“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (Romans 12:6-8 NLT)
In yesterday’s post we began to look at how intimately God knows us, even if we haven’t chosen to be a Jesus follower. He knows even before we are born whether we will choose to believe Him and follow Him, because He’s literally with us in every moment of our existence as a human being.
Because He knows what decisions we’ll make, does that mean we don’t have a choice? That He’s assigned us to heaven or hell? Absolutely not! Of all of God’s creation we’re the only species that has free will. Every other species of being is subject to His demands and control, except human beings. He will not force anyone to believe in Him or follow His commands, that’s completely up to us.
Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “Now, beloved, when you hear anyone laughing or jeering at a limited atonement, you may tell him this. General atonement is like a great wide bridge with only half an arch; it does not go across the stream: it only professes to go half way; it does not secure the salvation of anyone.
Now, I had rather put my foot upon a bridge as narrow as Hungerford, which went all the way across, than on a bridge that was as wide as the world, if it did not go all the way across the stream. I am told it is my duty to say that all men have been redeemed, and I am told that there is a Scriptural warrant for it — ‘Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.’ Now, that looks like a very, very great argument indeed on the other side of the question. For instance, look here. ‘The whole world is gone after him’ Did all the world go after Christ? ‘Then all Judea went and were baptized by him in Jordan.’ Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? ‘You are of God, little children,’ and ‘the whole world lies in the wicked one.’ Does ‘the whole world’ there mean everyone?
If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were ‘of God?’ The words ‘world’ and ‘all’ are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that ‘all’ means all people, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts — some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile.”
Obviously, that will mean more to some than others, but I’m hopeful Brother Spurgeon makes it abundantly clear that anyone can choose Christ, but not all will. But, for those of us who have, the Lord has equipped us to fulfill the unique role to which He has called us. Which begs the question? Have you yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus?
If you haven’t, that’s the first step. Click on Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge to God link and get that question resolved. But for those of you who are now walking with the Lord, how has He equipped you? How do you know which direction He’s leading you to serve? Let’s look at that more closely in tomorrow’s post.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 