Comments on: Being Dead

By: Jenny Irving

Jenny Irving — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:43:17 +0000

Hi Ruby, that is so true, we need to remember not one of us has any hope of being righteous by our own efforts. We need to keep on trusting and remember that God is good and just and sees far more of the big picture than the little bit we can .
My father used to tell a story about a man who died and went to heaven. The first person he saw was a man he had known on earth. They caught sight of each other and both exclaimed at once
“I never thought I’d see you here”
Only God can see the heart <3

By: Ruby

Ruby — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:18:51 +0000

In reply to Jenny Irving. Hi Jenny, To me that is the great marvel of God's love. That he set it upon unworthy sinners such as David. Such as you and me! He saves those that he sets his love upon not because any good they have done or that he has forseen them doing, but to show forth his own glory. The wonders of God will never be fathomed by we poor wretched beings!

By: Jenny Irving

Jenny Irving — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:06:43 +0000

When I first read this I wasn’t sure if I liked the dead body analogy. Why not? because a dead body cannot do anything and it seemed to me that while someone could be dead as far as life in Jesus was concerned, they could be petty spiritually active in lots of other ways.
Then I was lying in bed last night thinking about dead bodies, lovely pleasant thoughts in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping, I know. Dead bodies can do something, they can decay and decompose. We can slow that process down quite a bit, with cold storage, embalming fluids, even doing the hair and make up for those who want a viewing, but in the end it is only slowing down the inevitable.
Where am I going with this rambling? Being spiritually dead can be like this, it can look OK for a time, but in the end like a decaying body sin will lead to destruction. Jesus salvation offers the only true life.
I’ve been thinking about the predestination/free will thread and am wondering if we make it far too complicated trying to separate it. Maybe our great God who knows everything Reaches out to save those he knows would respond? He has chosen those who would choose, Think about King David, nothing in his behaviour was worthy of being chosen by God, yet God looked at his heart. Does that make any sense at all?

By: Ruby

Ruby — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 23:56:26 +0000

I read a few pages of one of the topics, Free willor not? Phew, I will get back to it some time. You have answered very patiently Susan 🙂 While answers popped into my head on almost every post I don’t think it would serve to wade in. I do get rather sad that people who believe that God is sovereign in all things, including salvation, are labled so harshly. Our God is a very Big God. He does all things well. He is Just…….because we all deserve damnation. The Westminster confession puts it well I think in saying that some God has appointed to Eternal Life and some he has passed over. It is not some maniacal judge misusing his power but a righteous and just God sending those he has not elected to eternal life. And yes, of course there are hypers who will say everyone is lost, who take God’s Sovereingty and dismiss our responsibility. They are the ones who don’t pray for the salvation of others etc . Blah….I’ve been accused of that and it is very hurtful. May we all work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

P.S. Re King James version. Not sure about James personal life but the translators of that version were mostly “Calvinistic”. Funny how so many Arminian Churches have taken up the KJV only stance. My Independant Baptist Friends swear by it!

By: Susan

Susan — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:26:05 +0000

In reply to beyondbluestockings.

And you would have loved the discussion…and your input would have been FANTABULOUS. But I suppose you had to be off living life somewhere… LOL

By: Susan

Susan — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:22:31 +0000

Hi gals. Actually, this started out over a week ago as a facebook rant to a friend... then it developed to s blog post, and that very same day a conversation came up on AH in which I raved about 'being dead'. It all seemed to happen at once, but it didn't. Here are the threads... it gets tricky, because there are a few spin off posts but I'll try ot put them in order: The Hunger Games started it all but it isn't necessary to start there. http://community.aussiehomeschool.com/topic/6302-the-hunger-games/ Who's orchestrating the world thread? Freewill or not is where is starts getting juicy ;)

By: Ruby

Ruby — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:53:26 +0000

I read BB’s comment and went looking but without success on Aussie Homeschool. Wanna point us in the right direction? We wouldn’t want to miss any of the good stuff!

By: beyondbluestockings

beyondbluestockings — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:00:02 +0000

When I read this in my mail, I thought.. what a well written, concise explanation of this doctrine, I wonder what bought her to post it. Then a little bird told me there was a discussion over at the forum that had reached eight pages and she thought it would be right up my alley… 😀

I can’t find it!

But I’m still glad to see your thoughts here so clearly and plainly expressed. 🙂

By: Ruby

Ruby — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:03:31 +0000

Marvelous to think upon! While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He loved us with an everlasting love and we love him because he first loved us.