If we are to talk about God, it cannot be different to how we saw Christ talking, and Apostle Paul talking. Jesus spoke as the Father commanded, John 12:50, and Paul taught us the Gospel he received, Galatians 1:12, we see very little personal thoughts, and we see when Paul did give his own thoughts, as he said when it was him or when it was the Lord.
Researching what the ancient texts say is good, none were originals, all were passed down by mouth. But trusting God, we know everybody who dictates the word of God, is inspired by God, as God fulfilled all that was written about Him, so cares very much what His words say to all in the world.
I understand people who distrust Gods words, as not being protected by God, and example the human attributes to God, listing warfare and the flood. Christ did compare the flood to the end of this world, how everybody lives their lives without thinking constantly about God, and in the same way the flood came without anyone knowing, the end will come again without anyone being aware. Warfare also was predicted by Jesus for the end of the world signs, not because warfare is good, but because people are not good, and the entire world kills one another. But Israel was returned to the Jews in 1947, a result of world war one and two, to free the land of Israel from the turks, and the Jews to desire to return to Israel after the evil treatment from the germans.
Jonah in scripture was without choice, he fled from the presence of the Lord to be cast down to hell at the bottom of the sea, and repented and God took Him up. Paul preferred to be persecuting Christians, but God chose him and commanded him what He must do. God also said many are called but few are chosen, and chooses some to follow His will, otherwise it could be many finding the narrow path, if that path was easy, but God made it straight and hard to find and a way natural man hates and disagrees with, to fulfill His word that few find the way. Jesus chose the Apostles, they did not choose Him, including judas, who was chosen before the foundation of the world, to be a betrayer, and the other apostles to be faithful. The moment Christ chose His believers, He gave them power to become the sons of God, John 1:12, because this power and righteous choosing is not in man, nor could it ever be, as it is testified, there is none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:12. Then Christ gives us His mind, and all is by grace, through faith, which also is the gift of God..
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
1 Cor. 4:9-16 Says they are left like death, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, 2 Corinthians 4:10, left in hunger and thirst, without anywhere to live, Luke 9:58, persecuted, the filth of this world. To follow that example, and not the many thousand so called teachers in Christ who are not this same example of suffering with Christ.
A cheerful heart does good like a medicine, but infirmities (illnesses) are appointed for believers. 2 Corinthians 12:9. The purpose to be sorrowful, is because of being on the narrow path few want, that is suffering, chastisement from God, betrayal, loosing your life, illnesses, speaking the Gospel for people's good, to be hated by the world in return, and laying your life down as all Apostles did and murdered. We do rejoice, but only when also sorrowful, when poor and having nothing, when in
afflictions, as it is the token of salvation.. 2 Corinthians 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Thessalonians 1:4 2 Corinthians 7:4. Philippians 1:28. 2 Thessalonians 1:5
The Lord does not need to harden anyone's heart, their hearts are already hard and stone. The Lord however does need to take that stony heart away and replace with a heart of flesh. The Lord creating evil, is not directly making something bad, but man is not good, and thus evil and created. The Lord gives us chance to live, because He is life, and a Father, and has us to be as little children, to turn to Him for all we need, and to learn us of Himself, so we grow up to please Him. Hypocrites do not cry when God punishes them, Job 36:13, but His children offend no more. Psalms 89:29-32. All of my understanding comes from not the original texts, because the Lord is original enough and is also everlasting.
The Lord is the Shepherd, and He knows His sheep. He did not find them by chance, they are His, the same way He created the very first sheep in Genesis, the Lord created His sheep that follow Him wherever He goes. Sheep do not have freedom to go where they choose, they hear the voice of the Shepherd only, and never did hear thieves and robbers, as their way is set out for them. This does not make God brutal or a despot to rule over us and make all our decisions for us, this makes God love, to have known us since forever, and to know us without end. People will do and say anything to make Gods will to be inferior to mans will, but man cannot choose good, and is why we have a new covenant, by the faith of Christ. He is knocking at His own door, as He is the door, the sheep never could possibly hear the thieves and robbers before Christ, they had no ability, they also have no ability to not hear Christ, He is their Shepherd and they know is voice..
John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
John 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Grace and faith are the free gift of God, not of ourselves, we have free will to do anything in this world without God, but to do Godliness we need Christ in us.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
1 Corinthians 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
