Some say that pre-destination means that one doesn’t have a choice in the matter of salvation; it’s been pre-determined who will and won’t be saved. That kind of thinking suggests that some who faithfully accept Jesus and let Him lead in their lives will not be saved If God didn’t choose them to be saved beforehand.

Isn’t it more logical to think that pre-destination means that God’s plan of salvation is a pre-determination that all be saved and taken to heaven? After all, it is all of humanity that’s been redeemed and reconciled to Him through Christ (2 Cor. 5: 19).

John 3: 16 doesn’t imply that God determined to ignore the human will. It doesn’t imply that regardless of individual decisions, God will save Sally and throw away Henry.

The verse plainly states that God loves everybody in the world. There was and is an invitation given to all to meet Him in heaven—the destination. The only choosing that God did beforehand was to give all a choice: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.“

____________________

Why is it that churches call only the music part of the service “praise and worship?” What is the rest of the time in church considered to be? The fact of the matter is that our very assembly is praise and a worship of God.

This applies to not only the sanctuary service, but to other activities as well. The child care; the personal counseling; the fellowship luncheons; the classes; the prayer sessions, and all other undertakings – that day in the church – have to do with praising and worshiping God.

____________________

Speaking of music, I wonder if there is a time-honored law unknown to us non-musicians that says “As A Church Musician, Thou Must Be More Informally Dressed Than The Rest Of The Congregation. It’s OK To Be As Slack As Ye Can Because People Expect Ye, As A Sensitive Artist, To Look Different.”