"Not by works" - false!

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,240
30,353
113
i already showed you Proverbs 16:4; Romans 9:22 says the same thing.
how many witnesses do you need? Exodus 33:19? Luke 10:22? John 17:6? Isaiah 40:13-14?


what is written all over the OT about Israel? are they called "the people who chose God" ?
my friend, they are called the people whom God chose.


we, by our free will, all send ourselves to hell. God chose to show mercy to some. He is not 'choosing to send your neighbor to hell' -- your neighbor exercised his autonomous agency to reject the light and choose darkness.

so as i see it, if you will not allow God to have mercy on whom He will have mercy, you've either got universal salvation for all -- a god who is not just -- or you've got people by their own cleverness and strength electing themselves to heaven -- a god who is not sovereign.
Didn't Jesus say, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” Has He been lifted up? Are not all now being drawn?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
38,013
13,631
113
You can't have them both, it's either you believe God appointed some for hell or has send the invitation to everyone
oh? God can't by testimony of evidence establish guilt?

was Judas appointed to destruction?
did Judas hear the gospel?


was the Law not given to a people He knew would not keep it?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
38,013
13,631
113
Didn't Jesus say, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” Has He been lifted up? Are not all now being drawn?
one day all will stand before Him & every knee will bow and every tongue confess.
but will that inescapable genuflection & confession be counted as righteousness?


this is either universal salvation, or it is not the drawing by the Spirit which leads to salvation. He is the crux of all things, and all will be resurrected, some to life and some to condemnation.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,240
30,353
113
one day all will stand before Him & every knee will bow and every tongue confess.
but will that inescapable genuflection & confession be counted as righteousness?
Has He been lifted up? Are not all now being drawn? You didn't answer either ;)
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
38,013
13,631
113
Has He been lifted up? Are not all now being drawn? You didn't answer either ;)
He has been lifted up on the cross, and He told the sons of Belial that when He was they would know that He is I AM THAT I AM -- John 8:28
does this mean they are drawn? i can't tell you. but it does mean they do not have plausible deniability.


when He said this perhaps He was fulfilling Isaiah 11:10, drawing a people from every nation to Himself. John 12:32 literally says if He is lifted up, from all the earth He will draw to Himself -- the word "people" or "men" isn't in the text, it's added through translation, and the comma, which also isn't part of the text, is placed by interpretation.

when He said this perhaps it is different from what He said in John 6:44, that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws them. He explains what this means in John 6:64-65, because some did not believe, and He knew from the beginning who did and did not, and who would deliver Him to the cross. so if John 6:44, it is not possible to come to Him unless the Father draws me, means that belief vs. unbelief is associated with the drawing of the Father to the Son, with coming to Him, then we either have universal salvation or we have a drawing to Him which is salvific and a drawing to Him which is of all things, because He is the crux of all things, and that drawing results in the damnation of the wicked, having no excuse, and the approval of the justified, because they have believed.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,240
30,353
113
He has been lifted up on the cross, and He told the sons of Belial that when He was they would know that He is I AM THAT I AM -- John 8:28
does this mean they are drawn? i can't tell you. but it does mean they do not have plausible deniability.


when He said this perhaps He was fulfilling Isaiah 11:10, drawing a people from every nation to Himself. John 12:32 literally says He will draw from all the earth to Himself -- the word "all people" or "all men" isn't there, it's added through translation.

when He said this perhaps it is different from what He said in John 6:44, that no one can come to Him unless the Father draws them. He explains what this means in John 6:64-65, because some did not believe, and He knew from the beginning who did and did not, and who would deliver Him to the cross. so if John 6:44, it is not possible to come to Him unless the Father draws me, means that belief vs. unbelief is associated with the drawing of the Father to the Son, with coming to Him, then we either have universal salvation or we have a drawing to Him which is salvific and a drawing to Him which is of all things, because He is the crux of all things, and that drawing results in the damnation of the wicked, having no excuse, and the approval of the justified, because they have believed.
He has been lifted up to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, also. Two different interlinears said "all will draw to myself." There is definite tension between some Scriptures, yet finding the path through to reconcile them is not impossible. Yes, all belong to God, none have any excuse, we all deserve death, we cannot save ourselves by our own free will, which as you may know I disagree with the term, preferring instead the term "self-will." The point being I agree it is God Who draws us while it is up to us to respond, which He makes possible without forcing us. We love because He first loved us, knowing Him how could any refuse? He has all power. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, both fear Him Who has the power to destroy both body and soul, and respect Him for Who He is.
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,974
113
PRO. 6:16.
These six things does The LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him:
17.
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18.
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19.
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.

ROMANS 9:13.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
38,013
13,631
113
Two different interlinears said "all will draw to myself."
yes, and "from the earth"

it has to be determined,
does "
from the earth" go with "lifted up"
or does "
from the earth" go with "all will draw"

i.e. is this "
lifted up from the earth"
or is this "
from all the earth will draw"
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
38,013
13,631
113
There is definite tension between some Scriptures, yet finding the path through to reconcile them is not impossible.
yes :)

and He is The Way, and that is The Truth


it is up to us to respond, which He makes possible without forcing us. We love because He first loved us, knowing Him how could any refuse?
you know, i think that might be a contradiction :)

i tell my beloved, it is impossible that i not love her -- that even if i were to try to put her away from me, i could not; i am compelled by something greater than me to love her. how could i refuse her?

if that makes sense.
 
Nov 16, 2019
3,441
860
113
Faith is the instrument.. ...Jesus is the object of faith and HE keeps us....
No argument from me about this.
As I've said, faith is only a conduit through which we access the ongoing ministry of Christ that keeps us justified:

"25 whence also he (Jesus) is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God — ever living to make intercession for them." - Hebrews 7:25

"33Who shall lay a charge against the choice ones of God? God [is] He that is declaring righteous, 34who [is] he that is condemning? Christ [is] He that died, yea, rather also, was raised up; who is also on the right hand of God — who also doth intercede for us." - Romans 8:33-34


Your justification is complete, yet as we see above, it is in a continual state of being secured for you by Jesus' ongoing intercessory ministry in heaven. Your continuing faith in Christ is how you access that ongoing ministry of intercession. If you stop believing, you no longer have access to Christ's ministry in heaven keeping you to the very end.
 
Nov 16, 2019
3,441
860
113
I don’t understand what you say here..how can we go our own way and not believe in him...
I know it's hard to believe, but people really do back to unbelief, choosing to not trust and rely on Christ for justification anymore.
I know somebody who got saved, received a dramatic gift of the Spirit, yet years later, by their own admission, fell away into unbelief. And as far as I know they are still there today.

.I still had my faith as he resides in my spirit....
When I went my own way...I could feel a void...the reason I felt that way was because I was walking by myself,trying to do everything myself.....
When the Lord Woo/ drew me back to him 5 months ago.....I came alive in my spirit.....God came alive in me...because I am back on track with him......
As long as you still have faith in God's forgiveness and do not renounce your trust in him he'll be faithful even when you're not. Only going back to willful unbelief will release God from his obligation to guard and protect and keep the person who has believed.
 
May 22, 2020
403
127
43
I believe in election, too.
It's a legitimate Biblical truth.
I just don't agree with Calvin's understanding of it.
You define many theological words differently than it commonly understand. It makes it difficult to understand you.
 
Jun 5, 2020
941
169
43
well if your version says "everyone who chooses to believe in Him" i wouldn't necessarily tear it out but i would try to find a more accurate Bible.

try reading John 3:3-8
see if you can find your sovereign human autonomy in there.
or verses 12-13, did Jesus mention anything to Nicodemus about choosing?


i think you've been taught to pretend there is a word in this chapter which simply isn't there.
human free choice is implicit in verse 19, if you really want to find what your own personal will does in this chapter.


this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light
there you go. that's what people do when they have a choice. they choose darkness and reject light.
salvation is the overriding of our will by God's own will. no one is good but God alone - no one is worthy but The Lamb to open the scroll.
My Bible says what most if not all versions say in John 3:16. The same with John 3:3-8. I have no idea what your point is, other than your Bible is confusing you.

If what you say about choosing darkness was true there would be no Christians. If you love darkness instead of light that's your problem not mine. Some of us walk in the light by choice because He is in the light, .
 
Jun 5, 2020
941
169
43
PRO. 6:16.
These six things does The LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him:
17.
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18.
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19.
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.

ROMANS 9:13.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
What are all those numbers?

Taking a few lines out of context and including the verse numbers (that aren't part of the Bible text) is laziness. Also, what does one verse from Romans have to do with anything?
 
May 19, 2020
3,050
1,275
113
I didn’t even know I was in sin/ darkness.......until I became born again....I inherited my sin from Adam and Eve......I was blinded spiritually......then the Lord shone his light into my dark,soul....

And my spirit came alive...
 
E

EleventhHour

Guest
No argument from me about this.
As I've said, faith is only a conduit through which we access the ongoing ministry of Christ that keeps us justified:

"25 whence also he (Jesus) is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God — ever living to make intercession for them." - Hebrews 7:25

"33Who shall lay a charge against the choice ones of God? God [is] He that is declaring righteous, 34who [is] he that is condemning? Christ [is] He that died, yea, rather also, was raised up; who is also on the right hand of God — who also doth intercede for us." - Romans 8:33-34

Your justification is complete, yet as we see above, it is in a continual state of being secured for you by Jesus' ongoing intercessory ministry in heaven. Your continuing faith in Christ is how you access that ongoing ministry of intercession. If you stop believing, you no longer have access to Christ's ministry in heaven keeping you to the very end.

Your continuing faith in Christ is how you access that ongoing ministry of intercession.
You are adding this into scripture.

If the Judge declares me INNOCENT of all charges because another has paid my debt and I trust in/have faith in this payment on my behalf it does not require my ongoing belief for it to be accessed and continue to be in place.

It is done, paid.

Not good how you add self-effort to the Gospel.