Did Jesus Die on The Cross for The Just/Elect/Saved Whose Names Are Written in The Book of Life OR

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Rufus

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Feb 17, 2024
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Rufus, how did come to the Lord?
Kickin' and screamin', sister! I have often said that I have come by the Doctrines of Grace honestly -- from scripture and my own personal salvation experience. I had my own version of Paul's Road-to-Damascus experience. You really want to hear?
 

selahsays

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May 31, 2023
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Kickin' and screamin', sister! I have often said that I have come by the Doctrines of Grace honestly -- from scripture and my own personal salvation experience. I had my own version of Paul's Road-to-Damascus experience. You really want to hear?
Sure, if you’d like to share.
 
Jul 1, 2024
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Why do you think Paul's audience was just diaspora Israel?



Interesting catch. I see only a few translations translate like this, but a quick search shows it's only used here and in Jeremiah 3.

I'm not sure I understand the overall implications of your last sentence, especially coupled with you stated audience.. Will you elaborate?
no problem 👍🏻 In many of Pauls epistles he is giving his audience a history lesson, a more obvious example is in 1 Corinthians where Paul says:

1Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”
1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Paul reveals to is us, reading 2000 years later, that the Corinthians, being Dorians Greeks, were descended from the ancient Israelites, although at that time, it was common knowledge that the Greeks were the Israelite dispersion, explained just by Jewish historian Josephus, but the Pharisees reveal this in thrir concern of Jesus going to the uncircumcised Greeks in John 7:35:

“The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?”
 
Jul 1, 2024
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no problem 👍🏻 In many of Pauls epistles he is giving his audience a history lesson, a more obvious example is in 1 Corinthians where Paul says:

1Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”
1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Paul reveals to is us, reading 2000 years later, that the Corinthians, being Dorians Greeks, were descended from the ancient Israelites, although at that time, it was common knowledge that the Greeks were the Israelite dispersion, explained just by Jewish historian Josephus, but the Pharisees reveal this in thrir concern of Jesus going to the uncircumcised Greeks in John 7:35:

“The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?”

Among the Roman citizens were Isrselites of the dispersion which to them, the gospel made sense, them being the “other flock” Jesus spoke about, “sheep who hear his voice” and Paul being the minister unto the nations, who no doubt was using the OT prophets as a witness to the ministry of Jesus and the foretold “good news” that God was calling back his “divorced bride” I tend to believe that this ministering called out to “sheep” whereas to them that were perishing it was non sense.

There is also historical evidence that points to the Roman origin through the line of Zerah, i will post those sources in another post. In the epistles of Paul, as i used 1 Corinthians 10 as an example, he frequently links his readers back to ancient Israelites but something to consider is his use of the word “brethren” which in our time is a common word of salutation which usually does not confirm a familial connection but in Pauls time this was not a term used loosely.

Brethren / the greek Adelphos
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 80: ἀδελφός

ἀδελφός, (οῦ, ὁ (from ἆ copulative and δελφύς, from the same womb; cf. ἀγάστωρ) (from Homer down);

but more importantly, as used by a Hebrew

2. according to a Hebrew use of אָח (Exodus 2:11; Exodus 4:18, etc.), hardly to be met with in secular authors, having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, countryman

When reading Paul,in context, i believe that his usage of words are very intentional, for instance if he chooses the word “brethren - adelphos” as a Hebrew, his audience have a common father, a national kinship and even though he makes more direct connections of kinship, such as 1 Corinthians 10, i interpret his use of the word “brethren - adelphos” to describe fellow Israelites and of the “nations” the dispersion of many that God promised Abraham
 

Rufus

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Feb 17, 2024
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Mr. Thompson, sir, did you get a chance to read and digest my 8850 which I beamed up to you early this morning? In Pink's argument he cited Prov 16:9 to support his claims. This passage reads:

Prov 16:9
9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines [or directs] his steps.

NIV

But there are several other similar passages that teach this truth, and this is what I want to share now to add more support to Pink's premise.

Prov 16:1
1 To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
NIV


Prov 19:21
21 Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

NIV

Prov 21:1
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
NIV


Prov 21:30
30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the LORD.
NIV

Jer 10:23
23 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own;

it is not for man to direct his steps.
NIV

Isa 46:10
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.

NIV

And then this final one that ends with an important rhetorical question and is a kissing cousin text for Jer 10:23:

Prov 20:24
24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD.
How then can anyone understand his own way?
NIV

You might recall that I have on several occasions quoted a very well known Shakespeare passage that I wholeheartedly agree with because it accords beautifully with these passages I just quoted, especially with Jeremiah and this last one!

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,


I wonder if the great Bard, who wasn't particularly religious from what I read about him, knew just how biblical he waxed when he wrote that? After all, if "all the men and women [are] merely players", then who did the Bard believe was running the production? Who was the Direrctor? The playwright? Who was the "man behind the curtain"? Who owned the stage on which we actors play our parts?

The Sovereignty of God as the active King and Ruler of this Universe on the one hand and the Moral Responsibility of Helpless, Powerless, Pathetic enslaved men on the other can never be completely understood. But so what!? I can't understand the Trinity, or the Incarnation, or the Hypostatic Union, or the width, length, breadth or height of God's infinite love toward his people, OR why or how God could ever love a miserable wretch like me -- but that doesn't prevent me from believing in these, and other great incompensible truths, as well. But some of us are so arrogant and proud that we keep inventing clever ways to make the scriptures above disappear from our minds. Most of us prefer to suppress those kinds of passages because they don't fit in with our wordly, carnal presuppositions. They just don't fit in with how we mere mortals reason!

But as for you, Mr. Thomposn, just remember what Pink said in his article and supported with scripture: Judas owned his sin! Judas knew he betrayed innocent blood -- even though God directed his steps to do so! Judas knew his own self-deceived heart well enough to admit to his guilt!

And Pink probes deeper into this mystery in the last queston he tackles if you're up to the challenge. If you are, I'll post it here.
 

Rufus

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Feb 17, 2024
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You simply put forth way too much error to deal with it all. There was another guy I dealt with in a secular forum some years ago and finally summarized his activity as throwing a bunch of ____ against the wall and expecting someone else to clean it up.

I like W. C. Fields' analysis of tactics like yours: 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with _______.'

I think Rom1 is done and your corpse concept can be seen for the error it is. History shows us you'll likely not engage with actual interpretation of Scripture, so all done there.

Re: Faith as a gift, it's an interesting one. Would you like to start with Eph2 and we take one at a time in an orderly fashion? Or would you prefer to continue slinging bizarre analogies and purported "pure exegesis" and dance away from Scripture with made up diversionary, proprietary insights as usual?
There is no error in my Death Analogy. After all, Natrual Man is filled with natural understanding and zero spiritual understanding. And his natural understanding can appropriate fragments of spiritual truth here and there -- but he can't make sense out of it because basically he doesn't want to. The Natural Man's mind is always at enmity with God! And this is logical because the Natrual Man is the Seed of the Serpent.

Talking about which...how are you coming along with the question I asked you in my 8881? Shirley, the post-Fall narrative is not above your pay grade, is it? As Biden has famously said, |"C'mon, man...! :coffee:
 

PaulThomson

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But Studier sir, that is NOT the point to Exodus Story. You read into the narrative what is not there. Stick with the narrative! The whole point to the narrative is that God REDEEMED them from their physical bondage which clearly is meant to signify God's spiritual redemption from man's spiritu
You just earlier dismissed parabolic comparisons between physical things and spiritual thing as foolish, saying we should compare spiritual only with spiritual. But now, when you do it, you are claiming it reveals the depth of your wisdom and insight. You appear to be setting your pants on fire at both ends.
 

PaulThomson

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Let us now consider the extreme case of Judas. We hold that it is clear from Scripture, that God decreed from all eternity that Judas should betray the Lord Jesus. If anyone should challenge this statement we refer him to the prophecy of Zechariah, through whom God declared that His Son should be sold for "thirty pieces of silver" (Zech. 11:12). As we have said in earlier pages, in prophecy God makes known what will be, and in making known what will be, He is but revealing to us what He has ordained shall be. That Judas was the one through whom the prophecy of Zechariah was fulfilled, needs not to be argued.
Pink is wrong about prophecy making known what will be, as if prophecy is a decree of what will inevitably happen regardless of what anyone may do. A quick survey of scripture will uncover mant times where what God prophesied did not occur as predicted or decreed. God qualifies His prophecies with the disclaimer that, if he prophesies evil against some person or nation, and that person or nation changes course away from the behaviour that earned the threatened evil, God will not do the evil he prophesied He would do. Based on this qualification given by God Himself, Judas could have not betrayed Jesus. Had He not betrayed Jesus, God could have easily shepheted the evil wills of others to crucufy Jesus. And God could have fulfilled the thirty pieces of silver prophecy so other way through Judas or some other person.
 

PaulThomson

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Oct 29, 2023
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Pink is wrong about prophecy making known what will be, ....
I accidentally hit the send button before finishing my last post and just missed the 5 min deadline to edit. Here is the corrected reply.

"Pink is wrong about prophecy making known what will be, as if prophecy is a decree of what will inevitably happen regardless of what anyone may do. A quick survey of scripture will uncover many times where what God prophesied did not occur as predicted or decreed. God qualifies His prophecies with the disclaimer that, if he prophesies evil against some person or nation, and that person or nation changes course away from the behaviour that earned the threatened evil, God will not do the evil he prophesied He would do. Based on this qualification given by God Himself, Judas could have not betrayed Jesus. Had He not betrayed Jesus, God could have easily shepherded the evil wills of others to crucify Jesus. And God could have fulfilled the thirty pieces of silver prophecy some other way through Judas or some other person."
 

PaulThomson

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For me the answer is simple and as plain as day: The Truth and the Son (just like God and Moses with he ancient Hebrews in Egypt)
both set their people free FROM bondage so that they and we would be truly free TO worship God in Spirit and in Truth. We shouldn't forget that when the Hebrews were enslaved to Pharaoh for 400+ years they basically became just like the king's own people (seed): pagan idol worshipers.
If they were truly free to worship God in Spirit and truth, in the sense that you have been claiming is truly free, was their worship of the golden calf "worshipping God in Spirit and truth"?
 

PaulThomson

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A child does imitate the motions of the adult, but not the motivations of the adult. There is outward conformity, but not inward conformity. The heart is still wayward. The motivation is self centered, not other centered. If the heart is never dealt with, the best that can be expected is a form of conformity that lacks an inward reality.
When it comes to God, you end up with a mere practice of religious ritual...a form of godliness, but a denying of the power thereof. This is why many can be raised in religious homes who leave religion and God later on. They have not been converted, only take on an exterior shallow religious shell. They never knew God, or were known by Him. Unless God comes personally and directly to an individual and changes their wayward heart, they are none of His.
So, it is possible to imitate Jesus and Paul without them taking over our bodies and behaving like themselves through us. Now, what would be the next question a person trying to imitate Christ outwardly, without Christ within might ask?
And I disagree. Not every act a child does to outwardly imitate his parents must be self-centred. That is an opinion you gravitate to because of your distorted view of anthropology.
 

PaulThomson

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Let it be emphatically said, that God does not produce the sinful dispositions of any of His creatures; though He does restrain and direct them to the accomplishing of His own purposes. Hence He is neither the Author nor the Approver of sin.
So, today you don't believe that God has decreed all things whatsoever comes to pass?
 

PaulThomson

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Thou dost complain too much -- all without warrant. My question is not biblical enough for you? Too simple-minded and systematic for you? How about Eph 2:8-9, that faith is God's gift? And how about the confidence (faith) we have that comes through Christ (2Cor 3:4)? Even God's great and gracious gift of Reconciliation comes through Christ (2Cor 5:18). (Of course, this explains how God reconciled Eve through the promised Seed that would come from her--not Adam!)

Or don't you like the fact that Salvation is a gift that God freely gives to whom he chooses? Is the giver of great gifts duty-bound to give his gifts to everyone in the world? If so, how could he freely give them? Does he not have a right to do with his gifts as he chooses? Is not the Holy Spirit a great and awesome and indescribable gift of God (Act 2:38; 8:20; 11:17, etc.)? |But note carefully to whom the gift of the Spirit is limited in the first passage! The gift is not given to each and every person in the world, is it? Not exactly a universal gift! But it gets even worse for you NR: Act 2:38 also doesn't say that God gives his precious gift of the Holy Spirit to anyone who chooses to call upon his name either, does it!? And this makes sense to me, since who of us called upon the name of the Lord to initiate our physical birth?

Mr. Studier, sir: Truly it is written of people like yourself that "the emperor has no clothes".
My faith in Jesus Christ comes from God giving me a revelation of Jesus Christ that convinced me, by word and experience, that He is worthy of my putting my faith in His Father and Him. This is the faith of Christ: the same faith that Christ had and placed in His Father for the same reason.
 

PaulThomson

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You, the wanna-be great and extraordinary expositor of all scriptur, are ignorant of what happened in the Garden after the Fall? And besides, I didn't ask you in my 8881 to read any of my expository comments. I asked you for your interpretation of the Two Seeds among Three moral entities. Shirley, you can handle this, can't you?
What about the seed of God. Have you forgotten that Luke says Adam was the son of God? There were four seeds among the three mrl entities. God's seed (His word), satan's seed (his words), eve's seed (her ova) and Adam's seed (his sperm).
 

PaulThomson

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Mr. Thompson, sir, did you get a chance to read and digest my 8850 which I beamed up to you early this morning? In Pink's argument he cited Prov 16:9 to support his claims. This passage reads:

Prov 16:9
9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines [or directs] his steps.

NIV

But there are several other similar passages that teach this truth, and this is what I want to share now to add more support to Pink's premise.
I think we agree that Prov. 16:9 is truth; but we obviously disagree on what it means, because I don't see it arguing for meticulous exhaustive divine pre-determination.
 

PaulThomson

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Have you never had your heart and mind stayed upon the Lord? Have you never cast all your cares upon God? And then actually let Him work them all out? Have you never known the intimacy of being bourne along by God moment by moment?
I fear I am describing things you have not experienced, an intimacy and spiritual reality you are unfamiliar with. It's an ongoing presence of God as real as the things you can see and touch.
It's not that I don't understand that you live constantly making decisions about what to do. I lived the majority of my Christian life that way, trying to do my best and trying to figure out what to do as life happens. But I'm suggesting to you that there is more to a relationship with God than what you have experienced. There is a life with God hidden in Christ that is a life in His presence.
Just on the off chance I'm right, ask God to see if it is so for you.
Was that a "No". to my question, asking whether you mean -

No one walking in the Spirit insists on his own preferences, but is subjecting his choices to the choices of the Holy Spirit. Trusting God...walking by faith... is a choice... to lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways to acknowledge Him...to accept the choices of the Holy Spirit as better than your own preferences when those two conflict ?

I am married and that does not mean that I don't keep on making decisions about how to work out my relationship with my wife? Maybe your marriage is different.