From: allan-sv@algonet.se   
      
                 The Election   
      
      
   Please, read Romans the 9th chapter.   
   "For the children being not yet born, neither have done any good   
   or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand,   
   not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, The   
   elder shall serve the younger. Verses 11-12. 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. So then it is not of   
   him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth   
   mercy. 15-16. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same   
   lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?   
   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: And that he might make known the riches of his   
   glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto   
   glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also   
   of the Gentiles? 21-24.   
      
   Some people interpret this as if our own will have no importance   
   for our salvation. Everything is predetermined by God, and he has   
   made some vessels for noble purposes and some for common use.   
   But God's election does not exclude their own will, neither regarding   
   those who are "for honour purposes" nor regarding those who are   
   "for dishonour".   
      
   Those who crucified Jesus had their own will, but what did they   
   want? Oh, they wanted to kill Jesus. They cannot excuse themselves   
   on the ground that it was predetermined by God. For they hated Jesus   
   and they had plotted how they might kill Jesus. Matt. 12:14.   
   John 11:53.   
      
   People who do not serve God of free will and do not obey him,   
   God uses them "for common use". Right in their wickedness and   
   peevishness, God uses them to fulfil the prophecies of the Bible.   
   "For of a truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast   
   anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and   
   the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever   
   thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.   
   Acts 4:27-28.   
      
   Those who don't serve God of their own free will, they must serve   
   him against their own will. (They themselves don't understand it).   
   "...for all are thy servants." Psalm 119:91. (Or according to the   
   Swedish Bible. "...for everything must serve you)."   
   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 troughout all the earth." Rom.9:17.   
   This does not imply that Pharaoh had no will. But what did he   
   want? Oh, he wanted to keep Israel's people in slavery in Egypt.   
      
   "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of   
   God that sheweth mercy. " Rom. 9:16. We can find an explanation   
   of this in John 5:15-47 where Jesus spoke to the Jews. They wanted   
   to have the eternal life that God had promised. Therefore, they   
   diligently study the Scriptures and thought that by them they   
   possessed eternal life, but their will and striving were yet in vain.   
   Why? It was one thing that they did not were willing to do. They   
   were not willing to believe in Jesus!   
      
   "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and   
   they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that   
   ye might have life... For had ye believed Moses, ye would have   
   believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings,   
   how shall ye believe my words?" Verses 39-40, 46-47.   
      
   In these Scriptures which they study it is written, "I will raise them   
   up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put   
   my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall   
   command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not   
   hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will   
   require it of him." Deut. 18:18-19.   
      
   God sends this Prophet. He comes and walks living in their midst.   
   He preaches God's word and makes great wonders and miracles and   
   signs, and healing the sick, but they won't believe him! That was   
   their everlasting calamity. They trusted to the election and meant   
   that since Abraham was their father, then it was all right.   
   Nevertheless, this fact could not help them. Please, read Matt.3:7-10   
   and John 8:37-39.   
      
   Still, today Israel people think of that way. They trust to the election   
   that they are God's peculiar people. But those who don't believe in   
   Jesus become exterminated, says God's word. "I said therefore unto   
   you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he,   
   ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24.   
      
   The election is no sleep-pillow to laze on. In the Bible are many   
   warnings of apostasy. Please, read Rom. 11:17-24. Ezekiel 18:21-   
   24, 33:11-20. Israel's sins and punishment under their wandering in   
   the desert, is a warning for us. "Now all these things happened unto   
   them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon   
   whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that   
   thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. 10:1-12. If we   
   don't love the truth, then we fall in the false doctrines. 2 Thess.   
   2:10-12.   
      
   Some people think that all men become saved with the end, also the   
   most ungodly, but there is no such a doctrine in the Bible. Peter   
   speaks in Acts 3:19-23, "Repent, ye therefore, and be converted,   
   that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing   
   shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus   
   Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must   
   receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath   
   spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.   
   For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your   
   God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye   
   hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you. And it shall come   
   to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be   
   destroyed from among the people."   
      
   The restoration of everything does not imply that those who have   
   been cut off among the people become restored. The restoration   
   that Peter here tells about is a restoration of God's kingdom. Daniel   
   7:13-14. God's kingdom shall break in pieces and consume all other   
   kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 2:44. Jesus is the King   
   of God's Kingdom and he rules over all. Psalm 103:19. Rom. 8:19-25.   
      
   "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to   
   them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us,   
   when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty   
   angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,   
   and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be   
   punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)