Lesson 18
The Bible has explained the only way to gain eternal life is to believe in Jesus. There is no other path to salvation or God. To have our sins cleansed, we must be washed with the blood of our saviour Jesus. Jesus told us in order to come to him we must be called by God. God said he chose the weak and foolish, so no one could boast. Those not called by God have no chance to follow Jesus. They were never called by God during their first lives. The lives they live through the second resurrection will be the first time they have an opportunity to believe in Jesus, for the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of God. God is love, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to him in love. The second resurrection will provide the first time for anyone who didn’t get to know God during their first life to come to him through Jesus. Can you think of another time when all people get to freely choose Jesus? Consider those who lived before Jesus or those whom the knowledge of Jesus never reached? If they didn’t hear, how can they accept? Does God love all his human children? Supply proof verses for your thoughts?
John 6:65 GOD’S WORD Translation
65 So he added, “That is why I told you that people cannot come to me unless the Father provides the way.”
1 Corinthians 1:24-29 New Century Version
24 But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called—Jews and Greeks. 25 Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 26 Brothers and sisters, look at what you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence. Not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and he chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose what the world thinks is unimportant and what the world looks down on and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. 29 God did this so that no one can brag in his presence.
Romans 9:14-18 Common English Bible
14 So what are we going to say? Isn’t this unfair on God’s part? Absolutely not! 15 He says to Moses, I’ll have mercy on whomever I choose to have mercy, and I’ll show compassion to whomever I choose to show compassion. 16 So then, it doesn’t depend on a person’s desire or effort. It depends entirely on God, who shows mercy. 17 Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have put you in this position for this very thing: so I can show my power in you and so that my name can be spread through the entire earth. 18 So then, God has mercy on whomever he wants to, but he makes resistant whomever he wants to.