God's Control
It’s been my experience to observe how mankind, generally speaking, subscribes to the fact that it has free will or free moral agency. In a previous paper I noted that the Jews, Roman Catholic’s, Luther, Morman’s and the Dvaita schools of Hinduism all held to the idea that we have “free will”. It can be said that they give us the worlds view on this subject as the Word of God defines “the world”. You could say, from that views perspective, God’s influence on the affairs of mankind is of little consequence. But this is not what the Word of God tells us. Ephesians 1:11 gives us help in understanding God’s perspective.
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Our natural instincts would have us believe that Eph 1:11 is impossible! Yet this statement, with others that support it, come from God’s Word. How fully are we able to accept the words of this verse? What I see is a God that is working out every aspect, “all things”, of a preconceived plan. This tells me God is very much involved in the affairs of man. This is not how mankind thinks as they believe, through their free will, they are able to determine or choose what is good or beneficial for their own future. I have mentioned that about 95% of the New Testament relates to the “firstfruit” of God. Since the New Testament has so much to say about the firstfruit I would like to focus on God’s interest in them. The Word speaks of the firstfruit coming out of the world. Therefore, a principal question would be; does God instruct the firstfruit of the fact He is in control of their success in both coming out of the world and their individual journey to salvation? The answer to that question is — absolutely yes. The following are some of the verses that attest to that fact.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. (the firstfruits}
Act 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth😉
1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
Yes, a calling requires obedience. It is God’s intention to control our lives through the commandments so that we may share in all the good He plans for us. As we can see, God authorizes the salvation of the firstfruit! These are a few of the verses that tell us of God’s control in the lives of the future wife of Jesus. Four of these verses relate to the firstfruit. Though through Eph 1:11 we can see He is indeed controlling all human activity according to His will. Acts 15:18 also helps us understand God’s capacity. The progression of the fulfillment and the prophesied fulfillment of the Holy Days provide a good example of the control God has.
Now I would like to get a bit more specific regarding God’s control. The ten commandments are the foundation of the instruction God has given us for our good.
Thou shalt have none other gods before me;. — Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth; — Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain; — Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; — Honor thy father and thy mother; — Thou shalt not kill; —Neither shalt thou commit adultery; — Neither shalt thou steal; — Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor; — Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor’s.
God has repeatedly told us, through-out the Bible, if we were to do these things He would be pleased. It is important to understand that these are “COMMANDMENTS” of God. They are not suggestions or God’s desires.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Mar 10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1Jon 3:24 shows us the direct relationship that God’s commandments have with God’s Spirit and then also with the “fruit of the Spirit”. That fruit would include: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness and faith. There is a verse that is of a universal nature and would include, among other things, all the fruit of the spirit. I’ll be using the Youngs Literal Translation for its accuracy.
YLT- 1Co 1:10 AndI call upon you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the same thing ye may all say, and there may not be divisions among you, and ye may be perfected in the same mind, and in the same judgment,
Being of a universal nature this verse is telling the brethren, as an example, to be in common when speaking of the instruction of the love they should have for one another. And, they were to be united in speaking of the peace that comes through God’s Spirit. It goes without saying, they were all to clearly retell the instruction given to them by Jesus. They were to be united in repeating the instructions that they had been given. We can see that this is something they were told to do — and it is true that because of our calling we are to be obedient to Gods will. All this could be accomplished only by the direction of the instruction that God’s Spirit provides.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but whichthe Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Our God has given us an abundance of evidence that He is in complete control of mankind’s activities. This is something the world is not able to understand or accept. There are many in God’s Church that have a hard time believing this truth. Yes, He is also in COMPLETE control of their path to their salvation. The person who would be inclined to accept the concept of predestination could be considered ahead in understanding of those who would compromise that concept. This is a definition for a firstfruit being predestined: “God created your raw material to become a firstfruit. You will be a firstfruit after God’s work in you. That work is to fulfill your place in His kingdom”. This definition is taken from Mark 4:8 &20. That “good ground” received the Word of God and some produced as much as 100 fold of fruit. Ephesians 1:5 clearly speaks of predestinations reality.
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
It has taken me a very long time to begin to understand the truth of the control God has over His creation. This is true for one who has who has believed, for decades, that the Word of God contains the only way to salvation and eternal life. It has taken me so long even though the scriptures make plain the information relating to His control. It also makes plain the fact that if one rejects that information that one will be cast into the lake of fire. In the final analysis we have to understand, be in accord and grow into God’s way as given to us in the Word, or cease to exist.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
We are given all the help we need through the Holy Spirit to value God’s Word.
1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
He provides for our eventual salvation whether it be the firstfruit or those who will be given eternal life at a later time. We can be so very grateful for God’s awesome ability to fulfill all His plan and desire. Yet there may be a question relating to our salvation. Matthew 25 shows us that half of those who were expecting to become the firstfruit and be a part of the wedding supper will not be that firstfruit and become the wife of Jesus. But, all prior to the resurrection were considered “virgins”. There is an important verse regarding this circumstance.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
There will be those who will be counted worthy to escape the ravages of the beast by being taken to the “place of safety” but will not have their part in being a firstfruit. The vast majority of Gods Church wholeheartedly and with reverence keep the 10 Commandments. We can then understand how they all would escape the troubles and be considered “virgins”. Though the following web site article helps explain the need of those who didn’t become firstfruits. https://biblehub.com/topical/s/statute.htm: “The apostolic writings emphasize the spirit of the law, urging believers to live by the principles of love and righteousness that the statutes intended to cultivate. Romans 8:4 speaks of the righteous requirement of the law in those who walk according to the Spirit”. In other words, there is more to our obedience and love for God than is found in the 10 Commandments.
This is all so true but there is a spiritual requirement that stands at the forefront of all that God has planned for his people. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of its preeminence. The following is from the Literal Translation of the Holy Bible.
1Co 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And if I have prophecies, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And if I give out all my goods, and if I deliver my body that I be burned, but I do not have love, I am not profited anything.
1Co 13:4 Love has patience, is kind; love is not envious; love is not vain, is not puffed up;
1Co 13:5 does not behave indecently, does not pursue its own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;
1Co 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth.
1Co 13:7 Love quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1Co 13:8 Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will be caused to cease; if tongues, they shall cease; if knowledge, it will be caused to cease.
1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
1Co 13:10 but when the perfect thing comes, then that which is in part will be caused to cease.
1Co 13:11 When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I caused to cease the things of the infant.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a mirror in dimness, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will fully know even as I also was fully known.
1Co 13:13 And now faith, hope, and love, these three things remain; but the greatest of these is love.
Verse 6 helps us remember that faith, hope and love all have “truth” as their foundation. Though we can see God places our ability to love as an indispensable part of our spirit. Because of 1 Cor 13 I would think our love for God and love for neighbor that is imbued in our spirit would be the principal consideration that God would judge us all on.
