Cheryl Schatz

Hi Joel, You wrote: It was NOT the “…choose life or death…” of Moses’ declaration. I would like to differ with you if I may. In Mose’s command to choose life or death, there was only two choices. In Joshua’s statement it was conditional “if” and there were only two real choices. Both gods of the nations were false gods and both led to death not life. Only one God. Only one life. The best thing is to pay attention to the conditional entrance to the statement. One cannot disregard this point. Your drawing of circles appears to show that there is nothing outside of the Sovereignty of God. In effect there really is no responsibility of man, just the Sovereignty of God. But if this was so, the Bible would make no sense and there would be no need for the warning passages of Scripture. Philippians 2:12, 13 show both the responsibility of man to act upon what God has given him, and the initiating of God who alone has done the work of salvation. We work out what He has done. We do not work for salvation as that is not possible. This is not a heavy work, the working out of our salvation, but it is a necessary stepping out in faith as burying the gift is an act of disobedience and an act of unbelief. You wrote: THE TRUTH is I can’t and I won’t until He gives me the desire and the ability to do those things. The desire and the ability has already been given to one who have been saved by grace through faith. If one has no desire to do God’s work and says God has not given them any ability, it would appear that they have not yet entered in by faith. You wrote: I’m not sure what part of DEAD we don’t get…so when we were sick or wounded, or unconscious, or in a coma in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2.1, Col 2.13) we unfortunately did the only thing we knew to do…be dead. “Spiritually dead” people can do lots of things. They can make choices and they can sin. You wrote: Did He holler, “Lazarus, be it unto you according to your faith!”? Maybe, “If thou wouldst only believe!”? Lazarus was not spiritually dead. Lazarus was a believer. You wrote: I will visit your article on God’s humility, and get back. Thanks! I appreciate you looking over the article I wrote and I appreciate any feedback that you can give. In God’s amazing freely given grace for all, Cheryl