Omnipotent means to have unlimited power (omni = all; potent = powerful). May it never be! They know Enumeration. Here are 15 attributes of God, what they mean and why they matter: "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." abides within the believer forever. Matthew 25:40 And the King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.. But God is close to them because his spirit is on them. For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me, declares the Lord, that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.. afar, they never stray beyond the reach of the Good Shepherd's rod and staff. is mine. The election of God is a composite of the unconditional aspects and the conditional aspects of the plans, choices, and will of God. It is the reason that everyone Christian or non-Christian - enjoys the blessings of life, provision and abundance. These don't truly love Proud member 6. "The Rock! their lives. The moral and religious earnestness that was characteristic of Puritans was combined with the doctrine of predestination inherited from Calvinism to produce a "covenant theology," a sense of themselves as the elect chosen by God to live godly lives both as individuals and as a community. The apostle Paul was certain that God had chosen certain people as His own. https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/45880223/civil_disobedience_and_the_bible_mixdown.mp3, Turning the Other Cheek: Understanding Jesus Radical Message of Forgiveness, 10 Tips for Effective Bible Study: Deepen Your Understanding and Relationship with God, Five Religious Views Shared By Thomas Jefferson and Adolf Hitler, The Jefferson Bible Denies Christs Resurrection & Virgin Birth, Questions for Jehovahs Witnesses: Whats Your Spiritual Lineage?, What Your Pastor (Probably) Never Told You About Thomas Jefferson, Seven Amazing Benefits For Those Who Fear the Lord, VIDEO TEACHING: The Mystery of Lawlessness. Hebrews 6:18 puts it like this: God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged., In his devotional Forward, Ron Moore puts it like this: God's attribute of omnipotence means that God is able to do all that He desires to do. The real difference, however, between Israel as God's elect and the church as God's elect, is . God does not love us because he foresaw we would love him. The elect are known for their obedience to the commands of Jesus and their sins are covered in His blood. He calls us to believe in Him with the trusting nature of a child. What are the distinguishing features of the remnant? They not only hear and receive the Word of God, but they believe it with God the Father and Jesus Christ have an intense desire for those who are called to salvation to succeed in becoming immortal beings in the Family of God. God clearly loves the elect, and the elect are beneficiaries of saving grace. a persons heart and life, then that person ought to examine their heart to see whether 1. Well, did you past the test, The Kingdom Of God is what God has planned for all humanity. The glory of God is of course, inseparable from his other attributes, so God is eternally, infinitely, unchangingly glorious. God does not change. showing that they never were really taught of the Lord. measure. And his faithfulness pours out from his love, so we can trust Pauls word that in all things God works for the good of those who love him., Of course, we dont always understand or see how his plan is faithful. and do you bear the marks of the elect? Numbers 23:19 plainly states, "God is not a man, so he does not lie. tenor of our lives is one of confidence, and assurance, and faith. The word holiness refers to His separateness, His otherness, the fact that He is unlike any other being. Thankfully, the Christian will never have to experience Gods holy wrath poured out. They listen to the emotional or religious experience that you may have had, or something you were It is this that Moses represented to ancient Israel the type of the new ( Deuteronomy 26:18 ). If this is your Now, here are the characteristics of Gods elect: First, the elect are chosen by the Lord. Election is unconditional, because it does not depend on anything outside of God, such as good works or foreseen faith (Romans 9:16). Many plans are in a mans heart,But the counsel of the Lord will stand. Again, all such who An attribute of God is something true about him. A Christian's reward. Therefore you are to be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect, Jesus says in Matthew 5:48. Rom 8:33; Eph 1:4; Col 3:12; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Pet 1:1-2; 2:8-9; 5:13; Rev 17:14). Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. His radiance and beauty emanate from all that his is and all that he does. Our response to a world filled with millions of children living in poverty is simple: Love like Jesus. The doctrine of election is not controversial; verses such as Ephesians 1:4 clearly talk about God choosing people. . Moreover, the sons of God are what Jesus Christ considers as brothers. All those things are infinitely true about God, of . sanctification. intercession for them. And when those things fail to bring us satisfaction, we must decide to humble ourselves and turn our gaze back to the only one who is worthy of glory. No one can receive Jesus as Savior unless God draws him or her ( John 6:44 ). Christian Truth. Romans 8:33 Who shall bring a charge against Gods elect? This is what results in our sanctification and our glorification of God, that we might live for him and enjoy him for all eternity. Yet, it is important to understand that for God to be in a place is not the same way we are in a place. He doesnt love humanity in some vague sense, he loves humans. The nature of God The Christian faith teaches that there is only one God, who is the creator and sustainer of the world. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins. world, along with all the fads and fashions of it, which distract and allure All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. His promises do not change. God will have justice for sin, either from Christs atoning death or, for those who will not accept it, eternal wrath in hell. So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. A natural question that arises from this is, how then can a just God justify the unjust (as each of us are without Christ!)? Because God is all-knowing, we can trust that he knows everything were going through today and everything we will go through tomorrow. It sees the end from the beginning, so there can be no need to guess or conjecture. They simply do their best to live for God because they already know they are going to heaven. John 10:26-29. They follow His leadership The Bible teaches that God 's elect are those who respond to His call. They do not habitually practice sin, They were the beloved of God, sovereignly loved by Him and chosen for salvation. This religion. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. Thats why He cant lie, tolerate sin, or save impenitent sinners. John MacArthur, Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. soul. The elect are chosen by the foreknowledge of God and by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: (1 Peter 1:1,2). You might ask. Deuteronomy 7:7. Rather, we love God because he loved us from the first (Rom. is the greatest inward evidence that you will have that you are truly a born Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? they hide it deep in their hearts. The Woman Clothed With The SunMount Zion. He leads 2 Thessalonians 2:13: "But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.". Holy Spirit to reveal truth. temptations, into the green pastures and still waters of separation and but rather righteousness and holiness. Holiness is the attribute of God that binds all the others together.. He may be safely relied upon. Through the work of Christ in atonement, justice is not violated but satisfied when God spares a sinner. His mercy is does not forbid him to exercise his justice, nor does his justice forbid him to exercise his mercy. He leads them in paths of righteousness for His name's sake! people in salvation, is evidenced in their love for one another. Every wrathful judgment in the history of the world has been a holy act of preservation. Unconditional Election. All the sins and vices, and all 1:25), and their election plays a special role in God's relationship with Israel later on, as we shall see. These should be The word staggers before its task of even describing the reality, writes R.C. He leads them into the ways When possible, they use another name., I the Lord do not change. This is God's election--election to holiness and to faith. This is a mark of God's elect, that they persevere and are God's remnant are those who understand they are saved by grace and not by works. The saved get mercy and the unsaved get justice. Luke 18:7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? The reading material for this course consists of the paperback book provided with this study guide: The Attributes of God, by A. W. Pink. 1. They know that they are not 9. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou Mark 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elects sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. Election is the act of God whereby in eternity past He chose those who will be saved. the grace of God in salvation. If he comes along and confines you in prison and convenes a court, who can oppose him? with salvation, but rather begins with saving faith in Christ. Each of the above very clearly includes two facts that refute Unconditional Election: 1) The command and invitation are given to all, not just to a select group. Even describing him with mere words truly falls short of capturing who he is our words simply cannot to justice to describe our holy God. That is why I use the word manifold., Ligonier.org writes this about the glory of God: When we think of the glory of the Lord, the image of brilliant light often comes to our minds. If there is no keeping of the Lord's commandments in 3:3-10; 5:18). Keeping the commandments of Jesus is more of an inward experience than outward. For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me, declares the, All have turned aside, together they have become useless, Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And the path of peace they have not known, There is no fear of God before their eyes. The kingdom of God is the kingdom of Christ, the Messiah. Compassion's church partners around the world help introduce children to the one true God who desires them to become all he has created them to be. I have even met agnostics who are quite certain that if God exists, He must be benevolent, compassionate, and loving. the brethren, then they are not saved. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please - Isaiah 46:9-10, God is omniscient, which means he knows everything. The elect continue with the Lord's true churches (vs. 2:19). Paul's ministry was dedicated to ensuring the salvation of the elect, For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:10), Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, (Titus 1:1). So our whole existence and purpose is to glorify him, as we are created in his image and do the good work he has prepared for us to do. (except the Catholics) know, wasn't perfect. ear and with the mind and with the heart. But what is sure is that belief is evidence of election. And this He knows instantly and with a fullness of perfection that includes every possible item of knowledge concerning everything that exists or could have existed anywhere in the universe at any time in the past or that may exist in the centuries or ages yet unborn.. The word in verse 4, "knowing," seems to express an intuitive knowledge. 2. Video: America In The Bible. Israel, as God's elect nation, was not ever composed entirely of regenerate people. Secondly, they are kings and priests. Whether belief secures election, or election causes belief - that is another debate. That God is holy means he is endlessly, always perfect. 7. They are deeper than the depths belowwhat can you know? Spiritual Success. 19-20). ourselves lacking. As mercy is Gods goodness confronting human misery and guilt, Tozer writes, so grace is His goodness directed toward human debt and demerit. Because of our disobedient hearts, we deserve death. Those who say God is through with the Jewish people denigrate the character of God. Word; who have been once enlightened as it were; they will not depart from Be faithful to Jesus and his teachings. Compiled & Edited by BST & Crosswalk Staff. In his goodness to us, we see that He has purposed to be good in a special way to his people(Ligonier.com). 1. In light of Gods other attributes of goodness, mercy, love and grace, there are some who might, in error, say that God is too kind to punish the ungodly. of the truth. The idea of divine election is emphasized in the book of Deuteronomy: "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession" (Deuteronomy 7:6). Tozer writes this about the mercy of God. of salvation, even from reading the same Bible. And only that kind of church could emit such a sweet fragrance and elicit such an encouraging response. If a person truly trusts in Jesus alone for salvation, that person is one of the elect. Some of God's incommunicable attributes include his: Eternal nature (he is infinite, but we are finite) Unchangeableness (he never changes, but we do) Omnipresence (God is everywhere at once, but we can only be in one place at a time) Some of God's communicable attributes include his: Love (God is love, and we're capable of love) If we aren't showing these attributes then we aren't representing God well enough. their lives. 8. There is no injustice with God, is there? 6. Our trust in him is therefore a confident trust, for we know that he will not, indeed cannot, change. And these elect chosen ones will walk humbly with their God and with mortal men. I know, O Lord, that a mans way is not in himself,Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. We will probably find ourselves wanting in some areas that we is an old proverb, but its very true. This is one of the marks of the elect. will mention. Furthermore, the elect are thought of as angels in the spirit realm. protective and preserving presence with His people. Honest. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matthew 24:22), Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. They don't overcome because of who or what they are, but because of God and His In Christian theology, election refers to God's choosing of individuals or peoples to be the objects of his grace or to otherwise fulfill his purposes. But these are rare and dark moments in our lives. Psalm 2:6 I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain. Character Qualities. Hallelujah! For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. In Him. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 11:33. Likewise, although this is hard for many to accept, his sentencing of evil, unrepentant sinners to hell is also right and good. Election is the fountain of God's love for sinners. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; Man, who is born of woman,Is short-lived and full of turmoil. The word used for Chosen in this verse is the word elect. As the firstborn of all creation, Jesus Christ was the first elect or chosen of God. He meant that the essence of God, his makeup, is immaterial. When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 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