Source: Luke 9.23-26, taking up our cross daily.
I want to expound a bit more on my comment to Lee on his site above.
Lee, your absolutely right. One of the reasons we have so many denominations is that people cannot believe or take the word for what it says and integrate seeming contradictory thought into their doctrine. For me it is not difficult to understand that free will does not cease to exist when we accept Jesus as Messiah and trust Him for eternal life. If we are still free will agents then He only possesses the throne of our lives if we don’t retake the throne. Sin will not and cannot remove Him, but what happens when we deny His lordship over us and determine that we love that sin and the world He delivered us from more than we love a daily dose of the cross? Scripture seems clear in that regard. If we deny Him He will deny us.
I’m not sure that I’m totally correct in this, but why did Paul state that the entire creation groans awaiting the revealing of the sons of God. Jesus had told the Jews who came to him with the question about the hypothetical woman who had seven husbands from the seven brothers who all died after having married her (you would have thought that they would have learned). But Jesus told them that in the resurrection if they were worthy to obtain to it (the resurrection) then they would be as the angels and be the sons of God. So when is the revealing of the sons of God.
I may be off base, but is it possible that we in Him are reborn as a son of God, but are yet unproven. Remember Jesus said I am the vine you are the branches, abide in Me. The implication here is free will. I choose to follow Christ every day, I choose to take up my cross for Him. James says:
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12
Yes I am born again, but should I arbitrarily take this Great salvation for granted. Can I presume upon the grace of God as so many seem to be doing? What did Paul say?
For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. [they] happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
1Corinthians 10:1-6,11-12 NASB
These scriptures make no sense unless we see ourselves as free will agents, and “one new man” with the saints of Israel. Men who do not want the responsibility of taking up a cross daily have created a new religion where they cannot fall. One Where the sons of God have no responsibility to love God rather than their sin, to consider on which path they will walk: the broad way or the straight and narrow.
Consider who you are in Christ. You have been given the power to become the sons of God.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, John 1:12 NASB
And Then Messiah Shall Come 
Very good Jerry. I’ve struggled for quite a while with how does one harmonize justification apart from works like in Ephesians 2.8,9 and Romans 4…with other passages like what you reference here.
How do you harmonize Romans 4 and Ephesians 2.8,9 with
Behavioral passages that you referenced, and having the power to become the children of God?
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Lee, I think we become confused because we somehow believe that obedience somehow becomes a work, but if we think of faith as a walk that is impossible without Christ on the throne. I can do nothing without Him. I get no credit for my salvation by writing a blog, or by answering your question to me. I only get credit for my trust in Him to keep me and that is also by faith. My faith is still a gift I have decided to accept, and I do it daily. As a free will agent I can still refuse the gift. Ignore it, take it for granted etc. building on what I already wrote along with your post. If we’re being tested as James puts it for the crown of life are we here on this earth experiencing something similar to what the angels experienced before us but without the physical presence of God or the Godhead? This may be a stretch but think about it. Angels we think had no free will because that’s what we are usually told in order to understand why God decided to create man. It usually is stated God wanted companionship with us, us being someone who could of their own free will would love Him. But think about it that cannot be true. Lucifer led 1/3 of heavens angels in rebellion. Robots don’t rebel. So this human experiment is only different in that we do not have a perfect environment or a presence of the Godhead wet we are asked to believe even when circumstances come against our belief. Without holding on to God’s gift of faith and believing in the only source of faith — the word of God, who is Jesus we have no chance. But clinging each day to that gift is done or not done as a free will choose, not as a work. The work was done on Calvary. I hope this makes sense??? Feel free to comment on the questions it might raise.
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Thank you Jerry.
Incidentally, your comment wasn’t linked in response to my comment. I only found it by chance, I had no notification of it.
Anyhoo,
That was a really good, and thoughtful answer Jerry.
Am I understanding you correctly…
Our behavior isn’t linked to our keeping salvation, but our freewill to cling to Jesus is?
Thus if we opt to discard Jesus, our salvation is lost?
And if we by freewill continue to abide in Jesus, we remain saved?
I appreciate you Jerry.
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Thanks Lee, I appreciate you too brother. And you got it right.
On Tue, Oct 10, 2017 at 7:49 PM And Then Messiah Shall Come wrote:
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Firm words Dear Brother. Absolutely, the works that please God are the works of Jesus done through the believer as a vessel. It takes Jesus to please the Father. It is Christ Who lives in us.
More of Lord Jesus to you.
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