There is this legend about a sword that was magically embedded into a stone. Whoever removes the sword from the stone shall be the rightful king of the land. The people could try if they wished to draw the embedded sword, but alas, they could not. Only the rightful king would be able to do it, and when the right young boy came along, that's just what he did; he was able to draw Merlin's sword right out.
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Now that is just make-believe, but that's what came to mind in the previous post as we were talking about a particular verse.
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I am grateful for all the contributions to our conversation. Let me point us to one of the comments. In our last comment string, I like what Taliesin said in reference to John 3:16. He said:
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Whosoever will may come, but only the elect ever will. Just a few chapters later in John (6:44), Jesus says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
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Here's the whole verse: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."
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As I read this, the sword in the stone came to mind. Anyone who believes shall not perish, but ONLY those who believe shall not perish. Just like the sword... anyone who pulled that sword out could be king, but only the one who drew it out would be king.
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Image by Vanita
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