A footnote in reference to freewill, that some Christians mistakingly believe is not theirs.
A footnote in reference to freewill, that some Christians mistakingly believe is not theirs.
For each one of us with our lives and in all areas of our life, is it not In CHRIST to be wholly given by us to GOD as a freewill offering, so that we may indeed acquire and attain to the capacity of choosing right from wrong according to GOD as we grow living from faith to faith?
Yes, In CHRIST we are under obligation to die to the flesh (Romans 8:12-14), but this obligation through obedience is a prerequisite for and to the praise of HIS Glory in each our lives toward Eternal Life; our walking in our time in this life living by faith in JESUS CHRIST by The SPIRIT Of GOD; our putting to death the deeds of the body that we might live.
But if anyone does not have The Sentient Element Of CHRIST, he does not belong to HIM.
And if CHRIST is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of Righteousness.
But if The SPIRIT Of HIM WHO Raised JESUS from the dead Dwells in you, HE WHO Raised CHRIST JESUS from the dead Will also Give life to your mortal bodies because of HIS SPIRIT WHO Indwells you...
Romans 8:10-11.
We cannot glorify GOD through sin and by our sinning (which is why flesh and blood cannot Inherit The Kingdom Of GOD), but to the contrary, we can only dishonour HIM and discredit The Ministry through our sinning and the sinful nature which is ours and is, for all and without exception, ours by default.
Therefore we need to acquire and attain to having the capacity to both choose and to do what is right according to GOD. In other words, the ability of our being able to do so by our own freewill and thus our wanting to do so according to GOD.
Return, O Israel, to The LORD your GOD, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
Take words with you and return to The LORD.
Say to HIM,
"Take away all iniquity, and receive us Graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips...
Hosea 14:1-2
We are to seek The LORD while HE may be found, to call upon HIM while HE is near; the wicked forsaking his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, to turn back to The LORD that HE might have Mercy upon him, to GOD that HE Will abundantly Pardon; Isaiah 55:6-7.
Yet Scripture tells us rightly that there is none Righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for GOD; Romans 3:9-20.
So who, according to GOD through Isaiah the Prophet, is to seek for The LORD?
It is those who seek and who hear to respond only according to GOD'S Truth.
There is none who worship and seek after GOD carefully and diligently and who may do so according to what is acceptable before GOD according to HIS Holiness and whilst we are apart from GOD, because of HIS Righteousness and man's wretchedness; and this is because of and how Paul writes, quoting The Scriptures in what we have as Romans 3:10-18.
Read these verses, because this is true of you, it is true of me, and it is true of every other living soul.
But now, by The Grace Of GOD, though no man has perceived to understand GOD at any time, The Only Begotten GOD, WHO Is In The Bosom Of The FATHER, HE Has Come and explained; John 1:17-18, John 12:44-50, John 14:6-18, John 17:14-26, Matthew 11:25-30.
"I AM The Resurrection And The Life; he who believes in ME shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in ME shall never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:25-26.
Through HIM then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to GOD, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to HIS Name.
And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices GOD Is Pleased.
Hebrews 13:15-16.
Living to fulfill such instruction in Scripture is all from our own freewill to do so, having believed and living as those who believe in JESUS, that GOD then Works in our hearts and minds to Cleanse and Transform to our being more and more CHRIST like; Romans 8:28-39.
(Ephesians 1:13-14, Isaiah 63:7-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:18-24, Romans 8:9-11, Romans 8:23, Ephesians 4:30-32, 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Romans 12:1-3).
But it is a choice we have as to whether we live as truly believing in GOD Through JESUS CHRIST or if we will live as those who prove yet still to being disobedient to The Word; 1 Peter 2:7-25.
Those of whom The LORD Speaks in Matthew 25:31-46; the Righteous and the accursed - they all would have professed according to GOD to belong to the same Body, to being led by The Same SPIRIT, professed to being called in one hope of their calling; preaching One LORD, one faith, one baptism, One GOD And FATHER of all WHO Is over all and through all and in all, and all because this is what Scripture states; yet by The LORD they are separated from one another as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
And with those of whom The LORD Speaks as is written in what we have as Matthew 7:21-23 being of the same.
They, as we all, had freewill; but The Word the accursed; those who practiced lawlessness heard, or rather how they heard, it clearly did not profit them, because, and contrary to what they believed of themselves during their time on earth, it was not united by faith in them. They heard only as their own hearing and heart permitted them to understand.
Their hearts deceived them.
Their ears were stopped because of their hardened heart and stiffened neck and this has to be the case, or else why would they be separated and not at the place of honour; to The LORD'S Right Hand, but HIS Left and cast away from HIS Presence by The Words from HIS Own Mouth?
It was not as their own mouths spoke; it was not as their hearts and minds believed of themselves.
And so we may discern that their uncleansed hearts just could not truly comprehend how a Christian in truth will understand The Way Of GOD In CHRIST JESUS. Acts 15:8-9, Hebrews 9:13-15.
It is in our obedience to The Truth of The Word that our souls are purified for a sincere love of the Brethren, that we may then know to fervently love one another from a clean heart; having been born again not of seed which is perishable (John 1:12-13) but Imperishable, that is, through The Living And Abiding Word Of GOD; 1 Peter 1:22-25.
Many are Called, but few Chosen.
And the Chosen are the faithful; Called and Chosen because they are faithful. Revelation 17:14, John 15:12-17, Romans 8:28-30, 2 Timothy 2:1-16, Hebrews 3:1 - 4:16.
These hear The Word and understand It; who indeed bear fruit, and bring forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty; Matthew 13.
To these and of these The LORD JESUS Speaks in John 15; because through their belief as The LORD HIMSELF Deems belief to be according to GOD and not according to our own selves, so it is and how it is that they do know the things Of GOD:
"You are MY friends, if you do what I Command you.
"No longer do I Call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have Called you friends, for all things that I Have Heard from MY FATHER I Have Made known to you.
"You did not choose ME, but I Chose you, and Appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of The FATHER In MY Name, HE May Give to you.
"This I Command you, that you love one another...
John 15:14-17 (1 Peter 2:9).
Chosen, because they are faithful.
They are told that The LORD Calls them friends; and with this why and how HE Calls them friends, but they are also told that they should go and bear fruit, and that their fruit should remain (1 Peter 1:13-21, 1 Peter 3:8-17, Philippians 3:9-16, Psalm 145) with their also being again told of The LORD'S Commandment, that they do whatever they do from love.
My personal experience of the day I first believed, among other things on that day and after the day on which it all began, is that I had a revelation that JESUS Is The Truth.
It was a very real knowledge; and I remember it being one I couldn't deny nor did I want to deny it.
I heard, understood, fully accepted and wanted to know HIM. I certainly wasn't expecting what happened to happen.
I thank The Most High GOD for HIS Grace and Mercy in Revealing HIS Truth of HIS SON to me.
Since this time I have made many mistakes, stumbled many times, and because of the times I have erred I have known judgement and condemnation made against me by other professing Christians, even those with whom I went to for help, who believed that in their doing what they did to me, in how they then treated me, that they were right in doing what they did, but who, according to GOD and HIS Word, were wrong and in their ignorance did wilfully act being contrary to CHRIST JESUS and The Grace Of GOD (Galatians 6:1-5, 1 Corinthians 2:15-16, Romans 15:1-7).
In this, in their Spiritual blindness through the hardness of their heart as they live and still exist being the same today, just as many professing Christians are and do; and by themselves deeming GOD'S Grace Sufficient for themselves but not so for others; so it is that they live deeming themselves better than others; Luke 18:9-14.
This is often the attitude of many professing Christians toward others today, who still know, and for whatever reasons they themselves will justify themselves in their doing so and by their own reasonings, to then judge according to the flesh as opposed to knowing to judge with Righteous judgement; or even being able to comprehend just what this means.
These, being ignorant of GOD'S Righteousness, are those who establish their own righteousness, having not truly submitted themselves to The Righteousness Of GOD; and they do not see it, and all the while they will continue to do it with their conscience free of conviction they will remain not being able to see what it is they do.
But no man can justify himself before GOD and with this, as many shall mistakingly do, they will also willingly speak and act in condemning others. They do this because they trust in themselves that they are righteous and so is why and how they will view others with contempt and do not know the Oneness In CHRIST all are Called to and to know. They do not know the meekness Of CHRIST. 2 Corinthians 10.
There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, yet is not washed from his filthiness.
There is a kind - oh how lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
There is a kind of man whose teeth are swords and his jaw teeth like knives, to devour the afflicted from the earth and the needy from among men.
Proverbs 30:12-14.
Through this I have also had false things said about me, which have been nothing more than gossip, lies believed and spread about by those who, in their doing so, are no more than talebearers who by their own declaration of faith ought to know to show themselves in conducting themselves differently; and just as a Saint is Called to be.
Yet and as they are and all the while being apart from repentance they show of themselves that they do not to truly know to do as we are Called and instructed throughout Scripture and all according to GOD (Leviticus 19:16-18, Proverbs 18:8, Romans 3:31, Romans 8:2-8, Romans 13:8-14).
But for these and for all who will do so, and being without partiality, the fact remains that they have done as they have done according to their own freewill, just as they could have chosen and purposed to do according to GOD and all HIS Word by that same freewill to their not doing as they have done, which they did by and because of their own and still fleshly nature, by choice, freely deciding to do so.
But, 2 Peter 1:1-11.
Some just cannot see with Spiritual eyes to knowing their heart being enlightened and just what it is they continue to do by their still earthly nature (1 Corinthians 3:16-23, 2 Corinthians 1:12-13, 1 John 3:7-11), which is because their faith is not being faith according to GOD and HIS Word; so their heart remains uncleansed to still practicing the deeds of the flesh and not knowing the conviction required toward repentance.
It is always the flesh that gets in the way of knowing and being able to perceive the Spiritual according to GOD and all HIS Word.
Yet there is no need for this to be so, just as there is no justification for any in their not knowing as GOD In CHRIST would have them both to know and understand to do, because for all, if we are willing then GOD Is Able; and just as Abraham believed GOD and it was Reckoned to him as Righteousness.
When we truly believe in GOD WHO Justifies the ungodly, our faith is reckoned as Righteousness. And our hearts are always and only Cleansed through faith that is faith according to GOD.
The Church Of GOD, those that are Sanctified In CHRIST JESUS, called Saints, with all who in every place call upon The Name Of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, their LORD and ours; Grace to them and Peace from GOD our FATHER And The LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Just as David also speaks of the Blessing upon the man to whom GOD Reckons Righteousness apart from works;
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been Forgiven, and whose sins have been Covered.
"Blessed is the man whose sin The LORD will not take into account."
Romans 4:7-8.
It requires our willingness and desire to know the humility required of GOD'S children.
Accordingly so, this also, whether we shall know according to GOD or not, is solely down to our own freewill and this is so regardless of those who will believe and will preach otherwise of our having no freewill in matters pertaining to GOD.
But for all who do respond to The Grace and Mercy In HIS SON in truth, is not our saving faith in HIM then spontaneous, voluntarily living from, by and with the willingness and desire to learn to know HIM and to do HIS Will?
Is it not our living from faith to faith that The Righteousness Of GOD is revealed in us; that we may know HIM and The Power Of HIS Resurrection and the fellowship of HIS sufferings, being Conformed to HIS death; in order that we may attain to The Resurrection from the dead?
John 17:3. Matthew 7:21-29, Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 3:24-35. Romans 1:16-17, Philippians 3:7 - 4:1.
Is it not this saving faith, through which HE Gives to us The HOLY SPIRIT (Ephesians 2:8-9) that we may indeed obey JESUS CHRIST and be Sprinkled with HIS Blood; that Grace and Peace may be ours in fullest measure?
Ephesians 4:1 - 5:17, 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Peter 1:2.
Is it not that we may now live to establish The Law through faith; by our no longer walking according to the flesh and ever learning not to do so, now living as we could not have known before; through and by our being led by The SPIRIT Of GOD?
Romans 3:31, Romans 8:2-4, Galatians 5:5-6, Acts 5:30-32, John 6:63-64.
The answer to these questions for all those who will believe and because of The Word Of GOD, is yes. It is yes to all these things, because,
"It Is The SPIRIT WHO Gives Life; the flesh profits nothing; The Words that I Have Spoken to you are Spirit and are Life.
"But there are some of you who do not believe."...
John 6:63-64.
This too, and our doing so is from freewill; our faith that is The Gift Of GOD - Romans 5:15-17, Ephesians 2:8-9, Isaiah 55:8-13, Romans 6:23, Romans 4:16-17 - which then through our belief in GOD becomes our conviction as to the Truthfulness of GOD and accordingly so is our knowing a sole reliance upon CHRIST.
And for it to be love it has to be from freewill, as love simply cannot be any other way.
John 13:34-35, John 14:15-18, John 15:10-17, John 17:16-26. 1 John 5.
Because of HIM, we learn; Luke 6:46-48, Acts 3:22-26, Ephesians 4:17-24.
Because of HIM, we love; 1 John 4, Titus 3:3-8, Galatians 5:22-26.
But it must be and can only ever be from freewill and the desire to know; of our then having the capacity to choose and act In all situations and circumstances with our being in The Will Of GOD (HE Gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding; Daniel 2:20-22); through which The HOLY SPIRIT leads us toward Salvation through Sanctification and faith in The Truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 - 3:3.
The Word is given to us and it is by our own freewill, our own heart, as to whether we hear and obey to follow the instruction that we may understand; by our obedience and our desire to obey.
It is why Paul writes as he does:
... Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
So then do not be foolish, but understand what The Will Of The LORD is...
Ephesians 5:15-17
And,
...For this reason also, since the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of HIS Will in all Spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of The LORD, to please in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in The Knowledge Of GOD; strengthened with all Power, according to HIS Glorious Might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to The FATHER, WHO has qualified us to share in The Inheritance of the Saints in Light.
For HE Delivered us from the domain of darkness and Transferred us to The Kingdom Of HIS Beloved SON, In WHOM we have Redemption, the Forgiveness of sins...
Colossians 1:9-14.
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps The Law.
A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response...
Proverbs 29:18-19.
The Psalmist who wrote In The SPIRIT knew of the freewill all have, as should and will all who now live In CHRIST in truth:
O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD (Romans 10:8-11), and Teach me THINE Ordinances.
My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget THY Law.
Psalm 119:108-109.
And we shall know and learn to understand as the Psalmist, if we are indeed being led By The SPIRIT Of GOD, to our possessing The Wisdom from Above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. James 3:17-18.
As the Psalmist writes of himself, our life too is continually in our hand, but even so; The Wisdom Of GOD Leads us in the way of Righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgement; Proverbs 8:20, so that when we live by Grace through faith in JESUS CHRIST it is then that we have entrusted ourselves to HIM, and then we know such as The Words Of our LORD JESUS CHRIST written in John 6:39-40, that HE is Speaking of us; if we will indeed, as far as it depends on us, live remaining to stand in The Grace Of GOD.
2 Corinthians 6:1 - 7:1.
John 10:1-5 & 27-30.
..."And this is The Will Of HIM WHO Sent ME, that of all that HE has Given ME I lose nothing, but Raise it Up on The Last Day.
"For this The Will Of MY FATHER, that everyone who beholds The SON and believes in HIM, may have Eternal Life; and I MYSELF Will Raise him Up on The Last Day."
John 6:39-40.
We ourselves have responsibility in all our living, as this from Proverbs instructs us; and indeed throughout all Scripture we are instructed:
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of Life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put devious lips far from you.
Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established.
Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:23-27.
Freewill - whether to take heed and obey the instruction, or not. You may choose to accept and adhere to the teachings of men, but please know that they cannot save you; they only serve to deceive you.
For The Commandment is a Lamp and The Teaching is Light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.
Proverbs 6:23
I Will Instruct you and Teach you in the way which you should go;
I Will Counsel you with MY Eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked;
But he who trusts in The LORD, Lovingkindness shall surround him.
Be glad in The LORD and rejoice you Righteous ones,
And shout for joy all you who are upright in heart.
Psalm 32:8-11
Clearly here, our trust in The LORD is a matter of choice, just as is faith in JESUS according to GOD and all HIS Word.
"Incline your ear and come to ME.
Listen, that you may live;
And I Will Make an Everlasting Covenant with you, the Faithful Mercies Shown to David.
"Behold, you will call a nation you do not know, and a nation which knows you not will run to you,
Because of The LORD your GOD, even The Holy ONE Of Israel;
For HE has Glorified you."
Isaiah 55:3-4.
For any to incline their ear to come to GOD, to listen that they may live; this requires both freewill and most essentially in and by that freewill, obedience.
And in this we must endure to the end because, as The LORD JESUS HIMSELF and HIS Apostles Tell us, it is the one who endures to the end who will be Saved - whilst the accursed ones shall be cast Into the eternal fire which has been Prepared for the devil and his angels; Matthew 10:16-33, Mark 13, James 1:12-27, Isaiah 58:6-12, Jeremiah 22:15-16, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 John 3.
Deuteronomy 5:32-33 - freewill - But now in The New Covenant and being under Grace we may establish The Law through faith; because now GOD Gives The HOLY SPIRIT to those who obey HIM - Hebrews 8:10-13 - and this is to our overcoming sin; this is The Grace Of GOD.
The LORD Knows those who are HIS (Acts 15:8-9), because The LORD GOD Alone Sees the end from the beginning; and in this life as we sojourn here on earth, and as there are many deceivers in the world, we are to look out for each other also; so that any are not led astray from The Truth and in being led astray, will perish.
2 Timothy 2, James 5:19-20, Jude:17-25.
The LORD Knew of David and his heart while he was yet a shepherd boy; Acts 13:22-24, 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Samuel 16:1-13.
And we know of David's sin; and because The Scriptures are given to us that we might have hope; Romans 15:4-7.
And for the one who lives by faith in CHRIST JESUS, GOD'S Grace Is always Sufficient. 1 John 1:1 - 2:7.
Hence we are to learn to know and to understand that we do not judge to condemn any. Matthew 7:1-2, James 2:8-13, James 4:11-12, Ephesians 4:29 - 5:2, 1 Peter 2:1-3, Luke 6:35-49.
And as we are to be held accountable according to all we have done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5, Romans 14:7-13) and even for every careless word spoken (Matthew 12:30-37), how then can any believe that we do not have freewill as some will maintain and because of false teachings when we shall indeed be held accountable for everything we ourselves have both said and done?
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.
Proverbs 27:19-20.
So, you who profess faith in JESUS CHRIST, walk so as having the eyes of your heart enlightened; knowing humility.
And because we desire GOD'S Will alone be done and not our own, so it shall be done in and through our own lives.
If we delight ourselves in The LORD, then HE Will indeed Give us the desires of our heart. Psalm 37.
GOD is not a man that HE should lie.
We live, of our own freewill, that The FATHER'S Will be done on earth as It Is In Heaven. Amen.
And this is how we are to pray; Matthew 6.
2 Corinthians 1:17 - 2:11.
