Understanding God’s election

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Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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Oy, yeah, AFTER Joseph saved everyone from famine he was a nice guy to Joseph and Joseph's people.

What was the state of his heart toward the God Joseph knew?

You know lots of people think Jesus is or was an okay guy.

That does not bring them to believing in Him as Lord, though.

Thinking Jesus is an okay guy is not sufficient for salvation.
Sis you seem to be getting upset I don’t wanna be part of that
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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No one believes or disbelieves this until they hear it but I’m not too sure how complex it is

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Sinners gotta hear that or they can’t believe it and be saved . It’s not complex it’s about belief “ God sent his son who died for your sins and rose from the dead on your behalf ? It’s not hard to grasp the concept it’s a matter of belief or disbelief because other things have our heart
Jesus spoke about those with ears to hear. Do you really think He just meant their ears worked?

Comprehension has to be part of hearing. The gospel message is foolishness to many.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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I am really wondering how God regenerates a non-believer, I mean they do not want to be regenerated because they are not capable of wanting it since they have these hearts of stone.

As well another huge problem with this is that it means God gives life prior to the removal of sin.

Regeneration is the beginning of sanctification another reason this idea is absurd.

Overall a very weird way to present the Gospel to people >>>>here is the Good News, but you will not be able to believe it until God allows you to believe it.
We are only made new by the gospel we have to accept it and believe in order to be a “ believer “ then all those things he promises in the gospel apply to the believer.

“but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
‭‭John‬ ‭20:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

things like this in the gospel teach people to believe in him to place tbier faith in him

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭11:22-26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

These types of things

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
‭‭James‬ ‭4:7-8, 10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This type of thing can’t ever be believed or disbelieved until it’s heard by folks God speaks to us all in the gospel from least to greatest . We’re all sinners and need to be converted through belief . Without Christ we’re lost but we can reject him to be our own lord
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
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Jesus spoke about those with ears to hear. Do you really think He just meant their ears worked?

Comprehension has to be part of hearing. The gospel message is foolishness to many.
Yeah again that’s specifically about him stopping Israel’s ears who broke the old covenant we discussed that part already

thats specifically pertaining to Israel before his death and even some after according to Paul but I’ve already quoted those verses a few times

The gospel is for everyone some people don’t want it tbey hear about for instance the gospel tells us to be generous and share care for the needy ect some people don’t want that and so they reject it not believing it
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
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Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭
The Calvinites hereby demand that you strike that passage from the biblical record.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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Yeah again that’s specifically about him stopping Israel’s ears who broke the old covenant we discussed that part already

thats specifically pertaining to Israel before his death and even some after according to Paul but I’ve already quoted those verses a few times

The gospel is for everyone some people don’t want it tbey hear about for instance the gospel tells us to be generous and share care for the needy ect some people don’t want that and so they reject it not believing it
The natural man refers to every single person who is not born again or given a new heart or raised to new life
in Christ. The natural man is incapable of submitting. Scripture says so. It does not just refer to Jews or OT times.
The natural man is everyone born into Adam, which is everyone. Everyone is in need of being born into Christ.
We keep going over this, too, Round and round we go. Can you acknowledge that Scripture says this?
Certain ideas brought forward in OT times are also true of NT times, too. Right up to this very moment.
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
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Accepting a gift is never a work, it is passive, a person has had not part in creating the gift so there is no work involved.

It approaching absurd to think accepting a gift takes a away from the grace of the gift giver.

As well being "under grace" is a position one has after having been justified by exercising personal faith IN Christ Jesus.
Accepting the gift AMPLIFIES the grace of the giver. In fact it VALIDATES the grace of the giver.

Only a doomer Calvinite would think otherwise.
 

Cranberry

Active member
Dec 7, 2024
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Like Pharaoh, they choose to harden their own heart.

A hardened heart can soon become a boastful spirit....
God hardened Pharaohs heart.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments." Exodus 7:3-4

At Pharaohs first encounter with Moses he was exactly whom God made him to be beforehand.
“Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” Exodus 5:2
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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God hardened Pharaohs heart.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments." Exodus 7:3-4

At Pharaohs first encounter with Moses he was exactly whom God made him to be beforehand.
“Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” Exodus 5:2
Yes, God hardened P's heart after P hardened his own hard heart a number of times.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
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Do they?
I do not think they do, that is considered a work to them.

I do understand your point though.
It's another contradiction and a tough spot to explain away....If one doesn't accept the gift, logically one doesn't have it. If accepting the gift is a work , the calvies in a tight spot to try to explain they have the gift, but didn't accept the gift...open the gates for word salad.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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God hardened Pharaohs heart.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments." Exodus 7:3-4

At Pharaohs first encounter with Moses he was exactly whom God made him to be beforehand.
“Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” Exodus 5:2
Clinging to false doctrine concerning the nature of God, which impugns His righteousness, also hardens a believer's heart....
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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It's another contradiction and a tough spot to explain away....If one doesn't accept the gift, logically one doesn't have it. If accepting the gift is a work , the calvies in a tight spot to try to explain they have the gift, but didn't accept the gift...open the gates for word salad.
Sometimes just trying to see something a tiny bit differently can realign your thinking and broaden your understanding to encompass the reality of what another is attempting to communicate. For instance, I KNOW that when God revealed Himself to me I did not have to DO anything to receive it. God gave and I received, I was the recipient. I had no way of NOT receiving it, except when receiving is meant to be taken another way, such as believing. Life is like that also. It is given. You did nothing to receive it. You simply have it.

I know it is not always easy to make that effort to understand.
 

Cranberry

Active member
Dec 7, 2024
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Clinging to false doctrine concerning the nature of God, which impugns His righteousness, also hardens a believer's heart....
Regarding my post that you quoted, I don't believe any such commentary applies to that.

God's word speaks for itself.
 

Kroogz

Well-known member
Dec 5, 2023
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God has consigned all to disobedience. Let's hear how unfair that is... and/or how little sense it makes that He would do that.
It's completely fair. And it makes complete sense. Him doing it this way........makes salvation possible to ALL. If we were left to our own devices and had our chance like Adam. We ALL would have failed and died. God put a halt to that the moment Adam failed and condemned us ALL. So His salvation could go to ALL.

You see, God is concerned about redemption and saving that which is lost. If we focus on the creature and our doom and gloom, It's dark and hopeless. But God provided us ALL with a way out. Light and true HOPE.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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It's completely fair. And it makes complete sense. Him doing it this way........makes salvation possible to ALL. If we were left to our own devices and had our chance like Adam. We ALL would have failed and died. God put a halt to that the moment Adam failed and condemned us ALL. So His salvation could go to ALL.

You see, God is concerned about redemption and saving that which is lost. If we focus on the creature and our doom and gloom, It's dark and hopeless. But God provided us ALL with a way out. Light and true HOPE.
Are you saying all are saved? I am having a hard time making sense of your post given your attitude earlier. So many here refuse to acknowledge that the natural man is explicitly said to be incapable of submitting to God's law, which goes a long way to explaining why I believe the natural man's heart of stone must be changed first, which is the Scripture I asked you about earlier which you did not really give an answer for by reverting to your previous statements and falsely accusing me of doing something I was not. In FACT it is by acknowledging that the natural man has his heart changed first that I can believe man is then able to believe, submit, and obey. Despite having been consigned to disobedience, and incapable, beforehand. I call that reconciling Scriptures, not pitting them against each other.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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God's word speaks for itself.
When it's properly understood, yes.


Hebrews 3:12-14


See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns
away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called
“Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to
share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
3,412
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God hardened Pharaohs heart.
"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments." Exodus 7:3-4

At Pharaohs first encounter with Moses he was exactly whom God made him to be beforehand.
“Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go” Exodus 5:2
Not just Pharaoh...
It concerns believers in the church as well.



Do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the wilderness.


Hebrews 3:8


See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns
away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called
“Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to
share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.


Hebrews 3:12-14

.....
 

Inquisitor

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2022
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That is exactly why Paul went "every Sabbath to the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks" (ACTS 18:4)! "He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus." (ACTS 28:23b) "Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. (ACTS 28:24) They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul made this final statement: The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving, for this people's heart has become calloused." (ACTS 28:25-27a)
Yeah, the Jews were the people that hardened their hearts to the gospel.

Romans 10:21
But as for Israel, He says, “I have spread out My hands all day long to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Romans 11:7-8
What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
just as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not, down to this very day.”