Ronko Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Praise the Lord God of Israel! Predestination means to me that I do not have to "do" to gain His grace and Love. It really amazes me when I think that I do not deserve it at all. But our God is so good! I believe that if we trust in Him and and His words, Predestination is a blessing for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronko Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? I believe that Predestination is something like if my boss has chosen me for a further course and which would take place in another town where my room in a Hotel is been reserved, my study literature will be provided, meal for the entire duration, etc are all reserved and will be given free of charge for me. When he presents me this offer, I do have the option to take it or leave it. It is my decision to take which is all prepared for me. So I think it is nothing scary about it. Comforting in this issue is that I have nothing to worry about once I have brought myself under the command of my master, as everything will be taken care of. And Paul was praising God of the Ephesians because of Gods mystery is revealed thru them, the Gentiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teresakedwards Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? Predestination to me is like looking right into a blindingly bright light, for me, in the beginning I could see the light very far off, as I searched , read the bible, got into relationship with the Holy Spirit, I came to see the light blindingly bright, then...without me being able to "express" or describe in words what exactly happened ..... the light surrounded me, encompassed me, was in AND around me, It took me out of fate...... and set me into faith...... WOW! I love that...didn't get it until you prompetd it...or God prompted it....I "do" LOVE IT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? To me it is a constant reminder of God's love and His sovereignty. How awesome is this God that we serve. His love so infinite and unfathomable that before He ever created us, He predestined, planned, purposed us to know Him and for Him to know us. I am in constant awe of this wonderful Savior and falling more in love with Him each and every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyR Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 What "is" scarey about predestination? Is it scarey that God has a plan? Is it scarey that that plan includes you or I. I am not scared. I am thankful. I love it when my wife plans an evening out. I love it when my boss plans a staff meeting. I have to make plans all the time, that's what scares me. Listening for God's direction is tough to do with all the noise of this world. But I have found that if I can get in a quite place, get into the Word, pray, I can hear God's direction. I hate when I miss it. I have my wife because I listened. But I went through 33 years of pain and hurt before we married, because I didn't follow or listen to God's plan for me. Paul wants us to listen so we won't have to go through the pain of not listening. I know I did this before, but how many times have you tried to teach your children a lesson based on some hurt or mistake you made. that is Paul's perspective in giving us this lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edler Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? there isno reason to be scary of God words. am vetry much at ease and quiet enjoyment to be in the present of God.because here God has predestinationed all children of God to be adopted intoHis family but who becomes a child of God is left up to each of us individual.and by jesus christwe are adopted untyo him.becauser he see people life chang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agape Posted April 5, 2009 Report Share Posted April 5, 2009 I personaly do not find predestination scary but I am overjoy of being part of God's plan the abundance of his love feels me.My only earthly explanation will be, Its like son realising that his earthly father has already sought everything he needs for his future all he needs to do is accept it and await the day this is unvailed. I find that refreshing and feels me with so much joy.I am no ordinary person I am an heir spiritually and physically as long as I walk in his path and will his grace will be upon me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicki Higgins Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 I don't see predestination as scary, more like just overwhelming when you try to analyze it like "if He already knows than what difference does what I do make" or things along that line. I relate to the comforting side when I think back to when my children were younger and I would make them lunch. One child prefers crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jelly, another creamy and grape. I always knew what the answer would be, but I always asked what they wanted. I see God giving us the opportunity to make the choice, even though He already knows what we will decide. I think Paul brings up predestination in this passage to encourage us that God cares so much for us that He's had a plan for each of us since before the beginning of time. I think he praises God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians because they (like us in America today) had so many other "gods" vying for their worship and Paul wanted to make sure that it was known that God is It, there is no other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blawrence Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? Personally, I find nothing to be scared about with predestination. If someone is scared it would be due to a lack of understanding! What is comforting? Part of God's plan for me and a demonstration of the love He had for me before I was even born. Why does Paul bring up predestination? He want us to know that we were chosen in Him before creation to be holy and blameless. Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? He is acknowledging that all blessings are from God and expressing his gratitude for those blessings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyrad Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 I think that predestination is not scary. We are free to make choices. I believe that God being our Father, he has our life plan but just like any rebellous kid, we make bad choice at time. It is up to us to follow his path. If God wants us to do something to fulfill his will, he is going to do this even if we make bad choices. Paul brings this up to inform all of what God's will is. It was and is important that well all know what our Father has for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldyrad Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 I think that predestination is not scary. We are free to make choices. I believe that God being our Father, he has our life plan but just like any rebellious kid, we make bad choice at time. It is up to us to follow his path. If God wants us to do something to fulfill his will, he is going to do this even if we make bad choices. Paul brings this up to inform all of what God's will is. It was and is important that well all know what our Father has for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nykky921 Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? The scary part is not knowing the full will of God for my life and wondering/hoping what I am doing is in accordance with it. The comforting part is that God is in control of everything and nothing happens without His say so. Paul brings it up maybe to quell the fears of the Church that they were having in the midst of persecution. He could be telling the Ephesians that they nor God made a mistake in their choice of salvation and so they should embrace it completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Predestination is a little scary for me because I have a hard time getting my mind around it. One the one hand God chose me from the very beginning of the earth and on the other hand, my mistakes are know and event the results. I begin to wonder if it is all planned out and known then where is the free will part. Then I look around this world and I understand that God has given us free will and there is no question because I know that our God wouldn't allow the horrible things that people do to each other if it wasn't a result of free will. It is a very hard subject, but I try to remember that the most important thing about predestination is that God CHOSE me before the world began and not because of things that I do or don't do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katfish Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 God has always had a chosen people to represent Him in the earth. Predestination teaches us that before the earth was ever formmed, He chose a people to be His representatives in the earth and to carry knowledge of him forward through the ages. It also teaches us that we cannot come to God through any power of our own, but only by His calling. I guess the scary thing would be, "well, what if I'm not chosen?" If you were not chosen you would not care. You would be ignorant of the need for God and unconcerned about the consequences because you utterly do not believe. The bible tells us that the Gentiles were dead and without hope before Jesus came. They were ignorant of the God of Israel, of His ways, His laws for living. If you feel the need for God in your life, then you were chosen before the world was created. It doesnt matter what you have done or how you have lived in the past. If you feel drawn to Christ, you think about God, you think about the Bible, you want to be a Christian, whatever the draw is...it is from God - not from your own consciousness. You then have to decide if you are going to run the race, finish the race, and persevere till the end. Predestination is comforting for the same reason stated above. Satan cannot take it from you. He can make you doubt it, he can make you run from it, deny it, ignore it, smother it, sit on it, ...you name it. Satan can do all those things to make you ineffective and worthless in the kingdom of God. But, he cannot take away the fact that you were chosen before the earth was created. We have the task of learning the true power we have at work in us through the Holy Spirit and how to use it to triumph over all adversity in this world - to provide evidence to the world who God is! God has given us Wisdom and Understanding to know Him, to understand Him, to know His plan for our lives, to fellowship with His Son. But if we never learn how to use it, what we have to do to make it grow and come alive in us, then we are left powerless and at the mercy of every situation Satan sends our way. We are not alone, God is always with us, but we are powerless because we have not armed ourselves as God intended us to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted May 30, 2009 Report Share Posted May 30, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? I can't think of anything that is scary about His amazing power and knowledge and wisdom... What is comforting? It comforts me to know that He has it all covered. Nothing ever surprises Him or worries Him. He knows the future and I love that. If I start to fret, like I was this morning about our son who's been told he has to move in a month because his landlord has defaulted on the place he's renting, and his job is coming to an end....I meditated on how God already knows where he's going to live and work, and that the rebellion he's been expressing toward God, will be lovingly dealt with because I'm a praying Mom and His Heavenly Father adores him. Why does Paul bring up predestination? Before I understood this concept, I used to say "I found Christ"...silly me. He chased me down having chosen me before the foundation of the world, and I just "chose to be chosen", when I responded to Him. I had the choice, but He already had a call on my life. Why do you think he's praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? I believe it's so they would know they weren't an afterthought of God's. That because they are not Jews, the first chosen, they are no less valuable and no less a part of His plan, His Church, His Body. Like you and me, they were hand picked, which demonstrates His great love for each of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wynand Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? 2a) I think the scary part of predestination is the fact that we have absolutely no control over being predestined. We are so used to be in control or at least to feel in control of everything and so it is with our spiritual life as well. Now suddenly Paul is saying we are not and have not been in control at all, we are indeed predestined by a sovereign God, according to HIS good pleasure and not our own! And the best is, Paul is praising this sovereign God for it! (see 2d) I think its almost like winning a big competition you haven't even entered for to find out after you have received the big prizes ("spiritual blessings") that you have been chosen to recieve these big prices before the competition even began! 2b) The comforting thing in this predestination, is that we didn't have ANYTHING to do with it and that we are in the hands of a all-loving God who is only interested in our good! And He proved it by sending His own Son to die for us. We are in much better hands than our own! 2c) Paul brings up predestination to press on the Ephesians that firstly they did not have anything to do with their current and future spiritual state and that all praise must go to God for it! It is all His work for His own pleasure. We can only stand in awe over it. Secondly, the church in Ephesus probably consisted of a lot of gentiles and Paul is underlining here that in Christ we are His children both Jew and Gentile. 2d) Paul is praising God for it to impress on the beleivers in Ephesus what wonderful work God has done in their lives without them having anything to do with it. This is the wonderful God we serve! That He chose us regardless and in spite of ourselves! We can only give Him all the praise in reaction to this wonderful fact and really rejoice in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he is praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? It is scary to think if I had been left alone to do my thing I would have been lost to eternity. When I read that God, in love, adopted me as His son through Jesus Christ, words of gratitude fail me. I cannot even try to express my thanks for His wonderful love! We read that God "chose us" in other words, our salvation depends totally on God, and we are not saved because we deserve it but because God is gracious and merciful. We did not influence God's decision to save us; he saved us according to his plan. Paul starts by telling us about God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Dee Posted July 27, 2009 Report Share Posted July 27, 2009 Q2. (Ephesians 1:4-5) What is scary about predestination? What is comforting? Why does Paul bring up predestination? Why do you think he praising God for it in the "hearing" of the Ephesians? The human element that desires "to know" makes predestination scary because one is unable to know exactly intheir own strength the details of our predestined plan. Yet it is comforting because we know that God has a special purpose and plan for our lives that brings glory to His name. It allows us to walk confident that God knows every last detail of what we have gone through, are going through and will go through. Paul brings upu predestination, I think so that we understand that we are not here or serving God by chance or accident. That there was a specific well defined plan for our lives, that was in existence a long time ago. I think that he is praising God for it in the hearing of the Ephesians because of their history and background in terms of the hellenistic environment that existed. So that they would understand that life is not just haphazard, but an intricate design by God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marloes Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Predestination would mean that I can believe in Him and I can walk with Him but that if I am not predestined, I still go to hell. That is a scaring thought. Fortunately, most part of the Bible tells us He died for all of us who believe in Him. So I hope that Paul just means that He has a plan for believers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Servant Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 It's scary beacause You don't know the path, not to mention the trials, the what, whens, how or even whys that God has decided before hand, because we of God like man and trust is hard sometines.It's hard not knowing where you are going. What's comforting? It's comforting knowing that God IS NOT MAN and His plans for us are for good and not evil.We can trust GOD because in the end we win. Why do i think about Paul praising God in the hearing of the Ephesians ? He's encouraging them he's telling them that God had them in mind all the time, they weren't a mistake , a last minute write in ( WOW-w-w-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shk Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 What's scary about predestination is that it can easily be misrepresented if not careful. To be honest I have questioned if I have been predestined especially during difficult times in my personal life etc. I know that was nothing but the enemy trying to convince me that God did not care about me or my situation. I had believed in predestination because it was taught to me but I did not study it for myself. So for the passive Christian the concept of predestination maybe scary if they are not sure of what God actually says about predestination or assurance and justification for that matter. The most comforting thing about predestination is that two words before predestination appears love appears. See it was "In love He predestinated us . . .", how awesome is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To know that God acts out of deep love for you and I is so wonderful and so overwhelming to process at time. Paul brings this up because the Jewish Christians has a history with God if you will, They were very secure in who they were in God, because they were His chosen people. But the Gentiles on the other hand were just getting to know the only true and living God. I am sure they were also overwhelmed by God's loving kindness and questioned if they really belonged to Him at times. I can imagine them thinking, "God I think you made a mistake my choosing me to be your child." By Paul explaining to the believers in Ephesus that even before God created the world he made the loving decision to include the Gentiles in His family they had to feel a since of confidence in who they were in God and in this plan for salvation. I think Paul wanted the believers in Ephesus to know that their being predestinated is truly a reason to praise God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboodle Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 It is rather scary to know the great power of God-how He has planned so much of life from the very beginning and to realize that He could have chosen not to love us. It is comforting in His great watch care over us and that he wanted us as part of His family. Paul probably brought it up to emphasize God's great plans for the world and His love for all of us. It was an important thing that the Ephesians needed to know about and to affirm to them how important they were and how loved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poetmom Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 Predestination can be scary, of course, if it means that there are people brought into this world who have no chance at salvation. I have just accepted the fact that this will never make complete sense to me nor fit into any logical models my limited brain can come up with. The comforting part is knowing that I have an eternal purpose in God's eyes, that I was not an accident. If God had plans for me before I was even born, how much more should he be able to take care of me today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huzzah40 Posted January 26, 2010 Report Share Posted January 26, 2010 I am not certain how to answer about predestination being scary because it is not scary to me. It brings me hope to know that God sees the big picture and is prepared for every eventuality. He gives us free choice but there is already something in place to deal with whether or not we make the right decision. Paul deals with predestination because he is determined to convey to us that our life has already been predetermined. I do not believe that some people were born into the world without the opportunity for Salvation because God's plan is that all come to Him and that not one perishes. Jesus has not returned yet because He wants as many to come to Him as possible. I know God has predetermined when He will come again but that day is unknown to us all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHARLES MOHAN Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Predestination, a term, as an Indian, means to me , much a balanced terms to explain the whole life cycle of any human being Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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