The Kerygma - God's Requirement for Salvation

The inescapable final conclusion that keeps rearing it's head.

But you see all deserve hell, we should be thankful at the very least God decided to save some.

The New Testament is full of God’s imploring of people to “repent”, starting with John at the river, but quickly extending to Jesus and His ministry (Mat 4:17, Mark 1:15). But those who follow a "total inability" approach say the people who heard this command of Jesus had no ability to follow it. So was Jesus disingenuous? They never address this.

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
1 John 3:23

Scriptures that seem to imply, when taken out of context or read with a 21st century mindset, that God grants/bequeaths belief or a change of mind, are then in contradiction.
Scripture is not contradictory.

God bless and enjoy your workday sister I miss work so much

…Right they have to choose between good and evil since Adam and Eve sis

We cant serve both Adam couldn’t obey gods commandment about the fruit and also follow the serpents ideer about it. It forces a choice when he saw both before him. Can’t serve both gotta take man’s rightful step of faith and choose who we’re gonna serve

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;

whether of sin unto death,

or of obedience unto righteousness?
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:16KJV‬‬
Can’t follow the flesh and also spirit

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:

but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It seems like he’s telling them before “ what I’m speaking and saying is not hidden from you so that you can’t hear it and obey it , it’s life or death for you so choose life “

For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

( them not hearing or grasping or having no choice isnt the problem he’s giving them a choice to both extremes )

See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,( it’s important when God calls two witnesses to establish something he said ) that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30:11-12, 15, 19‬ ‭

they can hear him but they choose not to

he’s been pleading with mankind a long time he isn’t the one causing thier faults and sin and everything he’s calling to them to repent. Like he did with isreal so long

“Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. ( a lot of people aren’t willing to give Jesus tbier ear . that’s what we need to do as lost sinners in order to be saved , we need to hear Jesus and his apostles speak about our salvation , that’s how we can believe )

Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; ( yet God is not allowing them to hear and understand it ?) and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is carried away captive.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭13:15-17‬ ‭K

There’s always two options because mankind has a Will and a need to choose since good and evil became our condition . If God causes only some to be able to be saved and others he causes to be wicked and reject the gospel he’s been speaking nonsense because the Bible nt and old repetitively is

God telling mankind the important truths and having men who believed preach it. To the people so they could hear it

And we live in a world where good and evil is always present and possible for us to engage in and engage with it but we’re supposed to choose the good and shun the evil he’s told men this always

God has been telling us the truth from the start , then the world has a lie about what he said that comes after it . We have to have faith and not let the lie pull us away from Gods word. But it doesn’t just happen . Gotta hold on to Jesus and the gospel for dear life really sometimes on the journey

My Position sis is the gospel is already able to save any sinner who hears it and believes . God made it possible to hear the gospel when he sent it forth to be preached to everyone and gave his spirit to believers.

“Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, ( this is what the gospel is )

according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: ( this is what the gospel does )

whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. ( Jesus makes wonderful promises to believers in the gospel promises of freedom and truth )

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:1-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

we still have to do our part his parts been done and is done for all who believe and even those who refuse to believe

as we hear the doctrine , what’s actually being said it’s offering us a choice sis hearing and then some will accept it , some will not accept it they’ll reject it. By thier will not gods will because they choose sin over righteousness and desire it more than God

You said that Metanoia is not a biblical word, so I asked what WAS the biblical word. Was it paenitentia?

Sorry, how I meant that it is not just a biblical concept, the word is used in other literature of the time period.

“But you see all deserve hell, we should be thankful at the very least God decided to save some.”

Yes I’m very thankful for the gospel that can save anyone who acknolwedges it’s true and repents believing which is Gods Will and we all should be thankful I agree.

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:3-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭

“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men,

specially of those that believe.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭

He’s the peoples savior who reject him also this sealing thier fate by thier own corrupt will once you reject the savior there’s nothing left

““And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”
1 John 3:23”

amen

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:2-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Amen! In contrast with those who do not hear because they are not His sheep. (John 10:26)

Music to my ears.

“That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:10

It is those "who believe' NOT those who were given belief.

“I've been back to work now for just over two years and it took about a year before I was thinking to myself gosh whose idea was this anyway LOL “

im actually laughing about this lol so funny.

“actually it's great, it keeps me active, I'm doing what I love, I've been doing it for almost 50 years now and the extra money sure helps in this financial environment.”

yes im so incredibly bored since I retired and feel it would be fulfilling to be working .

My hands won’t allow it anymore but after you do something even if you work dofferent jobs , just having that schedule and that obligation every day for fifty years the routine part of it and of course the extra money can be helpful and needed and a blessing but just , it’s terribly hard to go from one life and schedule and routine to another . For me it has been anyways

I suppose a big part of my identity was working every week day and a lot of saturdays for so long, now I feel like i lost my uselfulnesw or purpose regarding this world or my way or whatever I mean specifically pertaining to work and daily activity not my way with God or anything

i do have to say it’s tremendously hard for me over the past couple years not having that life long commitment and schedule . But I suppose it’s a ditch we all have to cross at some point when our bodies fail us

i feel as if everyone has been given the ability by God to believe but it’s a choice we have to make for ourselves freely when we hear the truth.



and so our role seems to be

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:21-22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

as we listen to Jesus we learn things that begin to challenge us in our beliefs

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.


But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:46-49‬ ‭KJV‬‬

relfecting on things like this bear a strong spiritual message that causes us to grow up in Christ and build on his sire foundation but we have to persevere in jeering and following and growing and trusting every day we choose the lord every time we face a temptation we can choose the lord

sometimes we fail all of us but there’s also forgivness through repentance and faith


Good stuff brother

I sympathize as a fellow retiree. I can see how a person could become bored. Fortunately, I enjoy yard work and the company of my best friend of 50+ years (my wife :^)

indeed im glad to hear that you have a companion in retirement brither that’s wonderful and a design of the good lord for mankind’s enjoyment and fulfillment !
God bless both of you and keep you always in his grace and peace !!

Yes, my main concern is that our grown son and daughter have not found their soul mates as they enter the midlife years, but we realize it is a common situation, especially due to divorce.

Yes unfortunately mankind has made a mockery of the marriage oath created by the lord . But we’ve sort of done that with all of his ways to be honest. Divorce is a tough one especially for families when kids are involved but it does happen .

i remember how Jesus dealt with a divorced woman who had been with several husbands and was with one currently not her husband . I think it really shows Gods love and desire to save sinners some parts of the encounter

“Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

….. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.


The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

….The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?( a formerly five times married Samaritan woman spreading the news of the lord to men)

Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified,He told me all that ever I did.

So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.”
‭‭John‬ ‭4:13-19, 23-26, 28-30, 39-43‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God is really good towards us even when we’ve made a lot of mistakes even like a divorce or some other sin which is the same . I really believe the gospel shows us the true nature of God and his Will for us and maybe most clearly his love and compassion and desire to save us from sin and death

It’s wonderful how he can take an ugly situation for one based on tbier own mistakes and sin and yet turn it for thier salvstion and his glory to many leading them to thier salvation .

Really show his Will is to remit our sins and for us to leave them all behind and walk with him on towards home

Yes, sin is a problem, but the problem for our kids is that they inherited both my and my wife's shyness/introversion, so they accidentally are following Paul's recommendation of remaining single.

yeah it was Jesus answer to a question in the gospel as Paul knew and taught . But Jesus basically says it isnt for everyone o my some are going to be able to live and be happy and fulfilled this way but some such as Paul evidently
Seemed as one who had accepted and embraced it himself .

probably given his calling and the depth of his dedication to God . Think of all his travels and trials and e Rey thing he did and suffered . A man like him it’s better if he was t married and having children depending upon him because that’s also a man’s god given responsability to care for provide for and live well his wife and children.

Because paul was single and was still content he was able to be used by God to help to establish the New Testament of the Bible which if you think of it is much more important than even having a family of his own . Paul helped create a spiritual family for God

We shouldn’t depend on a mate bit it sure is beautiful when two people find each other and it’s blessed by God and they really hang on something a person sure should at least think about experiencing .

Definately Gods design for man and when you see a child’s face you see such a real purpose of life and love and really I feel like , Gods own desire for himself to have a loving family to spend eternity with , like we sometimes feel in a small way here wanting to spend forever with our family .

The sad thing of remaining single is there’s never a little one of you to bring joy when your going away