Why Do Christians Ignore Most of the Old Testament Rules?

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throughfaith

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That does not say or prove Cornelius was regenerated at that moment. He already believed.
He already believed what? of course many Jews believed in the Father ect . But did he already receive Jesus prior to Acts 2 ? Acts 10 ?
 

Magenta

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So you say Cornelius was already a believer in Jesus but not regenerated until Acts 10 ? Or are you saying that he was already regenerated he just recieves the Holy Spirit again like a top up ? Is Paul in Acts 9 already regenerated ? Already a believer ? before his conversion ?
I have already said we do not know when when Cornelius was regenerated.

Do you know the exact moment you were regenerated?

I have had profound personal experiences with God.

But I do not know at what point I was regenerated.

I remember when I came to believe, though.
 

throughfaith

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I have already said we do not know when when Cornelius was regenerated.

Do you know the exact moment you were regenerated?

I have had profound personal experiences with God.

But I do not know at what point I was regenerated.

I remember when I came to believe, though.
Receiving the Holy spirit is when regeneration occurs.
John 7

37¶In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Notice verse 39 . Well the Holy Spirit is given in Acts 2 . First to Jews only in Acts 2 , and all the way ( 10 years later) up to Cornelius its still Jews only receiving the Holy Spirit . ( regeneration ) As a sign of this the diciples speak in tongues. The first Gentiles, including Cornelius show to the diciples ( jews ) that now God has granted the Gentiles the same Gift of the Holy Spirit ( regeneration) as they recieved in Acts 2 . No one was ever regenerated until Acts 2 . Regeneration occurs when a person receives the Holy Spirit and are baptised into the body of Christ . The circumcision made with out hands , quickened ect . It all happens the moment you believed. Eph 1.13 .
 

Magenta

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He already believed what? of course many Jews believed in the Father ect . But did he already receive Jesus prior to Acts 2 ? Acts 10 ?
It says He worshipped the One True God and received the Holy Spirit after Peter preached to them and they received the message, but does not make any claims as to when he was regenerated. He already believed in and worshiped the One True God. He was not opposed to God, nor was he God's enemy or hostile to God as is the natural man. He was sealed by the Holy Spirit at that moment with Peter as witness to underscore to Peter God's desire for Gentiles to be saved also. Scripture essentially says that. Does that mean his regeneration took place then? You seem to say yes unequivocally. I am saying I don't know when Cornelius was regenerated because he was already not operating as a natural man. We both agree the Holy Spirit works in regenerate and unregenerate alike.
 

throughfaith

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It says He worshipped the One True God and received the Holy Spirit after Peter preached to them and they received the message, but does not make any claims as to when he was regenerated. He already believed in and worshiped the One True God. He was not opposed to God, nor was he God's enemy or hostile to God as is the natural man. He was sealed by the Holy Spirit at that moment with Peter as witness to underscore to Peter God's desire for Gentiles to be saved also. Scripture essentially says that. Does that mean his regeneration took place then? You seem to say yes unequivocally. I am saying I don't know when Cornelius was regenerated because he was already not operating as a natural man. We both agree the Holy Spirit works in regenerate and unregenerate alike.
You can't be regenerated until you recieve the Holy Spirit. So its easy to determine when Cornelius was regenerated .
 

Magenta

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You can't be regenerated until you recieve the Holy Spirit. So its easy to determine when Cornelius was regenerated .
I do understand the point you are trying to make, that being that regeneration takes place when one accepts the gospel, but we are discussing TWO things here, the other being the grace of God. God's grace makes it possible for us to believe, and Jesus says as much, for in believing we are saved. "Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
 

Magenta

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I believe an unregenerated man ( which regeneration was only available/ possible after Acts 2 ) Can realise his lost ness prior to believing.
Agreed: realizing one is lost does not equate to believing in God or accepting the gospel.

One can recognize one is lost and and a terrible sinner and still not believe in God.
 

throughfaith

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I do understand the point you are trying to make, that being that regeneration takes place when one accepts the gospel, but we are discussing TWO things here, the other being the grace of God. God's grace makes it possible for us to believe, and Jesus says as much, for in believing we are saved. "Indeed, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Wasn't that before the cross? before the giving of the Holy spirit ?
 

Magenta

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Wasn't that before the cross? before the giving of the Holy spirit ?
People had the Holy Spirit at work in them prior to the cross. I know you know this. Thank you for helping me put a finer point on the process: regeneration happens when one accepts the gospel message. Regeneration is when we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and born again, translated from a natural man to a spiritual man. Regeneration encompasses being sealed by the Holy Spirit, being reconciled to God, and adopted as God's children. God's grace is at work in us before that, though, for He is drawing us to Him, and reveals Himself to those who seek. A conundrum is present due to the fact that God knows the unregenerate do not seek Him, yet people do seek truth, and Truth is embodied in the Person (and work = what He did for us) of Jesus Christ.
 

Magenta

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@throughfaith ~ What then do you do with a Scripture already mentioned? Ephesians 2:5a ~

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses.

We were made alive while yet dead.

How do you understand that... how do you fit that into your theology?

Is that the moment of regeneration? :unsure:

My apologies if you have already answered this...
 

throughfaith

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@throughfaith ~ What then do you do with a Scripture already mentioned? Ephesians 2:5a ~

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses.

We were made alive while yet dead.

How do you understand that... how do you fit that into your theology?

Is that the moment of regeneration? :unsure:

My apologies if you have already answered this...
Our hearts are not ' dead', nor mouth ,nor ears .

8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth , and in thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10For with the heart man BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11For the scripture saith, WHOSOEVER believeth on him shall not be ashamed
 

Magenta

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Our hearts are not ' dead', nor mouth ,nor ears .

8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth , and in thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10For with the heart man BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11For the scripture saith, WHOSOEVER believeth on him shall not be ashamed
Ephesians also says:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the
hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,


Who enlightens us? Certainly not ourselves ;)

Ephesians also says:

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do,
in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from
the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.


Life apart from the life we find in Christ is futile, darkened understanding
and hardened hearts toward God. That is the natural man. Every single one.


In 2 Corinthians we are told:
in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that
they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


From 2 Corinthians 4
our gospel is veiled to those who are perishing.
 

throughfaith

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Ephesians also says:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the
hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,


Who enlightens us? Certainly not ourselves ;)

Ephesians also says:

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do,
in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from
the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.


Life apart from the life we find in Christ is futile, darkened understanding
and hardened hearts toward God. That is the natural man. Every single one.


In 2 Corinthians we are told:
in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that
they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


From 2 Corinthians 4
our gospel is veiled to those who are perishing.
Faith comes by hearing ..The words bring life . It ( The Gospel ) is the power of God unto salvation .
Heb 4.12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
 

throughfaith

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2020
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Ephesians also says:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the
hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,


Who enlightens us? Certainly not ourselves ;)

Ephesians also says:

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do,
in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from
the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.


Life apart from the life we find in Christ is futile, darkened understanding
and hardened hearts toward God. That is the natural man. Every single one.


In 2 Corinthians we are told:
in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that
they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


From 2 Corinthians 4
our gospel is veiled to those who are perishing.
Yes satan is blinding folks. Seems silly to blind eyes that are already born blind if indeed they are born blind ?
 

Magenta

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Jul 3, 2015
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Faith comes by hearing ..The words bring life . It ( The Gospel ) is the power of God unto salvation .
Heb 4.12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
 

Magenta

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Yes satan is blinding folks. Seems silly to blind eyes that are already born blind if indeed they are born blind ?
Much like God (further) hardening the hearts of those whose hearts are already hardened...

So that His grace may abound all the more :D

Not silly. He simply gives them over to a depraved mind.

It is Jesus who gives sight to the blind ;)
 

throughfaith

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Much like God (further) hardening the hearts of those whose hearts are already hardened...

So that His grace may abound all the more :D

Not silly. He simply gives them over to a depraved mind.

It is Jesus who gives sight to the blind ;)
Yes He hardened Pharaoh s already self hardened heart further . ( That was that incident) who else are you referring to ?
And yes he gives people over in a particular sin mentioned in Romans.
No one is born hardened and blind however . Thats Calvinism.
 

Magenta

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Yes He hardened Pharaoh s already self hardened heart further . ( That was that incident) who else are you referring to ?
And yes he gives people over in a particular sin mentioned in Romans.
No one is born hardened and blind however . Thats Calvinism.
We are born a natural man who is hostile to God. That is Scripture :) You (should) know I am not a Calvinist.


1 Corinthians 2:14
 

Magenta

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Yes He hardened Pharaoh s already self hardened heart further . ( That was that incident) who else are you referring to ?
Everyone. The law was brought in so that the trespass might
increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
 

throughfaith

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We are born a natural man who is hostile to God. That is Scripture :) You (should) know I am not a Calvinist.


1 Corinthians 2:14
Compare that verse in other translations 😉 I'd avoid the Niv at all costs .