Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps this is why Jesus taught that both he and the truth would set men free? Unregenerate sinners need to be set free from all which enslaves them -- the world, the flesh (sin nature) and the devil. One free FROM all these, then man is free TO make right(eous) choices.
Understanding God’s election
- Thread starter dougcho
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Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps this is why Jesus taught that both he and the truth would set men free? Unregenerate sinners need to be set free from all which enslaves them -- the world, the flesh (sin nature) and the devil. One free FROM all these, then man is free TO make right(eous) choices.
So, tell me -- just how does the noun "grace" differ from the adjective "gracious"?
Are you going to say that Jesus' miracle with Lazarus was not an act of Grace? If so, why? And if so, how would you characterize Jesus' act?
When you begin to understand what God's grace is for the believer?
You will then realize that @cv5 is correct.
God sovereignly decreed that I would say that........
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus,
“but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
John 9:1-3
......
Given that premise, then you would have to logically deny (to be consistent with yourself) that the Good Samaritan did not love the helpless crime victim he rescued because the victim never gave him his "free" will permission to rescue him. In fact, come to think of it, the ancient Israelites never gave God permission to rescue them from Pharaoh either. And I don't recall ever reading where Lazarus "freely" gave Jesus his permission to raise him from his tomb. All these DO GOODERS in your world who rescue the weak and helpless must be moral monsters, right!?
Wrong miracle, Bunky.
Nice deflection though. In other words, you can't give me an honest answer to my question. I will have to take that to mean that you believe Jesus' miracle with Lazarus was NOT an act of Grace. Was Jesus' miracle an evil act, since he didn't first solicit helpless Lazarus' free will permission?
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may
rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
OK try to save face, and walk away....Wrong miracle, Bunky.
In other words, you can't give me an honest answer to my question. I will have to take that to mean that you believe Jesus' miracle with Lazarus was NOT an act of Grace. Was Jesus' miracle an evil act, since he didn't first solicit helpless Lazarus' free will permission?
You're the dishonest one here. You can't answer the tough questions. And this demonstrates just how much you and others here are just like the God-hating, self-righteous Pharisees who despised the grace of the Triune God! In your dark, twisted world if God dare rescue helpless people apart from receiving their "free" will permission first, then you blaspheme God (as the Pharisees were also prone to do!) by accusing Him of being a moral monster.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.
No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."
1 Corinthians 15:10
God's grace is God's Spirit's power on loan to the believer, to enable that believer to function as God wants that believer to be.
Without his grace enabling power, because of our flesh, no one could do His will.
Its our desire to do His will (after learning what it is) that opens the door for His power to be given.
But, not given when the desire to do His will is according to our own understanding of what God's will is.
That is why it's essential to find a teacher with spiritual integrity to teach us soundly the Word of God.
For God's ways are not our ways, and many assume to know God's way by assuming that God feels just like they do on a matter.
grace and peace .........
Grace is not a power. The holy spirit is God's power. And it's not on loan, it is our eternal possession.
The Spirit's power, as God wills it to be manifested, is God supplying us for a WORK God wants to be done.
Read it AGAIN!
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.
No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."
1 Corinthians 15:10
Do you comprehend what Paul was telling us?
Instead of playing this little game of yours where you assiduously avoid being pinned down and redirect with questions, why don't you spell it out, like teachers do
When the Word plainly states something. And, you still need it explained?
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.
No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me."
1 Corinthians 15:10
All you can do now is to obfuscate....