strong, their belief so strong.
Trapped and snared by the real rejection of God.
And what does God do about this?
Nothing.
He sits in wait.
But let me explain why.
Peace.
Interesting.. :thumbsup:
One reason why many struggle with understanding scripture is that they " Gloss Over it", they see a shine and don't go into it as much as they could. If only they would " Think with the scripture", instead of repeating its gloss. The bible is really a book that you need to " Think with", or all you get is the shine. But most are content with the gloss.
Again Romans 11:9-10," Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them, let their eyes be darkened to see not and bend their backs forever."
Much is being revealed here, there is a lot here to learn, but if I do not take the time to think about the message here, then its simply not for me.
Let their table become a snare and a trap; table, or where you feed at. Table, what place your source of nourishment is comming from. Table, a church, a group, a website, a forum discussion, your source of spiritual nourishment will become the place where you are trapped into deceptive beliefs and knowledge that will keep you in areas of no growth that is significant.
"Let their eyes be darkened", meaning they were not darkened before. The people being discussed here are people who believe and worship God, have a significant way of seeing God, but will now loose that and become blind spiritually. You can't dismiss this scripture into some meaningless verse that you can pin on unbelievers or some group other than the one you are in. This is talking about a serious Spiritual bondage of a group of believers.
God is going to spread Salvation around, but he first has spread some serious confusion and misdirection around. We got groups of spiritual believers that don't even know they are deceived. Their in bondage, but live as if they are free, talk as if they are free. And they give aggressive defense of their beliefs. The born again crowd, who have already asscended into the Kingdom of God. Sinless and self described ambassadors of Christ. Serious christian believers, tounge talking tutors of any who would listen.
Not even seeing the real bondage they are in.
Peace.
Now if you " Get into" the 11th Chapter of Romans, the main message involved is that a group of believers or called out people, can actually be used by God to usher in a totally new era of " Other people". God calls out a group, Israel, makes them his own people. Then turns around and uses them as an example of how he can be followed by a group, that really has their self intrest at heart. But he uses that group to open up the door to all other groups he has not yet chosen.
Now, fast forward into this present age. What makes you think God has changed? The group he is dealing with now, will only open up the door for all other groups to be ushered in, grafted in. They are just as selfish as Israel, just as blind, and just as arrogant. Their failure will be the riches of the groups to come. Their bad example, will be the learning of those to come. Their spiritual greed will be the role model of the groups to come, serving as a warning of what happens to a people who claim everything now. They start building their own spirituality, their own monuments.
Its the other side of bondage.
Peace.
Paul knew about the other side of believers in bondage when he said in Philippians 2:20-21, that he was sending Timothy to them, because he had no onelse to send who was really concerned with their group. He couldnot send certain brothers because they were the kind of believers who " Seek after their own intrest."
Believers who seek after their own intrest are usually the most powerful believers, the most popular and the most influencial. They become the leaders nearly every time.
The church at Philippi did not hold a lot of doctrinal errors and were espically close to the heart of Paul, but many of them were anxious and and needed more peace of mind. They were a group that Paul wanted to guide himself and let none others spoil them.
And I want to look at what being anxious can do to increase bondage.
Peace.
Being anxious for the things of God is like being in painful suspence or uneasiness concerning things that are really future tense concerning how God does things. Things you really desire now but cannot wait for, for whatever personal reasons you may have. It is uncertain concern about yourself, your calling, your future with God. This can actually increase bondage and place more of a heavy burden on yourself. To find release, the person may opt to imagine that they have, what has not been yet given, in order to ease the anxiety.
This is understandable and natural, also why it is very easy to fall into. A great falling away of believers does not have to mean that believers now do not believe, it can mean they have been misdirected, and have simply fallen away from Gods direction for them, they take off into a belief that is not yet the path for them. And I think this way about the belief of the Kingdom now being within and several other popular beliefs.
Notice again Romans 8:23;" Having the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we are experiencing heavy burdens, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Ask yourself why a person with Gods Spirit , must wait to be adopted by God, IF they already are adopted? Why must they wait for their bodys to be redeemed, if they are already born again? You wouldnot have to hope for something that you already have obtained. But if it has not been already given by God, then you are set to wait for it, verses 24-25.
But being anxious can drive a believer to make moves on their own.
Isaiah 26:8;" Indeed, WHILE following thy judgements we have waited egarly for you O Lord." WHILE we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus didnot wait to die for ua, we need not wait for our salvation to be secure, but we must learn patience, a sure fruit of the Spirit, and accept that waiting is a biblical standard with much meaning. Psd. 40:1;" I waited patiently for the Lord, and ( Then) he inclinded to me and heard my cry." Being anxious causes you to ship the waiting process and take Spiritual things by force, in order to pacify your mind and belief, you are trying to escape bondage.
And I want to get into that.
Peace.
The natural human inclination is to try to escape bondage. Try and remove yourself from the trap. Notice Jesus facing the impending bondage of dying and death in Matt. 26:42;" My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, thy will be done." Again Jesus, our stellar example, is facing severe suffering and death, wonders out loud in prayer to God, if he can get a pass from this experience. No pass was granted by God. God said no to this request by Christ, an absolute no. Listen, we need to understand that God will say no to us! You may want a spiritual gift, a Spiritual position, A great Spiritual talent, and if God says no, how are you going to discern that? Jesus was complette obedience even BEFORE God answered his prayer! Jesus had already submitted to Gods will for him, even before he knew Gods answer.
Imagine that. Its like asking God something, and then telling God that if he does not give it, you will follow his will anyway. Like asking God for his Spirit, if he does not give it, what will be your reaction? Will you then live as if he gave it, or live in complette submission to his not giving it?
And MANY believers will be judged on this.
Now let me show you something of intrest.
Peace.
Now when other people put us in bondage, we can be so patient with that. Women can be so patient with the bondage men put them in. We are patient with the bondage our jobs place on us. We endure with love the bondage our children place on us. Even patient with the bondage our pets place us in. Oh but if God places us in bondage, we get all bent out of shape. 2Corinth. 11:20;" For you bear with anyone who enslaves you, if they even devour you, take advantage of you, if they even physically hit you." And believing females need to really pay close attention to this. Females will endure more bondage from men than they will from God at times. And its something seriously wrong with that. Certain men will allow their Jobs more control of them than they allow God, and its equally something wrong with that. We have forgotten how to pace our sufferings. We are trying to control our sufferings, a type of self survival.
And let me get into that.
Peace.
A saint is by DEMAND a subject of suffering. This cannot, willnot be avoided! You can't pacify Gods will in this area. We have become so soft, so spoiled, so much kings before our time, that many of us really believe that God has granted us a get out of jail free card! Don't you know there are humans really suffering here on earth, the protective sheild of law in America does not exist all over this earth. There are people who have known NOTHING but suffering all of their natural lives! Heb. 2:15, some have been slaves all of their lives. Subject to salvery.
And here comes a person who fashions themselves called and annointed by God, acting as if they are suffering free. Trying to live as if Gods way is to grant those annointed, a pass to the suffering. This kind of believer has even dared to ask God to remove them from the suffering. And they really seem to believe that God will do as such.
They really do not know what they are believing.
All who are called by God, are called to come to the suffering. Called to the other side of bondage.
And let me continue on that.
Peace.
Look at the other side of bondage. Again Jesus in Matt.16:19, " I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven." Now understand this about bondage, whatever bondage we are placed in on earth, Heaven has already agreed with it. Its a reality both on earth and in Heaven. Whats free on earth is free in Heaven, whats bound on earth is also bound in Heaven. Its a reality of agreement, if you are bound on earth you are not free in Heaven. One may like to think they are, but they are not. If your Free on Earth, your free in Heaven.
Much like the principal of a tree and its root system. Whatever part of a tree that you see above the ground, the same kind of form and shape of that tree exist beneath the surface in the root system, just not as dense and hard. But each branch that shoots out and up, has an exact root below the surface that does the exact same thing. We just cannot see it. The bondage on earth, is bound also in Heaven. Thats why we can't get out of it without Heavens help.
But let me show you somethingelse.
Peace.
I don't want to be negative, because this truth about being bound is bad enough without satan in the picture, but even so, satan can bind people too. Luke 13:16, here satan has bound this woman for 18 long years. Look at verse 11, the woman had a sickness " Caused by a Spirit", she was bent double and couldnot straighten up. Here we learn that satan can actually CAUSE physical human ailiments and severe physical impairments. Including both physical and mental retardation. This then is yet just another side of bondage.
Notice Jesus in verse 12, " Woman you are freed from your sickness." He freed her, freed her from what, freed her from the bondage of her sickness. So sickness itself is a bondage.
And that leads to somethingelse.
Peace.
Quote from: Mickiel on December 28, 2008, 08:18:58 AM
I don't want to be negative, because this truth about being bound is bad enough without satan in the picture, but even so, satan can bind people too. Luke 13:16, here satan has bound this woman for 18 long years.
Imagine that, satan binding a human for 18 years. Thats a long time, its also then a " Fellowship of Bondage." Its a type of relationship. And also an insight as to Gods patience. This means God will allow satan to punish and torture humans for a very long time. Human time that is. The concept of God allowing satan to punish humans is just misunderstood, not untrue, just misunderstood.
And I want to compare that to universal Salvation doctrine, and the doctrine of Eternal hell punishment.
Peace.
One of the most crippling ways that satan can punish a human believer in God, is to position them into a mindset of believing that they have Gods Spirit, when really they do not. Its a perfect trap, a bondage born of perfection in how to deceive. It reveals satan in his ultimate power to deceive, his deceptive ability shown in a masterpeice of his work. He actually uses the humans belief, their heart, their characther, all imposed into an elaborate deception, the ultimate bondage.
Because , you see, if you want to take the air out of the baloon, if you want to expose any believer as not being chosen of God, you just remove Gods Spirit from the scene, and they don't have a leg to stand on. They MUST believe that they have Gods Spirit, or they equally must admit to not being chosen. But the immemse pride of believers will NEVER admit to not being chosen, not having Gods Spirit. The great falling away, in my view, is the inability of humans to accept Gods timetable for them, and the actual SHAME believers will experience when God does reveal that he didNOT choose them, and he chooses someonelse. Whole groups of believers will be put to shame for jumping the gun and claiming to have things that they didnot.
God will choose the weak who told the truth about themselves, meaning they were able to see absolute truth, because it starts with yourself.
And I want to get into that truth.
Peace.
[quote
God will choose the weak who told the truth about themselves, meaning they were able to see absolute truth, because it starts with yourself.
And I want to get into that truth.
Peace.
[/quote]
When you can see that you are not increasing in Love for all men, in this manner you can know that you are on the other side of Gods Spirit. Look at 1Thess. 3:12-13;" And may the Lord CAUSE you to increase and abound in Love for one another, and for all men. So that he may establish your hearts in unblemished Holiness." It is God who CAUSES a believer to increase in Love for everyone, I am not increasing in Love for everyone, so I can know that I am on the other side of Bondage, not having Gods Spirit. My heart is not the kind that Loves everyone, so it is not established in that kind of Love. And thats just the truth about myself.
When God calls you, and then later chooses you, he then sanctifys you, not with impurity, but in Holiness, 1Thess. 4:7. And a believer who has reached this point must examine themselves carefully, 5:21. Not just making these claims emotionally, but using your Life honestly to describe what the scripture is describing, and fully knowing that it is describing you. Conversely, those of us not called must examine ourselves and understand that we are not called, not growing in this Love, not sanctified in this Holiness.
Learn to be for real with yourself and admit what you are. Then live in that honesty with an eye open with the TRuth. Letting your Hope be in God, to bring you to the other side of Bondage.
Peace.