The Kerygma - God's Requirement for Salvation
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The stewards and the master are obvious in the parable of the talents, imo, so that no one can say "I wasn't given any faith." But it occurred to me that, in the parable of the prodigal son, the fatted calf is conspicuously missing in its explanation. The Father kills the fatted calf, but the brother has no appetite to partake in the celebration because thinking that it is only meant for his brother...
in parallel/context with Romans 11?
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The "truth", Christ, was revealed to the elect - those chosen by God for salvation - even during the OT timeframe, and that was/is the ONLY way that anyone can know it- ever - it is by God's revelation alone, not by man's. For those who believe in Christ as Savior, they happily rest in His perfectly completed work knowing there is nothing else to be, nor that should be, added to it, to be made deserving of it. In fact, any attempt to do so is to say that He is not the Savior, otherwise, why else would someone believe they need to add anything besides that which He has already provided - both can't be true at the same time - He is either the Savior and saves fully, or He doesn't fully save and thereby isn't the Savior.
Hello Ouch, if that's true, why don't we know about Him until someone tells us about Him/why does He call us to be His witnesses (Isaiah 43:10; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-14, 17)
I don't know whether that's true or not (that the Lord Jesus talks to "all" of us, that is .. if "all" includes unbelievers) since there would be little point in Him doing so .. e.g. 1 Corinthians 2:14. However, "all" of us are given an inner voice (of sorts), a basic knowledge & understanding of right and wrong, good and evil (what the Apostle Paul refers to as the "law written on our hearts" by God from birth .. see Romans 2:12-16, particularly v14-15).
I'm not sure how that would be possible since we know that, even today, there are many who die without ever knowing Him or in some cases without even hearing His Name, much less the Gospel, especially in the far reaches of the Third World.
Many around the world still have little to no access to the Internet and/or to the devices that are required to use it. Hopefully that will continue to change however, because the number of the unreached people groups on the planet, and the number of individuals who make them up, is certainly a staggering number (2 billion+ individuals worldwide).
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy (David)
p.s. - reaching the remaining unreached people/people groups in the world is going to apparently be done (in large part anyway) via the Internet going forward, as a number of our larger missions organizations are working together now to that end.
I don't know whether that's true or not (that the Lord Jesus talks to "all" of us, that is .. if "all" includes unbelievers) since there would be little point in Him doing so .. e.g. 1 Corinthians 2:14. However, "all" of us are given an inner voice (of sorts), a basic knowledge & understanding of right and wrong, good and evil (what the Apostle Paul refers to as the "law written on our hearts" by God from birth .. see Romans 2:12-16, particularly v14-15).
I'm not sure how that would be possible since we know that, even today, there are many who die without ever knowing Him or in some cases without even hearing His Name, much less the Gospel, especially in the far reaches of the Third World.
Many around the world still have little to no access to the Internet and/or to the devices that are required to use it. Hopefully that will continue to change however, because the number of the unreached people groups on the planet, and the number of individuals who make them up, is certainly a staggering number (2 billion+ individuals worldwide).
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy (David)
p.s. - reaching the remaining unreached people/people groups in the world is going to apparently be done (in large part anyway) via the Internet going forward, as a number of our larger missions organizations are working together now to that end.
Born of water in John 3..
Nicodemus is talking about the amniotic fluid of the womb.. water of the womb. Eg.. Can a man be born a second time into his mother's womb?
So Jesus doesn't say..this is not the water of birth I'm talking about.. but says to be born of water and of the Spirit.
He didn't contradict Nicodemus but added being born of the Spirit.
So John 3 isn't about water baptism.
Or the other way to look at John 3 is that it's the figurative washing of the Holy Spirit at salvation. Water representing the washing of the Word ..not water baptism.
Then Acts 2:38-39 must harmonize with other scripture. So the book of John barely mentions water baptism..neither does Romans 10.. neither does Ephesians 2.
So then the passage itself is about being baptised 'because of already having' remission of sins.
'For' the remission of sins..is like being given a pill 'for' and illness.
The illness is already there.
Salvation is already given.
Water baptism is the right response to having salvation..but not the means to get salvation.
The other way to look at it..is since baptism signifies a life long commitment to Jesus.. showing Jesus's life death and resurrection....
Is that it is 'for the remission of sin'.
Not salvation itself.. but representative of it.
Nicodemus is talking about the amniotic fluid of the womb.. water of the womb. Eg.. Can a man be born a second time into his mother's womb?
So Jesus doesn't say..this is not the water of birth I'm talking about.. but says to be born of water and of the Spirit.
He didn't contradict Nicodemus but added being born of the Spirit.
So John 3 isn't about water baptism.
Or the other way to look at John 3 is that it's the figurative washing of the Holy Spirit at salvation. Water representing the washing of the Word ..not water baptism.
Then Acts 2:38-39 must harmonize with other scripture. So the book of John barely mentions water baptism..neither does Romans 10.. neither does Ephesians 2.
So then the passage itself is about being baptised 'because of already having' remission of sins.
'For' the remission of sins..is like being given a pill 'for' and illness.
The illness is already there.
Salvation is already given.
Water baptism is the right response to having salvation..but not the means to get salvation.
The other way to look at it..is since baptism signifies a life long commitment to Jesus.. showing Jesus's life death and resurrection....
Is that it is 'for the remission of sin'.
Not salvation itself.. but representative of it.
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1. God chooses to elect all who cooperate with His will as revealed, which may be via creation (RM 1:20), conscience (RM 2:9-16),
the OT/Law (Col. 2:17, Heb. 10:1) and the NT (the NT).
2. Only the NT revealed Christ rather fully (Heb. 10:1, Eph. 3:2-6)
3. Yes, we who have the benefit of the NT revelation are happy in that knowledge,
and those who reject the NT Gospel will be judged most severely/more severely than those who were not so blessed.
4. Yes, God's revelation is now complete and nothing new should be added to it.
the OT/Law (Col. 2:17, Heb. 10:1) and the NT (the NT).
2. Only the NT revealed Christ rather fully (Heb. 10:1, Eph. 3:2-6)
3. Yes, we who have the benefit of the NT revelation are happy in that knowledge,
and those who reject the NT Gospel will be judged most severely/more severely than those who were not so blessed.
4. Yes, God's revelation is now complete and nothing new should be added to it.
Hello Ouch, if that's true, why don't we know about Him until someone tells us about Him/why does He call us to be His witnesses (Isaiah 43:10; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-14, 17)
I don't know whether that's true or not (that the Lord Jesus talks to "all" of us, that is .. if "all" includes unbelievers) since there would be little point in Him doing so .. e.g. 1 Corinthians 2:14. However, "all" of us are given an inner voice (of sorts), a basic knowledge & understanding of right and wrong, good and evil (what the Apostle Paul refers to as the "law written on our hearts" by God from birth .. see Romans 2:12-16, particularly v14-15).
I'm not sure how that would be possible since we know that, even today, there are many who die without ever knowing Him or in some cases without even hearing His Name, much less the Gospel, especially in the far reaches of the Third World.
Many around the world still have little to no access to the Internet and/or to the devices that are required to use it. Hopefully that will continue to change however, because the number of the unreached people groups on the planet, and the number of individuals who make them up, is certainly a staggering number (2 billion+ individuals worldwide).
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy (David)
p.s. - reaching the remaining unreached people/people groups in the world is going to apparently be done (in large part anyway) via the Internet going forward, as a number of our larger missions organizations are working together now to that end.
I don't know whether that's true or not (that the Lord Jesus talks to "all" of us, that is .. if "all" includes unbelievers) since there would be little point in Him doing so .. e.g. 1 Corinthians 2:14. However, "all" of us are given an inner voice (of sorts), a basic knowledge & understanding of right and wrong, good and evil (what the Apostle Paul refers to as the "law written on our hearts" by God from birth .. see Romans 2:12-16, particularly v14-15).
I'm not sure how that would be possible since we know that, even today, there are many who die without ever knowing Him or in some cases without even hearing His Name, much less the Gospel, especially in the far reaches of the Third World.
Many around the world still have little to no access to the Internet and/or to the devices that are required to use it. Hopefully that will continue to change however, because the number of the unreached people groups on the planet, and the number of individuals who make them up, is certainly a staggering number (2 billion+ individuals worldwide).
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy (David)
p.s. - reaching the remaining unreached people/people groups in the world is going to apparently be done (in large part anyway) via the Internet going forward, as a number of our larger missions organizations are working together now to that end.
but via creation, conscience and right reasoning they could know they need to seek salvation and find God per Heb. 11:6.
Hello GWH, to say that it is quite a leap to get from 1. the Cosmos' general revelation about the existence of an unknown Creator/God to 2. the saving knowledge and understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel, would be a massive understatement (as I'm sure you'd agree). Do you know (or have you ever heard of) someone who has come to saving faith on the basis of the general revelation alone? I don't (nor do I think that it's possible for someone to do so .. e.g. John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:10-12; 1 Corinthians 2:14).
Also, while our conscience clues us in to the type of person that we really are (a sinner), the guilt that we feel over the sins that we commit lasts only as long as it takes us to find a reasonable way to justify ourselves about them in our own eyes (so it seems to me that neither conscience nor reasoning do us much good either, rather, special revelation is always needed for us to know Him, as well to know that we need Him to save us, of course).
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy
Also, while our conscience clues us in to the type of person that we really are (a sinner), the guilt that we feel over the sins that we commit lasts only as long as it takes us to find a reasonable way to justify ourselves about them in our own eyes (so it seems to me that neither conscience nor reasoning do us much good either, rather, special revelation is always needed for us to know Him, as well to know that we need Him to save us, of course).
God bless you!!
~Deuteronomy
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Well, it took a long time to get from Adam to us, but it is a small step for humankind
to believe that God has loved everyone in between. That is how great God is!
I have not known anyone saved via creation, nor have I known anyone condemned via creation,
but Romans 1:20 indicates that both are possible.
A lot of good guilt would do if it could not motivate seeking God's forgiveness!
to believe that God has loved everyone in between. That is how great God is!
I have not known anyone saved via creation, nor have I known anyone condemned via creation,
but Romans 1:20 indicates that both are possible.
A lot of good guilt would do if it could not motivate seeking God's forgiveness!
Cooperation is not election - cooperation is cause and effect.
Rom 1:20 is about man's intellectual knowledge of his external environment. However, it is only by spiritual discernment through the Holy Spirit, and not by man's knowledge, that one can truly, in his heart, know things spiritual. Natural man, of himself, is incapable of doing so. He will be found guilty because he trusts solely in his own intellect for spiritual understanding/wisdom, which inevitably,
cannot lead him to truth.
Re Rm 2:9 -16. It is only by God that those who are saved are moved to do that which is pleasing in His eyes.
[Rom 2:4 KJV] 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
[Phl 2:13 KJV] 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
Col 2:17 is speaking about the OT law as a shadow of Christ.
Similarly, with Heb 10:1 - it is saying OT law is a shadow of Christ.
It is the opposite of what you imply - that to truly understand OT law, we first must know Christ, it is not the reverse.
In both cases, only by the Holy Spirit, is Christ truly made known within the heart.
Rom 1:20 is about man's intellectual knowledge of his external environment. However, it is only by spiritual discernment through the Holy Spirit, and not by man's knowledge, that one can truly, in his heart, know things spiritual. Natural man, of himself, is incapable of doing so. He will be found guilty because he trusts solely in his own intellect for spiritual understanding/wisdom, which inevitably,
cannot lead him to truth.
Re Rm 2:9 -16. It is only by God that those who are saved are moved to do that which is pleasing in His eyes.
[Rom 2:4 KJV] 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
[Phl 2:13 KJV] 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
Col 2:17 is speaking about the OT law as a shadow of Christ.
Similarly, with Heb 10:1 - it is saying OT law is a shadow of Christ.
It is the opposite of what you imply - that to truly understand OT law, we first must know Christ, it is not the reverse.
In both cases, only by the Holy Spirit, is Christ truly made known within the heart.
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Sadly, it seems an impossibly large step for most of us to love Him back, however (which just goes to show how bad we really are )! In fact, had He not stepped in to stop it/stop us (by saving a remnant from among those walking on the road to perdition) ALL would have been lost/NONE would have been saved, whether they be Jew or Greek .. e.g. Romans 3:9-12.
Romans 1
20 Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
While we are without excuse for not believing that God exists, the 'condemnation' of those who remain outside of Christ is still based on three other things, 1. their knowledge and 2. their understanding of the Law (even if the only "law" that they know and understand is the basic one that is written on their hearts from birth .. e.g. Romans 2:12-16), as well then 3. what they choose to do in this life with the knowledge and understanding that they possess.
Did you mean to say, "a lot of good guilt would do if it COULD motivate seeking God's forgiveness"?
You know, that's what the Law actually does for us, yes? It motivates us (like a harsh schoolmaster .. Galatians 3:24) by telling us 1. what God wants and expects from us, and then by 2. showing us how badly we've missed the mark that He's set for us
~Deuteronomy
)! In fact, had He not stepped in to stop it/stop us (by saving a remnant from among those walking on the road to perdition) ALL would have been lost/NONE would have been saved, whether they be Jew or Greek .. e.g. Romans 3:9-12.Romans 1
20 Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
While we are without excuse for not believing that God exists, the 'condemnation' of those who remain outside of Christ is still based on three other things, 1. their knowledge and 2. their understanding of the Law (even if the only "law" that they know and understand is the basic one that is written on their hearts from birth .. e.g. Romans 2:12-16), as well then 3. what they choose to do in this life with the knowledge and understanding that they possess.
Did you mean to say, "a lot of good guilt would do if it COULD motivate seeking God's forgiveness"?
You know, that's what the Law actually does for us, yes? It motivates us (like a harsh schoolmaster .. Galatians 3:24) by telling us 1. what God wants and expects from us, and then by 2. showing us how badly we've missed the mark that He's set for us
~Deuteronomy
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