Comments by Joan Boney:
When we understand God chose us and saved us without our being worthy of salvation, we are grateful to God.
But many church goers are not born again and they put themselves into the church group "by their own will." When that happens they think by their own will power they chose God and they reason since they chose God other people can do the same. They don't realize they are not of God but their own salvation is of themselves.
Jude vv. 17-19 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers (copiers) in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
These church goers are often hard, ridged, even mean toward those who are not church goers.
They lack charity.
Charity is born of our knowing that we didn't deserve salvation and that it was just by the will of God that we are born of HIS Spirit and are HIS children.
I Corinthians 13
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
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Charity does not approve sin. Charity speaks truth of God.
But charity also understands salvation is of God by God's will toward us.
When God reveals HIMSELF to us and opens our understanding to truth, we are born again.
Salvation is of God and not of our own will.
Therefore we can be kind along with sharing the truth from God. And this is charity. For charity understands salvation is by the will of God and there is nothing man can do to be saved it is simply the will of God that any of us are born again and saved.
God gave us understanding and then we agreed with God.
Ephesians 1:11-13 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: That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
As we heard the truth of God, God opened our eyes so we could understand and by that we were born again and saved.
Our eyes were opened by God. Understanding was given to us by God. It was all by God's will at that point in time.
Thus the apostle Paul says:
Romans 9
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew MY power in thee, and that MY name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.
I did nothing to cause myself to be born again or saved. God had mercy on me and gave me a Word by HIS Spirit and this caused me to be saved for God also opened my eyes at that time to believe that Word.
Salvation is of God.
Since I did nothing to cause my own self to be saved, how can I be puffed up against another who had not yet been reached by God?
Charity is kindness beyond that which any of us deserve.
For Jesus says there is none good but God.
We continue to speak the truth from God as the door opens but we show charity toward those who do not believe knowing that we were once as they are until God had mercy on us and opened our eyes.
We do not leave the truth nor hide the truth but we speak the truth. And we continue grateful to God for opening our eyes to HIS truth so we can walk in HIS truth.
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