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The Soon Coming Judgment Of God Upon America and How To Escape It 553
served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye
dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) Although we
have all been predestined to receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ through grace, we must
make a choice to walk in this predestination.
Many people have been predestined to walk in career paths established by their father.
Fathers often graciously offer their sons and or daughters college educations, positions in their
companies, law partnerships, medical partnerships and such. These are often not opportunities
based on merit but on the relationship they have with their father. Despite these guaranteed
positions, sons and daughters frequently don't take their father up on the offer. Because of their
choice, their predestined position goes unfulfilled. It is the same with the saving grace of Jesus
Christ. If we do not accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ on His terms, our predestined eternal
salvation will go unfulfilled. In Paul's letter to Titus we read:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed
hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-14)
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived,
serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating
one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man
appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That
being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. (Titus 3:2-8)
Many want the saving grace of Jesus Christ but they mistakenly view it at a license to sin.
It is quite the opposite. As we have seen above, God is calling us to be godly and righteous, to
deny “ungodliness and worldly lusts” and to do good works. In order to walk in this new godly
way of life which we are being called to, we must repent of our sins.
Repent
According to Webster's, repentance involves both regret and the turning away from sin
and the dedication of “oneself to the amendment of ones life.” If one has regret but makes no
effort to change their life, they have not repented. If one changes his life but has no regret, one
has not truly repented either. One must both regret and make an effort to change ones life. This
does not mean that we will be totally successful in our own strength. Rather, it means that we
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