Christ died for -everyone-. God wants everyone to be saved. Anyone can choose to believe the gospel.
Who Justifieth the Ungodly
- Thread starter brightfame52
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Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
This did not answer the question.
How does a dead person choose anything? Do they not have to first be quickened BY THE LORD?
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Man, even in his fallen state, knows the difference between good and evil, and can choose to do good. It is good to choose to believe the gospel.
No.
Eph 1:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
God did that when you decided to believe the gospel.
Eph 1:13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Umm.... If we could "choose" to do good pre-conversion, what do we need Jesus for?
I mean there must be a billion verses that say we are NOT good.
So how does a DEAD person, which is exactly what Scripture calls us, choose to believe the Gospel?
Because we have all sinned.
There are only ~31,000 verses in the Bible.
Calvinists overstate the definition of death.
Again:
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Yes we have. NONE have done good.
Hmm... And here I thought there were billions!
Well, I'm not a Calvinist, although I agree with some of their stuff, but I know what dead means.
Unless we're like Westley from the Princess Bride, and are only mostly dead...
Participating on theology websites is an exercise in futility.
Good luck with your almost-Calvinism.
Jesus Christ saved me when I chose to believe the gospel (you too, even though you don't believe it..).
The Calvinist view has God saving some, but leaving others to rot in hell "for His glory." That is not love.
Maybe for a while. I'm a glutton for punishment.
I wanted to. So did you. So can anyone.
So it was just your desire that made you believe?
What about those that believe a different gospel, or a muslim, jew, buddist, hindu, etc... They believe their way is right too?
My desire made me want to learn about God. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Read the Bible. Study. Listen to teachings. A person's faith will grow.
Teach them about Jesus Christ. He is the truth and the light.
What desire? Where did that desire come from?
And most importantly, WHERE did YOUR faith come from?
Pray on that, and let the Spirit give answer.
The desire to know if there was a God, and learn about Him.
From within. It may well have been God working in my life and heart. But He wants everyone to be saved. He does the same thing for anyone.
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Please follow your own advice.
God did not make automatons. We aren't robots. God wants people who want Him, He does not make people want Him. That would be like the guy who thinks his blow-up doll is in love with him.
So you used YOUR mind and strength to muster up the desire.
Yes. Our Faith is ACTIVATED by the hearing of the Word. Here is the Greek word "cometh":
◄ 1537. ek or ex ►
Usage: from out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards.
So the question remains. WHO put that Faith in the interior of our heart and mind?
I'll just tell ya the answer. God did!!! Praise His Holy Name!
Here's Paul telling us just that:
Ephesians 2:8-9
New King James Version
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Not all have that saving Faith. We know this because not all obey the Gospel.
It wasn't YOUR intelligence, or reasoning ability, or morality, or anything else that made you believe. It was the Faith that GOD GIFTED YOU!
Ask yourself WHY you believe. IT ALL CAME FROM GOD.
Salvation by faith is the gift of God, not the faith to believe.
But they could...
Again, the gift is salvation BY faith, not the faith to believe.
What about the poor people whom God did not see fit to give faith? They're chopped liver, I guess? Too bad for them? God didn't love them enough?
I don't buy it.