"Line Upon Line"

 "And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." (John 12:50 KJV) 

  "This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:15-17 NLT)

 I hope you have been listening to the news, and hopefully it is the right news that you are listening to; because things are beginning to fall into place, making way for something to change everyday living; at least the type of living we grew up with and took for granted. It's all good, no matter how bad things might appear, because God's purposes will endure and be complete, no matter what! 

 The other day, I heard something said about certain churches, (some of which I know people that attend,) that they are a cult. It almost shocked me to hear it, because I know they feel differently about a certain subject, but they still hold to the truth of who Jesus is, why He died on the cross, and that He rose to life again, that we should have eternal life. 

 The certain subject is commonly referred to as, Calvinism, which is based upon the teaching, or parts thereof, of John Calvin, a 16th century Protestant reformer. The part that might convince some people that it is a cult, in referred to as, "Double Predestination," which is the theory that some people are predestined to heaven, while others are predestined to go to hell. 

 If we try hard enough, we could possibly find Scriptures in the Bible that can back that up; but none of those Scriptures will actually say that God has no mercy on anyone that turns towards Him! One such Scriptures might be those where God says, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated." 

 Just because you might have a trouble with sin, does not mean that you are destined for hell and that there is no hope for you! That is the bottom line! "For God so loved the world," includes everyone! Everyone has the same opportunity and chance to receive God's forgiveness and the gift of eternal life; God holds nothing back from anyone; but at the same time, He knows who His children are and who is not! 

 We, on the other hand, have no knowledge of anything but our own standing with God, which is based upon the relationship we have with Him! Jacob drew close to God and believed in Him, Esau did not! Big difference in how each brother responded to God's call upon their lives; big difference on the life they looked forward to living, as one was fixed upon life eternal, while the other was fixed upon life here on earth. 

 God knows our hearts, but His heart is still fixed upon the whosoever's, which means: Who So Ever Will, He Will Embrace...

"For Moses writes that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven?' (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead?' (to bring Christ back to life again)." In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:5-10 NLT)