Do we accept Christ, or does Christ accept us?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#21
The Greek language doesn't allow work and effort to be separated from pisteuo or saving Faith. Only the mistranslated words believe, believer, and believing demand that separation.
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#24
Are you going tell me it means constantly surrendered life?
The Vines gives the closest and best definition. " A personal surrender to Him and a life inspired by such surrender. Producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation of truth."

Pisteuo is a specific act, (a surrendered life) based upon a specific belief ( God will accept, keep, maintain, protect, perfect, complete the surrendered life here on Earth) sustained by a specific kind of confidence. ( That all our hundreds of daily decisions support the fact that our life is no longer ours but His.

The trust is in Christ Himself, not His word or promises. Once Christ, His word and His promises become ours by recieving His Spirit, then we can quote and stand on those things legitamently.
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#25
Are you going tell me it means constantly surrendered life?
The surrendered life starts the journey, maintains the journey, and completes the journey here on Earth.

I have it laid out in detail if you ever have the desire to know about it.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,598
17,062
113
69
Tennessee
#26
The Vines gives the closest and best definition. " A personal surrender to Him and a life inspired by such surrender. Producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation of truth."

Pisteuo is a specific act, (a surrendered life) based upon a specific belief ( God will accept, keep, maintain, protect, perfect, complete the surrendered life here on Earth) sustained by a specific kind of confidence. ( That all our hundreds of daily decisions support the fact that our life is no longer ours but His.

The trust is in Christ Himself, not His word or promises. Once Christ, His word and His promises become ours by recieving His Spirit, then we can quote and stand on those things legitamently.
Well spoken post.
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,334
3,704
113
68
#27
God will accept ... keep, maintain, protect, perfect, complete the surrendered life here on Earth sustained by a specific kind of confidence.

The surrendered life starts the journey, maintains the journey, and completes the journey here on Earth.
Hi Pisteuo, if our salvation journey ~begins~ with God accepting our choice to surrender our life to Him (as you've just said), then what do we do with verses/passages like the ones that I've included below? How can a non-believer go from not knowing God, and from not being able to accept or understand the things of God as anything but foolishness (because the things of God must be spiritually appraised), to trusting Him and choosing to surrender their lives to Him :unsure:

Romans 3
9 Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;​
10 as it is written,​
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;​
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,​
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;​
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;​
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,​
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”​
1 Corinthians 1
18 The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.​
1 Corinthians 2
14 A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.​
Ephesians 2
1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins,​
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.​
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.​

Thanks!

~Deut
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#28
Hi Pisteuo, if our salvation journey ~begins~ with God accepting our choice to surrender our life to Him (as you've just said), then what do we do with verses/passages like the ones that I've included below? How can a non-believer go from not knowing God, and from not being able to accept or understand the things of God as anything but foolishness (because the things of God must be spiritually appraised), to trusting Him and choosing to surrender their lives to Him :unsure:

Romans 3
9 Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;​
10 as it is written,​
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;​
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,​
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;​
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;​
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,​
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”​
1 Corinthians 1
18 The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.​
1 Corinthians 2
14 A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.​
Ephesians 2
1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins,​
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.​
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.​

Thanks!

~Deut
We'veve just surrendered our life to Him! Those things are nolonger any of our business anymore, they are God's business now! Our business is to continue to faithe in Him. God is not mocked.
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#29
The first time we respond to the call of the Father with surrendering our lives to Him, He's not looking for perfection, but genuine. A half measure will avail nothing.

As we through courage and tenacity trudge through, Christ perfects our surrender.
 

bluto

Senior Member
Aug 4, 2016
2,109
534
113
#30
We'veve just surrendered our life to Him! Those things are nolonger any of our business anymore, they are God's business now! Our business is to continue to faithe in Him. God is not mocked.
So, after one is saved we have to work to continue to be saved, is that it pisteuo? And why are not the lost our business? It's every Christians business to reach out to the lost. In fact, if you don't God will hold you accountable.

You also made this statement, "
"As we through courage and tenacity trudge through, Christ perfects our surrender." So what does "sanctification" mean? From the things you are saying it appears to me that you have to work to continue to be saved. Is that right? Did it every occur to you to just take God at His word? :eek:

IN GOD THE SON,
bluto



 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#31
Are you saying by Faith?

Is repentance the act of Faith that saves?
God turning us yes. That would be his faith working in us to both will and do His good pleasure. Without him we can do nothing.
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,334
3,704
113
68
#32
The first time we respond to the call of the Father with surrendering our lives to Him, He's not looking for perfection, but genuine. A half measure will avail nothing.

As we through courage and tenacity trudge through, Christ perfects our surrender.
Hi again Pisteuo, considering what the Bible tells us about ourselves before we come to Christ, how do we get from being/thinking like that (see Paul's description of a non-Christian again in 1 Corinthians 2:14 below, for instance), to having a paradigm shift in our thinking such that we are able to and want to respond to the Father's call? If we do not know Him, and we cannot understand Him or accept what He has to say to us as anything other than "foolishness", why would we ever choose to trust Him and surrender our eternal lives to Him :unsure:

Thanks again!

~Deut
p.s. - for the sake of the discussion, I will include the verses/passages in question from my post above.
Romans 3
9 Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;​
10 as it is written,​
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;​
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,​
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;​
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;​
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,​
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”​
1 Corinthians 1
18 The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.​
1 Corinthians 2
14 A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.​
Ephesians 2
1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins,​
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.​
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.​
.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#33
We you are in contradiction of scripture then.

Rom. 3:22 - God's righteousness is credited to "ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE," not all that work.
Believing God not seen is a work of God. As always he must do the first works giving us ears to ears or understanding to what theSpirit is saying to the churches..

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.John 6:28-29

It is what those in Revelation like the foolish Galatian chapter 3. were faulted for. They had begun in the Spirit the hearing of the faith of God and tried to make it about the flesh of the leader. Like Nicolas. The Holy Spirit calling them back to their first love, do the first works believing God not seen...... the first experience of a new faith working in them.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.Revelation 2:4-6
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#34
Hi again Pisteuo, considering what the Bible tells us about ourselves before we come to Christ, how do we get from being/thinking like that (see Paul's description of a non-Christian again in 1 Corinthians 2:14 below, for instance), to having a paradigm shift in our thinking such that we are able to and want to respond to the Father's call? If we do not know Him, and we cannot understand Him or accept what He has to say to us as anything other than "foolishness", why would we ever choose to trust Him and surrender our eternal lives to Him :unsure:

Thanks again!

~Deut
p.s. - for the sake of the discussion, I will include the verses/passages in question from my post above.
Romans 3
9 Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;​
10 as it is written,​
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;​
11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,​
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;​
12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;​
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,​
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”​
1 Corinthians 1
18 The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.​
1 Corinthians 2
14 A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.​
Ephesians 2
1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins,​
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.​
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.​
.
Don't you think their were those the Father could call or draw before the scriptures were available to the masses.

That's the deeper truth, that with true NT saving Faith, God the Father could call anyone at any time, anywhere, and they could respond with a surrendered life. Knowing anything about God is not a requirement. Certainly, not hearing the scriptures first, then believing, what scriptures? I'm on the other side of the planet in the year 375 AD. Are you saying God the Father couldn't call out one like that? And, they couldn't respond with a surrendered life? It's a simple concept (pisteuo) for complicated people.
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,334
3,704
113
68
#35
Hi again @Pisteuo, I suppose my final question is this, considering what the Bible has to say about us, do you think it's possible that the point in time that we choose surrender our lives to Christ is ~not~ the beginning of our salvation journey, that something pretty significant has to happen to us first (to cause to have such a paradigm shift in our thinking/understanding that we are able to come to such a point .. of trusting and surrendering our very lives to Him) :unsure:

Thanks!

~Deut
p.s. - I think that this is the question that my other questions to you above have all been leading to :)
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,334
3,704
113
68
#36
Knowing anything about God is not a requirement.
If that's true, then how do we know that we need to be saved/and that we need to surrender our lives to Him to be saved (or what we are being saved from for that matter)?
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#37
Hi again @Pisteuo, I suppose my final question is this, considering what the Bible has to say about us, do you think it's possible that the point in time that we choose surrender our lives to Christ is ~not~ the beginning of our salvation journey, that something pretty significant has to happen to us first (to cause to have such a paradigm shift in our thinking/understanding that we are able to come to such a point .. of trusting and surrendering our very lives to Him):unsure:

Thanks!

~Deut
p.s. - I think that this is the question that my other questions to you above have all been leading to :)
The call of the Father, repentance, a turn to the caller in our minds. Then the first act of pisteuo or surrendered life must be offered.

There is also something to be said about the circumstances we are in before and as we receive the call.

The call could be like a life preserver, which would cause the called to be more aggressive in their turning.
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#38
If that's true, then how do we know that we need to be saved/and that we need to surrender our lives to Him to be saved (or what we are being saved from for that matter)?

If we surrender our lives to be saved, that's not areal surrender, but a business deal. Like vending machine kind of salvation. There lies the rub, we can't surrender our lives in order to receive anything. It has to be a genuine surrender, to someone who we can't expect anything in return except mastery. A willing slave!
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#39
If that's true, then how do we know that we need to be saved/and that we need to surrender our lives to Him to be saved (or what we are being saved from for that matter)?
Great questions by the way.
 

Deuteronomy

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2018
3,334
3,704
113
68
#40
The call of the Father, repentance, a turn to the caller in our minds. Then the first act of pisteuo or surrendered life must be offered.
Considering what the Scriptures say (for instance) .............................
1 Corinthians 2
14 A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.​

.............................why/how would we ever choose to do that :unsure:

The call could be like a life preserver, which would cause the called to be more aggressive in their turning.
The Bible tells us plainly that we can't recognize God's "life preserver" for what it is, that we steadfastly refuse to accept it because we are unable to understand that this "life preserver" that He has for us is the only thing that will save us, so again, why would we ever choose to trust and surrender our eternal lives to Him since this is the case?

Perhaps there is something else that needs to happen to us first, something that will allow us to accept and understand the things of God (so that we can finally begin to see God's, "life preserver", for what it really is) :unsure:

~Deut