The Mystery

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soul man

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The Mystery


The most important search a believer can give himself to is finding out what God’s ultimate intention is and how he fits into it. This should be a lifetime search, Eph. 1:4.

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."

It is an ever expanding search, finding its way into every part of life’s incidents, and always coming to the same knowledge that God’s intention is indeed working, and working for our good and His glory.
Sometimes a believer lives most of his life before coming to this conclusion, but in time, God’s grace is sufficient to his coming to know this great truth.
It is wonderful to see that we are not just struggling to find the answers to life, God, in His divine providence, is arranging “converging powers” to bring this great understanding to us. It is an act of God’s love, one which will not suffer us to be ignorant of His plan and intention, Gal. 4:1-2.

1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

The great hindrance to this is religion. Religion continually intervenes, subjecting the believer to a lesser understanding based on man’s evaluations rather than on God’s Word. This is a very subtle work of Satan, for his greatest desire is to keep us from seeing what God is doing in the world and for His children.

But, in all of this, love will triumph. His love for the believer is greater than any force, even our own misled, religious knowledge. It is most comforting to know, in these troubled days, that He is ever moving toward His ultimate intention.

That intention is simply to have children whom He has redeemed filling His house. Praise God, this is happening with a startling acceleration every day.
 

Windmillcharge

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The most important search a believer can give himself to is finding out what God’s ultimate intention is and how he fits into it. This should be a lifetime search, Eph. 1:4.

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."

Yet according to the verse you've quoted God's ultimate intention is that we live Godly lives.
 

APAK

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The Mystery


The most important search a believer can give himself to is finding out what God’s ultimate intention is and how he fits into it. This should be a lifetime search, Eph. 1:4.

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."

It is an ever expanding search, finding its way into every part of life’s incidents, and always coming to the same knowledge that God’s intention is indeed working, and working for our good and His glory.
Sometimes a believer lives most of his life before coming to this conclusion, but in time, God’s grace is sufficient to his coming to know this great truth.
It is wonderful to see that we are not just struggling to find the answers to life, God, in His divine providence, is arranging “converging powers” to bring this great understanding to us. It is an act of God’s love, one which will not suffer us to be ignorant of His plan and intention, Gal. 4:1-2.

1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

The great hindrance to this is religion. Religion continually intervenes, subjecting the believer to a lesser understanding based on man’s evaluations rather than on God’s Word. This is a very subtle work of Satan, for his greatest desire is to keep us from seeing what God is doing in the world and for His children.

But, in all of this, love will triumph. His love for the believer is greater than any force, even our own misled, religious knowledge. It is most comforting to know, in these troubled days, that He is ever moving toward His ultimate intention.

That intention is simply to have children whom He has redeemed filling His house. Praise God, this is happening with a startling acceleration every day.

soul man:

You titled your OP ‘Mystery.’ What is the Mystery?

I believe the answer is found a few verses past Ephesians 1:4. It is the reason and answer why God provided his grace to all peoples he loves. He loves those he has chosen. All believers need to keep reminding themselves of this important truth.

We live in the love of God; we are bathed in it as we walk in the spirit of love.

God desired to first bring our Lord and Savior as his instrument and mediator to men. Then for our Lord to work for him in power, in heaven and earth, to eventually bring those he loves to Christ through the spirit of God. To ultimately restore all creatures in heaven and earth, back to himself with his pure and holy spirit.

(Eph 1:4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

(Eph 1:9) making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

(Eph 1:10) as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

(Eph 1:11) In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

(Eph 1:12) so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

(Eph 1:13) In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

(Eph 1:14) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (ALL ESV)

Bless you,


APAK
 
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Grams

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1Thes 4:

13
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14


For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.


 
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Miss Hepburn

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Nice post soul man. :)
I don't find much a mystery.
But, I know, for some it still is, esp for young people.

Of course..me? I think the most important search is for God Himself and
where He is..Heaven...our Home. (Not being something after this life.)
 
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amadeus

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Care to explain how a dead man can do anything on his own.
Indeed, anyone who has not met Jesus and has not accepted and received the Life which Jesus brought is dead. Jesus made this clear with his response here:

"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead." Matt 8:21-22
 
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Windmillcharge

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I have to differ with you, Gal. 2:20.

We are not playing 'top trumps' where I quote a bible verse and you trump it with a 'better' verse.

I parapharased Eph 1:4 which you now seem to think is not relevent to your belief!

Which is very strange as a key part of gal2:20 is:- the life I live, I live by faith in the Son of God.

The bible teaches one message. That we need to be in a right relationship with God. That this is only by faith in Jesus and we are to live to serve God.
 

mjrhealth

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God hasn't chosen 'dead men' nor are 'dead men' to be found in him, and if it is God's intention that we live Godly lives we are not dead.
Actually we are

Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

But than if you dont know that, than you probably are not.
 

Windmillcharge

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Actually we are

Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

But than if you dont know that, than you probably are not.

John 10:10 I have come that you might have LIFE to the full.

John 3:16 I am the LIFE
John 11:Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the LIFE. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

God isn't the God of the dead but of the living.
 

mjrhealth

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John 10:10 I have come that you might have LIFE to the full.

John 3:16 I am the LIFE
John 11:Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the LIFE. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

God isn't the God of the dead but of the living.
Oh yes, but you see a man must die before He can Live, that old man must be put to death, that is why our life is in Christ, that is why we must, well put it this way,

Mar 10:38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?
So you see without us dying we cannot live...
 
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soul man

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We are not playing 'top trumps' where I quote a bible verse and you trump it with a 'better' verse.

I parapharased Eph 1:4 which you now seem to think is not relevent to your belief!

Which is very strange as a key part of gal2:20 is:- the life I live, I live by faith in the Son of God.

The bible teaches one message. That we need to be in a right relationship with God. That this is only by faith in Jesus and we are to live to serve God.

The bible doesnt teach one message, how can you get that from what was given say to Abraham or Moses or some of the other Old Testament Patriarchs and say that is for us the born again.
They were not born again, they didn't have Christ in them!!!
That is a very crucial error made by Christians.
The verse you quote out of Gal. 2:20 is a mistranslation of whatever translation you are using. Paul said he lived by the "faith of Christ," not "in" as other translators have supposed. And uses that wording numerous times.
 
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Windmillcharge

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They were not born again, they didn't have Christ in them
1Kings 19:18 I have reserved 7000 in Israel who have not bowed down to baal or kissed him.
If they were not saved, why should God bother with them?
Hebrews 11 lists great men and women of Faith. Why, if they had nothing to teach us about faith why tell us and if they have faith, just who is that faith in?

You need to enlarge your understanding of God.
He is far far greater than we can comprehend and he can apply theblood of Jesus to those who by faith trusted in God.

As for gal2:20 if you have the only correct translation of the bible you will have to Always quote what it says, otherwise accept the version I used.
 
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soul man

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1Kings 19:18 I have reserved 7000 in Israel who have not bowed down to baal or kissed him.
If they were not saved, why should God bother with them?
Hebrews 11 lists great men and women of Faith. Why, if they had nothing to teach us about faith why tell us and if they have faith, just who is that faith in?

You need to enlarge your understanding of God.
He is far far greater than we can comprehend and he can apply theblood of Jesus to those who by faith trusted in God.

As for gal2:20 if you have the only correct translation of the bible you will have to Always quote what it says, otherwise accept the version I used.

Wow that's a real stretch concerning the blood. And I never said they were not saved.
 
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soul man

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Wow that's a real stretch concerning the blood. And I never said they were not saved.

Please explain then what you did say.

You quoted it "they were not born again" and they didnt have "Christ in them."
They were saved, but not by Christ in them as we are today (the cross).
Dont you believe we should have a message for that?
 

Windmillcharge

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You quoted it "they were not born again" and they didnt have "Christ in them."
They were saved, but not by Christ in them as we are today (the cross).
Dont you believe we should have a message for that?

You need to enlarge your understanding of God.
He is far far greater than we can comprehend and he can apply theblood of Jesus to those who by faith trusted in God.