BobB

Either I am in control or someone/something else is in control. If I'm in control I know that I do not have the ability to determine the outcome so if the outcome is what I wanted/expected then I'll be able to rejoice, and if it is not then I won't be able to rejoice because I'll feel I did something wrong or that I could have done better. But these are after the fact responses. Looking forward, I don't know if the outcome will be acceptable so I cannot rejoice looking ahead. I am an unreliable predictor of the outcome -- good or bad. If someone else is in control then it would be best if that someone is reliable. God is reliable. Only God. Since He is reliable then I know that whatever the outcome it is the best outcome. Thus by faith I know that I can rejoice because there cannot be failure. The outcome might not be what I wanted/expected, but at least it will be the best possible outcome since God is reliable. I can believe that God is reliable because everything that He has said about Himself and about what He created has been found to be true. Nothing that God has said has turned out in any other way than what He said it would be. In this I can rejoice. God has said in Romans 8:28 that He will work all things for good when I rely upon Him and allow Him to be in control.

A slave is someone who is bound to another -- his or her master. The master chooses the slave and usually purchases the slave with a price. The slave does not choose his master -- he is not free to choose another master. The slave must do whatever his master requires of him -- he is not free to do as he wishes, unless so granted by his master. A saint is someone consecrated to God, to serve Him. When we confess our sins and acknowledge Christ's death on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin and invite Him into our lives, we become consecrated to His service. We no longer live for ourselves but we live for Christ. Both are much the same as neither is living for self but living to serve Christ. I think there is a difference of degree, however, in that Paul was specifically chosen by God for a special service and he feels he is compelled to perform this service every waking moment. In his case he feels he literally has no freedom whatsoever. We as saints, however, have a great deal of free will -- we serve Christ, but not by the same degree of dedication.

Hi. I live in portland, Oregon. I have been involved in BSF for several years, but it has become difficult for me to be involved in a live bible study at this time so I am excited about this online interactive study. I am a retired engineer and I love the Lord Jesus.