“God has the Final Word” Author and Writer, Ronald Nelson

BIBLE MEDITATION: 

“I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Isaiah 13:11

ENCOURAGING WORD: 

The truth is, God sees everything. Nothing goes unnoticed. The world may ignore it, but His Word is unfolding right before our eyes. Repentance is still necessary. Holiness is still right. The blood of Jesus is still powerful. And Jesus is coming back. Don’t wait until it is too late. Turn to God while you still have time.

This short message above says it all. God does see everything. There is nothing that you can do to hide from God. He is omniscient, ( having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight)  And He is also omnipresent, (Present in all places at all times). There is nothing that you can do to that God does not see. You may think that you are alone and getting away with something that you shouldn’t be doing, but God is watching every move you make. We can fool the world, but we cannot fool God.

Those of you that look at God as an almighty presence, but do not acknowledge Him as our Lord and Savior, will not enter into Gods Kingdom. You many say, I believe in God, so I should go to heaven. Here what the following Bible vers has to say about that.

James 2:19; “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” This should scare the heck out of those that thing they are going to heaven because they believe in God. The first thing that I have to ask is this; what God do you believe in? The world is full of thousands of so-call gods. Every religion has their own god. Even those that say they don’t believe in god, are confessing that Satan is their god without even knowing it. Even withing the bounds of Christianity, there are different gods that are worshipped. There is a God for Roman Catholicism, the Lutherans have their own god, and the list goes on and on. There is only one God and that is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the God of the Holy Bible. Let me explain what I mean. If you add anything to the Bible or take away anything from the Bible, you have a different God then the one that is in the Holy Bible. I know 100% for a fact that every man made religion is guilty of this. I could challenge a lot of false teachings in the sects of Christianity, but I don’t want to get personal. Its up to you to do your own study of what the Bible teaches verses what your sect of Christianity teaches.

James makes his point that genuine saving faith in Christ results in doing good works. This includes loving other believers, and obeying our Father. It is not enough to simply agree to certain facts about God. It is not enough to claim to be a believer. Saving, living faith is a trust in God which naturally results in certain actions. It means living out the truth with our everyday choices. If you say that you believe and then you don’t live in a way that validates what you say that you believe, then you are only fooling yourself. God will not be mocked. This verse is perhaps the strongest statement in the Scriptures on the difference between "knowing about" God and "trusting in" God. This is key to the concept of saving faith. The question James asks in verse 2:14; goes hand-in-hand with his statement here. “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” Knowledge is not the same as trust, or obedience, or saving faith. After all, James argues, even demons believe that "

God is one"—and they shudder in fear of Him. It's not enough to agree that the thing is true. Real faith in God personally responds to that truth with trust and obedience.The statement that "God is one" may have been a reference to one of the central ideas of Judaism. Known as the Shema, it is found in; Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." Every one of James's Jewish readers would have grown up agreeing with that truth. James's point is that it is not enough to just agree. That puts those who talk about God, but fail to act in ways consistent with that belief, in the same category as demons. It means knowing, but not trusting. It means "dead faith," rather than "saving faith." The danger of this condition is that a self-assured "religious" person can spend their entire lives in simple agreement without ever crossing over into true and living faith.

Here is another verse that should make everybody stand up and take note. Matthew 7:21-23; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

You may say, what is the will of my Father? John 6:39-40; “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

According to John 6:39-40, the will of the Father is that Jesus loses none of those given to Him, but raises them up at the last day, and that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him has everlasting life. It centers on salvation, security in Christ, and resurrection.

Core Aspects of the Will of the Father

Security of Believers: "That all that He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day" (John 6:39). This phrase is taken from John 6:39; in the Bible. It expresses Jesus' assurance that his purpose is to secure the salvation of all believers given to him by God, ensuring none are lost and all are raised on the final day. This is proof of eternal security to those that are truly born again into the Holy Spirit. Once saved, always saved. Look back at what we read in Matthew 7: 21-23. When Jesus said that many will say to Him in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ Jesus was referring to those that said that they were born again, but in reality, they never truly gave their heart to Jesus. They had one foot in Christianity and one foot in the world. You can’t have both. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. Matthew 6:24; “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and]mammon. In other words, You Cannot Serve God and Riches. This doesn’t mean you can’t be rich, but make sure that your money doesn’t rule over you. Jesus said in the following Bible verse,  Matthew 19:23-24; “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” The reason for this statement is that when people have a lot of money, they feel that they have all they need and then they put Jesus on the back burner. Its natural to feel this way, that is why it is hard for a person to have a lot of money and still stay loyal to Jesus through everything we do.

We read in; 1 Corinthians 1:26; “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.” I can’t remember who it was that said the following, but there was a Nobel women who said, thank God she was saved by an “M”. Where it says “Not Many” of who were of Nobel birth would be called, if you take away the “M” it would read “Not Any” who were of Nobel birth would be called. So, she felt that she was saved by an “M”.

Universal Offer of Salvation: "That everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life" (John 6:40). Here, Jesus specifies the necessity of belief for those who seek eternal life. In addition, Christ makes another clear statement on the doctrine of eternal security. Those given to Jesus by God the Father, He will absolutely save. Those He saves will absolutely remain saved, to be "[raised] up on the last day." Once a person is truly saved by Christ, their salvation can never be lost. Jesus has explicitly stated that eternal life is not the result of a "work," meaning some ritual or action, but only the result of belief in Him (Jesus). According to Jesus, He is the One sent by God, who will infallibly accept all whom God the Father gives Him; John 6:37; All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” and who will infallibly keep them to see eternal life John 6:39; “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.” Eternal security is endorsed throughout the scriptures, so for those that don’t teach it, do not understand the Word of God and shouldn’t be proclaiming himself to be a messenger of God. If you don’t teach the Bible the way it was meant to be understood, then that is another version of using the name of God in vain.   

Resurrection: The promise that Jesus will personally "raise him up at the last day". Jesus promises to personally raise, or resurrect, all who believe in him on the "last day," guaranteeing eternal life and the resurrection of the body. Found in John 6:39-40 and John 6:44; “ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day”. This promise emphasizes that Jesus will lose none of those given to him by the Father, securing their immortal future.

Let me explain a little more clearly what I meant when I titled this blog “God has the Final Word”. It might first appear as if God decides where we spend eternity. Just to make it clear, God does not chose who goes to heaven and who goes to eternal damnation. We choose where we want to spend eternity, God will just give us what we choose, and that will be the last words you will hear before your eternal dwelling begins. You will either hear, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Matthew 25:23; or you will hear, “I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness” and you will be cast into your eternal abode where you will spend eternity away from God for ever.  Matthew 7:23;

Whether God chooses an individual's eternal destiny or not is a deeply debated theological topic. Many, particularly in non-Calvinist traditions, argue that God gives humans free will to choose, with hell being a result of rejecting God's love, not a divine decision. Others maintain that God sovereignly elects some for salvation, while others are left in their sin. 

Here is a breakdown of the different viewpoints on this topic:

Free Will and Individual Choice: God does not want anyone to go to hell, so He offers salvation to all, leaving the final decision to individuals. According to this view, people choose their own destiny through their actions and acceptance or rejection of God's grace. It is obvious by the scriptures that because of free will, individuals are responsible for their own destiny.

Theological Tension (Sovereignty vs. Free Will): There is a long-standing debate within Christian theology concerning God's absolute sovereignty and human free will. Some believe in a middle ground, suggesting God uses His foreknowledge to know who will choose Him, thus combining divine predestination with human choice.

Calvinism (Divine Election): In contrast, Calvinism teaches that God chooses, or elects, specific people for salvation, and this choice is not based on any action by the person. In this view, those not chosen (the non-elect) do not have the ability to choose salvation. I can rebuke this teaching with perhaps the most well known Bible verse in the Bible.

John 3:16; “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” These are the words directly from God, and what does it say, (whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.) Are you a whoever? Of course we are all whoevers. If Calvinism was true, then this verse would read, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that (those that were predestined to go to heaven) should not perish but have everlasting life.”  It doesn’t say that; It says whoever believes in Jesus will be saved. There is verse that confuses a lot of people, but once again, it isn’t read in its entirety. Romans 8:29-30; States that those, God "foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son". For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

This topic can be extremely confusing. Because of Gods foreknowledge of all things, He is able to know who will receive His Son Jesus, and who will deny Jesus, therefore, He predestined them before the foundation of the world. So, to put this in an example that we should all be able to understand; If someone came up to you and started sharing the Gospel with you, you have the choice to believe it or deny it. God already knows what you will choose, but He had nothing to do with your decision. He would not make us deny His Son and then teach us John 3:16 and then send us to hell. It would be hard to believe that God would create a human being to go to hell. If He predestined those who would be saved to go to hell, why would He suffer the way He did on the cross to give us a way to be saved. Sometimes, common sense can go a long way when you stop and think about it.

Ephesians 1:11: Mentions that believers are predestined to receive an inheritance. “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,”

Predestination and free will are reconciled by viewing them not as competing forces, but as distinct perspectives: God’s sovereignty (the ultimate destination) and human accountability (the voluntary journey). People possess genuine agency to make choices based on their desires, while God’s foreknowledge of these choices does not force them.

God offers salvation to everyone Titus 2:11; “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. and has made Himself plain to everyone so that everyone is without excuse.

Romans 1:19-20; “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”

Predestination can be a very confusing topic. You can easily assume that we are predestined from the beginning of the age, if you just read certain Bible verses, however, to get the full understanding, you have to read the whole Bible and not just pick and choose based on what you want to believe. Once again, when we read John 3:16, it clearly states "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” If this is not true, then how can we believe what the rest of the Bible teaches. Its either “whoever” or it’s only a "select few." Also, if we were all predestined to go to either heaven or hell, then we could live any way we wished because it wouldn’t matter. Logic and common sense play a big roll when you truly think it through. When it says that God chose us from the foundation of the world, its because he knew who would receive Jesus Christ and who would rebuke Jesus Christ, so at that time He predestined those that He knew would receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and become born again into the Holy Spirit. See, God knows everything from the beginning of time as we know it, and everything that is going to happen in the future. This is a perfect example of when we read “lean not on our own understanding” because our finite minds cannot possibly comprehend what God is capable of doing. We need to focus on the things that we can understand and let God reveal the rest when He decides to do so. Also, when it says, “knowledge will increase in the end times,” that is exactly what we are witnessing in these days in which we live. The Bible verse stating that knowledge will increase in the end days is; Daniel 12:4; "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" More proof that we are living in the end days.

Perspective on Hell: Some interpret the Bible as saying that all people are technically sinners deserving of hell, (which we are) and that it is a place for those who do not know or obey God. Once we recieve Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the cuese of eternal damnantion is lifted and we are no longer deserving of hell. Jesus paid our penalty when He took our sins upon himself and suffered a death that we deserved. Those that deny this truth will, indeed be deserving of hell and that is where they will end up because they did not recieve the only propitiation for their sins  

While the "whosoever will" perspective emphasizes human choice, others emphasize the "elect" to describe God's role in salvation. The debate focuses on whether God's sovereignty includes directing every person's fate or if he permits genuine human choice to dictate their ultimate end. The “whosoever” are those that eventually become the “elect.”

In the New Testament, "the elect" refers to those chosen or selected by God to be His people, receive salvation, and be saved from judgment. They are individuals who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, often described as those predestined because of Gods for knowledge of all things.

Let me give you an example that might make it easier to understood. If you could see into the future, and say, you had two friends, one that you knew would follow you always, and one that would deny you and turn on you, who would you predestine to be your friend forever. That is how God chose those that He predestined. There are people that God knows are going to receive Jesus, but have not yet done so. If you are one of those, please hurry up so we can go home. You are the ones that are holding up the rapture of the church. God is patiently waiting for you.

Key Aspects of the Elect

Definition: The term means "chosen,” highlighting that salvation is initiated by God rather than human effort. We cannot earn our own salvation, so God made a way for us to be saved. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, that was initiated by God the Father which enabled us to become part of the Elect.

Who Are The Elect: They are believers, people who have responded to the call of the Gospel and trust in Jesus. In the Bible, "saints" (Greek:  meaning "holy ones") generally refers to all Christians or believers set apart by God through faith in Jesus Christ, rather than a select few deemed morally perfect. The term is used in the plural, identifying the church or the body of Christ on earth. Saints are not ordained by man, such as the Roman Catholics believe. We are considered Saints once we commit to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and become born again into The Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:7; “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians: 1; 2; “To the church of God, which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”

Prescient/Foreknowledge View: God elects based on His foreknowledge of who will choose to believe in Christ.

Role and Identity: The elect are often described as the bride of Christ, a royal priesthood, or individuals called to holiness and service.

Perseverance: They are believed to be kept in faith by God, with a promise of protection and final salvation, even in times of trial. 

Biblical Context: The term is used frequently, often in the context of:

The End Times: Jesus mentions the elect in discussions regarding the tribulation, promising that their time of suffering will be shortened.

Matthew 24:22-24; “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

There is a sect of Christianity that teaches that we will usher in a time of great peace so Jesus can return. If you ask me, Matthew 24:22-24 does not sound like Jesus is going to return to a peaceful world, in fact, it is very clear that if Jesus doesn’t return when He does, no flesh would be saved.

Salvation: Romans 8:30 describes the elect as those who are "predestined, called, justified, and... glorified.” “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

A "Few" Chosen:  The phrase "many are called, but few are chosen" suggests a distinction between those who hear the gospel and those who truly respond to it. Hearing the Gospel does nothing for us unless we respond to it. How do we respond to it you may ask. Hear what the following verse says about how to be saved. John 3:3; “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” How do you become born again? Becoming born again is a spiritual rebirth necessary to enter the kingdom of God, achieved not by works but by faith. It involves recognizing Jesus Christ as Lord, repenting of sins, and receiving the Holy Spirit through trusting in His sacrifice. 

Steps to Being Born Again:

Acknowledge Need: Recognize that you are a sinner in need of salvation and believe that Jesus died for your sins and was raised from the dead.

Repentance: Sincerely turn away from sin and toward God.

Confession and Prayer: Confess with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord" and ask Him to be your Savior, often through a prayer of surrender.

Receive the Spirit: Believe that the Holy Spirit enters your life, renewing your spirit and initiating a new life in Christ. 

Scriptures to Study:

John 3:3-7: Jesus explains that one must be born of water and the Spirit.

Romans 10:9-10: "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved".

2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new".

John 1:12-13: Receiving Him gives the right to become children of God. 

This transformation is a free gift from God through grace, not based on personal efforts.

I can only hope that this teaching reaches those that need to hear it. God will see to it that those that He needs to reach will read and understand this message. If you read this message and accept it as truth, you will be blessed. It is a privilege when God reaches you through His modern day messengers. Don’t take it for granted, He’s trying to get your attention, its up to you to listen to what He has to say.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! …To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Amen!

For the time will come that judgement must begin at the house of God, and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be for them that do not obey the Gospel of God?