Predestination is misunderstood...

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Dec 18, 2023
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John Calvin Quotes. "We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown."

That seems to be praying against God's will, if you are an exhaustive divine determinist.

"There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice. It sounds like Jean Calvin believed God's intentions can be thwarted.
It's saying he needs God to establish his will in him if you read it another way. Where as tulip say his will has already been established in you
 
Nov 15, 2023
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"For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world
to be holy and blameless in His presence."


Ephesians 1:4​

It does not say that we were simply chosen by Him.
But, specifically, that we were "chosen in Him."

What does "chosen in Him" mean?

Understanding that phrase is the key to understanding predestination.

grace and peace ..............
I think it means that we were chosen to be in him. "In Christ" is Paul's favorite phrase; it refers to our spiritual union with Jesus like the vine and the branch in John 15.
 

sawdust

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Feb 12, 2024
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How could anyone have seen Him, since He's been in Heaven for the past 2000 years. I'm sure many claim to Astro travel as you're suggesting but they're deluded or drugged up. nobody has seen Christ since He ascended to heaven
Honestly how does your mind drift off into areas that are not even remotely mentioned? When did Christ appear to Paul, before or after the Ascension?

Your argument that Christ has been in heaven since the Ascension as if somehow this limits what He can and cannot do is ridiculous. He is the Lord of the whole universe, if He wants to appear to someone on Earth He is well within His right and ability. Your say so won't stop Him.

Try putting your thinking cap on for a change.
 
Mar 7, 2024
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You don't hear a word I say only what you want to hear. So be it. It is one of the six ways of communication, I get that but that doesn't mean I have to put up with it.

Have a nice day. :)
I hear everything you say, but I don't agree with everything you say as it contradicts what my bible says. I apologize if I have misunderstood or misquoted what you said. This does happen to all of us, we misunderstand others and we are misunderstood by others.

God is our judge, so we will all ultimately have to give an account of our lives to Him.
 
Mar 7, 2024
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You don't respond with faith, you receive faith when you believe.

You simply don't get it.
It comes down to individual preference. you may believe something before you trust it. But I need to be convinced that the thing is trustworthy before i believe in it.

I personally don't have faith in Donald Trump, so I don't believe he would deliver on his promises. The gospel is a command, it's not a universal offer to all. Because the vast majority hate the gospel so it's impossible for them to place heir faith in or believe it. Only the Elect of God believe the gospel
 
Mar 7, 2024
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My advice is to love the life that is in you and everything else will follow 🙂
Pardon me Sir, but which life are you talking about. I hope it's not the one that Christ warned against seeking, when He said "he who seeks his life will lose it"
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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You don't respond with faith, you receive faith when you believe.
Initially, I could not understand why I was believing that I was believing.

I simply found myself believing.....
It was both supernaturally amusing and a bit frightening in a peaceful way.

You just know you know. But, can not figure out why.

That is why we need to get into the Word as to explain what took place..

................
 
Mar 23, 2016
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I got the impression from your comments and others that I place my trust in John Calvin
Well it is interesting to me that when John Calvin stated the problem with the church in Corinth was the same as what I pointed out to you several days ago, you settled down. However, you now tell me you follow the Lord Jesus Christ and I will take you at your word.




Charlie_2024 said:
The seeker friendly gospel doesn't accept the bible doctrine of being born with a sin nature and the inability to turn from sin and repent. This is what divided the Church, man wants glory and praise by nature.
I'll stick with what God tells us ... and now we have 2 churches!!!

Seriously, though, Charlie_2024, if we would spend more time following the Lord Jesus Christ, I believer there would be more joy and peace in our fellowship one with another.


Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
.
 
Mar 7, 2024
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If you would only listen, you would find out....

Chosen "in Him."

Eve was "in Adam" before her body was made manifest.

Likewise...

Only those whom God predestined to be born to believe during the Church age
has our body now residing "in Him."


To be revealed in glory in the Resurrection of the Church!

Right now? The real you and me is hidden IN HIM!
In Him, being seated with Him in the heavenlies!

You need to stop thinking in human viewpoint to get this straight according to God's Word.
The guy in the shop with you will not get what I will tell you unless the Spirit opens his eyes of his heart to see it.

Here it is....


Ephesians 2:6-7​
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed
in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."

Where He is now seated? We are also with Him- In Him!
The real you and me is hidden in His glorious body RIGHT NOW!

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man
to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s
ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman
from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man. Genesis 2:20-23


That is why we are the Bride of Christ!

Eve's body was hidden in Adam's body, later to be revealed by the Lord as the bride of Adam!
Eve was... "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh!"


In the Resurrection what will happen?

Our own Everlasting body shall be to the the Lord's as Eve's body was to Adam!

Its a hidden mystery that is out in the open!

........ Now for something else.


In the ancient world of Rome, when a son was adopted? The one adopted as a son in the ancient world wood inherit the family privileges of the one who adopted him.

That is why we are are co-heirs with Christ!
For all that is is His? Is ours too!
We must first be resurrected to see all that will be.


We will find out what that means after we are Resurrected!


:confused: .... And, some of you here want to argue every day that if we believe, we are doing something to be saved?

There is so much more to know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

grace and peace .......
There may be so much more for you to know but, that doesn't apply to me. I don't believe there's anything new for me to know. To suggest that there's so much more to know is to admit you still don't know what the gospel has revealed.

The word "Chosen" means past tense. It would be ridiculous to suggest, "God will chosen you in the future"

The bible says "we" (the elect) "were" (past tense) "chosen in Him" (past tense). I don't know how you think you can get away with twisting all of that to make it say it's a future event. The bible clearly contradicts your view.

Even a neutral casual observer, would see the gaping holes in your theology. Yet you refuse to see the obvious problem
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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There may be so much more for you to know but, that doesn't apply to me. I don't believe there's anything new for me to know. To suggest that there's so much more to know is to admit you still don't know what the gospel has revealed.

The word "Chosen" means past tense. It would be ridiculous to suggest, "God will chosen you in the future"

The bible says "we" (the elect) "were" (past tense) "chosen in Him" (past tense). I don't know how you think you can get away with twisting all of that to make it say it's a future event. The bible clearly contradicts your view.

Even a neutral casual observer, would see the gaping holes in your theology. Yet you refuse to see the obvious problem

Be a baby all your life....... You need to grow up to see what you just do not get yet.

grace and peace ..................
 
Mar 7, 2024
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Jesus was speaking of a specific kind of fake believer. Those like Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland.
Jesus gave specific things to look for...


Matthew 7:21-23​
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one
who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do
many mighty works in your name?’
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

False teachers will manifest Satanic power in Jesus name to impress the stupid with things they can see and touch....
And, then teach false doctrines that the followers will eat up in charged emotional state!

We have such teachers among the churches today.....

Jesus gave specific things to look out for!

‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and cast out demons in your name, and do
many mighty works in your name?’

Those things!


grace and peace .....................
Sorry I can't agree with any of that as it doesn't line up with what my bible teaches about the matter.

My bible doesn't say to look for these things to identify false teachers. Faithful teachers also exhibit those same signs. Jesus never implied that those signs, were the smoking gun, when He condemned those false professors.

The thing that damned them, was the fact that Jesus never knew them. They never had a personal relationship with Him, they used His name for selfish reasons like making money and fulfilling their lustful desires. They never did the of God, nor were they interested in what God's will for their lives was.

These false Christians never serve God, they serve Mammon, Who is the God of this world. The heathen are only motivated by their desire to fulfill their lust. The true believer's desire to serve God and please Him. The Bible says "they are lovers of themselves, rather than lovers of God"

Those who serve the god of this world are lovers of money. But the love of money is the root of all kins of evil.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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Pardon me Sir, but which life are you talking about. I hope it's not the one that Christ warned against seeking, when He said "he who seeks his life will lose it"
And, tell us? How did you lose your life to save it?

That's what Jesus said...

You need context.

And, Jesus did not say "seek" his life. .

You keep messing up. Yet, act as if we should follow your lead.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it,
but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:25​

You are becoming an embarrassment.

Now, after that?
Will you now try to save your life?

Who/what keeps pushing you into what you keep doing wrong?

Problem for you.
We do not fall for what you fell for...
Just accept it and live and let live.


........
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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Sorry I can't agree with any of that as it doesn't line up with what my bible teaches about the matter.
Bibles do not teach.....

Acts 8:30-33​
So when Philip ran toward the chariot, he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet.
Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He answered,
“How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?”
Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him."

You need to find better teachers... to teach you the Bible in a manner that will correct your presumptions.
That does not mean you will.
It just means it would solve your problem.

You're nothing new.
 

maxamir

Active member
Mar 8, 2024
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These “about twelve” believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and did not have the Holy Spirit when they believed.

Acts 19
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
they were disciples of John the Baptist.

There were many who said they believed but were not saved.

Joh_3:5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Rom_8:9b Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
 

maxamir

Active member
Mar 8, 2024
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Who said I deserved to go to heaven? That's your twisted logic at work.

I will go to heaven on the same basis as everyone else who goes to heaven, by grace through faith.

I have said this repeatedly.
faith in what?