FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD

(Unedited)

Revised

By Nick Bibile

Many believe that God looked into the future and saw who would believe in Christ, and those who believed God predestined and elected them. This kind of teaching contradicts scripture and the nature of God.  We need to see this from the perspective of God and not the perspective of man. The difficulty arises when we try to analyze things from our limited minds. We are creatures of time. But God is eternal, he lives forever. He is not bound to time. God does not have past, present and future. He is the great "I am".

Romans 8:28-30
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according go His purpose. 29) For whom He fore knew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30) and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

'For' indicates that verses 29-30 are the foundation for verse 28. They give reasons why we can
KNOW all things will work together for those who are called according to God's purpose.

In these few verses, we see the great doctrines of election and predestination and effectual calling and justification and glorification

The Greek word for foreknowledge is proginosko.  The medical word prognosis is connected to this word.  Prognosis is a prediction concerning the future course of decease, based on diagnosis.  This word does not appear in the Old Testament but appears seven times in the New Testament, and it relates to God’s foreknowledge. What do you mean by foreknowledge?

The meaning

The word foreknowledge does not appear in the Old Testament, but when the word, "know" is used in connection with God, it means to "choose" or "set favor upon" or "acknowledge” It is those whom he chose or set his favor upon. Here are some texts to show this meaning of "knowing."

 "I know you by name" (Exodus 33:17) "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5) "You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day I knew you." (Deut. 9:24)
Romans 11: 2,  Gen.18:17-19,  Hosea 13:4-5,  1 Cor. 8:3,  2 Tim. 2:16-19

Whom he fore knew he also predestined,” means that God appointment the destiny of
his people, based on his prior election, and this election is not based on any foreseen faith that we could produce. The plan of redemption was never conceived to include the saving power of human self-determination.

The Arminians add human faith into the doctrine of foreknowledge in order to fit the pattern of their theological system. As a result, foreseen faith is blended into foreknowledge. Faith cannot be the cause of foreknowledge as foreknowledge is before predestination, and faith is the effect of predestination.  Acts 13:48 say, "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Also foreknowledge is not based on good works, as Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." As you see these are the effects of predestination.

Foreknowledge in Scripture Refers to the Persons and not to their Actions

The Word foreknowledge appears only a few times in the New Testament, and it is never used in connection with action of the person but to the person. God did not elect you because he foresaw of your repenting and believing.  It is true that God knew that some would repent and believe on him, but that is not what the scripture is referring to God’s foreknowledge. God knew the persons who will be saved. He is not looking to the actions of the people in salvation. Let us look some scripture on foreknowledge and it will be very clear to you that the word foreknowledge refers to the persons and not to their works.

Acts 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Paul is not speaking of God’s foreknowledge of the action of crucifixion, but the person crucified: "HIM (Christ) being delivered…"

Romans 8:29 "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Whom he foreknew referring to persons and not referring to their actions on what they did)

Romans 11:2 "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? How he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying," (foreknew are the people and not refering to their actions on what they did)

1 Peter 1:2

          1   Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world,
 scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,
          2    who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
 through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and
 sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
          3   Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he
 has given us.

Who are elected according to the foreknowledge of the Father?  The previous verse tells us, strangers scattered. Again, it is referring to persons and not to their foreseen acts.

Peter tells us that his readers are "God's elect, strangers in the world." That word translated with he
phrase "strangers in the world" is the Greek word parepidemos. It means, "one who comes from a
foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives." Aliens, sojourners.
People who are from somewhere else and only living in the strange land for a short while. Peter's
readers are aliens, because they are true residents of heaven. How do we know that? Because Peter calls them (literally in the Greek) "elect aliens." God has chosen them before the foundations of the world to be his. Therefore, their real home is heaven. Always has been, always will be.

God Foreknew the Persons Because He Elected them
.
God did not elect us because he fore knew, but the truth is he fore knew because he elected us. First God chooses, that is, he unconditionally sets his favor on whom he will, then destines them for their glorious role in eternity

Let us see very briefly the context of Romans chapter 8
No condemnation for the Christian.  (Verse 1)
Christ is in us, and controlled by the Spirit of God. (5-11)
We are in the Family of God through adoption. (15-17)
Sharing in Christ's sufferings. (17-27)

The Christian is already chosen and elected by God; we are in the family of God, led by the Spirit of God, Christ in us and suffer in Christ.  Before the foundation of the world God knew that, his Son will die for his people on the cross.  It is not an after thought of God to send his Son into the World, as he is the author of life, meaning he is the one who wrote the book, he is the architect and the planner, the designer.  Our life is already written in the book.

In fact, Charles Spurgeon (that great preacher and theologian from the 1800's) has said:

     Whatever may be said about the doctrine of election, it is written in the Word
 of God as with and iron pen, and there is no getting rid of it. To me, it is one of
 the sweetest and most blessed truths in the whole of revelation, and those who
 are afraid of it are so because they do not understand it. If they could but know
 that Lord had chosen them, it would make their hearts dance for joy.

He predestined us so that we would be conformed to the likeness of his Son. (29) He is the firstborn and we are his brothers. (John 12:23-24) Those he called, he justified. God declared the believing sinner righteous on behalf of the righteousness of Jesus. Glorification is the ultimate and the final blessing for the saved.

Believing is not a work, but based on God's grace.

It is true that God foresees faith and all that comes to past. The question is how does this faith begin. The Bible says, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God."(Romans 10:17) When man sinned against God in the garden of Eden, man died spiritually as God said. Then Adam was not seeking God but hiding from God. Apostle Paul explains in Ephesians 2:1 "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins." Apostle goes on to say how we used to live gratifying the desires of this sinful nature, and how we were disobedient to God. In verse three he said, by nature we were objects of wrath. In verse four he said, "BUT because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, MADE US ALIVE with Christ even when we were DEAD in transgressions, it is by GRACE you have been saved." How can a dead sinner have faith? Unless God makes the dead sinner alive first, (Regeneration or Born Again) God is the initiator and not man. Remember faith is a gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) The dead sinner cannot even believe the word of God, until he is given the grace to believe. Acts 13:48 "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." (The entire doctrine falls apart if we believe that God foresaw down through the ages who is going to be saved. No sinner would believe in God, unless God gives him the faith first. It was the murderers, prostitutes, tax collectors and thieves that were regenerated during the time of Jesus, what kind of faith did they have?  The sinner does not want to come to the holy God, no! The sinner is dead in his faith and he is fleeing from the presence of God’s holiness and righteousness. Faith is God’s gift. If we are saved by our faith, we have lot to boast. Then where is the grace? In Romans 11:6 Paul said, "And if by grace, then it is no longer works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.." Man has no room for boasting.

Ephesians 2:9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from
 yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast

Believing is the result of God’s act. Believing is through the grace of God, see Acts 13:48. There is nothing that we can boast in believing.

2 Timothy 1:9

Who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have
 done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in
 Christ Jesus BEFORE THE TIME BEGAN.

Ephesians 1:4-5
 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless
               in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ,
               in accordance with his pleasure and will (All the glory goes to God and none to man)

Ephesians 1:11
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of
               him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will

Election is a doctrine, which holds that before the creation of the world, God selected out of the human race those he would redeem, bring to faith, justify, and glorify through Jesus Christ. It was God's divine choice, which is an expression of his sovereign and perfect will, to unconditionally choose, not based on any human merit. God owes nothing to sinners. He owes no mercy to anyone, only condemnation. When angels sinned against God, he did not pardoned them, and then is God obligated to pardoned man when he sinned? Of course not.

There are many erroneous conceptions that are taught today from the pulpit with reference to the foreknowledge of God. This is very dishonoring to the Lord.  God planned, authored and predestined everything from the very beginning. We cannot find or get any credit for ourselves but all the praise and the glory goes to him!  Our belief was on grace, and our election is by grace

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QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Objection:

John 3:16 is very clear that God so loved the world, means everyone, he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in him should not perish. This is what the Bible say.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Answer:

The question is, whom did God love? Arminians say, God loves every individual of entire human race. Jesus died for every individual of the entire human race. They use John 3:16 to prove their point. The Arminians fall into error, as they do not compare scripture by scripture. You cannot take a scripture out of context, you need to put the scripture in the right context and compare scripture by scripture to get the full meaning. First we need to find out when the Bible say, God so loved the world, what does world mean here in context, is it every single individual or is it speaking only for the elect of God. So let us compare other scriptures referring to world.

The world in John 3:16 does not mean every single individual when we compare the following scriptures.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (When Christ died on the cross, did he remove all the sins of all the men in the world? If he did then all will be saved. And we know that all are not saved, so he came only to the elect who were given to him by the Father before the foundation of the world. Read the following scripture.

2Ti 1:9 Who hath SAVED US, and called us with an holy calling, not according to OUR WORKS, but according TO HIS OWN PURPOSE and GRACE, which was given us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN.

Lu 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, THAT ALL THE WORLD should be taxed. (Did the people in China, Indonesia, Philippines, hidden parts of Africa, all the tribes of India and all the islands, including every single individual of the world were taxed? Of course no. So, the world here is referring to a certain group of people and not every single individual)

Joh 12:19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. (Again, did the people in Africa, Indian, China and all the islands go after Jesus? No again, the world is referring to a certain group of people.)

Joh 17:9 I pray for them: I PRAY NOT FOR THE WORLD, but for them WHICH THOU HAS GIVEN ME; for THEY ARE THINE (If God so loved the entire world why Jesus is not praying for them.)

When did the Father give the elect to Jesus?

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

This is why the context is so important in interpreting the scriptures. In John 3:16 when it says, God loved the world, he is speaking of the universal church, the elected Christians who are scattered all over the world. He called us and grace was given to the elect before the world began. (2 Tim 1:9) Yet, we are to preach the gospel to all the nations, as the gospel invitation is for all the people, but only the elect will hear the gospel will respond others will refuse.

"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” John 6:44.

Man is unable to come to God because of his nature. Charles Spurgeon gives this beautiful example, one day a man said, that he did not believe any man had the power to walk to the house of God unless the Father drew him. This was very foolish saying according to Spurgeon. Because as long as a man was alive and had legs, it was as easy for him to walk to the house of God as to the house of Satan. There is no lack of physical power in coming to Christ, as physically men are alive, they can raise a hand in coming to Christ, they can walk down the isle in coming to Christ, they can say a prayer in coming to Christ. But just because they did all these things physically, it does not mean they truly came to Christ. The defect is not in the body, as the natural man is alive and strong physically, the defect is in the mind and in the heart. It is spiritual. As he is spiritually dead.

Spurgeon gives the example of a lion and a sheep. The lion has legs so does sheep, the lion has a mouth so does a sheep, the lion have ears so does a sheep. Physically both can walk and eat. But the lion will not eat grass like a sheep neither the sheep will eat meat like a lion. The distinction is in the nature. By nature, the Lion is different than a sheep. In the same way by the natural man’ s nature is so corrupt that he has neither the will nor the power to come to Christ unless drawn by the Spirit.

Frances Turretin, Reformed theologian in Geneva (1623-1687):

The love treated of in John 3:16 cannot be universal towards all and every one, but special towards a few... because the end of that love which God intends is the salvation of those whom He pursues with such love... If therefore God sent Christ for that end that through Him the world might be saved, He must either have failed of His end, or the world must necessarily be saved in fact. But it is certain that not the whole world, but only those chosen out of the world are saved; therefore, to them properly has this love reference.... Why then should not the world here be taken not universally for individuals, but indefinitely for anyone, Jews as well as Gentiles, without distinction of nation, language and condition, that He may be said to have loved the human race, inasmuch as He was unwilling to destroy it entirely but decreed to save some certain persons out of it, not only from one people as before, but from all indiscriminately, although the effects of that love should not be extended to each individual, but only to some certain ones, viz, those chosen out of the world? (Theological Institutes)

Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952):

Turning now to John 3:16, it should be evident from the passages just quoted that this verse will not bear the construction usually put upon it. "God so loved the world." Many suppose that this means, The entire human race. But "the entire human race" includes all mankind from Adam till the close of earth's history: it reaches backward as well as forward! Consider, then, the history of mankind before Christ was born. Unnumbered millions lived and died before the Savior came to the earth, lived here "having no hope and without God in the world," and therefore passed out into eternity of woe. If God "loved" them, where is the slightest proof thereof? Scripture declares "Who (God) in times past (from the tower of Babel till after Pentecost) suffered all nations to walk in their own ways" (Acts 14:16). Scripture declares that "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient" (Rom. 1:28). To Israel God said, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). In view of these plain passages who will be so foolish as to insist that God in the past loved all mankind! The same applies with equal force to the future .... But the objector comes back to John 3:16 and says, "World means world. "True, but we have shown that "the world" does not mean the whole human family. The fact is that "the world" is used in a general way... Now the first thing to note in connection with John 3:16 is that our Lord was there speaking to Nicodemus, a man who believed that God's mercies were confined to his own nation. Christ there announced that God's love in giving His Son had a larger object in view, that it flowed beyond the boundary of Palestine, reaching out to "regions beyond." In other words, this was Christ's announcement that God had a purpose of grace toward Gentiles as well as Jews. "God so loved the world," then, signifies, God's love is international in its scope. But does this mean that God loves every individual among the Gentiles? Not necessarily, for as we have seen the term "world" is general rather than specific, relative rather than absolute . . . the "world" in John 3:16 must, in the final analysis refer to the world of God's people. Must we say, for there is no other alternative solution. It cannot mean the whole human race, for one half of the race was already in hell when Christ came to earth. It is unfair to insist that it means every human being now living, for every other passage in the New Testament where God's love is mentioned limits it to His own people-- search and see! The objects of God's love in John 3:16 are precisely the same as the objects of Christ's love in John 13:1 "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His time was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." We may admit that our interpretation of John 3:16 is no novel one invented by us, but one almost uniformly given by the Reformers and Puritans, and many others since them. (The Sovereignty of God)

 Objection: This will make a man to a robot.

Answer: When God created Adam and Eve they were created in the image of God. They were holy and perfect without sin as they had fellowship with the Creator face to face and they were naked. Adam had the power of the free will to choose. When Adam sinned, death came to man spiritually and physically. When Adam (the fountain head of the human race) sinned we too sinned.

Ro 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that ALL HAVE SINNED.

Sin caused the image of God to be marred, and man spiritually died, that is why Adam was fleeing away from God and hiding. In Adam, we too died spiritually. When an infant is born, he is born with sin.

Ps 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Now as we are spiritually dead we have no will to believe in God unless God first makes us alive from the dead, When we are alive from the dead then we can believe and repent of our sins.

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

We are not a robot as we are physically alive and we have a will to eat Hamburgers or Chinese Foods, but when it comes to spiritual, we are dead.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Ro 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:

Jer 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

The dead sinner cannot hear the word of God, but God can make the sinner alive so he can hear the word and the sinner will repent. (Faith comes by hearing the word of God.) Lazarus was dead for four days, but when Jesus called Lazarus to come our of the grave he could not refuse. This was an effectual call. In the same way when God calls the sinner, he is raised from dead to life. Read the following, there were other people, but God opened only Lydia’s heart.

Ac 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the WOMEN which resorted thither.

14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

When God brings the sinner alive the image that was broken is restored back again.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

Objection:

God does not want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Answer:

Again, the context is so important. Peter is writing to whom? Us. Peter is writing to the scattered Christians who were persecuted by Nero. These scattered Christians are the elect of God. Read the letter from the beginning to whom is Peter addressing? He is addressing this letter to the elect.

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Famous Baptist Theologian John Gill answers the following.

II Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Ver. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, &c.] The Syriac version reads in the plural, "his promises", any of his promises; though the words seem rather to regard the particular promise of Christ's coming, either to take vengeance on the Jewish nation, of which coming there was a promise made, and is often referred to by Christ, and his apostles; see #Mr 9:1 Joh 21:22 #Heb 10:37; and it now being upwards of thirty years since it was given out, some men began to charge God with slackness and dilatoriness; whereas the true reason of the delay of it was, that there might be time for the gathering in of his elect among them by his angels, or apostles and ministers, sent into the several parts of Judea, that so none of them might perish, but be brought to faith and repentance; and thus as the time of Christ's coming was prolonged more than was thought it would, so when the days of afflictions were come, they were shortened also for these elect's sake: or this promise regards the second coming of Christ, to judge the quick and dead at the last day, of which the former was a prelude, presage, and pledge; that Christ would come again, and appear a second time in person, was promised by himself, and often spoken of by his apostles; and many of the primitive Christians thought it would be very soon, and which might be occasioned by the hints that were given of his coming in the other sense. Now this being deferred longer than was expected, the scoffers or mockers take upon them to charge the Lord with slackness in the fulfilment of his promise:

as some men count slackness; as if he had either changed his purpose, or had prolonged it beyond the appointed time, or was unmindful of his promise, and would never fulfil it; whereas he is in one mind, and none can turn him, nor will he delay the fulfilment of his promise beyond the set time; he has fixed a day for his coming, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, and he will keep it: he is not dilatory,

but is longsuffering to us-ward: not to all the individuals of human nature, for the persons intended by us are manifestly distinguished from "some men" in the text, and from scoffers, mocking at the promise of Christ's coming, in the context, #2Pe 3:3,4; and are expressly called beloved, #2Pe 3:1,8,14,17; and God's longsuffering towards them is their salvation, #2Pe 3:15, nor is it true of all men, that God is not willing that any of them should perish, and that everyone of them should come to repentance, since many of them do perish in their sins, and do not come to repentance, which would not be the case, if his determining will was otherwise; besides, a society or company of men are designed, to which the apostle himself belonged, and of which he was a part; and who are described, in his epistles, as the elect of God, called out of darkness, into marvellous light, and having obtained like precious faith with the apostles; and must be understood either of God's elect among the Jews, for Peter was a Jew, and they were Jews he wrote to; and then the sense is, that the delay of Christ's coming is not owing to any slackness in him, but to his longsuffering to his elect among the Jews, being unwilling that any of that number among them should perish, but that all of them repent of their sins, and believe in him; and therefore he waits till their conversion is over, when a nation shall be born at once, and they that have pierced him look on him and mourn, and so all Israel shall be saved; or rather of the elect in general, whether among Jews or Gentiles, upon whom the Lord waits to be gracious, and whose longsuffering issues in their conversion and salvation. And upon account of these the Lord stays his coming till their number is complete in the effectual calling; and for their sakes he is longsuffering to others, and bears with a wicked world, with the idolatry, superstition, heresy, profaneness, and impiety, with which it abounds; but when the last man that belongs to that number is called, he will quickly descend in flames of fire, and burn the world, and the wicked in it, and take his chosen ones to himself. The Alexandrian copy reads, "for you", or your sakes; and so the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions. A passage somewhat like to this is met with in a book of the Jews {f}, esteemed by them very ancient.

``God prolongs or defers his anger with men; and one day, which is a thousand years, is fixed, besides the seventy years he delivered to David the king.--And he does not judge man by his evil works which he continually does, for if so, the world would not stand; but the holy blessed God defers his anger with the righteous, and the wicked, that they may return, by perfect repentance, and be established in this world, and in the world to come.''

And it is an observation of theirs {g}, that when God is said to be "longsuffering", it is not written Pa Kra, but Mypa Kra, intimating, that he is longsuffering both to the righteous and the wicked; but then he bears with the latter, for the sake of the former: compare with this passage #Re 6:9-11;

not willing that any should perish; not any of the us, whom he has loved with an everlasting love, whom he has chosen in his Son, and given to him, and for whom he has died, and who are brought to believe in him. These, though they were lost in Adam, did not perish; and though in their own apprehensions, when awakened and convinced, are ready to perish; and though their peace, joy, and comfort, may perish for a while, and they may fear a final and total perishing; yet they shall never perish as others do, or be punished with everlasting destruction: and that this is the will of God, appears by his choice of them to salvation; by the provisions of grace for them in an everlasting covenant; by the security of their persons in the hands of Christ; by sending his Son to obtain salvation for them, and his Spirit to apply it to them; and by his keeping them by his power, through faith, unto salvation.

But that all should come to repentance; not legal, but evangelical, without which all must perish; and which all God's elect stand in need of, as well as others, being equally sinners; and which they cannot come to of themselves, and therefore he not only calls them to it, in his word, and by his spirit and grace, but bestows it upon them; he has exalted Christ at his own right hand, to give it to them; and repentance is a grant from him, a free gift of his grace; and the Spirit is sent down into their hearts to work it in them, to take away the stony heart, and give an heart of flesh; without which, whatever time and space may be given, or means afforded, even the most awful judgments, the greatest mercies, and the most powerful ministry, will be of no avail.

Who are HIS people?

Lu 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. This is in reference to what happened in the garden of Eden. We know that everybody had sinned and all are lost but all are not saved. Mt 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Only his people will be saved.

His people are called:

The seed of the woman - Genesis 3:15. (Note, not all mankind as there is a difference between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.)

The seed of Abraham - Ge 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

God remembered the elect seed when they were in Egypt.

Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Elect of God - Isa 65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.

Mr 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

My People - Ro 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

Ro 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Peculiar People - Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

My Sheep - Joh 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Body of Christ - 1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ…

Lamb’s wife - Re 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

Holy nation - 1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Jesus Commanded to preach the gospel. The gospel call is universal to every creature as we do not know who is elect and who is not, so we are to preach the gospel to everyone. The elect will hear and will respond, as Jesus said, “My sheep hears my voice.”

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Objection:

God is not fair.

Answer;

The only fair thing that God can do is to send all to hell, because we have all sinned and all were enemies of God and we all deserve to be punished.

Ro 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Da 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Ps 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

THE END ALL THE GLORY GOES TO THE LORD.

Re 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Agape Chapel Ministries
P O Box 59084
Norwalk, CA 90652
http://www.geocities.com/njbibile