Why do some people believe and some do not?
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From: John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:19a; Galatians 4:8; Romans 7:14; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 6:6 “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” They are slaves of corruption. When you did not know God, you
were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. You were of the flesh, sold under sin. We were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Our old self was crucified so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
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No no no.... You're not making sense.
It would be like me telling others the same answer after showing this verse...
That's what it says. Do it!
Take it up with God if you don't like it.
Trouble is... There is a context to what you keep throwing out.
The way your sect does it, is closed-minded and makes Christians look stupid.
In the meanwhile...
See you next Sunday at the Church of the One Left Eye.
That's what it says!
It's just an eye!
It's God's Word!
It would be like me telling others the same answer after showing this verse...
"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee:
for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish,
and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell". Matthew 5:29
That's what it says. Do it!
Take it up with God if you don't like it.
Trouble is... There is a context to what you keep throwing out.
The way your sect does it, is closed-minded and makes Christians look stupid.
In the meanwhile...
See you next Sunday at the Church of the One Left Eye.
That's what it says!
"If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you;
for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than
for your whole body to be cast into hell."
It's just an eye!
It's God's Word!
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Do you also agree with HeIsHere that God is unfair? Do you also agree with Scripture that all
are evil and wicked, not just some but ALL? That ALL have gone astray, that NONE seek Him?
There are none righteous, no not one???????????????????????????????????????????????????????
A great many here seem to disagree with the verses that say those sorts of things. They try to
pawn them off as being taken out of context because they would rather ignore them entirely.
Psalm 14:1-3; Job 15:16
are evil and wicked, not just some but ALL? That ALL have gone astray, that NONE seek Him?
There are none righteous, no not one???????????????????????????????????????????????????????
A great many here seem to disagree with the verses that say those sorts of things. They try to
pawn them off as being taken out of context because they would rather ignore them entirely.
Psalm 14:1-3; Job 15:16
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This is perfectly sensible, as Reformed theology is directly connected to historical and wider Christian theology. We read Luther, St. Gregory, and Thomas Aquinas just like the Baptists, Methodists, and Papists. Calvinistic soteriology is only a limited part of that theology. While our systematic theology is more developed and precise than any outside of the Catholic Church, the general contours of our views seem to be pretty close to most conservative and Evangelical Christians.
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No sense delving further in this post because...
There it is!
To be "convinced" of something means you used your logic and intellect.
We are NOT CONVINCED. We are Born Again from above.
If I believe because somebody made a good argument, I have reason to boast in my ability to figure out a problem.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
I am weak, and when I'm weak, I'm strong in the Lord.
I WILL NOT GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE in this flesh.
There it is!
To be "convinced" of something means you used your logic and intellect.
We are NOT CONVINCED. We are Born Again from above.
If I believe because somebody made a good argument, I have reason to boast in my ability to figure out a problem.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
I am weak, and when I'm weak, I'm strong in the Lord.
I WILL NOT GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE in this flesh.
Matthew 10:36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his
father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than
Me is not worthy of Me; 38 and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.
Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and
children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 9:23-24
Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
John 12:25
Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Mark 8:34-35
Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants
to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
Deuteronomy 13:6-8
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly
entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other),
you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.
Luke 18:29-30
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake
of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Philippians 3:7-8
But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Genesis 22:2
“Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.
Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
John 15:18-19
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own.
Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than
Me is not worthy of Me; 38 and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.
Luke 14:26
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and
children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 9:23-24
Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
John 12:25
Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Mark 8:34-35
Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants
to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
Deuteronomy 13:6-8
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly
entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other),
you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.
Luke 18:29-30
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake
of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Philippians 3:7-8
But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Genesis 22:2
“Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah.
Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
John 15:18-19
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own.
Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
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Maybe this will help you think this through. I'll add some notes to help a bit:
NKJ Lk. 16:31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"
NKJ Acts 19:26 "Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.
NKJ Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."
NKJ Acts 28:23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
NKJ 2 Cor. 5:11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
NKJ 2 Tim. 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Of course we use our intellect, our reasoning, our eyes to see, our ears to hear in order to be persuaded/convinced and believe. As John 6 says in paraphrase: God the Father is drawing men to His Son Jesus Christ by teaching them - those who hear and learn from Him come to/believe in Jesus.
NKJ Lk. 16:31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"
- Some are not persuaded/convinced
- Some are persuaded/convinced through the efforts of others' reasoning from the Scriptures explaining and demonstrating things about Jesus the Christ.
- Some are not.
- It was Paul's practice to reason [with people] every week to persuade Jews and Greeks that Jesus is the Christ.
NKJ Acts 19:26 "Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.
NKJ Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian."
NKJ Acts 28:23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. 24 And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
- Pay special attention here. Persuasion/convincing vs. disbelief - so, persuasion/convincing is at minimum a precursor to if not virtually synonymous with or parallel to belief.
NKJ 2 Cor. 5:11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
NKJ 2 Tim. 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
Of course we use our intellect, our reasoning, our eyes to see, our ears to hear in order to be persuaded/convinced and believe. As John 6 says in paraphrase: God the Father is drawing men to His Son Jesus Christ by teaching them - those who hear and learn from Him come to/believe in Jesus.
The world through wisdom knows not God...1 Corinthians 1:21.
What you shared isn't false, but it is misleading. In salvation, man's natural faculties are certainly engaged, but the information being received through the senses isn't the source of the information being considered. For instance, revelation and enlightenment have God as both it's subject and source.
What you shared isn't false, but it is misleading. In salvation, man's natural faculties are certainly engaged, but the information being received through the senses isn't the source of the information being considered. For instance, revelation and enlightenment have God as both it's subject and source.
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EXACTLY right!
How many SAW Jesus executed, and then SAW Him for the 50 days He walked the Earth before He ascended and STILL don't believe?
How many SAW the myriad of dead that were in TOMBS walking the streets of Jerusalem, yet STILL didn't believe?
They will NOT be persuaded into a new Birth. Because ONLY on an intellectual level are some "persuaded".
There's no such thing as being persuaded into becoming a child of God. You have to be BORN one. Made a NEW creation by Him
Persuasion does not equate to God conceiving and giving New Life to those that are dead.
How many SAW Jesus executed, and then SAW Him for the 50 days He walked the Earth before He ascended and STILL don't believe?
How many SAW the myriad of dead that were in TOMBS walking the streets of Jerusalem, yet STILL didn't believe?
They will NOT be persuaded into a new Birth. Because ONLY on an intellectual level are some "persuaded".
There's no such thing as being persuaded into becoming a child of God. You have to be BORN one. Made a NEW creation by Him
Persuasion does not equate to God conceiving and giving New Life to those that are dead.
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You certainly hit the nail on the head! Many were brought to faith through Paul's teaching. But that is not all that's going on here!
Paul's teaching is but the seed which must be planted in the mind and heart of those who are near. Paul is the vessel used to plant and water this seed, but only God can make the seed take root and grow.
To those who are His, this truth spoken of by Paul takes root only when they are given a new heart. Once this happens they will understand/believe and turn to God in faith.
To those who hear and do not believe, they remain without excuse.
That is why only some believe!
Paul's teaching is but the seed which must be planted in the mind and heart of those who are near. Paul is the vessel used to plant and water this seed, but only God can make the seed take root and grow.
To those who are His, this truth spoken of by Paul takes root only when they are given a new heart. Once this happens they will understand/believe and turn to God in faith.
To those who hear and do not believe, they remain without excuse.
That is why only some believe!
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