16 So then [God's gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God's mercy. [It depends not on one's own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God's having mercy on him.]
Our Father’s gift, salvation, is not based on human will. We can exert no effort to obtain it. Salvation is solely based on our Father’s mercy and as we studied in our last posting, our Father has mercy for everyone.
I was always told that we had to first accept salvation. I was told that we had to first ask for it. I was told that we had to work to keep it. But thank God, He has shown me the Truth that He must first empower us to do all of these things and so we are free at last, free at last! Our Father has used me to proclaim His freedom in Christ and He will never stop. This body of flesh will cease to be, but our Father will still have this spirit telling any and all of our freedom through Christ. I have been kicked out of four churches and He will not let me stop sharing the Truth. I have been damned by elders and He will not let me stop. I have been threatened, people have covered their ears and told me to never talk to them again and our Father will not let me stop. Jesus has freed us and our Father will not let this glorious Truth be silent.
It is such a lie that we have a free will that is accepting and allowing our Father to work through us. It is such a lie that says that we must first believe for our Father to use us. Just look at what the Holy Spirit shows us here in verse 17.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up for this very purpose of displaying My power in [dealing with] you, so that My name may be proclaimed the whole world over.
Pharaoh didn’t believe and that didn’t stop our Father from using him. Pilate and Herod didn’t believe and that didn’t stop our Father from using them, Acts 4:27-28. The Disciples didn’t believe and that didn’t stop Jesus from using them, John 6:7. The man at the Pool of Bethesda didn’t believe and that didn’t stop Jesus from healing him, John 5:2. Our Father does not react to our promptings, He causes us to do His Will by first prompting us. He is always greater in us and He is always Shepherding us. Our Father is always our Head, our Potter, and our Gardener. He has eliminated all laws and now we serve by the promptings of His Holy Spirit, Romans 7:6.
I hate the message of free will, I absolutely hate it. I freely admit that I do not fully understand the complete freedom that we have in Christ yet. But I don’t fully understand how my car works either and that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it. There is so much that we still have to learn, but I know this Truth: it is our Father’s Free Will that is working in all of us, not our will. I use to be told that our Father loves us so much that He allows us to do what we want. I love my two kids and I would be arrested for negligence if I just allowed them to do what they wanted. We call that kind of parenting abuse, not love. We come to Jesus as little children, Matthew 18:3. The Kingdom of Heaven is also as little children, Luke 18:16. We don’t come to Him as full grown adults with our doctorate degrees. It is not in a man, even a strong man or a good man, to order his own steps, Jeremiah 10:23.
No comments:
Post a Comment