GOD’S LOVE REACHES EVEN THE WORST OF SINNERS
God loves and seeks to save each person in the world. John 8:12 says, when Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. That means He loves and seeks you. See Galatians 2: 20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. See also 1st Timothy 1:15–16, Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life.
Does God rule over all creation? Does He have full freedom to do as He pleases? Is He, as Ephesians 1:11 says, the God «who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will”? To such questions the Bible answers, “Yes absolutely» See Exodus 15:18, The Lord will reign for ever and ever. See also Daniel 4:35, All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: What have you done? See Revelation 1: 5, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. See as well Revelation 4:11, You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
Yet the same Bible also describes people resisting God’s purpose. See Luke 7:30, But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. Determinists show Judas as one who had no choice but to betray as prophesied. See John 17:12, it says, While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. See Acts of Apostles 1:16, and Peter said, Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. See also John 6 :70 – 71, Then Jesus replied, Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil! (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him) Jesus did not say, «I have chosen the Eleven,» Jesus chose and appointed Judas as an apostle, one of the Twelve. Judas first accepted, then rejected, that divine choice and appointment made for him. Thus Scripture reveals that God created beings that have enough freedom to choose for Him or against Him. God did not make Judas sin. But God foresaw Judas’s sin, and God worked it into His own plan for Jesus to die for sinners, (including Judas, who could have repented as Peter did) Far from shaking God’s sovereignty, Judas’ challenge confirmed God’s Sovereignty. God obviously succeeds when He has no enemies. Far more impressive is the fact that God succeeds when enemies willfully oppose Him. See Acts 2:23, This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. See also Acts 4:24-28, When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. Sovereign Lord, they said, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant
Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided before-hand should happen.
God wins, not only through raw strength, but also through weakness. 1st Corinthians 1:25 says, For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
If you believe in Christ, you can and should have full assurance. See Hebrews 4:16, it says, Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
May the Spirit of God continue His teaching.
God loves and seeks to save each person in the world. John 8:12 says, when Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. That means He loves and seeks you. See Galatians 2: 20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. See also 1st Timothy 1:15–16, Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life.
Does God rule over all creation? Does He have full freedom to do as He pleases? Is He, as Ephesians 1:11 says, the God «who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will”? To such questions the Bible answers, “Yes absolutely» See Exodus 15:18, The Lord will reign for ever and ever. See also Daniel 4:35, All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: What have you done? See Revelation 1: 5, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. See as well Revelation 4:11, You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
Yet the same Bible also describes people resisting God’s purpose. See Luke 7:30, But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. Determinists show Judas as one who had no choice but to betray as prophesied. See John 17:12, it says, While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. See Acts of Apostles 1:16, and Peter said, Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. See also John 6 :70 – 71, Then Jesus replied, Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil! (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him) Jesus did not say, «I have chosen the Eleven,» Jesus chose and appointed Judas as an apostle, one of the Twelve. Judas first accepted, then rejected, that divine choice and appointment made for him. Thus Scripture reveals that God created beings that have enough freedom to choose for Him or against Him. God did not make Judas sin. But God foresaw Judas’s sin, and God worked it into His own plan for Jesus to die for sinners, (including Judas, who could have repented as Peter did) Far from shaking God’s sovereignty, Judas’ challenge confirmed God’s Sovereignty. God obviously succeeds when He has no enemies. Far more impressive is the fact that God succeeds when enemies willfully oppose Him. See Acts 2:23, This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. See also Acts 4:24-28, When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. Sovereign Lord, they said, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant
Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided before-hand should happen.
God wins, not only through raw strength, but also through weakness. 1st Corinthians 1:25 says, For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
If you believe in Christ, you can and should have full assurance. See Hebrews 4:16, it says, Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
May the Spirit of God continue His teaching.