There are certain people appointed for eternal life, certainly not everyone is. In Acts 13:48, Paul and Barnabas preached to the gentiles, all that were preached to were glad and honored the word of God, but only those appointed for eternal life believed. **It is important to note that the word of God is effective to people who desire it. When we reject the word of God, we do not consider ourselves worthy of the blessings and liberty it carries with it **Acts 13:46-48** and as a result do not get blessed or liberated. **
Why would God appoint some people for eternal life and leave others to die? Why won't he just appoint everyone for eternal life? In 1 Tim 2:3-4 and 1 Pet 3:9, we see that God desires that none perish, but everyone repent and be saved. However, there is a special grace given to the people who are saved **Acts 15:11**
Why isn't that grace given to everyone? Why is it given to only certain people? Romans 9:14-28 tells us that God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy on and will show compassion on whom he chooses. Man cannot earn his salvation. Salvation is a gift brought about by the mercy of God alone. The passage also goes on to say that Pharaoh was raised for this very reason, that God's power might be displayed in him and God's name be proclaimed in all the earth. So can we say that unfortunately Pharaoh was not one of the people chosen to have eternal life? Yes we can say that, but why? Isn't he innocent?, why would God that says that he does not desire that anyone perish raise up a human being he created to destroy so that he might be glorified? Can't he bring about his glory through other means?? Well let's look at verse 20 of Romans 9, it says we should be careful not to question our maker, he is the potter, the creator and we are the created and the clay, we can in no way question what he has decided and purposed to accomplish. It is wise to note that in God's kingdom, democracy is non existent. God is the supreme ruler, he has his kingdom and laws mapped out and we are to follow him without questioning.
There is no evil in God and he is also not the author of sin, contrary to what might be portrayed above, there is none as loving, patient, kind, merciful and forgiving as our father in heaven. He stands at the door of everyone's heart and knocks, and if you open up he will enter and eat with you and you with him.**Rev 3:20** God also knows the end from the beginning, he knows what everyone will turn out to be, he does not judge the outward appearance but the hearts of man **Rev 2:23**. It is God's nature to hate sin and reward holiness. No sinner goes unpunished, sin is punishable by death **Romans 1:32** We also know that his word does not return to him null and void but it will accomplish all that it was sent to accomplish. So, if the reward of sin is death, then for that word to have come out of God there must have been "sinners" who are destined to face the consequences of sinning. But being the merciful father that he is, God has appointed time for repentance **Rev 2:21**
God is most loving and kind, but he is also a jealous God who does not share his glory with anyone, in fact he might be lenient with you until you decide to share in his glory and you will be utterly destroyed **Acts 12:22-23**. So when humans, decide to reject God and exchange his glory for images, they get destroyed unless of course they repent which in some cases they do not. They are also without excuse because God is not hidden, his prints are everywhere **Romans 1:18- 32**
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