The "world" in 1 John 2:2 is limited to those who believe. The world of believers. The natural man cannot believe (discern) anything of a spiritual nature until he has been regenerated and given a new heart. A gift is not free if we have to take an action to receive it, such as accepting it. That is not something that the natural man in 1 Cor 2:14 can do.
Acts 13: 48 does not support Calvinism
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Why are the unbelievers the way they are? Satan has led them by appealing to their flesh and through self-justification made them habitual sinners. We are all evil by nature.
Psalms 14:2, 3 "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
The answer for the Calvinist is that God has chosen His people from the foundation of the world. He then made provision to lead us out from under Satan's oppressive control. That said, we still have a choice in the matter. Predestination is very real but we should not let it define us. We cannot fully comprehend it, so let's just quit thinking about it. God knew we would choose right once enlightened. He also knows if we make bad choices and He will let that happen also.
Psalms 14:2, 3 "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
The answer for the Calvinist is that God has chosen His people from the foundation of the world. He then made provision to lead us out from under Satan's oppressive control. That said, we still have a choice in the matter. Predestination is very real but we should not let it define us. We cannot fully comprehend it, so let's just quit thinking about it. God knew we would choose right once enlightened. He also knows if we make bad choices and He will let that happen also.
Your sentence does not make any sense. A gift is not free if we have to take action to recieve it, such as as accepting it?
Nonsense. Um hello, what world do you live in? Accepting a gift is not PAYING for one it is simply choosing to accepting it, because Jesus paid for it, its free. All we need to do is thank Him. Many people dont realise they can have this gift because they do not ask.
Asking is not paying for a gift. Ask and ye shall receive. GOd doesnt force himself on any of us. He even gave the israelites an option to 'choose whom they will serve'. They didnt have to serve Him. And many did not as we read in the OT. And some chose idolatry and were destroyed. Yet He still gave them the choice to go His way or their own way.
Nonsense. Um hello, what world do you live in? Accepting a gift is not PAYING for one it is simply choosing to accepting it, because Jesus paid for it, its free. All we need to do is thank Him. Many people dont realise they can have this gift because they do not ask.
Asking is not paying for a gift. Ask and ye shall receive. GOd doesnt force himself on any of us. He even gave the israelites an option to 'choose whom they will serve'. They didnt have to serve Him. And many did not as we read in the OT. And some chose idolatry and were destroyed. Yet He still gave them the choice to go His way or their own way.
Thanks for clarifying - it makes much better sense than it did before - not that I agree with all you are saying, but at least I am getting your ideas . . .
We are all natural men, born of Adam. So there is no hope for any of us. But there is!
I offer this from Albert Barnes the commentator: The majority of people I speak to are stubbornly opposed to spiritual matters. I have met it hundreds of times. Speaking for myself I never was opposed to God, but I was not given a new heart, until I repented of my sin as a child and asked Jesus into my heart and life. This is when the miracle took place and I received a new heart. Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to the wind.
I believe the Holy Spirit, like the wind, touches everyone. Some accept the prompting of the Holy Spirit like Samuel as a child, while those who are opposed to the Spirit (the natural man), reject it. However, it still needs those who hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit to accept the call of God and not reject it. And that my friend is where free will comes in and enables us to make our choice for God. Once we do that and accept the promptings of the Holy Spirit we are a child of God.
Remember; Jesus came to draw ALL men unto Him (John 12:32) Being God he could if he wanted force his will onto us, but what He wants is for us to come willingly like a little child. Even natural man was once a little child spiritually speaking, but they, of their own free will hardened their heart.
I offer this from Albert Barnes the commentator: The majority of people I speak to are stubbornly opposed to spiritual matters. I have met it hundreds of times. Speaking for myself I never was opposed to God, but I was not given a new heart, until I repented of my sin as a child and asked Jesus into my heart and life. This is when the miracle took place and I received a new heart. Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to the wind.
I believe the Holy Spirit, like the wind, touches everyone. Some accept the prompting of the Holy Spirit like Samuel as a child, while those who are opposed to the Spirit (the natural man), reject it. However, it still needs those who hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit to accept the call of God and not reject it. And that my friend is where free will comes in and enables us to make our choice for God. Once we do that and accept the promptings of the Holy Spirit we are a child of God.
Remember; Jesus came to draw ALL men unto Him (John 12:32) Being God he could if he wanted force his will onto us, but what He wants is for us to come willingly like a little child. Even natural man was once a little child spiritually speaking, but they, of their own free will hardened their heart.
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I spent two or three years on CARM debating this subject, and I could not believe the hardness of their hearts to the things of God. I came to the conclusion that their stubbornness was because they had the nature of 'natural' man and were eternally lost. I left CARM and because of the stubbornness of those who believe this religion, I shall not be responding to any more posts on the subject. These people are not for changing.
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For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph 2:8 KJV)
Jesus who is the "Way the Truth and the Life" said :-
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20 KJV)
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (Joh 15:4-6 KJV)
The choice is ours.
Jesus who is the "Way the Truth and the Life" said :-
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20 KJV)
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (Joh 15:4-6 KJV)
The choice is ours.
The faith spoken off in Eph 2:8 is not our faith, but the faith of Christ. Christ's faith delivers us eternally Gal 2:16. Our faith in the gospel delivers us as we live here in this world, but it cannot deliver us eternally. After we have been regenerated we abide in Christ, but when we yield ourselves to the pleasures and sins of the world, we loss our fellowship with god, until we repent of the sin that we have committed. we do not lose our eternal salvation. John 15:4-6.
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48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
As many as ordained to eternal life.
Did God ordained people to eternal life on random base?
I do not think so
Like you say about Cornelius, He ordained people to eternal life base on what is in people heart.