Bible "scholars" can you help me understand this better ?

Question

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 2 Timothy 1:6-9 NIV
I believe this, but then I get confused when I say "If God chose me, why didn't He chose everyone " Why do I have faith and so did God choose or did I choose ?" I know my questions are often "weird" because I use deep thought, but we do have free will so ????????

Answer 1

All are chosen, all are called. Only few accept the call and believe in the choice. The ball is in our court, not God's.

Answer 2

That is a great question to ask Wendy. My guess is that you have heard throughout your life that God has a special purpose for your life, right?



This type of 'prophesy' causes people really ponder when their special time is, and what they are meant to do for God. It is very overbearing, because it makes you second guess yourself and wonder if you are loosing your opportunity to do God's special task. The worst part is that you never get a tangible response from God, which adds to the confusion.



Laying on of hands is a way that humans symbolize the transference of the holy spirit. Other religions do the same thing, because it is a tangible act. You can feel human hands, where you can't feel God. (goosebumps don't count, as Led Zepplin can cause goosebumps)



According to Paul Grace is given to us from Jesus, but Paul doesn't address the millions and millions of people who don't get grace from God.



What if Christianity is based on stories of a Jewish rabbi that were told and retold for 160 years before anyone wrote them down? Have you ever heard a family story that you were there to witness originally? How does that story change over the years? Have you seen how things are added to it, and how main elements of the story are embellished over just a few years? Now imagine what the story would be like after 160 years when all the original participants weren't even alive.



That is Christianity.

Answer 3

You understand the timelessness of God, right? He knows the beginning from the end, you believe this? OK, why did He choose you, because He knew you would respond and take the gift of life, because, He knew you from long before you were born, He was there when you heard His message. He is there when you excepted Him as Lord. And He is there when you enter His rest.. He is everywhere and always present. Always with you He will never leave you.. Oh what a LORD WE Have.. IHS Jim

Answer 4

God passed up all of the sons of jesse and picked david to be King,He has certain ones that he picks to Lead and they have hearts after his own heart,it has nothing to do with faith,for moses even asked God to give the job of delivering the people out of eygpt to his brother it has to do with heart condition.God has picked each and everyone for some postition,but there are certain ones he has chosen.and yes we have a free will but believe me if you are chosen to do something for the Lord he will not let you go you will do it.And the laying on of hands imparts spiritual gifts and infills you with empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Answer 5

The passage you quoted says that God has called "us" to a Holy life because of His own purpose and grace. The "us" there doesn't have to be interpreted as "Christians" because God calls all people to a Holy life.



When he says this grace was given to us in Jesus before the beginning of time that is a statement about eternity. God is not subject to time. And if for God time does not unfold or progress linearly as it does for us then the fall of man, the extending of grace, and the end of days are all essentially now (although "now" only has meaning in the field of time). God extended us grace before there was such a thing as time. Now, for us Jesus appears in the field of time and for us grace corresponds to his life, death, and resurrection.



Thhis is my perspective anyway, it corresponds greatly to CS Lewis' perspective in Mere Christianity.

Answer 6

You are called. Not chosen. The chosen ones were the 12 apostles. There are also 144,000 chosen in the last days. You were called and you believed. Every person has a chance to believe. If someone never hears the gospel then they will be judged according to their responsibility to believe in the Creator. God has left His fingerprints on everything. And if a man believes in God he knows that he is accountable for his actions because he knows that when he dies he will see God.

Answer 7

I can answer you readily enough -- however, I am not sure we are on the same wave length, so to say. Thus my answer might not make sense to you.



If you should want to have the answer any way, contact me and I'll give you an email address so that the answer can be shown in its appropriate detail. (not that long an answer, however, if understanding differs -- there will be exchanges)



I will use the scriptures to prove all things as is my habit, bytheBible.

Answer 8

Go so deep into the thoughts that you go "beyond" them. Human mind is dual and we can never obtain the Absolute while stuck in the "good and evil" concepts of human conceptual mind! Be STILL and Know I AM God!

Answer 9

According to Jesus' words He chose us and appointed us to bear fruit that should remain:



John 15:16 You did not choose Me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Answer 10

God simply knows our choices but He cautions us about being too presumptuous about His wisdom. His thoughts and wisdom are far beyond anything we can comprehend. We are advised to Respond to this Salvation and live life fully here and beyond.

Answer 11

Make it simple.

God knew who would choose Him and who wouldn't. He knew you would and made sure everything took place to lead you there.

If He knows different about someone else He doesn't respond to them unless a Christian prays for them. Then He will give them a chance even though He knows they will reject Him again.

Answer 12

THE WORD IS POWERFUL AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH John 1:14; John 8:32; 17:17;



John 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?



Heb.4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.



Matt.20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.



SOME CAN NOT LEARN THE TRUTH OF THE WORD



2Tim.3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,

blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women

laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Answer 13

The Bible says the believers have been chosen ahead of time.



Like the Trinity.......... just believe it and dont ask questions.

.

Answer 14

In Genesis 1:27; the Lord God said lets create male and female in our image. He created all into his likeness. He chose everyone right then and there. but if you read your Bible just because he chose them doesn't mean they chose him. In the days of Noah, the world was full of lust sexual sin and chosing's of the people's way. For 120 years after the Lord came to Noah and told him to build the Ark and warn the people Noah preached and built the Ark, YEP 120 years. The people chose not to listen they continued in their on lust and ways. But this doesn't mean that God didn't chose them, He choses all. In John3:16-21 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (1John 3:16281)







(5) Nothing else but the free love of the Father is the beginning of our salvation, and Christ is he in whom our righteousness and salvation dwells: and faith is the instrument or means by which we apprehend it, and everlasting life is that which is set before us to apprehend.



(o) It is not the same to believe in a thing, and to believe about a thing, for we may not believe in anything except in God alone, but we may believe about anything whatever, says Nazianzene in his Oration of the Spirit.



For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (1John 3:17281)



(1Geneva281) (6) For God sent not his Son into the world (p) to condemn the world; but that the (q) world through him might be saved.



(6) Christ does not condemn, but rather despising Christ condemns.



(p) That is, to be the cause of the condemning of the world, for indeed sins are the cause of death; however, Christ will still judge the living and the dead.



(q) Not only the people of the Jews, but whoever will believe in him.



He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (1John 3:18281)



And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (1John 3:19281)



(1Geneva281) (7) And this is the (r) condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.



(7) The only reason why men refuse the light that is offered to them is wickedness.



(r) That is, the cause of condemnation, which remains in men, unless through God's great benefit they are delivered from it.



For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (1John 3:20281)



But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (1John 3:21281)



(1Geneva281) But he that (s) doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought (t) in God.



(s) That is, he that leads an honest life, and is void of all cunning and deceit.



(t) That is, with God, God as it were going before.

In verse 3:19 you can read that men chose darkness rather than light, simply because their deeds the things they were doing was evil, and they didn't want to change they liked what they were doing. And in verse 3:20 it says if they hate the light they never come to the light, Unless their deeds are reproved, Brought out made seen, So they chose to live in their sin and hate the light because it will reveal they are wrong. in Mark 7:9 Mark ask will you reject God's commandment that you can keep your own traditions? Hosea 4:6 My people die for lack of knowledge, and because they reject the knowledge (of God) I will also reject them. In Luke 13:3 he tells us unless you repent ye shall perish, In Matthew 13 we are told that the kingdom of heaven is as a grain of mustard seed, When you recieve the Lord it is like this you know of him, and recieve him, then faith comes by hearing the word of God that causes that grain as a small mustard seed to grow up and mature in God himself.

Here it is God will at sometime some point in every mans life deal with him, Give him the opportunity to chose him. Thus he chose You he came and dealt with you, then you recieved , he chose to come to you and then You chose to listen believe and obey his word and the seed was planted and it is up to you as to how much of God's word you continue in on to how big your faith grows. He choses to come to you and you have to chose him after knowing the difference between good and evil.

Hope this helps