Why do some people believe and some do not?
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that's an interesting example.
was God looking Abraham's input, or just revealing His plan to him?
was it always God's intention to save Lot, his wife, and two of their daughters? or was this because of Abraham's conversation?
what input did they have in being saved from the judgment of Sodom by the angels?
if He was going to save 10 people, why not send 5 angels to take each of their hands? if He wasn't going to save anyone in the city, why send any angels into it at all?
two things here are fascinating and often overlooked - Lot hesitated, and was practically dragged out of the city by the angels. he opposed them at almost every step of the way, but he was saved. and his wife, God prevented from returning to Sodom, by covering her with salt, a preservative, which substance has good connotation almost everywhere in scripture, making her a pillar, which is also symbolically good throughout scripture.
was God looking Abraham's input, or just revealing His plan to him?
was it always God's intention to save Lot, his wife, and two of their daughters? or was this because of Abraham's conversation?
what input did they have in being saved from the judgment of Sodom by the angels?
if He was going to save 10 people, why not send 5 angels to take each of their hands? if He wasn't going to save anyone in the city, why send any angels into it at all?
two things here are fascinating and often overlooked - Lot hesitated, and was practically dragged out of the city by the angels. he opposed them at almost every step of the way, but he was saved. and his wife, God prevented from returning to Sodom, by covering her with salt, a preservative, which substance has good connotation almost everywhere in scripture, making her a pillar, which is also symbolically good throughout scripture.
We have two choices to answer the question of the OP.
We all agree we are lost, terrible sinners before we believe and are born again.
So why do WE believe, yet the list do not?
1. We were more intelligent to to figure out the Gospel, better people, that wanted to stop our sin, and not continue to feed our flesh BEFORE regeneration.
2. God gifted us, EXACTLY as Scripture says, the faith to believe, and the quickening by the Holy Spirit, to believe by the hearing of the Gospel.
If we are all honest, there can be only ONE option. And it’s number 2.
We all agree we are lost, terrible sinners before we believe and are born again.
So why do WE believe, yet the list do not?
1. We were more intelligent to to figure out the Gospel, better people, that wanted to stop our sin, and not continue to feed our flesh BEFORE regeneration.
2. God gifted us, EXACTLY as Scripture says, the faith to believe, and the quickening by the Holy Spirit, to believe by the hearing of the Gospel.
If we are all honest, there can be only ONE option. And it’s number 2.
Are you sure about that? So many deny the Biblical truths of the natural man. He's a good guy in their eyes.
So good he can do the very same thing Jesus did in setting aside His human will to do the will of God.
So good you would think Jesus had never actually said, “No one is good except God alone."
So good he can do the very same thing Jesus did in setting aside His human will to do the will of God.
So good you would think Jesus had never actually said, “No one is good except God alone."
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Joshua 6:17nkjv
17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Joshua 8:2 nkjv
2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
Neither passage mentions babies. There may be an assumption, which may be correct, but you would be heading in a dangerous direction to question God’s motives for anything He has said.
17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Joshua 8:2 nkjv
2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
Neither passage mentions babies. There may be an assumption, which may be correct, but you would be heading in a dangerous direction to question God’s motives for anything He has said.
Well, the last time I checked a dictionary "all" included babies, but let me spell it out for you:
JSH 6:17,21&24, "And the city shall be accursed (devoted in the NIV), even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent... They destroyed with the sword every living thing in it--men and women, young and old... Then they burned the whole city and everything in it...".
JSH 8:2&24, "And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king... the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were it--all the people of Ai."
JSH 10:28-30 (some paraphrased) ,"That day Joshua took Makkedah... and destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors... Then Joshua moved on to Libnah... and put everyone in it to the sword. He left no survivors there... Then Joshua moved on to Lachish... and put everyone to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah... Then Joshua moved on to Eglon... Hebron... Debir... the whole region."
Got the picture now? Do you believe God approved of genocide? What motive do YOU ascribe to God?
JSH 6:17,21&24, "And the city shall be accursed (devoted in the NIV), even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent... They destroyed with the sword every living thing in it--men and women, young and old... Then they burned the whole city and everything in it...".
JSH 8:2&24, "And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king... the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were it--all the people of Ai."
JSH 10:28-30 (some paraphrased) ,"That day Joshua took Makkedah... and destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors... Then Joshua moved on to Libnah... and put everyone in it to the sword. He left no survivors there... Then Joshua moved on to Lachish... and put everyone to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah... Then Joshua moved on to Eglon... Hebron... Debir... the whole region."
Got the picture now? Do you believe God approved of genocide? What motive do YOU ascribe to God?
“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.”
John 6:70-71 KJV
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. ……While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
John 17:6, 12
“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?
And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.”
Matthew 26:14-16 KJV
“And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.”
Zechariah 11:12-13 KJV
“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.
And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.”
Matthew 27:3-10 KJV
“And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
….For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
….Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. ….He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:2-3, 11-12, 15, 18-19, 21, 26-28, 30-32, 34-35 KJV
John 6:70-71 KJV
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. ……While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
John 17:6, 12
“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?
And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.”
Matthew 26:14-16 KJV
“And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.”
Zechariah 11:12-13 KJV
“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.
And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.”
Matthew 27:3-10 KJV
“And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
….For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
….Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. ….He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:2-3, 11-12, 15, 18-19, 21, 26-28, 30-32, 34-35 KJV
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