God graciously gives us CHOICES. He never regiments us into lost or saved without factoring in our decisions. We can either TAKE him as he reveals himself in the Bible, OR MAKE him what we'd rather him be. The choice is ours.
But let us be forewarned: our choice can't and won't change the FACTS. Since God has only one vantage point—his OWN—he remains the ONLY God, Christ his Only Begotten Son, the Holy Spirit the Godhead's Eternal Essence and the Bible his only verified, authentic and final revelation to mankind. How we respond to that changeless verity determines our daily success or failure as mortals and our ultimate destiny in Heaven or Hell. That's illustrated in the difference between Moses and Israel at Sinai. Both experienced the fear of God, Moses positively, Exodus 19:16019, Hebrews 12:21; the people negatively, Exodus 20:18-19, 32:1, 4, 6. In a sentence, while they chose a second-hand faith, Moses demanded a first-person experience with God. In summary, Moses' fear led him to brave the dangers of darkness, thunder, lightning, earthquake, fire and ear-shattering trumpet blast ascending Sinai UNTIL he exited all the danger into the Safety and Ecstasy of God's Presence. Israel in repose saw their fear of God evaporate into impatience with God, turning to questions about God, turning to rejection of God, turning to a renewed desire for slavery. What fear of God shall we embrace? The unbeliever's? He refuses to think abut God, to talk about God, to discuss death, to hear anything disturbing from the Bible. Or the believer's? He accepts his sinfulness, Christ's sacrifice that forgives, the challenges of discipleship and the hard truths of holy living. The choice is ours. But only a healthy fear of God will make INCREASING faith in God possible and any fear of God not even thinkable! Fini
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