You Were Not Willing
There are a lot of people who believe that God has predestined those who will be saved and come to Him, so that those people do not do anything, and God does everything. I do not believe the Bible teaches salvation in that way. I know we are not saved by any works. It is by grace through faith. The reality is that a person must be "willing" to come to Jesus by surrendering to Him in faith. Jesus made that very clear in His lamentation over the city of Jerusalem. (Matthew 23:37) We all need to hear what Jesus said.
Jerusalem was the city where God placed His name and where God dwelt in the Temple during the Old Covenant. They departed from their faith in God, though, and they killed the prophets, who came to preach repentance and faith to them. Jesus plainly told them that He wanted to gather them as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but they "were not willing." They did not make the decision of the will to seek the Lord and to follow Him. Therefore, all who were not willing were lost forever.
Are you willing? Again, I am not talking about doing works. I am talking about admitting you can't save yourself, and turning your heart to the Only One who can save you, Jesus Christ. He wants to gather you under His wing today, but you have to be willing. Then, He does the rest.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 24-26.
Jerusalem was the city where God placed His name and where God dwelt in the Temple during the Old Covenant. They departed from their faith in God, though, and they killed the prophets, who came to preach repentance and faith to them. Jesus plainly told them that He wanted to gather them as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but they "were not willing." They did not make the decision of the will to seek the Lord and to follow Him. Therefore, all who were not willing were lost forever.
Are you willing? Again, I am not talking about doing works. I am talking about admitting you can't save yourself, and turning your heart to the Only One who can save you, Jesus Christ. He wants to gather you under His wing today, but you have to be willing. Then, He does the rest.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 24-26.