Chosen? ELECTION-Service & Privilege

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, kwikphilly said:

HALLELUYAH! Excellent!

   So ,we see the CHOSEN ONE and in this language of the Written Word of God we are learning that being CHOSEN has nothing to do with being CHOSEN for Salvation ,not even speaking of God the SON!!! The language depicts Assignments ,Service.....and according to each one  gifts(or abilities,skills etc...) they are Appointed for a specific purpose .Jesus was Appointed Heir to ALL things,just as we are appointed his heirs.....

   God is not a respecter of persons ,surely not! Everyone is offered His Gift and His GIFT has Come to do Gods Will! SAVE & SERVE......AS a Follower of Christ this is our reasonable Service,to serve others,in love! How could we think so highly of ourselves that we would be greater than Christ Jesus? No one is CHOSEN FOR Salvation,we are CHOSEN to serve that shows the WAY to SALVATION-JESUS!!!!

   Dont stop there,continue on ,if you will to the GIFTS that equipt us for SERVICE!

So well said!  

Your "invitation" made me immediately think of Eph 4:11-13

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Here, Paul is making reference to the package deal we think of as the Great Commission.  Initially, Jesus gave this Commission to His 11 remaining disciples/apostles, as stated in Matt 28:19,20.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Eph 4:11 refers to Matt 28:19, which is evangelization.  Then, v.12 is the stated purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission, which is to TEACH the disciples "to obey everything I have commanded you".   That is what "equipping His people for works of SERVICE" (election).

Eph 4:13 is the goal of the on-going Great Commission;  until all believers reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son, and to grow up spiritually (spiritual maturity).  The last phrase in v.13 refers to becoming more Christ-like in our daily lives.

Of the 5 spiritual gifts mentioned in Eph 4:11, 3 are still active; evangelists, pastors and teachers.  This is to whom the Commission is directed to; not every believer but only those with these specific spiritual gifts.  So the purpose of these gifts is for the unity of believers in the faith and spiritual maturity so that all believers will become Christ-like.  

In Eph 4:12, the "works of service" refer to the exercise of the various spiritual gifts listed in various texts in the NT.  Romans 12:3-8 lists 7 specific gifts.  1 Cor 12-14 explains the reason and function of these gifts.  In 12:31 Paul wrote to "eagerly desire the greater gifts", and in 14:1 he noted that the gift of prophecy is the greatest gift.  The reason is that this gift is for the building up of the body of believers.

Yes, in 1 Corinthians Paul included the gifts of miracles, healing and speaking in tongues.  These gifts were specifically to demonstrate the power of God in the Christian faith.  Once the "church" had grown enough, these gifts were removed.  Paul addresses this in 1 Cor 13:8-10.  

 

[kwikphilly]

1 hour ago, FreeGrace said:

So well said!  

Your "invitation" made me immediately think of Eph 4:11-13

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Here, Paul is making reference to the package deal we think of as the Great Commission.  Initially, Jesus gave this Commission to His 11 remaining disciples/apostles, as stated in Matt 28:19,20.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Eph 4:11 refers to Matt 28:19, which is evangelization.  Then, v.12 is the stated purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission, which is to TEACH the disciples "to obey everything I have commanded you".   That is what "equipping His people for works of SERVICE" (election).

Eph 4:13 is the goal of the on-going Great Commission;  until all believers reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son, and to grow up spiritually (spiritual maturity).  The last phrase in v.13 refers to becoming more Christ-like in our daily lives.

Of the 5 spiritual gifts mentioned in Eph 4:11, 3 are still active; evangelists, pastors and teachers.  This is to whom the Commission is directed to; not every believer but only those with these specific spiritual gifts.  So the purpose of these gifts is for the unity of believers in the faith and spiritual maturity so that all believers will become Christ-like.  

In Eph 4:12, the "works of service" refer to the exercise of the various spiritual gifts listed in various texts in the NT.  Romans 12:3-8 lists 7 specific gifts.  1 Cor 12-14 explains the reason and function of these gifts.  In 12:31 Paul wrote to "eagerly desire the greater gifts", and in 14:1 he noted that the gift of prophecy is the greatest gift.  The reason is that this gift is for the building up of the body of believers.

Yes, in 1 Corinthians Paul included the gifts of miracles, healing and speaking in tongues.  These gifts were specifically to demonstrate the power of God in the Christian faith.  Once the "church" had grown enough, these gifts were removed.  Paul addresses this in 1 Cor 13:8-10.  

 

Love it..... Equipped FOR!!!

Now let's not get into Gifts ceasing there---- here we can refute each other with the evidence we will put forth in the effort to show one another the REASONS we believe differently-might be an excellent Topic for our next Study!!!! Sounds like great fun....

So,clearly not everyone should teach,not everyone should evangelize etc....what happens when everyone attempts to do what they are not equipped to do so?

After that,I'd like you to expound on EVERY Believers reasonable service - I'm on my phone or I'd copy/ paste

I trust you know where I'm headed,lol

 

[Mr. M]

On 2/13/2023 at 10:55 AM, kwikphilly said:

   "In the Beginning",lol or rather in the OT its clearly about  the Life of Servitude on this earth,

Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him

in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 

"to tend" used in Genesis chapters 2, 3, & 4,

translated "to till" the ground.

Beginning in Genesis 14 [H5647] abad becomes "to serve".

4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, [served="tilled for",

i.e. paid tribute of the fruit of the land.]

and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

By Genesis 15, this became the destiny of the descendants

of Abram.

13 Then He said to Abram: Know certainly that your descendants

will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them,

and they will afflict them four hundred years. 

14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge;

afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 

Luke 22:27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table,

or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table?

Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

[Your closest friendnt]

8 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Hi Friendnt

Thanks for your commentaries & summary,would you like to contribute to the subject of ELECTION?I'm sure you have something topical to share

In His Love, Kwik

 

This is a little tricky...because the context is not always the same. 

In Timothy we have some instructions of Paul how to choose a deacon....from amongst the other deacons...this take place while the deacons are waiting for the election of the deacon and the arch-deacon....there is nothing wrong to choose one from amongst the others from the facts they have at hand...their qualifications and their eligibility...

Some times the Holy Spirit may make the election for them for reasons unknown to them...one reason not known to them...it could be to prevent someone else...

Another reason is that even though someone it does not look so good on paper, but for the Lord he is the one He prefers because he can follow his leading...

We have this kind of an example of Jesus choosing John for a special mission and not one knows not even John... 

He was chosen from amongst the chosen...he did not know about that...he had no idea..and no one knew not even himself that he had been the "elect" of God to wear the shoes and to walk in the path God had set before him...

He did not know that he was shaped and molded and sculptured to be the one to carry the flag and complete a mission that God had set out for someone to be part of it and that someone was all along him...

He was the elect for God's proposed to be the one to bring to pass what God had intended to happen and God had to bring it to pass...that required for John to walk in the path of this mission without him knowing...something that only God knew will happened to him and he only became conscious as the things were happened...he walked in obedience to the Holy Spirit without being able to guess what will happen ahead...only God knew...

He was chosen from amongst the chosen...God had elected him for that mission before and when he was row material...and no one could tell....not even John...who must have known that God was preserving him for something that was ahead of him but he did not know what that was....

The people around him understand that he was set aside from the rest who had their own missions....

Like Philip whom he was one of the chosen and God did not asked him for his consent in what he was about to do and the part he had to play in it...

He was elected for this mission and God bring it to pass without him or anyone know anything about that...Philip did not know that he would be the one to bring the Gospel to Samaritans and that he would be the one to go to the villages of Judea with the Gospel news and on his own...there were not prayers from the church to anoint Philip for his mission ahead of him...He was elected from among the chosen ones...God knew it and no one else...God was preparing Philip and was teaching him how to recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit and he had learn to follow it by faith waiting for what will happen next ...without him knowing what will happen...this is BY FAITH following the Holy Spirit in what was asking him...

(This was very important not to know what will happen ahead...because Philip would have started to hesitate and he would asked for the church to pray....(that was what the Holy Spirit did not want him to do...not to walk in their own understanding...not to direct and control the path of Philip whose steps were ordained by Jesus Christ and no one knew...if they knew they would prevent Philip...or they would try to alter the path of Philip...because they did not approve to preach the Gospel to Eunuchs and having Enuchs ordain as evangelist and Servants of Jesus Christ...and baptize with the Holy Spirit..because the Eunuch was a chosen vessel..

And the did not sent anyone alone on missions to the Judea villages considered hostile environment...

Philip alone? But they did not know that he was being elected to carry on this mission alone with Jesus Christ by his side...this is the Holy Spirit guiding him...

The Holy Spirit took him to places he was not told before hand ....and he was elected from before to be the one to bring the Gospel to the Samaritans...to be the one through whom God will open up the eyes of the disciples to reach out to the Samaritans...

And they did and they followed up..

Philip was elected for this mission without him knowing anything till everything was happening till he found himself in the mist of what was happening...

Peter was elected from the rest of the disciples for his mission to Cornelius...in some spectacular fashion and against his ways of customs and against the prohibition and his beliefs that Jesus can accept the faith of the Gentiles as they are Baptizing them in the Holy Spirit and without using them to pray and lay their hands on them...only by the ELECTION OF JESUS CHRIST...

Paul was ELECTED for his mission to the Macedonian man THE JAILER...he did not know who the Macedonian Man was....a Soldier...an Officer of the Roman Empire...

And he did not know that the Holy Spirit made things happen so he could find himself face to face with him...Paul met him and he was still wondering thinking that he had done something out of the will of the Holy Spirit...and he and the others were beaten up and he has not yet met the Macedonian man thinking that he had failed in his mission...till the time when the Jailer asked him "what I must do to be saved""" then he recognized who was the Macedonian man in his dreams....

Also as Paul was in Jail examining and disproving himself of what he did ...Paul felt the Holy Spirit in him and it was something strange about that...the Holy Spirit was not grieve but it was very joyous within him...Paul later understood that he was within the will of Jesus Christ and everything happened as it should have happened...so he learn to say that I rejoice in the adversities in my life...because he understood that if was not accused and beaten up - that had to follow according to their customs....and that was the plan of God to bring Paul to the place where the Macedonian man was...a ready vessel for the good news of the Gospel...

Issac was elected to be the one to carry the blessing of Abraham to the next generation...even though Ismael was the first born...

God's election was for him to be the heir even though he was not the first born..

The same for Jacob his election was for him even though he was not the first born...

John the Baptist was also elected to be part of God's plan to bring to pass what had proposed to himself to bring to pass to happened what he had plan before those men were born...the same for David...and What about Samuel and his miraculus birth...and Isaac's miraculous birth and Samson's miraculous birth and Moses miraculous survival...

They were God's election as MYRIAM WAS GOD'S ELECTION TO BE THE ONE for this special mission from God...and to suffered the unspeakable pain in her heart when she showed Jesus dying on the Cross and it was prophesied that a sword will be perched her heart... 

I tried...I gave it a try...thank you for asking ...if not I would not get involved and I am only using the phone...I can get involved in the discussion from where ever I am....I think is a blessing. 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Your closest friendnt

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, kwikphilly said:

Love it..... Equipped FOR!!!

Now let's not get into Gifts ceasing there---- here we can refute each other with the evidence we will put forth in the effort to show one another the REASONS we believe differently-might be an excellent Topic for our next Study!!!! Sounds like great fun....

1 hour ago, kwikphilly said:

So,clearly not everyone should teach,not everyone should evangelize etc....what happens when everyone attempts to do what they are not equipped to do so?

Correct.  Those with the gifts should be exercising them, therefore, that's what they are there FOR.

1 hour ago, kwikphilly said:

After that,I'd like you to expound on EVERY Believers reasonable service - I'm on my phone or I'd copy/ paste

I trust you know where I'm headed,lol

Very good question.  Just what is EVERY believer's 'reasonable service'.  This goes to the very heart of election.  We are all elected for service.  And as you said, not everyone should be an evangelist, or pastor, or teacher.  But ALL are to serve.

I have found 2 verses that seem to be what every believer should be active doing.

1 Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Col 4:6 -  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Every believer must be prepared to give an answer to the questions of unbelievers who observe us.  Hopefully, our lives will be Christ-like enough for others to be curious and want to know more.  

Notice what Paul wrote to Philemon in v.6 - and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

So, there are 2 verses that tell us to be prepared to give answers for our faith and 1 verse where Paul commended Philemon for sharing his faith.

ps:  I hope that is where you were heading.  

 

[Your closest friendnt]

9 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Hi Friendnt

Thanks for your commentaries & summary,would you like to contribute to the subject of ELECTION?I'm sure you have something topical to share

In His Love, Kwik

 

Hi Kwik...if you have a specific scripture we can look into that scripture...in the context of that scripture...

 

[kwikphilly]

1 hour ago, FreeGrace said:

Correct.  Those with the gifts should be exercising them, therefore, that's what they are there FOR.

Very good question.  Just what is EVERY believer's 'reasonable service'.  This goes to the very heart of election.  We are all elected for service.  And as you said, not everyone should be an evangelist, or pastor, or teacher.  But ALL are to serve.

I have found 2 verses that seem to be what every believer should be active doing.

1 Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Col 4:6 -  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Every believer must be prepared to give an answer to the questions of unbelievers who observe us.  Hopefully, our lives will be Christ-like enough for others to be curious and want to know more.  

Notice what Paul wrote to Philemon in v.6 - and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

So, there are 2 verses that tell us to be prepared to give answers for our faith and 1 verse where Paul commended Philemon for sharing his faith.

ps:  I hope that is where you were heading.  

 

Of course this is the direction I was headed ....to be specific I was thinking of the complete Romans chapter 12.....First the Word Says our bodies should be a Living Sacrifice,to do what is the pleasing and acceptable to God - from there we see that we are expected to live a Life of Holiness,purity,not as the world does( earlier you have described the specific gifts for the described Functions of Service-)then what's mentioned next-is what I think it's all about,Walking our Faith to DISPLAY Christ in us .... All this transition happens from a Renewing of the mind ...how is any muscle built up?Exercise!

Let's not forget we are also being taught that each person is part of a bigger BODY too and we are MOST effective when we ";work" or Serve together as ONE....

And all of this is about being Christs Ambassadors,leading by example ,most importantly IN LOVE

That is our Reasonable Service.......❤️

 

[kwikphilly]

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him

in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 

"to tend" used in Genesis chapters 2, 3, & 4,

translated "to till" the ground.

Beginning in Genesis 14 [H5647] abad becomes "to serve".

4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, [served="tilled for",

i.e. paid tribute of the fruit of the land.]

and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

By Genesis 15, this became the destiny of the descendants

of Abram.

13 Then He said to Abram: Know certainly that your descendants

will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them,

and they will afflict them four hundred years. 

14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge;

afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 

Luke 22:27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table,

or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table?

Yet I am among you as the One who serves.

Amen! God is the Same yesterday,today & forever more! So why would He Change His Word(;words,language, relationship). 

Indeed,from the very start it was always about what is pleasing & acceptable Will of God - It pleases God when we LOVE Him & love one another 

How do we display love?- service!

It's always the same,ONE was CHOSEN to Save and HE SERVED!!!!!! Of course anyone who truly LOVES the Lord will serve because we LOVE Him

The big IF,again!!!!

Do more,do more,!

 

[kwikphilly]

36 minutes ago, Your closest friendnt said:

Hi Kwik...if you have a specific scripture we can look into that scripture...in the context of that scripture...

 

Romans 12......

[Mr. M]

1 hour ago, kwikphilly said:

Romans 12......

What Paul spells out in vivid detail in Romans 12, Peter lays out in a staccato list of one word descriptors:

2 Peter 1:5-7 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence,

add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge

self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance

godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly

kindness love.

Romans 12:

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil;

cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another

with brotherly love;

in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit;

serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;

continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints;

given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you:

bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice,

and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another.

Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.

Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil.

Provide things honest in the sight of all men.