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Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
57,906
27,357
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Yes, this is the especially troubling part of the special individual enlightment/special individual enabling gnosis which must occur prior to believing the Gospel, rendering the power and truth inherent in the Gospel message powerless.

Salvation is a complete gift received, but belief in the work of Christ is the first and only condition to receive the gift.

Anyone who states the natural man cannot believe and must be enlightened to believe has more common with Free Masonry (Gnosticism) than Biblical Christianity.

This has nothing to do with free will/determinism but rather a faulty view of the natural man as born incapable of responding to truth applied singularly to the Gospel, not in other areas of life mind you.
What a load of hooey. You contradict the very words of Jesus Christ, and
many very plain teachings of Scripture concerning the natural man.



Man's depravity vs God's Grace
:)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
57,906
27,357
113

1 Corinthians 4:7b; John 3:27; Romans 9:15-16 What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did also receive it, why do you boast as not having received it? John replied, "A man can receive only that which is given him from heaven." "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then, it does not depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
:)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
57,906
27,357
113
“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are
the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied,
“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For
this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven."


According to some here, the words of Jesus Christ have more in common with Free Masonry than Scriptural truth .:eek::censored::cry:
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
1,723
171
63
Yes, this is the especially troubling part of the special individual enlightment/special individual enabling gnosis which must occur prior to believing the Gospel, rendering the power and truth inherent in the Gospel message powerless.

Salvation is a complete gift received, but belief in the work of Christ is the first and only condition to receive the gift.

Anyone who states the natural man cannot believe and must be enlightened to believe has more common with Free Masonry (Gnosticism) than Biblical Christianity.

This has nothing to do with free will/determinism but rather a faulty view of the natural man as born incapable of responding to truth applied singularly to the Gospel, not in other areas of life mind you.
So, what is your take on this "especially troubling" passage:

Matt 16:15-17
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven?

NIV

St. Pete wasn't "enlightened" by God?
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
16,923
5,903
113
62
So, what is your take on this "especially troubling" passage:

Matt 16:15-17
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven?

NIV

St. Pete wasn't "enlightened" by God?
Not only this, but Jesus goes on to say that this would be the means by which He will grow His church.
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
1,723
171
63
Not only this, but Jesus goes on to say that this would be the means by which He will grow His church.
And the various OT Wisdom books (including the Psalms) are loaded with verses that speak to God being the source to Understanding. All spiritual understanding is found in the Fountain Head of Infinite Wisdom and Knowledge (Ps 119:34, 73, 144, 169, etc.).

And God opened Lydia's heart to understand and respond positively to the Gospel, as well. (Act 16:14). And then there was Cornelius and his entire household who responded positively to Peter's preaching.

It's very sad that so much ignorance seems to about in the Church today -- at least here in the West.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
57,906
27,357
113
Imagine that! God MADE it to grow! I suppose we should interpret that as God FORCED it grow. What unmitigated chutzpah God has. :rolleyes:
The noive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cue more noise from the naysayers...
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
57,906
27,357
113
So, what is your take on this "especially troubling" passage:

Matt 16:15-17
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven?

NIV

St. Pete wasn't "enlightened" by God?
Apparently not, according to some, who claim the flesh can decide for itself even though that goes against what Jesus explicitly stated.
 

Jimbone

Senior Member
Aug 22, 2014
2,850
893
113
44
What made you assume that I do not understand the concept of original sin? Was it that I don't agree with the concept, because you assume that understanding it will automatically lead to acceptance and profession of it? Maybe the concept is unbiblical


You cite Ps. 51:5.

I was conceived in a hotel room and born in a hospital. But I assure you there has been no hotel room in me since I was conceived; nor any hospital in me since I was born. The psalmist stating the environment in which he was conceived and born, does not imply that everyone is conceived and born in that environment, nor that everyone was conceived and born with that environment inside them.
???? What does this have to do with the price of tea in China? you didn't address my question at all. So you were born sinless? When we are born, we are born spiritually DEAD, not because we sinned in the womb, but because the whole human race fell with Adam and Eve. They could only produce the spiritually dead. The fact this is such a contentious topic for you doesn't promote you having a strong grasp of truth. So tell me, were you born again? If so what does that mean according to you? I hate to sound so harsh, but the truth is only those blind to the things of the Spirit hold to the view you're trying to promote here. That we are born sinless is not true. At all. Why can't you just clearly say what you're trying to teach here, because I'm still not sure exactly what you're saying about our spiritual status when we are born.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,103
380
83
???? What does this have to do with the price of tea in China? you didn't address my question at all. So you were born sinless? When we are born, we are born spiritually DEAD, not because we sinned in the womb, but because the whole human race fell with Adam and Eve. They could only produce the spiritually dead. The fact this is such a contentious topic for you doesn't promote you having a strong grasp of truth. So tell me, were you born again? If so what does that mean according to you? I hate to sound so harsh, but the truth is only those blind to the things of the Spirit hold to the view you're trying to promote here. That we are born sinless is not true. At all. Why can't you just clearly say what you're trying to teach here, because I'm still not sure exactly what you're saying about our spiritual status when we are born.
Your response here contains nothing but your own assertions that what you believe is right therefore I must be wrong. You provided no biblical reasons to believe a child is conceived sinful and born sinful. You simply used a moralistic argument to certify an epistemological claim. In other words, you are arguing that only someone who is morally inferior would deny that what you claim to know (your epistemological claim) is true. In this way you are trying to shame me into adopting your view, because no Christian wants to be classified as a bad person who has unspiritual, ungodly views.

But there are no scriptures that clearly state your assertion that a child is conceived sinful and born sinful.
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,103
380
83
Yes, this is the especially troubling part of the special individual enlightment/special individual enabling gnosis which must occur prior to believing the Gospel, rendering the power and truth inherent in the Gospel message powerless.

Salvation is a complete gift received, but belief in the work of Christ is the first and only condition to receive the gift.

Anyone who states the natural man cannot believe and must be enlightened to believe has more common with Free Masonry (Gnosticism) than Biblical Christianity.

This has nothing to do with free will/determinism but rather a faulty view of the natural man as born incapable of responding to truth applied singularly to the Gospel, not in other areas of life mind you.
Yes. It seems that total depravity does not stop atheists from risking their lives to rescue people from burning buildings, or raising law-abiding hard-working children, or being honest in business, or faithful to their wives. The only thing that total depravity seems to prevent atheists from doing is believing the gospel when they hear it. They can do any other good thing without being first regenerated. But they cannot believe the Jesus of the gospel can reconcile them to God, without them first being regenerated.
 

HeIsHere

Well-known member
May 21, 2022
5,087
1,966
113
So, what is your take on this "especially troubling" passage:

Matt 16:15-17
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"


16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven?
NIV

St. Pete wasn't "enlightened" by God?
Was Peter saved at the moment, born again?
 

Rufus

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2024
1,723
171
63
What a load of hooey. You contradict the very words of Jesus Christ, and
many very plain teachings of Scripture concerning the natural man.



Man's depravity vs God's Grace
:)
Other than those few minor spiritual maladies, man is in great spiritual shape. :rolleyes: