Ready to meet God?

[amadeus2]

I guess your answer is "no"

Don't be too quick to draw conclusions. Apostle Paul wrote:

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
So along with the apostle many [most?] believers do have a vision as Solomon had written was the need some 1,000 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Our vision exists, but it needs to be improved and God will work on that... if we will allow Him to do so.

 

[amadeus2]

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The answer is "yes"!!

Yes, the answer is yes, but the end is not yet. Consider what David wrote here:

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." Psalm 27:8

Way back then David was talking to God and seeking the Lord's face. Consider again what Apostle Paul wrote:
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
This indicates a need to grow and so we must be growing toward God and God has provided us with the means. When should continue to grow until there is no more time.

 

[Curtis]

Yes, the answer is yes, but the end is not yet. Consider what David wrote here:

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." Psalm 27:8

Way back then David was talking to God and seeking the Lord's face. Consider again what Apostle Paul wrote:
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
This indicates a need to grow and so we must be growing toward God and God has provided us with the means. When should continue to grow until there is no more time.

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

1Jn 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

No man can be changed into his likeness unless you can see Jesus.

 

[Born Again 2004]

It's amazing how often this comes up. But I wonder if "nothing" good comes from us. Why are some saved, and others not saved?
If nothing good is in the unsaved... OK. If nothing good is in the saved... then what makes us different? better? Does God just "pick" us, and not the others?
I know this quickly gets into predestination, and predeterminism, and all that... but without arguing all those things again.... (for the 1,000th time)
Why are some saved, and others not saved?

The other comment I would make here... is that in the parable of the talents... from which you quote above "well done, good and faithful servant".
The "good and faithful" servants are the the ones who did do something. The "wicked and lazy" servant is the one who didn't do anything.

Also... when we use the phrase someone "might see Jesus in me". How do you mean that? Now God is omnipotent and all knowing, yes.
He knows your heart and the rest of the world doesn't, OK I get that. But does it really mean what people "do" see in you.

For example... John (apologies to anyone named John) is stingy, selfish, and a known liar. He doesn't pray or go to church or read the Bible.
But... he believes in Jesus. When people look at him... do they "see" Jesus in him?

On the other hand... Tom (congratulations if your name is Tom!) is giving, thoughtful, compassionate, goes out of his way to help others,and show love
to others. He often prays for people, visits the sick, and helps out at the orphanage. When people look at him... do they "see" Jesus in him?


... as a side note... I do like mercyme a lot. I have some of their CDs.
But some of their songs (not "I can only imagine") are decidedly Calvinistic.

It is amazing for sure and a mystery that the Bible reveals to us...that is Jesus in us and a promise that those who die with Christ in them are saved and those who die without Christ in them are unsaved!..Pretty basic gospel!)

 

[Curtis]

Yes, the answer is yes, but the end is not yet. Consider what David wrote here:

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." Psalm 27:8

Way back then David was talking to God and seeking the Lord's face. Consider again what Apostle Paul wrote:
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
This indicates a need to grow and so we must be growing toward God and God has provided us with the means. When should continue to grow until there is no more time.

The purpose of "light" which God is, is not only to give life, it gives "vision" to the man who can not see. To see what? Jesus crowned with Glory and honor! Being able to be transform into the image of Jesus only comes as we see him in us.

2Cor 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Every time a man looks in a "mirror" he see his own reflection, but in this case what we are suppose to be seeing in us is Jesus Christ, and only then can that man whose is looking into the mirror ever be transformed into that same image, from Glory, to Glory!!

 

[Curtis]

The easiest way to answer the question as to why some are saved, and some not is.........

Man in his fallen nature, has no way of knowing that God exist because he is spiritual dead with out having any kind of way to discover the invisible God.
God in his grace, and mercy decided to reveal himself to all of mankind so man at least could have a choice between blessing or cursing, life or death.
This scripture tells us that........

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

ALL men where given the revelation that God really does exist.

But knowing that God exists does not automatically save man. A easy way to understand how God chooses who to save can be understood using this analogy.

Lets just say God gathered all men together, now that they know he exists, and Lord says

OK...everyone, I am starting my own baseball team. Whoever wants to be on my team raise your hand.
Then the lord says, "Everyone with your hands raised up, "I choose you to be on my team" Every one else is on the other team.

The choosing of who would be saved, and those who would not be saved was known by God from the foundation of world, even before man was ever created.
The chosen ones were known before hand because of God's "foreknowledge" as he knows all things before they happen!

God chose those who chose him.

 

[amadeus2]

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

No man can be changed into his likeness unless you can see Jesus.

Even so...

"Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." Isaiah 28:9-13

 

[Curtis]

Even so...

"Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." Isaiah 28:9-13

Pro 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
Pro 8:9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

Understanding is "Wisdom". "Wisdom rests in the heart of the man who has understanding" (Prov 14:33)
Wisdom is the most important, and the most valuable thing God can give any being!

Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

The reason why Wisdom (understanding) is above everything else is because the understanding God gives is about understanding God himself!!

 

[Born Again 2004]

Yes, the answer is yes, but the end is not yet. Consider what David wrote here:

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek." Psalm 27:8

Way back then David was talking to God and seeking the Lord's face. Consider again what Apostle Paul wrote:
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
This indicates a need to grow and so we must be growing toward God and God has provided us with the means. When should continue to grow until there is no more time.

Moses wanted to see God's face too but he only let Moses see his backside and told him no man can see his face and live!

 

[amadeus2]

Moses wanted to see God's face too but he only let Moses see his backside and told him no man can see his face and live!

That was because the Holy Ghost had not yet poured out. The corrupted vessel of man needed to be an overcomer first having set aside all of the way of the ways of man before he could see the face of God.

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Cor 13:12
The question we should ask ourselves and God is when is then? If it must be before the dirt is thrown over our faces, this is no time to stop and smell the flowers.

 

[Born Again 2004]

No, I see that differently. Face to face and our perfection that comes is after we have our physical death, go spiritually before God face to face and he glorifies us or perfects us.

 

[Dave M]

NO man has ever seen God is what it says

John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Yet in Genesis 3:8 is says Adam and Eve herd God walking. That seems to suggest that they have walked before with God as how would they know it was God that they herd?? So was it Jesus preincarnate that was walking with Adam and eve or was it they never saw God either??


I do not think we will ever really know until we are in heaven watching it on youtube for ourselfs

 

[Born Again 2004]

NO man has ever seen God is what it says

John 1:18
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Yet in Genesis 3:8 is says Adam and Eve herd God walking. That seems to suggest that they have walked before with God as how would they know it was God that they herd?? So was it Jesus preincarnate that was walking with Adam and eve or was it they never saw God either??


I do not think we will ever really know until we are in heaven watching it on youtube for ourselfs

Good point but before the "fall of Man" the garden was more like heaven...I like to think that Adam and Eve not only walked with God, they saw God!

 

[Dave M]

Good point but before the "fall of Man" the garden was more like heaven...I like to think that Adam and Eve not only walked with God, they saw God!

I always thought also, just recently started wondering

 

[amadeus2]

No, I see that differently. Face to face and our perfection that comes is after we have our physical death, go spiritually before God face to face and he glorifies us or perfects us.

I do disagree. The question is when is God's time for us? When we open the door to us, then is when I would say it is time.

 

[Born Again 2004]

I always thought also, just recently started wondering

I have no way of understanding how, the ways of God but, I do understand a bit that God knew before time began how it all worked out...ending / beginning with Jesus and, it is a mute point, but I somehow believe that if things had turned out differently, Eden would be heaven today!

 

[Born Again 2004]

I do disagree. The question is when is God's time for us? When we open the door to us, then is when I would say it is time.

More power to you brother...God bless your understanding!