For Calvinists: Do you skip evangelizing because God chooses?

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For Calvinists: Do you skip evangelizing because God chooses?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 2 8.7%
  • No.

    Votes: 21 91.3%

  • Total voters
    23

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
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We are not shutting down the gospel to anyone. We are to preach it to all indiscriminantly. We are to preach to all ppl in all nations. Its ppl's wicked hearts that reject it. Unless God wroughts a work of grace in ppl's hearts, they can not and will not believe.
He gives all men a measure of faith to come to the cross...its up to them to accept it or not..and yeah I agree its people's wicked hearts that reject it but that is still their own choice...Men loved darkness rather than light...but that was their choice because we know that God doesn't love darkness rather than light and He didn't make that choice for anyone...He would have all men come to repentance...so he gives them all a chance and it's on them whether they accept it or not.
 

SovereignGrace

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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I'm not saying that the circumstances are the same for everyone...but all will have a chance...Yeah, its alot easier for me living in the Bible belt to accept him when he calls, but that doesn't mean that he loves me more than he does anyone in Turkey or anywhere else...All have a chance and yeah it may be harder for some but God gives all a chance just like scripture says he does...
If ppl died before hearing the gospel, knowing anything about the Christ's existence, how could they have a chance?
 

SovereignGrace

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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He gives all men a measure of faith to come to the cross...its up to them to accept it or not..and yeah I agree its people's wicked hearts that reject it but that is still their own choice...Men loved darkness rather than light...but that was their choice because we know that God doesn't love darkness rather than light and He didn't make that choice for anyone...He would have all men come to repentance...so he gives them all a chance and it's on them whether they accept it or not.
The measure of faith is given to believers only. Read the context of Romans 12:1-3. Also, if one has faith, one is saved. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness. They very instant he had faith, he was saved. Not before then.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
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We are not talking about force, as in coersion here, but raising the dead to life. The physically dead are in the same state the spiritually dead are. The lost have a corpse for a spirit that is within them.

Look at Ezekiel 37. Those very dry bones could not will themselves to life. A sovereign God sovereignly brought them to life and they acted accordingly. When we witness to the lost, they are, inwardly, a pile of jumbled up very dry bones. As we give them the gospel, when God moves through the gospel, He quickens them to live, the respond in faith & repentance, and are saved. All this happens simultaenously. They choose to respond after God has quickened them.
I really got to go but this is one I would like to discuss with you later.

Physical death and spiritual death is not exactly the same in my opinion...Once we die physically there is nothing that we can do about it ....it's lights out...we can't repent if we are dead....Once again God never said anything about when you die physically all you have to do is believe and repent and I will save you and raise you back up on earth...

Well, we will all raise back up for judgement but that is a different story...:)

And yes with spiritual death, I agree it takes God to save us...We can't save ourselves but we have a chance to repent and ask for forgiveness or not...That's what God promised when he sent Jesus to take on the sins of the World...He paid the price but we have to accept it. He died for all and he gives that chance to all....All are invited but not all accept it.
 
Mar 28, 2016
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where can i return my free will???? i got no receipt.
Return it to the one who gave it. He has a record . It would seem your name is in the lambs book of life .He was slain from the foundation of the world, as the lamb of God.

Free will is to do the will of God . Who could dispute it? He is of one mind.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:phi 2:13


A will in bondage to a believer is to serve another will. Its the kind of food the disciples knew not of.

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
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The measure of faith is given to believers only. Read the context of Romans 12:1-3. Also, if one has faith, one is saved. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness. They very instant he had faith, he was saved. Not before then.
Thanks, I've read it and it doesn't specify that in my opinion.
 
Sep 6, 2017
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i overstand perfectly where u come from. but its like that for us. man is dead in trespasses and sins. so spiritually its the same u see.
only God can save from it
You transpassed on the people with no legs, disrespected those who can't walk,
 

SovereignGrace

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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I really got to go but this is one I would like to discuss with you later.

Physical death and spiritual death is not exactly the same in my opinion...Once we die physically there is nothing that we can do about it ....it's lights out...we can't repent if we are dead....Once again God never said anything about when you die physically all you have to do is believe and repent and I will save you and raise you back up on earth...

Well, we will all raise back up for judgement but that is a different story...:)

And yes with spiritual death, I agree it takes God to save us...We can't save ourselves but we have a chance to repent and ask for forgiveness or not...That's what God promised when he sent Jesus to take on the sins of the World...He paid the price but we have to accept it. He died for all and he gives that chance to all....All are invited but not all accept it.
But these examples of the physically dead coming back to life are examples, allegories, of how God raises dead spirits to life. The losts' spirits are just as helpless as the physically deads' bodies are of living again, without help outside themselves.
 

SovereignGrace

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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Thanks, I've read it and it doesn't specify that in my opinion.
I think the NIV better expresses Paul's thoughts...

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.[Romans 12:1-3]

The context is brothers and sisters at the church in Rome, and conversely, all believers. God has distributed the messure of faith to His elect.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
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If ppl died before hearing the gospel, knowing anything about the Christ's existence, how could they have a chance?
Well, I don't know for sure if they did or not because they weren't under the New covenant but the old.

Some people have told me that he went and preached to the spirits that were in prison after he was crucified...and that is supposed to mean that he went and preached to the ones who were dead and gave them a chance...but that's really just speculation, in my opinion...They have quoted a verse to me before that says something like that, but like I said it doesn't say that out bluntly, in my opinion. So I don't know about that one.

All I can say really about it is that those folks died under the old covenant not the new.
 
Apr 23, 2017
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You transpassed on the people with no legs, disrespected those who can't walk,
no i didnt. i used it as an example, the same applies spiritually: spiritually dead cannot save himself. man without legs cannot just choose to walk.
u are just oversensitive, how did u make it through life so far if u get offended so easily?????? i got nothing but love towards the less fortunate.

grow up.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
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But these examples of the physically dead coming back to life are examples, allegories, of how God raises dead spirits to life. The losts' spirits are just as helpless as the physically deads' bodies are of living again, without help outside themselves.
But God gives no promise that after we physically die he will heal us...but he does give the promise that if we repent and believe upon him we will be spiritually saved...
 

SovereignGrace

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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Well, I don't know for sure if they did or not because they weren't under the New covenant but the old.

Some people have told me that he went and preached to the spirits that were in prison after he was crucified...and that is supposed to mean that he went and preached to the ones who were dead and gave them a chance...but that's really just speculation, in my opinion...They have quoted a verse to me before that says something like that, but like I said it doesn't say that out bluntly, in my opinion. So I don't know about that one.

All I can say really about it is that those folks died under the old covenant not the new.
Again, none one can be saved, have a chance, w/o hearing the gospel. That's what Paul averred in 1 Cor. 1:18-21, Romans 1:16, Romans 10:8-17, and Eph. 1:13.

Those who died under the OT were in the same boat. Those who died never hearing the word of God died lost. That's in Romans 2:12.
 
Sep 6, 2017
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I don't think he meant that as an insult, but as an example.
there are more better ways to use something for a example, then someone who is less fortunate.
Sorry I don't take that to kindly, that is a person who has No respect for such things.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
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LOL...Well thanks for the English lesson...But you can go ahead and put your dictionary away now... because what I am really dumbfounded about and would like to know the answer to is... How or why a group of people want to shut the gospel down to some people when God opened it up for all and said whosoever will choose to believe will be saved...So maybe you can answer that one for me wiseguy;)
I wonder, is there any problem in English thinking when reading verses like "who will believe will be saved", because you see the word "will" and it can also mean something related to mind, choice etc? Maybe its even the origin of the future tense "will".

If it is so, it must be said that it would be just the English thinking issue only and it is not present in the Greek text.

---

To your question - nobody shuts the gospel down to anybody. Gospel is preached to everybody. But one needs the grace of God to have a real faith and its a gift of God.
 
Sep 6, 2017
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no i didnt. i used it as an example, the same applies spiritually: spiritually dead cannot save himself. man without legs cannot just choose to walk.
u are just oversensitive, how did u make it through life so far if u get offended so easily?????? i got nothing but love towards the less fortunate.

grow up.
No your right you can't save yourself. what is done is done.

dont you worry about what I defend, you do not know me at all.

if you had nothing but love for them you wouldn't speak like that of them.
 

SovereignGrace

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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But God gives no promise that after we physically die he will heal us...but he does give the promise that if we repent and believe upon him we will be spiritually saved...
Agreed. However, faith & repentance are both gifts of God. Once a person has faith, they are saved. Lost ppl do not have faith, because if they did, they are no longer lost.
 

preacher4truth

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
9,171
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I think the NIV better expresses Paul's thoughts...

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.[Romans 12:1-3]

The context is brothers and sisters at the church in Rome, and conversely, all believers. God has distributed the messure of faith to His elect.


It nails the context but I don't think free willers believe in or respect context. A verse here and there, and they make it say what they want.

I don't buy the excuse of any person who says they've read it and don't see it. It's right there plain as day. They don't want to see it, just like a Catholic they won't let Scripture undo their tradition.