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EPILOGUE

HUMAN CHOICE AND DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY

It is an imperative for "pilgrims and strangers"

in the sense of Hebrews 11:13,  I Peter 2:11
and in measure, in the prayer of David,
in I Chronicles 29:15,
to realise the strength and the source, the provision and the power
of their salvation, as also its wonder.

Below is what is intentionally short (for length, see the 7 volume treatment in predestination and freewill), 
a very short overview in the field from foreknowledge to predestination
to call to conversion and justification, to glorification ...
with attention to the facet called FAITH.

The use of the term 'choice,' for salvation, is possible without defiling biblical doctrine, and Joshua so used it (Joshua 24:14-16, cf. Acts 13:46). This is fine so long as two principles are clear in their biblical setting.

It is the Lord who, seeking all, enables human choice in His own way, both in substance through Christ and His work, and in practical application (John 6:44, 15:5), infallibly securing those who are His own (John 1:12-13, 6:63-65, 10:9,27-28, Romans 9:16)..

In His infinite power and wisdom, God has overcome the incapacitation of the human will towards Himself (I Corinthians 2:14), itself the result of man's sin (Romans 5:1-12), and foreknowing each and all before either time or human sin was (Isaiah 46:10, Ephesians 1:4, II Timothy 1:8-10, Romans 9:11, II Timothy 1:9), cognised the will or fundamental desire of each one. The human choice is therefore real and indefeasible; the sovereignty is that of the all-competent God, and it is exercised to the uttermost, according to His own heart so that it is differentially through the will of man that anyone is excluded (Colossians 1:119ff., Ephesians 1:4, John 3:15-21). All this is divinely secured, so that responsibility rests on man, because of the acutely faithful and responsible work of God.

God with this foreknowledge, predestines; in predestining, He uses the result of His own principles, operative IN the foreknowledge, and sovereignly secures these results, as in Romans 8:28ff..

If then you have come to the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour,
as for example the Queen Mother affirmed she had done, then certain things follow.

First, it must be by faith through grace, without any contribution of your works,  as in Ephesians 2.
That is what makes it secure: if your works do not count, how could salvation on the basis of HIS works, fail! Consider this.

Second, if you receive Him, it should be as He is, biblically revealed through those who knew Him and His coming, and not by other definition of those who not having known Him, yet presume to show Him!

Third, as a result, the end of the entire matter does not depend on you at all. To be sure, if a God-planted tree (Matthew 15:13), as one born again with thus the seed of God in you (I John 3), then fruit according to this fact,  will come. DO NOT however attempt to assess it, as a basis for salvation, or you may inadvertently become a works-righteousness case, as in Romans 10, this suggesting need to review your actual conversion! By all means consider your way (II Corinthians 13:5), to ensure you are actually in the faith, living in it; for many are deceived. Yet judgment belongs to God; and it is not what you have done which establishes you, but the One without whom you can "do nothing".

Paul declares that it is a small thing for him that some were assessing him, and that he does not even judge himself (I Corinthians 4:1-5, with II Corinthians 4:1-15), leaving all things to the time; but this with absolute confidence in the keeping power of the Lord (as in II Timothy 1 and 4:7-8). I personally am utterly thrilled not to HAVE to assess people or judge them, apart from transparent facts; for just as a start I would need all knowledge. We however are limited. What is not limited is the divine assurances of I  Thessalonians 5:9-10, Ephesians 2:5-8, John 10:9,27-28, II Timothy 1:5ff., and many more (cf. Assurance in indexes).

IF then you believe, believe these. If not, then where is your believing ? If you DO believe someone or something, then it is not a theory, but a simple and therefore operative fact. If you do not, then it is not believing. A very DOG can be seen to believe or not believe in his master! It is as elemental as love, and as sure in its result. Once you drink of THIS water (John 4), you will never thirst again. Christ is to be trusted, and by faith we operate, even in the removal of mountains which stand in the way of the life which He desires for every Christian, every member of His spiritual body (Mark 11:23-26).

Incidentally, IF you fail to forgive anyone, this is another way of saying you do not wish to be forgiven. For that, consult Mark 11 above. But IF you ARE forgiven, and have repented into life (Acts 11:18), then one of the fruits will be this, that you forgive. How not, since this is the very commerce article of the kingdom of heaven, indispensable, undisposable, a light that penetrates, just as penetrating oil does in its own milieu!