Jeremiah 31 verse 3 ~ I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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Jeremiah 31 verse 3 ~ I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
Just out of curiosity, where in scripture did you read that believing (or belief) is tested as you said above that it is
Interesting. However this experience of yours is nowhere noted in Scripture. Ever. Anywhere. Period.
And neither is it recorded as being a necessary element for salvation. Ever. Anywhere. Period
I just thought it good that you should know know this.......
2 Corinthians 4 verses 5-7 ~ We do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
Interesting. However this experience of yours is nowhere noted in Scripture. Ever. Anywhere. Period.
And neither is it recorded as being a necessary element for salvation. Ever. Anywhere. Period
I just thought it good that you should know know this.......
Thanks, but not sure what you meant by "necessary element for salvation"? The only necessary element for salvation was God's choice of those He would save from before the foundation of the world. Everything else pertaining to salvation comes/came from that choice through Jesus Christ. We contribute nothing whatsoever for/to it, and speaking personally for myself, I am completely underserving and unworthy of it, probably much, much more than anyone else. When we come a belief in Christ as the Savior - that He alone perfectly accomplished and satisfied in all aspects of salvation, with nothing remaining for us to do - we therefore become willing, even joyful, to have the burden lifted from us so that we can fully rest and trust in His perfectly completed work, not needing nor desiring to add to it - accepting that it has been fulfilled. That is what belief in Christ means and it is God who brings forth that belief within us. The unsaved by nature are unable and unwilling to trust in Christ in that way - they refuse to part with their trust in their works, instead believing that something is required of them to obtain, activate or be worthy of it - but which is actually against the doctrine of grace and the polar opposite of how salvation is obtained.
I disagree with your statement that it is not recorded anywhere. It is recorded in every scripture that declares Christ Savior. By that declaration, everything pertaining to salvation falls into place behind and subject to Him alone - nothing is from us. The critical parts are a belief in Him as Savior and to comprehend what it means that He is - but it is God who will grow that knowledge within His chosen people over time.
I don't read in that verse a test of someone's belief. It speaks of faith, and you separate faith from belief. So how so?
[Heb 11:1 KJV] 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
How, per your post regarding the differences between faith and belief, can you know with "absolute assurance" unless it's tested, and where does scripture state that requirement?
It's in recognising that you don't have absolute assurance about the things you believe that you can draw the distinction between the two. It's all well and good to believe "God cares for me" but at what depth of trauma do you start to tremble and wonder if it is so? That's the point where your belief is tested so it can be transformed into faith and be beyond trembling.
Interesting. However this experience of yours is nowhere noted in Scripture. Ever. Anywhere. Period.
And neither is it recorded as being a necessary element for salvation. Ever. Anywhere. Period
I just thought it good that you should know know this.......
It is Gnosticism, that is why it is not found in scripture, Augustine used to defend against Pelagianism and John Calvin liked it so much he carried it forward.
Far better "translation" in my view: Grace = God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
The bible says "chosen." But as the choosing happened "before the foundation of the world," it was not a result of some people being better than others.
Yeah it's God's gift that enables belief, but it's man's work to believe. You omitted John 6:28 in which the people asked Jesus what are the works of God that they may do them. And he said, you believe
She knows the difference between selected and elected. She purposely writes as she does.
Selection is choosing from amongst a group. Election is choosing a group and then creating them.
And Jesus's answer to them was that there was nothing they could do - that it is only God who can do so - Only God gives belief.
A spiritually dead person, which everyone is before becoming saved, of themselves, cannot believe - first they must be given
spiritual life by God.