If a man abide not in Me: part two

Hello To All:

This matter of "abide in Me" and "abide not in me," has hopefully, gotten our attention. If the contrast between these two positions, has not impacted us, in some significant way - then, perhaps, we are in very deep trouble. This is a matter of choice. Choice necessitates the freedom to choose. The freedom to choose is only viable when we have the will to choose, and the opportunity to choose. The will to choose is part of the created reality of who we are; and of whom we always have been. The opportunity to choose is always provided by God.

Adam and Eve were given a choice: (Genesis 2:16-17) "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." They made the wrong choice and sin and death entered into the world.

Here, already, at the very beginning, we are confronted with the deep mystery of God. The question must be asked: Why would God allow the wrong choice to be made? There is an answer, but it is shrouded in the deep mystery of who God is, and how He has determined to cleanse His creation, of all that is evil. But, this one thing should be clear to all: The freedom of man to choose, was given by the Lord our God, at the very beginning of our creation.

This reality of choice, continues throughout the entire narrative of the King's Book. In Deuteronomy 12:26-28, we find recorded, the choice that God set before the people of Israel: "Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known." In Joshua 24:15, we find a similar choice set before the people of Israel: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua made the right choice - Israel, often, did not.

Choice: blessing or curse: abide in Me or abide not in Me. Always - God sets a choice before us: and He gives us the freedom of will to make that choice. That freedom, to choose, is clearly stated, in the examples given, in the previous paragraph. If you would, my beloved, take the time to search the whole of the King's Book; then you would find the same choice set before all people; and in all places: Choose you this day whom you will serve - choose the blessing or the curse - choose to continue with God or to turn away from God - choose to (in the words of Jesus Christ) "abide in Me" or "abide not in Me." What is your choice - my beloved brethren?

We shall continue in our examination of this matter of choice; and how it relates to our deep consideration of the answer to the question: Can we loose our salvation? But, for now, we shall close with this from the King's Book: (Psalm 25:12) "What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose."

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus