Warning: I am going to deviate from our book for the next couple of days, just because I think this needs to be said. Thank God that His Love is unconditional, yet we must understand that our eternal destiny must still be sealed in the Holy Spirit. I think this is where many people get confused, so let’s talk about it.
As our Creator Father, God loves everyone. The issue about who will be in Heaven, and who will not, is not a matter of whether God Loves us, but rather, if we will choose to believe in His Love. (see Jn 3:16) God would never force anyone to be a member of His Forever Family unless we Freely and Willingly receive His invitation of Grace to become His child. (see Free Will here.) It is when we sincerely surrender to His great Love that we go from being our own person to being His, now and forevermore. Does God choose us? Yes. AND we must choose Him in return. It is not “either or,” but “both and.” This is a relationship. It requires two beings to come together Freely and Willingly to have a relationship. His Grace has prepared everything in advance for us to be able to be His. His Grace calls and draws us near to Him so we can make a decision to be His or not. Then if we simply surrender our lives to Him, His Grace changes our Identity and we instantly become children of God. (see Jn 1:12)
Until we choose to be His…if we choose to be His at all…our destiny will be to remain forever apart from Jesus. This is known as hell. An actual place where God is not acknowledged, much less followed, because those there chose this, Freely and Willingly. Yet the very moment we sincerely surrender our lives to God, by His Grace, we are saved. And so, although God’s Love is unconditional, where we spend our eternity, either apart from Him in hell or with Him in Paradise, is our choice. (see Dan 12:2 & Mt 25:46) It is because of God’s unconditional Love that He continues to pursue us and offer us His amazing Grace. God does not choose to offer Himself to some, but not to others. He desires everyone to repent and be His, yet we must each choose for ourselves. (see 2Pe 3:9) Have I made myself clear? God is not opening the doors of Heaven to everyone, yet He does offer this free gift to everyone because His Love is unconditional. Our part? We just have to humble ourselves enough to receive it.
This just makes sense, doesn’t it? Let me put it this way: can my neighbor expect, or insist, that I would open up my home to his children, so they can eat and drink and do whatever they want in my home? I hope not. His children are not my children and so to expect such a thing would be foolish. But, if God forbid, something happened to my neighbor and I adopted his children? Then of course, my home would instantly be opened to them. The second they become my children, whatever I have will be theirs. Outside of anything like that, though, I can certainly love my neighbors children. I can bless my neighbors children. I can help my neighbor’s children in whichever way God leads me to. But to expect that I am going to care and provide for every aspect of their lives? That would be ridiculous. I am not obligated to do that because they are not mine, but the second they become mine, then they are my responsibility and I will joyfully do all I can to help them have a fulfilling life. Are you getting the difference?
It’s the same with God, my Friends. Even before we are His, God does bless us. God blesses everyone. The Bible says the rain falls on the unrighteous as well as the righteous, (see Mt 5:45) Of course if we are not His, if we do not even acknowledge Him, then the problem is we might not appreciate His blessings, or worse, we will pat ourselves on our own backs thinking we brought those good things about. (see Jas 1:17) It is God’s unconditional Love that blesses everyone here in this world, those who are His, and those who have chosen to remain apart from Him. But once we are His child? Then He opens up His Home to us, and Heaven is our only destination. Adoption is the key, and it is only when we humble our Pride and believe that God Loves us, believe that He made The Way for us to be with Him, exercise our Faith to surrender to this truth, that we become His. There is a difference between unconditional love and unconditional Salvation.
It is also because of God’s unconditional Love that He gives each human countless opportunities to come to Him. With every heartbeat God grants us another possibility of turning to Him and surrendering to His Grace. Since an average person’s heart beats about 100,000 times per day, that gives us an average of about 2.5 billion times in a lifetime to choose to be His. What more could we ask for from this Loving Father? Sadly, I think people expect Him to not have any standards. To allow them to do whatever they want, whenever they want, with whoever they want, for however long they want…are you getting the reason why there is such confusion over this? They not only want His Love to be unconditional, but their entrance into Heaven also. Yes, God Loves us unconditionally. And yes, God desires everyone to be saved. (see Eze 18:32; Eze 33:11; 1Ti 2:4; Titus 2:11) All we have to do is agree with God, that we are sinners who cannot save ourselves, then receive His Love. Just like an adopted child must go with their new parents, we must go to our Holy Father and simply be His. Leave your comments below and let me know what you think…we will continue this thought tomorrow…
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
October: Reformation of Our Hearts: “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine” by Max Lucado
<>< Peace, Diane
