Tuesday: The Prophetic Calling of Jeremiah
Read Jeremiah 1:1-5. What does this tell us about Jeremiah’s calling?
Just like other prophets in the Old Testament (and like Paul in the new; see Gal. 1:1, Rom. 1:1), Jeremiah didn’t waffle in regard to who called him.
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
He was very clear in these verses and, in fact, all through the book of Jeremiah, that what he was speaking was the word of the Lord,
which had come to him. No doubt this fervent conviction is what enabled him to press on ahead despite fervent opposition and toil, suffering, and trials.
Jeremiah’s calling happened in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, dated to about 627 or 626 bc. We do not know the exact year when the prophet was born, or the exact age he began his ministry. In his mind, though, as we will see, he deemed himself a child, someone too young for the task given him.
Read Jeremiah 1:4-5. What assurance and comfort should he have gotten from those words?
God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet before his birth. God set him aside from the moment of his conception for this prophetic role. The words translated I sanctified you
(Jer. 1:5, NKJV) comes from a verb that means to be hallowed,
to be holy,
and to sanctify,
among other things. It definitely has a sacred and religious connotation to it, one tied also with the sanctuary service itself. Indeed, the word for sanctuary
comes from the same root word. The idea contained in it is that something or someone is set apart for a holy purpose.
This is what God had planned for Jeremiah, even before his birth. These texts don’t teach pre-existence or predestination; they teach, instead, God’s foreknowledge.
God knows the end from the beginning. What comfort can we draw from this amid the trials that we inevitably face?
(34)
When we believe our calling is from God than there is no fear to our mission and purpose in our ministry at home, others and to the end of the world. We should look back at how The Good LORD has led us individually and corporately as a church so that we can be sure of one thing that the LORD will be with us till death or end and the surety of our salvation and deliverance is secured in Jesus Name. Our focus at hand is Jesus and what he has for us in a day and leave tomorrow in His Good Hand and leave all your worries to Him to take care of it, so that we can lovingly and joyfully carry out our witness and message to the world today or daily.
As the people of promise (Galatians 4:28) face present trials or prepare for persecution they may place confidence in God’s omniscience. He who knows the end form the beginning has already marked out the path of the faithful, measured the trouble and weighed the burden which His followers will have to bear. And by His omnipotence He has made provisions sufficient to sustain the saints.
The Lord does not anxiously wonder what the outcome of His mission will be. Therefore with boldness believers may press forward in the cause of the Master. In times of unexplained setbacks know that Jesus cares (Hebrew 4:15, 16) and is still working out His will (Romans 8:28-32). The chosen walk by faith trusting Him who has already seen the way and ordained the work (Jeremiah 1:5).
Jeremiah's life ought to be encouragement to us christian who are evangelizing in a world that is full of opposition and trials
Secondly, God knew of Jeremiah before he was born and he had set out a purpose for him. God knew us before we were born too and set a purpose for us too....let us not resist the purpose God set out for us
I agree Jeremiah's life should be an encouragement to us christians. We must realize that we were born for the purpose of God, to do His will. Don't you think God has a purpose for us too? "This is something we should think about" God knew us before we were born and His purpose should reveal in our lives.
The LORD called Jeremiah to point out the evils of God's children as a last resort, He had tried other gentler methods but they had not listened. When I am tempted to point out the evils of others I must make sure I've tried all else, that it is the Word of the LORD, that it is the right time and that I am prepared to face the angry response of the people.
The unfortunate downside of his ministry is that he was effectively "marginalized" for the messages that he was given by God to give to the people of God. I would like to suggest that this will always be the case.
love that post..I am now 51 and at 10yrs of age when moving from our hometown to another my mum took us her 8 children to our then pastor to pray over us all and one by one he did so. My eldest brother he said would be a blessing to our mum in her old age {which he now is}when he got to me my mum said that it was prophesied over my life that God said this is the child I have set apart for myself..she will go right down before God himself will bring me back up..always stuck with me, I am still down,
Am in the valley of decision as we went to church on Sunday and still know of many churches I could and would attend on Sunday even after learning of the Sabbath which my mum also now strongly accepts as true and right but not judging or feeling any different from the many Christians we know and believe love God and are still loved by God who attend church on Sunday and who preach also on this day. However I would like to attend Saturday services believing this to be THE day for me to attend Church, The Sabbath
Marisa, as God called Jeremiah, so He calls each one of us to the work we are to do in our families and in our neighborhood. You seem to indicate that God has called you to keep His day holy.
First of all, it is important to realize that keeping the Sabbath holy is much more than going to church for an hour on Saturday. God has made a special 24-hour date with His children. Thus Sabbath keeping means taking out all of the seventh day of the week to devote to fellowship with Him in a special way, putting all our week-day business and cares aside. And it is possible to keep the Sabbath without going to church. But believers gain strength and joy from fellowshipping with each other, so church attendance is recommended. (You didn't mention whether there is a Sabbath-keeping church in your area.)
Meeting with God on His seventh-day Sabbath doesn't mean that we condemn Christians who don't understand that God sanctified the seventh day of the week. And it doesn't mean that we "unfriend" our Christian friends. But when we experience the joy of the Sabbath, we naturally want to share it with them. In the meantime, there's no harm in worshiping with Christian friends on any other day (whether it's Sunday or Wednesday, or whatever day), even while we keep the Sabbath holy.
I hope that helps a little. But, above all, pray to your Father in heaven for guidance. He will not fail you.
It sounds like you've made a decision but you need strength to follow your conviction! If there is any advice I can give it is to follow the dictates of your heart that's where the Holy Spirit works!! I suggest you go to your bible prayerfully and let the bible explain itself on the sabbath then share it with your family and friends!! I will be praying for you and your family!! It's not an easy decision to go against what you've always done or what you've known but if enlightenment comes your way test it by the scriptures because that really is the only thing that will stand the test !!
I pray that God will give you wisdom and, with it, strength to follow His will, whatever others do.
My thoughts are that as parents we sometimes miss the calling that God has for our children because we're not as spiritually tuned to the voice of God as we should be! We get so caught up trying to prepare our kids for this world!! We make sure they are in as many activities as possible so they will be well rounded productive citizens here and that's very important however it's more important that we ensure that we make sure that God is first by putting forth the same efforts to involve them in activities that are spiritually based to prepare them for heaven!! Oh if we would understand the importance of God entrusting His little ones to us and if we would fulfill our duty !!! God has a purpose for everyone born unfortunately we sometimes choose to not listen!! Jeremiah heard the calling and like so many others responded to that calling!! Will we do the same???
There is no better preparation than providing your children with a loving responsive family atmosphere that supports spiritual, physical, social and mental development. To neglect one at the expense of the others is detrimental to our children. And I have to say that sometimes your children will surprise you with their capacity for spiritual development given the opportunity.
God knows the beginning from the end but does that really offer us comfort during our trials? I feel the thing most needful is trust!! Do we truly believe Jesus redeemed us? Do we truly believe He's gone to prepare a place for us? Do we truly believe He made a way of escape from every temptation? Do we truly believe the way the story ends ? Then where is our faith? Why continue to look at the trials instead of the end of the story? Our trust must be more rooted in the outcome instead of present circumstances else we'll become discouraged and sometimes even give up on God!! This thing is almost over continue my brothers and sisters to look forward to Jesus return !!
The wonder of it all is that God had plans for Jeremiah before he was even born, and yet Jeremiah still had the freedom to choose - do I fulfill the purpose I was created for or do I go my own way?
God does not force, but neither is He idle. He has great work going on all around the world and we have the privilege of being part of it, if we so choose. If our choice is no, God is not idle, someone else will be given the opportunity that was once ours.
When God has plan he knows how Jeremiah is living. Maybe has freedom of choose. Look at the life of Jonah he tried to run away. God brought him back to fulfill His plan
As Jeremiah had his calling from the Lord and he was chose I was reading where Paul said in Romans 9:11 for the children being not yet born having done not good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him that called. Jesus Christ the same yesterday; today; and for evermore. Lord of all.
From the verse below in today's lesson,
Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Does this imply that God pre-determines what happens to us?
Is predestination biblical?
Jose: These 2 posts previously given may clear that up for you:
William Earnhardt on November 26, 2013 at 12:36 pm said:
Tyler, I totally understand where you are coming from and it may not seem like a big deal but it might be. You say God chooses us because He had foreknowledge that we would choose Him. I believe God had chosen all of us whether or not we will ever choose Him, and thus by rejecting Him we are lost. On page 660 of Desire of Ages, Ellen White says, "To the death of Christ we owe even this earthly life." Therefore Christ has chosen both those who love Him and those who do not. The question is, do they choose Him? I believe this is important, otherwise you get into Calvinism, which is God only died for those Which He chose to save.
Sieg Hoppe on June 24, 2015 at 11:59 pm said:
Prophecy doesn't cause the future, it only reveals the future. To God, the past, present and future are like an open book (Hebrews 4:13). He sees it all... clearly. When God reveals some of what He sees (past, present or future), this doesn't mean that He caused it.
Have you ever read an entire book and then shared the ending with someone who was only half way through? Your revelation of the ending didn't cause the ending, it only revealed what you knew because you had already visited the end.
For God, revealing the future or revealing the past are one and the same. He is simply sharing something he already sees and knows having already visited both. If you saw a rainbow yesterday and shared that with someone today, it doesn’t mean you caused the rainbow.
CHAKO LUBANI: no, our lives are not predestined even though God sees and knows our lives from beginning to end before we are even born.
God revealed that Christ would be betrayed because He saw that, clearly, from eternity past, but God did not cause that to happen or He would have removed free will and He loves us (even Judas) too much to do that.
It is the Lord Jesus Himself who told us why Judas was “chosen” among the twelve. “Did i myself not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil? Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him”.(John 6:70,71). “Jesus said to him(Peter), “he who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all”. For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.... If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. Ido not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, ‘he who eats my bread has lifted his heel against ME”.(John 13:10-19). This is one of His Father’s commandments that Christ kept. He chose and brought into fellowship a “devil” in order to fulfill the scripture.
We all acknowledge that it is God who sets up and puts down rulers because God Himself says so. He thus “raises up” the appropriate Pharaoh at the appropriate time to bring honor and glory to His Name. A Pharaoh who, despite his counsellors’ advice, resisted God to the end; thus allowing God to “demonstrate His power in him, and that God’s name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth”.(Rom 9:15-18)
We often get confused about God's omniscience free choice and predestination. And it is hard to explain because we simply do not really have the language to describe God's knowledge appropriately. We usually simplify it be saying that God knows everything and we only know a little bit. That is partially true but it is more than that. I will try to explain it a little bit with an illustration:
Supposing you were a fish and you lived in a bowl that was internally reflective. You, the fish, would only be able to understand and know about what was in the bowl because that is all you could ever experience. A whole world is outside the bowl but you would not know about it simply because you cannot. A person outside the bowl has a very different set of experience and can explain reality in very different terms to how the fish sees things.
In our reality we cannot understand anything outside the reality of the universe that we can experience and measure. Unless of course God reveals that to us. And he cannot really tell us very much about the bigger picture because we do not have the capability to understand it. That leaves us with some things that we see as conundrums or even contradictions. The thing we are certain of is that God is very much aware of our limitations and has given us an understanding of hope for the future.
I have my own ideas about the tension between what God knows, what he communicates to us and how we understand but I also recognise that such theories, would appear to some people as conjecture. They are interesting to think about though and I am more than delighted with what God knows and communicates.
Leilani & Ashton, thank you for sharing your views on the subject. I have gained some insight however, the fact that predestination is mentioned in scripture got me allover confused about this subject.
Kindly consider the following;
Romans 8:29-30
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.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Others: Eph 1:5,11; 1 Corint 2:7
I think God has explained quite a bit concerning His “Knowledge”. God does not have to “look into the future” to find or discover events. GOD is not a man!
The past, the present, the future is ever present before GOD. How can we think that God is subject to or constrained by time! God is not a man!
“For HE (Christ) was FOREKNOWN before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for your sake ....”(1Pt 1:20,21). Is it that God looked into the future and saw Christ entering the world through Mary etc!? Did God look into the future and saw Isaac born of Abraham and Sarah!? Did God look into the future and saw Israel enslaved by Pharaoh, then told Abraham about it!? God’s comment on this is “For this very purpose I raised you(Pharaoh)up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name may be proclaimed through the whole earth”Rom 9:17 Do we mean that God had nothing to do with Isaac meeting Rebekah! or how Saul got to Samuel to be anointed!
God said, “before I formed you in the womb I knew you”. This knowledge is a profound intimate connection as only GOD can have with HIS CHILDREN. For God Himself says “the firm foundation of God stands having this seal, ‘The LORD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS’” 2 Tim 2:19. This is not man’s knowing-about someone, or man’s awareness of someone. “I am the good Shepherd and I KNOW My own and My own KNOW me, even as the Father KNOWS Me and I KNOW the Father. My sheep hear my voice, and I KNOW them, and they follow me”(John 10:14,15,27). “If anyone loves God, he is KNOWN by Him” (1 Cor 8:3). Now this is what confirms that GOD KNOWS ONLY HIS “CHILDREN”.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven ..... Many will say to Me .... Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and perform many miracles? Then I will say to them “I NEVER KNEW YOU.....”(Matt 7:21-23). How could a GOD who is OMNISCIENT, OMNIPOTENT and ALL EVERYTHING not KNOW those worshippers!? GOD KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS.
Who are these that GOD KNOWS and are FOREKNOWN by GOD? (This post is already too long so we’ll leave this question for another post)
The problem with words is that they are often associated with ideas and those ideas often change with time. Now-a-days in conversations like this one most of us associate "predestined" as predetermined - ie it must happen that way. But there is another idea that has been associated with predestined as well. It is: God desires us to be conformed to be saved. In other words, God's plan for us is to be conformed to the image of his Son. Obviously, since we have free choice we can choose not to be conformed.
Tight definitions are easy to understand because there is no room for ambiguity. Unfortunately English is a "scavenger language" and picks up and drops meanings frequently. And that gives us a lot to argue about. (big grin>
God has foreknowledge is an all knowing God
Each one of us has a conflict/trail everyday.
Unless we live alone, and have become a hermit crab.
God created us in his image Gen 1:26.
What/ Who is God?
Love, Kind, Patient , and so on
so then, why are we so different?
For me its sarcastic, hot headed, over powering.
So if we are a Christian, to be Christ like, why are we so hateful.
Why do we put down our spouse, or people in the work place.
The comfort is we can do better once we let God change our heart.
I had the opportunity to speak on Sabbath the title of my sermon was....
Let Go Let God
We need to understand we can let our pride go and Let God take over our lives.
Pray for me as I pray for you.
I know that the Lord has a plan in my life and I truly believe in my heart the Lord called me to be his daughter from the foundations of the worlds. Glory be to his name forevermore! Amen!
As Prophet Jeremiah had his calling even before he was born and his response was very instrumental and positive during his time. This man of God serve his creator wholeheartedly.
Knowing that God who has set us apart for holy living means that our life will not always be ups. Seeing this in my own life I know that as he ( God) has a purpose for my life and the trials only come to show that when the world comes in, even our very own household, that his will in my life will be done for he has said he knows the plan he has for me, not to harm me but to give me expected end. That is hope for a future. That is if we put our trust in the will of Almighty.
thanks 4 quite elevating students.they make me feel so intellectually sharp....n experimentally grow up...esp. of the requirements. God bless.
predestination is a false teaching. if God created and predestined a person to live and then burn in hell (die forever). He would not be a loving God. the Bible says it is God's will for ALL mankind to be saved 1Timothy 2:4. but it is our own choices that seal our destiny. but God knows what is going to happen.
All in all, we must accept our high calling since Jesus know us.
Onismo, there is no where in scripture that God predestined anyone to Hell. In every instance of God's predestination it is predestination to glory; and those who are predestined are the called, those whom God foreknew, the chosen, the elect, His seed. Predestination is God's truth. Be careful of denouncing what is truth.
Predestination in Romans 8 specifically states "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."
So, He does not predestine everyone for anything. He, rather, predestines those he "foreknew" or "foreknows." And for what purpose did He predestine those He foreknew? The answer is "To be conformed to the image of His Son."
This give credence to the terse little clip from COL pg 69, "When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own." This, of course is in the context of "First the Blade, Then the Ear..." and the Fruit of the Spirit.
So, the purpose of this predestination as Paul is using it, is to be restricted, in the first sense, to those He foreknew, and in the second sense "so that He might be the first fruits of many brethren."
In no case is it teaching the idea of predestination to either Heaven or Hell. That, indeed, is unscriptural.
Dan it is the first Adam that destined his children to Hell! The second Adam destined all His children(His brethren) to Glory!
Kenny, clarify that to lay along side Romans 8. You need to define your terms or clarify the position. In my view, the way you have stated it is not supported by scripture without supposition.
I believe the support for Kenny's thought is Romans 5. Adam's sin opened the door to death, Jesus' life/death/resurrection opened the door to eternal Life.
In both cases, doors are opened and no one is forced to enter them. God respects the individual choice and entreats us to choose life.
I am blessed by this lesson on how Jeremiah was chosen as a prophet and the previous one which showed us how Paul and others were called into discipleship. I have read and believe that God created us with a purpose to glorify Him.I desire to be used as His daughter but I always slide back in my weakness. God chose Jeremiah and led him into serving,likewise Paul, Isaiah, Moses and many more. as a Christian, what can I do on my part for His purpose to be fulfilled on me?
That is clear but the point of the discussion is predestination and Romans 8:29 clearly places us in a realm of predestination only of those that He "Foreknew" so that He, Jesus might be the first-born of many brethren, who would be us,those reflected His character.
Dan, didn't He foreknow all of us?
Touche'!! Why then, if predestined to be, are we not ALL conformed into the image of His son? Just askin'. There is something more in the Greek, "Proorizo" that we're not seeing as is indicated in the great deal of division in the Christian church over the last 19 centuries. In the Romans appearance it appears to isolate somewhat the predestination to those whom He called , justified and sanctified. Of course, one can always say, "He called us all!" That is true. But He did not Justify all according to Romans 3:20-26, but those who believe. But, then, there is I Corinthians 15:21,22 which appears to allude to universalism which we look at as anathema to the plan of Salvation. So, where do we go from here?
This is what I love about teaching SS class!! 🙂
Why are not all conformed? Simple...they choose not to be. God predistined Rebekah to be Isaac's wife, but they still asked if she would "go with this man." God never takes away free choice. Unless we resist we will be drawn to Him.
My friends, whatever God predestines must happen! No ifs, ands, or buts. It happens exactly as He ordains. Paul was predestined by God to be a preacher to the Gentiles. God “set me apart from my mother’s womb”(Gal1:15,16). God allowed him to manifest his natural self (the flesh) for God’s purpose. He ended up doing what is natural to the flesh -He endeavored to destroy the way of God becoming, as he said, “a blasphemer, a persecutor and a violent aggressor”(1Tim 1:12). He obtained mercy for this reason, “that in me as the chiefest sinner, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life”(v16). God could have called him before he became a destroyer. Joseph was predestined to go to Egypt to be a deliverer to his people. How he got there was ordained by God. Joseph declared that his brothers meant it for evil but God meant it for good.
Christ was predestined to enter this world to be Savior (“foreknown before the foundation of the world “1Pt 1:20) - “this man delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross (Acts 2:23). Christ said, “for indeed the Son of Man is going as it has been determined...” (Lk 22:22); “to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.”(Acts 4:28) God is working out His purpose in all the affairs of humanity.
Brethren, you agreed that God “foreknew all of us?!” There is some ambiguity there. Do you mean all the world? God has said He ‘knows’ “Those who are his”1Tim 1:19 “I am the good shepherd and I know my own, and My onw know Me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father. My sheep hear my voice and I know them.”John10:14,27 When GOD “conceives” something, and “conceive” is inappropriate concerning God because that implies that what is conceived was absent before conception. With God everything is ever present and complete before Him! God “knew” Jeremiah before He formed him in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah existed in God's "mind" a complete person and HE personally formed him in his mother’s womb. Isaac was so known by God; and Abel; (Cain was “of the evil one”1Jn 3:12); and Jacob (Esau was “immoral and godless Heb 12:16); John the Baptist, the Apostles (they were Yours and You gave them to me Jn 17:6,9,24), and Paul, “set apart from his mother’s womb.”(Gal 1:15) Greatest of all is Jesus. They are all God's own, God’s “chosen people, the people whom I formed for Myself, whom I have created for my glory”(Isa 43:20,21,7). When God spoke the universe into existence the universe was extant, complete in His “mind” and He spoke it out into visibility. Well, God’s elect, His chosen, Christ’s seed (Isa 53:10), God’s sons and daughters, His children, the foreknown, the children of promise, His sheep, His own were placed“in Christ” from before the foundation of the world and “appointed to eternal life.”(Acts 13:48)
They come to birth in God’s time; they receive their call; they hear God’s voice and follow Him possessed of eternal life. In the “teaching Ministry”, the Old Covenant, God declared “the firstborn is Mine” and later “ the Levites are Mine.” I think God claimed from the progeny of Adam “the chosen” as His.(Regardless of whether Adam sinned or not, He would elevate them to Sonship and they would reign with Christ, since God’s plan was to put all things under His Son (Eph 1:10))
Kenny, how do you define "predestines"? You seem to take certain terms in an absolutely literal way, and seem to indicate that God shapes our lives as He wishes before we are born and we then only fulfill His "predestined" plan for us.
Where is freewill in all of this?
At least this is how I am reading your comment. Perhaps I misunderstand it?
When we look at the pinpoint accuracy of prophecy, we understand God has seen the future(as we refer to it) and yet, allows it to unfold naturally. Yes, He knew before creating this world the names of very soul that would receive the salvation offered in Christ. Yet, not one will be lost or saved except by their own free-will through faith or unbelief.
God will force no one and Satan can't either.
Well stated.
Robert, where does the Scripture promote a “Freewill Doctrine”? We are dead in trespasses and sins, slaves of sin. There is the Romans 7 condition. Such a being is free to do what?? Such is “predestined” to evil forever! Our children, having been born from us, are predestined to have a certain voice. They might not like the voice quality. They didn’t ask for it; they couldn’t. Being born of Adam we were predestined to be sinners, separated from God, committing evil till we die. Do you mean in that condition we are free to choose to be good; or we are free to will ourselves to do “good”, the opposite of evil?
Similarly those who are “born of God” are predestined to be like their Father. They didn’t ask for it; they couldn’t. That is why God spoke to Jeremiah and Paul at their calling like He did. Since they were God’s children He gave them commands right away. With the commands is God’s natural enabling. They “hear” his voice and they follow Him, because they are God’s sons. As parents we enable them the same way taking the Voice as an example. That is not force!
When the prodigal son returned home, his choice was to be a servant in the house. The father, instead, put on him the best robe, a sign of sonship. Is that force? Did he disrespect his son’s choice? This is picture of God’s salvation. Christ, the Firstborn, joined with the Father in redeeming His brothers (Heb 2:10-18) - unlike the prodigal’s brother.
I like Paul’s comment on his commission: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.”1Cor 9:6,17 Does this give fuel to “force”?
Kenny, consider these few of many possible scriptures concerning the doctrine of free will:
"Choose you this day whom you will serve." Joshua 24:15
"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD" Isa 1:18
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15
Also, there was a forbidden tree, but it was there and had no one to keep Adam and Eve away. It was left for them to choose and came with adequate warning.
Consider the whole history of Israel from Egypt to the final destruction of Jerusalem and it's temple, still in ruins. Consider the many prophets sent to warn and entreat.
The language of God is always inviting, never forcing. We are free to exercise our own will if we so choose, though God has been faithful to warn of the consequences that must come without fail.
Kenny, probably oversimplifying for you but the very presence of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil guarantees the "Freewill Doctrine" as you have put it. It also undermines the "Doctrine" of Predestination as it has been defined. As Pastor Brian Jones has put it, “Love cannot exist without moral freedom and moral freedom cannot exist without the capacity to do wrong.”
So, God set an element of choice in the midst of the garden and called it the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Somehow it even sounds ominous! As it turns out, it was. But God still allows for our free choice in matters of salvation and all others. Nevertheless, He always makes the call to everyone (Romans 1:18-22)
When we start down this path again, two questions regarding God's for-knowledge that beg an answer are, why sin originated in Heaven and as was asked by an earlier post, why would a loving God create someone that He knew would be tortured and destroyed? He said to Abraham now I know, Gen 22:12. Do you not think that Satan would jump at the chance to accuse God of an impropriety. God's wisdom would not let that happen. John 3:16 again.
Paul, you don’t think that God didn’t “know” that Abraham would “offer up”(Heb11:17) his son! God’s omniscience is unquestionable to Christians! We may not understand it; and it’s time we cease tutoring God on “Love”. The scripture says, “But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief...”(Isa 53:10).
Our language is infinitely inadequate to describe the essence of God. God said He “hated” Esau. That is not our hate but it conveys some meaning to us.
Like Adam, “Satan” was created a perfect being and, like Adam, was given authority - in heaven. He had “freewill” created perfect as he was. But God’s Son was Heir to everything. “All things were made by Him and for Him.” Just like Israel(Ishmael) had decided to kill Christ in order to gain the inheritance (Matt 21:37-39), ‘Satan’ and Adam had ambition to supplant Christ. God showed in the history of the world why His Son was the only One qualified to be Heir - He proved to be the Only Begotten Son in his loyalty GOD.
About Abraham: No method was more calculated to give the patriarch a distinct idea of the purpose of grace than this representation; hence Christ’s allusion to it. Jhn 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw and was glad.” God “was pleased to reveal Himself”(Gal 1:16) in Abraham. God does not test anyone without preparing them for the test. Abraham’s faith came from God. Faith is a gift from God, brothers! Abraham had a three days journey of misery to “hell” with Isaac in his sight. God was delivering up His “only” Son whom He loved more than Himself. When Christ foretold his passion He was referring to Abraham and Jonah’s experience.
Christ “knew” that Peter was going to deny Him despite his self-confidence.Peter must crucify the flesh to live. Christ prayed for him and later commissioned him to “feed My sheep”. Christ foreknew that Judas would betray Him and said it many times before it occurred without identifying Judas himself. Do we think that God didn’t “know” that Abraham would sacrifice his son? Abraham was ‘playing the part’ of God.
By the way where has Satan accused God of an impropriety or anything. Satan isn't qualified to accuse God of anything. He is a murderer, a liar condemned to hellfire.
Brothers, both Adam and Satan had free will and therefor freedom to choose because they were created perfect beings by God. They freely chose to oppose God. Isn’t that so? The same ‘day’ Adam died He saw God as enemy! The instance he died he considered God his enemy. His wife became a threat. What happened. Was Adam’s will free anymore? What about his progeny. The scriptures tell us about man’s nature after sin entered. There is no need to go all over that again.
Joshua 24:15 is always misapplied. What were the choices those choosers had or were given? Hear what it says, “If it is DISAGREEABLE in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and I my house, we will serve the Lord.” Notice Joshua would not say,”we choose the Lord or we will choose the Lord.
Any choosing where God is concerned it is God who does the choosing. Christ remarked to His apostles: “You DID NOT CHOOSE Me but I CHOSE, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit.”Jhn 15:16 Did Christ have to include “you did not choose Me” in His statement? God has to give a new “heart” or mind in order for us to be free to make “good” choices, choices related to God.
The experience of Jeremiah is written "for our admonition" and encouragement to faithfulness in every duty. If not a friend of this world, we can expect no better welcome from the world than Jesus or any of his servants received, yet the calling and election are sure. Trace every event in Joseph's life beginning with the pit, and realize God was actively leading as long as Joseph was fully surrendered and obedient to God's will.
I think I can agree with that!
My brethren I feel compelled to respond on this debate of sorts about predestined and predestination !!! Here we have an example in Jeremiah of someone God specifically said He predestined from conception !!! This word predestined has different viewpoints to consider ! The first is maybe since God is all knowing that he could look down thru time and see that He would need a prophet to warn his people so he sees Jeremiah and look at his life and sees that he will be obedient and fulfill what He ask and at that point He makes the decision to predestine jeremiah who still would have the freedom of choice to disobey but God already knew he wouldn't disobey!!! Ask yourself a question why would an all knowing God choose a prophet that wouldn't do His will??
The second point of predestination in which when we're born we're either predestined for heaven or hell in its application is impossible because it suggest that you can live anyway you want even in rebellion and be saved!!! (Once saved always saved) and on the other hand you can try to live holy as you can and be as good as you can but you're doomed to hell!! Where would Christ sacrifice for this person come into play!!?? How unfair that would be how unlike the character of Christ would that be?? God is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance but if we're predestined then ask yourself the question would God let people be born just to burn them up in the lake of fire ? Is that who God is??? Would He send Jesus to suffer and die if obedience didn't matter? How would He in love choose people to save and others to doom to hell? How could He?? You can't explain predestination without viewing God as a unloving God or a liar unless you predestinate everyone to be saved!!!
Kenny. Me-thinks that thou art an excellent Presbyterian!! You build a good case for the present subject, but successfully ignore the obvious. Please consider the parable of the wedding guests. All were invited, all were provided a robe, one man entered having not dressed in the robe. The King confronted him and asked, "'Friend' how did you get in here without the robe?" It must have been a miscommunication!! The robe came with the "invitation." And then the other parable of the feast when the invitations went out to the select few but they all had something more pressing to do, like break a few yoke of oxen. So, the Host went into the highways and Byways and "Invited" everybody! Whosoever "will" may come! Am I missing something?
Kenny, I think many do not know what omniscience is. Gen 12:22 is pretty clear. If God already knew, why say "Now I KNOW"? God always has a contingency plan, Adam and Eve. All new cars come with a spare tire. If I leave a fair amount of money lying where a thief is sure to see it, what do suppose would happen? If God already knew what would happen in the garden why create a known failure? Someone will say, but the plan of salvation was planned before creation. It was. That is what a contingency plan is.