[Pchris]

MY REPLY TO PAUL
I totally agree with your point that a wife’s status as a believer is not suspended in her marriage relationship with her husband.
Love in the biblical sense is never gender exclusive, Paul himself affirms in Romans 12:10 ” Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves”. This verse applies to all believers and certainly to spouses. The Greek word “agape” the unconditional love God shows us is not gender based .
If husbands are to love with agape and wives are not expected to love back , then the picture of Christian marriage becomes distorted and imbalanced.
A theological analysis of the Trinity also offers a unique perspective, the relationship between Father , Son and Holy Spirit is one of mutual submission , honor , love and not inequality.
Marriage which Apostle Paul likens to the relationship between Christ and the Church in (Ephesians 5:32) is to reflect this divine harmony , not domination or emotional detachment.
Therefore, does Paul mean that wives are not supposed to love their husbands?
Absolutely not, rather his choice to emphasize submission for wives and love for husbands reflects a strategic correction of cultural dysfunctions not a full exclusion of reciprocal duties .
Apostle Paul is not assigning love only to husbands and limiting submission only to wives, his teaching is a call for complementary devotion where love and submission intertwine to form a union that mirrors Christ and the Church.
Lastly, I will like to state that love is the atmosphere which submission can thrive. A wife who loves will naturally submit joyfully , not out of fear but out of reverence for Christ ( Ephesians 5:21).
A husband who loves will lead not with domination but with service and self- sacrifice.
If we extract Paul’s teachings from the cage of cultural literalism and interpret them through the lens of the gospel, we will find a powerful, timeless model of marital love ( mutual, sacrificial and Christ centered).

[Pchris]

Apostle Paul’s teaching on marriage in his letters to the Ephesian and Colossian churches has long been the subject of theological debate and misunderstanding.
In Ephesians 5:22-23 and Colossians 3:18-19, Paul calls wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives. This seemingly asymmetrical instruction has sparked a question that lies at the heart of biblical marriage interpretation. “Does Paul mean that the wife is not supposed to love her husband in the marriage union?”
I will begin by saying that it is critical to understand Paul’s writings not merely as prescriptive gender roles but as divine instruction contextualized within the Greco-Roman and Jewish cultures of that time.
A closer look at Ephesians 5:22,25, it might seem that Apostle Paul is only concerned with the husband’s affection and the wife subservience, but a deeper inspection reveals even more.
Paul’s instruction to husbands to love their wives was revolutionary in a partriachial society where women were often treated as property. His instruction to men to love their wives with the sacrificial self- giving love of Christ was not only counter cultural but transformative .
However, this command to husbands does not negate the wife’s ability or obligation to love. Instead it strategically corrects the cultural imbalance by lifting the husband’s behavior to Christ like standards.
The absence of an explicit command for wives to “love” their husbands does not mean Paul intended wives to be emotionally disconnected. Infact, Titus 2:4 offers a critical insight : Paul instructs older women to teach the younger women “ to love their husbands and children” , from the above Scripture, the Greek word “ philandros “ is used referring to affectionate, committed and friendship based love. This single verse reveals Paul’s implicit understanding that love from the wife is necessary and assumed.
Moreover, when Paul writes in Ephesians 5:21 “submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God “ , he establishes mutual submission as a framework for all Christian relationships and this includes marriage.
This mutuality is rooted in love, humility and Christ like character. In other words , while Paul emphasizes different roles in marriage , he does not diminish the importance of reciprocal affection . Why then , the different language?
Consider a unique interpretative lens; Paul was not writing a comprehensive marriage manual, he was offering corrective wisdom to specific communities in Ephesus where the goddess “ Artemis” was worshipped and women held unusual social influence, Paul may have emphasized submission to counter potential domineering behaviour.
In contrast, in a culture where men held legal authority over women, calling husbands to love would radically challenge their presumed rights .
From my own cultural context, here in Nigeria especially in the igbo communities where I come from, the biblical balance of love and submission is often misunderstood. Wives are sometimes culturally expected to submit without questions, while husbands are not always held to a Christ like standard of sacrificial love. This has resulted in an imbalance that Apostle Paul’s full teaching actually aims to correct. Scripture is not promoting hierarchy for control’s sake but for partnership built on Christ centered Love.

[Pchris]

MY REPLY TO BEN
I totally agree with your words, especially your last point that states that ‘ fear opposes one’s faith’.
Indeed fear hinders faith, in that fulfilling purpose requires trust. Often in what’s unseen and unclear. Fear competes with faith, making people doubt God’s ability to guide equip and use them. It casts doubt on God’s character.
Fear is not from God, it weakens purpose while faith strengthens it.
Fear is not just an emotion , it is a throne if not cast down , it will begin to rule , subtly replacing divine instructions with logical hesitation.
Take Saul’s case for instance in ( 1 Samuel 15:24 ” I feared the people and obeyed their voice” ) he confessed. This fear cost him his kingship. Fear often times disguises itself as diplomacy or wisdom , but it’s root is rebellion.
Saul’s failure wasn’t ignorance , it was fear induced compromise. He partially obeyed God , keeping what seemed good and excused his actions as an act of worship.
Fear replaces divine guidance with people pleasing and this subtle shift is enough to disqualify one from fulfilling purpose.
When it comes to fulfilling purpose, fear tells you what’s ahead is too big , forgetting that the one who has called you is bigger. Fear neutralizes the voice of purpose . A person gripped with fear becomes a double minded person , unstable in all his ways ( James 1:6-8), such a man scripture says ” should not expect anything from the Lord”, including the fullness of purpose.
The enemy knows he cannot stop God’s plan , but he also knows that if he can make you fear the plan, then you will abort it yourself.
Faith , courage and a renewed mind in Christ are keys to overcoming fear and walking fully in purpose.

[Pchris]

FEAR- Defined by English dictionaries as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger , evil or pain.
To expect or worry about something bad or unpleasant .

By acronym it is defined a False Evidence Appearing real.
A biblical definition of Fear is found in the Greek word ‘ deilia ‘ translated as timidity that is by implication faithless : fearful.

A profound point to establish as we go on is that “ In any situation, any ramification , anyway whatsoever , fear is not from God . Understanding that Almighty God is on your side as a believer should result in a zero tolerance for fear” ( No Fear Here by Pastor Nkechi Ene).
Fear is not merely an emotion or feeling, it is a force , a Spirit that can distort vision and suffocate one’s potential. When it comes to discovering and fulfilling purpose, fear acts like fog on the windshield of destiny , clouding what should be clearly seen and confidently pursued.

FEAR BREEDS HESITATION
For example , a man called to speak boldly may retreat into silence , not because he lacks a message, but because fear tells him he is unworthy to speak. A woman designed by God to lead might hide among followers , not because she lacks direction , but because fear whispers that she lacks courage and her steps will falter.
Fear is a silent sabotage that limits exploration. This is because you can’t discover what you are too afraid to approach.
Another example is the parable of the talents ( Mathew 25: 14-30 ), The servant who received one talent, buried it not because he was lazy, but because he was afraid ( Verse 25) . Fear made him preserve what he was supposed to reproduce , to hide rather than invest. In the end, his fear became his reality, he lost what he was given.
God’s pronouncement might have seemed harsh “ You wicked and lazy servant” ( verse 26) but in reality fear becomes wickedness when it prevents divine investments from yielding returns. In the eyes of heaven, fear is not innocence rather it is negligence. The potential to fulfill purpose does not equate it’s fulfillment .

FEAR IS DECEPTIVE IN NATURE
It disguises itself as caution or humility but unchecked fear builds mental walls around divine assignments.
Exodus 4:10, Moses at the burning bush doubted himself repeatedly “ I am slow of speech” he said as though God didn’t know his limitations. Fear made him see his flaws as final, while God saw them as opportunities for divine display.

FEAR CAUSES DELAY
Discovering and fulfilling purpose is time sensitive . A person afraid to take a step today often becomes the person who misses the door tomorrow. Purpose discovery and fulfillment is packed up with divine instructions.Delayed obedience is still disobedience and fear is often the culprit. Fear focuses on the storm and misses the harvest ( Ecclesiastes 11:4)

FEAR GIVES THE WRONG IDENTITY
In the case of Gideon , though chosen as a mighty warrior, called himself the least in his family ( Judges 6:15) . That perception of himself could have aborted his mission if not for God’s timely intervention.
Fear makes people mislabel themselves and live out names God never gave them . I believe if fear had a voice , it would sound like one’s inner critic speaking in your own tone .
Gideon’s immediate reaction was disbelief rooted in insecurity and generational trauma. Fear gave him a wrong Identity , God saw a deliverer but Gideon saw himself as invincible and incapable.

In Conclusion, fear is not just a feeling , it is an enemy of purpose . It silences visionaries and blinds the gifted . It makes the capable feel disqualified and the chosen feel rejected .
To overcome fear, one must be reminded daily of God’s Word in 2 Timothy 1:7 , this scripture is not just comfort, it is a compass. Purpose requires courage not the absence of fear but the decision to walk through it because purpose thrives where fear dies.

[Pchris]

My reply to Wechie
I totally agree that a believer should live life abundantly but I am of the school of thought that a believer should have an expectation of a number of years to be spent here on earth according to his/her God given purpose.
Looking closely at the life of Jesus, He understood He had a duration of time here on earth ( Acts 14:7 Nkjv ).
Like Pastor Nkechi Ene often says ( I am paraphrasing) ” I have great things God has shown me ahead and I haven’t even started yet” . I believe this is the confidence she has that no matter the form of attack the devil throws on her health, she is certain she will overcome because it is not her time yet. Her walk with God is unique to her alone.
A believer should not dread death but instead , dread living a life without purpose and oppression from the devil. Death is not to be feared but seen as a transition to everlasting life, death has been described according to some scriptures as “sleep” ( Acts 7:60 , Acts 13:36).
I might have been wrong to have previously stated that the minimum age for a believer is 80 years but I also stated that it can be more as God wills .
A point I am trying to drive is that a believer’s focus should be on quality and not just quantity.
In my opinion, a believer who walked the earth for 65 years having lived a life of purpose and in good health is said to have have lived life abundantly but this cannot be said of a believer who is still living a purposeless life at 75 years.

[Pchris]

Minimum age – This refers to the lowest age at which a person expects or is allowed to perform a specific action.

There are covenantal and theological principles that proves that God is not only the source of life ( Acts 17:25) but also desires that every believer should live a full, purposeful and satisfying life. This means God wants His Children to live long enough to fulfill purpose , enjoy the blessings attached to His covenant and also be Testimonies of His faithfulness.
According to Psalm 91:16 “ With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation”( Nkjv) , God satisfies the righteous with long life not just in longevity but in fulfillment, not just in quantity but in quality. Long life is not just biological, but attached to it is covenantal blessings , divine satisfaction and purpose. From the above Scripture, one may ask how “long” is the “ long life” stated there, the word “long” is the Hebrew word (orek) which is translated “ forever” . Now forever indicates that no numerical figure can be held on to .
Furthermore, comparing scripture to scripture, Genesis 6:3 “ And the Lord said , My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh ; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years” ( Nkjv)
And Psalm 90:10 “ The days of our lives are seventy years and if by reason of strength they are eighty years , yet their boast is only labor and sorrow for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” ( Nkjv).
While Genesis 6:3 sets a higher minimum age, Psalm 90:10 reflects a general minimum age of 70-80 years, the age limit in the latter was not set by God but it was a description made by Moses of the Israelites in the wilderness due to disobedience.
In this time and dispensation, I think 80 years is often seen as a minimum age a healthy and obedient believer can reasonably expect though with divine strength it could be more .

CASE STUDY 1
DAVID ( OLD TESTAMENT)
( Acts 13:36 , 2 Samuel 5:4 Nkjv)
A believer’s aim should not just be about longevity but to fulfill their divine assignment, just like the above Scripture described the life of David. This is because, dying prematurely without fulfilling purpose is never ideal and certainly not part of God’s plan for His own

CASE STUDY 2
JESUS ( NEW TESTAMENT)
( Philippians 2:8, John 17:4 Nkjv)
In the New testament, while Jesus is said to have died young ( 33 years ) , His death was described as purposeful, sacrificial and a fulfillment of a unique and outstanding assignment. Yet, Scripture shows that believers are meant to live out their full course.

Long life is a part of the redemptive Package made available through Christ to a believer; It is a believer’s inheritance .
Believers are encouraged to speak and walk in long life based on God’s Word ( Proverbs 18:21 “ Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Nkjv)
(Job 5:26 “ You will come to the grave in full vigor , like sheaves gathered in season”)
A believer must cooperate with God’s Word and not speak contrary, reject fear and demonic suggestions of premature death, for the devil is a thief and yearns to steal your life in any way possible. You must continuously and deliberately declare the promises of God regarding life and health.

In Conclusion,
I think a believer should expect to live a minimum of 80 years or more if God so wills, while remaining in good health, peace and purpose. This is unless that believer’s assignment is fulfilled earlier just as the case of Jesus.

[Pchris]

My reply to Ben
To further buttress the points yous made concerning Moses’calling and separation , I totally agree to your first point where you stated that His call came as a burden in his heart. This confirms the fact that when God calls you, it is confirmed in several ways one of which is dissatisfaction that keeps growing in what one has been doing and where one has been.
Also you stated that the period between one’s call and separation is a period of preparation. This is true because when one is called he is first separated to the Word. This is a phase where one builds capacity by keying into the Grace of God made available for his call. God is always there to walk you through and He makes all Grace abounds towards you. The period between one’s call and separation could either be long or short and it is positionally set by God. This is a period where qualifications may also be acquired ( Galatians 1:15-20)

[Pchris]

CALLING AND SEPARATION
CASE STUDY – JOHN THE BAPTIST
John was the son of Zecharias a Priest of the division of Abijah, his mother who went by the name Elizabeth, she was of the daughters of Aaron and also a relative to Mary the mother of Jesus.
HIS CALLING
Luke 1:13 – 17
The miraculous conception of John came after long years of barrenness and this happened shortly after his father Zacharias was visited by Angel Gabriel.
It is important to note that everyone’s call and purpose is as timeless as God which means it predates the time of conception. The revelation of John’s calling was made known to His parent’s before his conception . The call of John was quite similar to that of Jesus, by this I mean , he was literally born into his call leaving no room for transitioning or rather what I call a pre-call life. In contrast to the calling of Saul (Paul) , his call was made known to him after many years of persecuting the people he was called to serve. By the reason of his call he had to transition.
The case of John was a unique one and pretty straight to the point because he had a very important role to play in the life and ministry of Jesus.
John was a great prophet , who I like to describe as the last great prophet before Jesus. He was the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance and baptizing people in the Jordan river . By these, he fulfilled prophecies from the Old testament about a messenger preparing the way for the Lord.
HIS SEPARATION
Luke 1:80
” So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts thill the day of his manifestations to Israel. ” ( NKJV )
The timing of the separation of John the Baptist was positionally set by God right from his mother’s womb .
We see In the above scripture that John grew and became strong in spirit. This talks of building capacity by keying into the grave of God . There is always grace available to everyone called by God .
John lived in the wilderness, wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey before begining his ministry . He preached about repentance and baptized people in the Jordan river , symbolizing a cleansing and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
John the Baptist , also known as the fore runner of Jesus consistently pointed people to Jesus while emphasizing that He(Jesus) is greater than him and would baptize with the Holy Spirit not just with water .
John the Baptist courageously paved the way for for the promised saviour of the world. By the reason of his call and separation, he walked this earth leaving a powerful legacy.
THE CONCEPT OF CALLING AND SEPARATION
This concept is very crucial for every believer to have adept understanding of. This is because there is a widespread abuse of the concept of calling . Many believers and shockingly unbelievers, misuse the actual concept of God’s calling . Many believers hide under the guise of “I am called ” to perpetrate despicable and misleading dogma’s in the body of Christ.
To be called means – to call a loud , to summon, to call towards.
It is important to state that the call of God is designed to be heard at least by the one been called . It is not hidden neither is it whispered .
Every ministry office begins with a call from God. When God calls you, you are first separated to the Word.
To be separated means to exclude, sever , to set off by boundary. It has a dual meaning of separating someone from something while separating them to something.
Calling and separation works in tandem, there is usually a time lapse between the both. The time lapse could be a long or short period, with God being the major determinant ( Galatians 1:15).

[Pchris]

What comes to mind when I think of the “second coming of Christ” .
I must say that during the course of study of this course , It became an eye opener to me , I remain expectant, excited and in awe of meeting my Lord and king.
Here are the few things that comes to mind in the presence of this thought
1. The honor of been recieved by Christ. John 14:3
It is a day I await in joy that my Lord will receive me to himself. The thought of this alone, leaves butterfly in my belly , more like a bride that awaits her groom in excitement. What a great privilege it is going to be.
2. It creates a sense of reflection and self examination. The coming of Christ also involves rewarding His faithful servants, I begin to ponder if indeed I have been a faithful and fruitful servant. I reflect on how involved I have been in body of Christ. This thought helps me to be more watchful and involved in the things of God. What a great honor it will be to be rewarded by my master.
3. I think of the end of evil, suffering and wickedness in the world. As the coming of Christ marks the end of evil in the world . The coming of Christ will bring various physical changes to the earth . Isaiah 11:1-9, the scripture shows that the earth will yield her increase as the redemption of the earth from the curse in Eden. The earth will be restored to its perfection and glory. Oh what an honor it will be to be able to witness this. like Pastor Sola would say, the sizes of oranges for example , will be massive and not like anything ever seen .

[Pchris]

My reply to Paul
I totally agree with you, that no matter the position you take it doesn’t affect your salvation.
The bride used in the scriptures is used as a symbol which is a visible reference to an invincible thing. Believers should live their lives not void of anticipation and preparation for the coming of the bridegroom (Jesus) who has gone to prepare a place for us.
Jesus’ultimate sacrifice, ushered the old testament saints into heaven, their sins were wiped away and no longer atoned for. The description of the church in feminine terms is indeed appropriate as the sacrifice of Jesus in its uniqueness symbolizes the union of the church with the Lord, for we are one with the Lord

[Pchris]

I will like to clearly state that I disagree with this belief, the following statements further buttresses my stance.
The bride is the symbol of the church. A symbol means a visible reference for an invisible thing. The church is Jesus’ bride, “wife of the lamb” and when we admire a man, respect him , appreciate him, and reference him, we are careful what we say about his wife and all the more so , in public. We check out suspicions, we are vigilant not to let personal disappointments fester into a global cynicism towards her.
We go out of our way not to regard her , speak of her, or criticize her in his presence in any way that would puzzle or dishonor her husband. We show little esteem for a groom when we insult his bride.
So, those who genuinely admire and worship Christ will not only reverence his person but also His perspective.
In Ephesians 5:31-32, Apostle Paul describes the relationship between Christ and the church as a mystery as revealed in the relationship between a husband and wife.
The beautiful picture of a bride and a groom is a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church.
The bride, which is somewhat a futuristic symbol, symbolizes
a. The depth of love and acceptance that the church enjoys from the Lord. This love is seen in the huge sacrifice Christ paid .
b. It symbolizes the union of the church with the Lord , for we are one with the Lord.
The great groom’s choice of his bride is remarkable not only is she ” a chosen race” (1 Peter 2:9) but he chose her in her ungodliness, not because of any beauty she possessed. Not only did Christ choose the church for her salvation, but also to be an instrument of divine revelation world. Not just an instrument, but the central vessel in making God known in this world and in this age.
In Ephesians 3 when Paul offers praise to God the father, he says ” to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus “. We expect ” in Christ Jesus” as the focal point through which God’s glory is displayed but here she is , his bride , side by side with Christ himself, the bride groom : “to him be glory in the church” , this echoes the centrality of the church in making God known
Jesus loves the church as his own body, he emphatically does not hate his own flesh, but he nourishes it and cherishes it ( Ephesians 5:29).
It is important to note that it is the church in the scriptures that stand as the bride not each individual believer. “I” am not the bride , “You” are not the bride , however we are part of the church universal and we are the bride.
The old testament saints went to a place of comfort and rest called “sheol” which is translated “the grace” or “the realm of the dead” when they died. The old testament taught life after death and that everyone departed from this life went to a place of conscious existence.
The new testament equivalent of sheol is Hades. Luke 16: 17-31 shows that prior to Christ’s resurrection, Hades was divided into two compartment: a place of comfort where Lazarus was (Abraham’s bosom) and a place of torment where the rich man was. Until Christ sacrifice himself on the cross , heaven was not open to the old testament saints . Their sins were covered up, atoned for but they were not taken away. The death of Christ is what took away sin and allowed these saints to go to heaven . At his ascension, Jesus brought them to where they could not go before ( heaven). It is very important to note that a bride and a groom are not invited to their own wedding , so obviously there are attendees at the marriage supper who are neither the bride or the groom . The old testament saints will be the guests at the marriage supper in heaven. This alone reinforces the special privilege we have in the Holy nation that is the church of Jesus Christ, his bride.

[Pchris]

My reply to Paul.
I totally agree with your statement ” salvation is not dependent on our good works whatsoever “. If the plan and process of salvation were from ourselves, based on our good works , then when we achieve the necessary level of goodness to warrant salvation, we would boast. We would say things like “I did it” , also statements like ” I gave it my all and overcame obstacles and I have finally ascended to the highest levels of goodness and holiness and God gave me what I deserved”. We could also look down those who did not make it . Those who failed because they lacked the fortitude, insight and piety that I cultivated.
Boasting would surely abound , if the plan and process of salvation were based on human works. We would elevate ourselves over other people and even in some sense over God himself because our salvation was our own doing not His. Ephesians 2: 8-9 says an emphatic ‘No’ to this .
The plan and process of salvation is from God, a gift . It is by grace and it is accessed through faith. We are not saved by doing good works , but we are saved for the purpose of doing good works.

[Pchris]

My reply to Paul.
I totally agree with your statement ” salvation is not dependent on our good works whatsoever “. If the plan and process of salvation were from ourselves, based on our good works , then when we achieve the necessary level of goodness to warrant salvation, we would boast. We would say things like “I did it” , also statements like ” I gave it my all and overcame obstacles and I have finally ascended to the highest levels of goodness and holiness and God gave me what I deserved”. We could also look down those who did not make it . Those who failed because they lacked the fortitude, insight and piety that I cultivated.
Boasting would surely abound , if the plan and process of salvation were based on human works. We would elevate ourselves over other people and even in some sense over God himself because our salvation was our own doing not His. Ephesians 2: 8-9 says an emphatic ‘No’ to this .
The plan and process of salvation is from God, a gift . It is by grace and it is accessed through faith. We are not saved by doing good works , but we are saved for the purpose of doing good works.

[Pchris]

Ephesians 2: 8-9 says ” For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves ; it is a gift of God , not of works , lest anyone should boast .
The popular notion is that God accepts good people and rejects the unqualified people. Most people usually operate under the idea that God accepts or rejects people based on some level of religious performance or goodness .
The whole book of Ephesians rejects this premise , and Ephesians 2:8-9 specifically refutes it. God has chosen to save sinners, not based on their goodness but on His kindness.
He does this to demonstrate His grace , that is to say His undeserved favour.
Grace is a gift given freely based on the kind intentions of the giver to a recipient who has no claim to it. If we are saved by grace, this means that it is not because we are good or deserving, rather it is because God is good and gracious. Also, we are saved “through faith “. In order to be saved , there is a necessary human response to God’s grace. The response is not trying to be “good enough” to be saved , but it is simply trusting ( faith) in God to save on the basis of Christ’s goodness.
It is important to state that faith is not a good work in itself that God rewards, faith is simply casting our unworthy selves on the mercy of our kind , merciful and gracious God.
The whole plan and process of salvation comes from God as a gift, not from ourselves as the reward of the works or good things we have done . The result of the process is “so that no one can boast” . This should be a sobering thought for every believer that we are what we are or attained a certain height in life not because we earned it but by the grace of God .
The statement ” Good works that stem out of a relationship with Christ Jesus are witnesses for Jesus” shows that we are not saved by doing good works , but we are saved for the purpose of doing good works.
If we go further to look at Ephesians 2:10 (Nkjv) ” For we are His workmanship , created in Christ Jesus for good works , which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them ” . We see that good works are a vital part of the Christian life because doing good is one of the reasons God saves us. God has things for us to do here on earth but the sequence is all important. Good works are not the cause of salvation but the purpose of it. God saves us so that we can go into the world , doing good works in His name and this brings Him more glory.
Matthew 5:16 ” Let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.

[Pchris]

My reply to Ben
Your point that Jesus prayed according to the will of God is very important for every believer to pray according to God’s will. First off, we were created to do God’s will here on earth, we must let our will override God’s will. Jesus set the perfect example of what prayer is not, prayer is not a way of getting God to put a stamp of approval on your plans and coercing Him to agree with your will and way.
Jesus also set a great example that you can be vulnerable before God, it is not a sign of weakness but it shows total submission, you have come to Him just as you are and just as you feel. There is no need to pretend before God. Just as you said, we do not need to deny the reality of what God requires of us , we should surrender willingly to God.

[Author]

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