Our awesome brother, Joel, wrote this awesome "post", and it was too good not to share!
"Well, I know this is long but, just wanted to share this stray thought.
Over the last few month I have been asked many times what I believe about different spiritual issues and it has really made me start researching from the bible what I believe and why I believe it. It has been really good for me and has drawn me closer to the Lord. One of the issues that I have heard is something called total depravity which is a belief that says total depravity is a state of corruption do to original sin that infects every part of man's nature and to make the natural man unable to know or obey God. I had always thought I knew what total depravity was, but as I studied it more I found I hadn't really understood it as well as I thought. As I studied it more I found out just how much God is in control of are lives and it really comforted me! Here are some of the bible verses I looked at as I studied this issue.
Genesis 6:5 KJV
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV
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. Ephesians 4:18 KJV
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart Romans 7:18 KJV
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. John 6:65 KJV
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. Romans 3:12 KJV
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Jeremiah 13:23 KJV
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
As I read these and many other verse I came to the conclusion that man is sinful and that this sin hinders him from doing anything good, and man would sooner be able to change the color of his skin than do good and chose God and the things that please God. And I thought if we are sinful and can't will or do the things that are good how can we get saved? Then it hit me the only logical conclusion is that we don't chose God, God chooses us! So at this point I started looking through the Bible to see if this was the case and From what I found it is the case. Here are some more verses I looked at when I was coming to that conclusion. John 6:44 KJV
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:65 KJV
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. John 15:16 KJV
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
My whole life I have been told by preachers and other people that we chose God when we get saved but from what these verses seem to indicate God chooses us and once he chooses us the conviction of the Holy Spirit comes upon us and there is no man that i know that can resist that conviction. It really gave me peace to know that the Lord is in control of everything and that he didn't leave such an important decision in my falable hands! A sovereign God is so much better than falable man. Sorry, this post is so long but I just wanted to share something the Lord was doing in my life! God is so good to me and I just want to give him all the glory and praise for what he does!" ~ Joel Keller
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV
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. Ephesians 4:18 KJV
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart Romans 7:18 KJV
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. John 6:65 KJV
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. Romans 3:12 KJV
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Jeremiah 13:23 KJV
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
As I read these and many other verse I came to the conclusion that man is sinful and that this sin hinders him from doing anything good, and man would sooner be able to change the color of his skin than do good and chose God and the things that please God. And I thought if we are sinful and can't will or do the things that are good how can we get saved? Then it hit me the only logical conclusion is that we don't chose God, God chooses us! So at this point I started looking through the Bible to see if this was the case and From what I found it is the case. Here are some more verses I looked at when I was coming to that conclusion. John 6:44 KJV
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:65 KJV
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. John 15:16 KJV
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
My whole life I have been told by preachers and other people that we chose God when we get saved but from what these verses seem to indicate God chooses us and once he chooses us the conviction of the Holy Spirit comes upon us and there is no man that i know that can resist that conviction. It really gave me peace to know that the Lord is in control of everything and that he didn't leave such an important decision in my falable hands! A sovereign God is so much better than falable man. Sorry, this post is so long but I just wanted to share something the Lord was doing in my life! God is so good to me and I just want to give him all the glory and praise for what he does!" ~ Joel Keller
Thanks y'all for reading!
~The Keller Girls~
"... but from what these verses seem to indicate God chooses us and once He chooses us the conviction of the Holy Spirit comes upon us and there is no man that I know that can resist that conviction." AMEN!!! Thanks so much for sharing this, girls!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jemimah!
DeleteHe got a-lot of negative feedback about this, and we know your comment will encourage him!!
Oh no, there is nothing worse than negative feedback on things like this!! I pray that those who gave that feedback will have their eyes opened to the truth! It's very encouraging to see young men diving deeper into Scripture, and sharing their beliefs with others, no matter what people may think, so a big thank you to Joel!!
DeleteThis was a blessing- just what i needed for today, thank you for sharing @Joel and may God bless you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Zipporah A!
DeleteThis will really encourage Joel!
Great post by your brother. His eyes are being opened up to the whole truth that sets those who find it free. I didn't find this post to be long but breif, lol, but I guess that's because of all the long post I have written and read from others. Indeed it is God that has chosen us. And because we are so sinful and are unable to save our own wrethced selves, we're all in need of a Savior, thanks be to God that Savior came, and He is Jesus Christ the Lord.
DeleteA beautiful lyric I heard the other day in a song I heard a million times, but I guess before I was really not focusing on God as much as I am now so I am able to perceive things I was unable to before. Anyway, the lyric was in the song, "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful". and the line in that song which is my favorite is "Word of the Father now in flesh appearing" that line is speaking about God coming in the flesh, as Christ Jesus our Lord, that line is also saying what is presented to us in the Book of John chapter 1 verse 1.
Another great scriptural reference your brother can read that shows God is the one who does the choosing is Romans 9 the entire chapter but specifically from verse 6 to verse 24. Also in Romans a verse that shows how much we are all in need of a saviour is Romans 7:18-25.
Again, this was a great post.
Thank you!
DeleteIt is encouraging to have y'all comment!