GOD DOES NOT SEEK FOR GOATS TO TURN THEM INTO SHEEP!
Posted : 9 Sep, 2013 12:03 PM
One of the most important facts which many miss out when studying the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son is that in all three cases the �seekers� sought for that which was ALREADY THEIRS! [Luke 15:4-32]
The Shepherd HAD a hundred sheep, and the woman HAD ten coins and the father was looking out and patiently waiting, not for a stranger but for HIS OWN SON!
God�s elect do not start out as goats and later become sheep by accepting Jesus! The sheep are sheep from ETERNITY! They are KNOWN and loved by the Father from BEFORE TIME BEGAN!
�Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, WHICH WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN!� [2Tim 1:9]
God does not say I will search for GOATS and make them My sheep, but rather I will search for MY SHEEP!
�For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both SEARCH MY SHEEP, and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I SEEK OUT MY SHEEP, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day!� [Ezk 34;11,12]
In the mind of God, the elect are viewed as His children from ETERNITY. �No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost�! [1Cor 12:3] And God sends the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His Elect BECAUSE he views them as His children.
�And BECAUSE YE ARE SONS, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father�. [Gal 4:6]
The Elect are said to be the object of the Father�s love! As to WHEN this love �originated� in the heart of God, the Scripture leaves us with no doubts when it declares � �Yea, I have loved thee with AN EVERLASTING LOVE: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee�. [Jer 31:3]. This love had no beginning and is eternal as Jehovah Himself! One of the greatest comforts for the tried child of God!
The Master declared that the elect BELONGED TO THE FATHER long before they came to the Son! �Thine they WERE, and Thou gavest them Me�! [John 17:6] This should be said of all the elect, not just the Apostles.
Notice, �And other sheep I HAVE, which are not of this fold: THEM ALSO I must bring, and they SHALL hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd!� [John 10:16]
�Other sheep, I HAVE� not �WILL HAVE . . . if they accept me!� Note the definitive grammar � �they SHALL hear My voice� not �they may or may not hear� but �SHALL HEAR!�
In fact the prophecy concerning the Atonement was � �For the transgression of MY PEOPLE was He stricken�! [Isaiah 53:8] And in fact this alone should settle once and for all whether Christ died for the whole world or only for the Elect! . . . �I lay down My life FOR THE SHEEP�! [John 10:15]
Christ shed His blood and laid down His life for HIS SHEEP who were lost in Adam through the fall!
�This said Caiaphas not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one THE CHILDREN OF GOD THAT WERE SCATTERED ABROAD!� [John 11:51,52]
The �Children of God scattered abroad� are NOT GOATS who transform into sheep by accepting Christ, but SHEEP who hear HIS voice and follow! [John 10:27] Though at that time they were "scattered abroad," nevertheless, they Spirit denominates them as "the children of God"!
Those who cannot hear Christ�s voice speaking through the gospel are NOT HIS SHEEP, BUT GOATS!
Christ�s sheep hear His voice because they �BELONG TO THE TRUTH�!!
Please read once again and ponder the Master�s words to Pilate . . . �Every one that is OF THE TRUTH heareth My voice�! [John 18:37]
i.e. Everyone who �BELONGS TO THE TRUTH�!
Those who are �OF GOD�, �BELONG TO GOD� or are �GOD�S SHEEP� hear our words and believe them no matter how harsh or �unacceptable� it may be!
�He that is OF GOD heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, BECAUSE ye are not of God!� [John 8:47]
When the Master preached some harsh truths, ALL the GOATS LEFT HIM AND WALKED WITH HIM NO MORE!
But the sheep stayed back saying � �To whom shall WE go? THOU hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God!� [John 6:68,69]
Oh what an unspeakable blessing to be one of His sheep whom He came to save. And because we are His sheep we can confidently affirm � �The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want�! And because we are one of His sheep, �goodness and mercy shall follow us ALL the days of our life and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever�! [Psalm 23]
GOD DOES NOT SEEK FOR GOATS TO TURN THEM INTO SHEEP!
Posted : 9 Sep, 2013 01:42 PM
TC, go argue and harass somebody else. The article speaks for itself. Enough said.
This is your tactic answer the question, you love to throw boulders and you have continually said you are the one that is right. I am not harassing, just answer the question/
Expalin why you are at it spiritual laws.
Tell us the difference bewteen new and old testament prophets.
Tells us the process of faith.
Expalin to us who any anyone is to call things that be not as though they where.
GOD DOES NOT SEEK FOR GOATS TO TURN THEM INTO SHEEP!
Posted : 9 Sep, 2013 04:26 PM
SALVATION IS 100% FREE BUT HEAVENLY REWARDS ARE 100% EARNED:
Hebrews 11:1,6: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see....And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He **REWARDS those who earnestly seek Him!!
Ephesians 6:8: Serve wholeheartedly , as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will **REWARD everyone for what ever good he does!.Revelation 22:12 Jesus says, �Behold I am coming soon! My **REWARD is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!�
Matthew 16:27: Jesus says, �The Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels and THEN He will **REWARD each person according to what he has done!�
2 Corinthians 5:9,10: We make it our goal to please Him... for we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15: His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives , he will receive his **REWARD. If it is burned up he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Colossians 3:23-25: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, siince you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a **REWARD. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Win Heavenly CROWNS:
I Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes in to strict training. They do it to get a **CROWN that will not last; but we do it to get a **CROWN THAT WILL LAST FOREVER! Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly. I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize!
2 John 1:8: Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be **REWARDED fully!. Revelation 3:11: Jesus says, �I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your **CROWN!�
2 Timothy 4:7,8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the **CROWN of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge,will award to me on that day�and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing!
The **CROWN of Life for those who persevere under trials and persecution:
James 1:12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the **CROWN OF LIFE that God has promised to those who love Him!
Revelation 2:10 Jesus says, �Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the **CROWN OF LIFE!�
Matthew 5:11,12: Jesus says, �Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, beacuase great is your **REWARD in heaven!�
Hebrews 10:32-36: Remember those earlier days after you had received the Light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of sufferin. Sometimes you were publicaly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly **REWARDED. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you receive what He has promised!
GOD DOES NOT SEEK FOR GOATS TO TURN THEM INTO SHEEP!
Posted : 15 Sep, 2013 08:38 AM
So when the father of the prodigal son referred to him as "dead" and "lost", how did that change to "alive" and "found"? And who are the lost sheep? How many lost sheep are there?
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
