Not By Works

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May 23, 2020
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Even though this is the modus operandi of the church today (for the most part) I think God does honor to some extent the person who has called on his name in this limited way. I think they comprise the people who say they've been a Christian all their life but who then enter into a truly spiritual relationship with God later in life, usually after a severe trial of life. It's the difference between being a 'water only' believer, and a 'water and Spirit' believer (John 3:5-6, Galatians 4:29). Lot's of water only salvations out there. God is busy bringing them into the Spiritual part of salvation.
Yes I agree.
 
Nov 16, 2019
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Really now...I suggest you believe OSAS is alive and well...yes?
Osas is true only for those for whom it really is true, meaning they will NEVER go back to their old life. They don't want to and they never will. They are tried and tested and found true. OSAS is true for them, not for all believers.

OSAS, where it resides, resides in the mature 4th type of soil believer "who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. (Luke 8:15). Which, in all honesty, rules out about 90% of the believing church.
 
Feb 29, 2020
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Fallen man can't believe the Gospel, it is impossible for fallen man to do so, note Romans 8:5-8. Faith comes from God.
Your statement here seems to contradict the following passages:

2 Thessalonians 2
[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
 
Nov 16, 2019
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Though they say the true gospel is old, and believe what we are showing them is "old" Paul says preach it anyhow even when it is "out of season."
I always think of this:

"You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious." - Ezekiel 2:7
 

preacher4truth

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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Your statement here seems to contradict the following passages:

2 Thessalonians 2
[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Good passage!

Where does that say fallen man has the ability to believe and come to Christ? You are pitting, not proving. Lost man always rejects the things of the Spirit, they are foolishness to those who are perishing, 1 Corinthians 2:14.
 
Feb 29, 2020
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Jesus came to save us from the consequence of sin,
He came to take sin away, not the consequence of it:

John 1:29
[29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus warned us many times of the dangers of returning to sin after being sanctified/justified.
 
E

EleventhHour

Guest
Good passage!

Where does that say fallen man has the ability to believe and come to Christ? You are pitting, not proving. Lost man always rejects the things of the Spirit, they are foolishness to those who are perishing, 1 Corinthians 2:14.

1 Corinthians 2:14.

Read it very carefully and in context ... pay attention to the brilliant mind of Paul who was well aware of the philosophies in his day...

The comparison here is not natural man with the spiritual man ...

the contrast is between human wisdom and divine revelation.

He is stating if you rely on human wisdom (philosophies) you cannot understand the divine revelation.

You will deny this because it does not fit your schema and this Calvinist view is everywhere but the theme/context of this section of Paul’s letter is not “sinner” versus “saint,” or the “unregenerate” in contrast to the “regenerate.”

Your view makes God morally culpable... because it is God's fault if “unregenerate” man never accesses the things of God.
 
Nov 16, 2019
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Here's God message to the Freegrace movement:

Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord!"

Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe" -safe to do all these detestable things?"

Jeremiah 7:4,9-10
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
Why are ALL MEN without excuse? WHY are all men accountable?
Amen
I’d they have no possible way to believe. They un essence have an excuse.
The excuse is God did not give me a chance so i
Never could believe even if I wanted to
 
Oct 25, 2018
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Amen
I’d they have no possible way to believe. They un essence have an excuse.
The excuse is God did not give me a chance so i
Never could believe even if I wanted to
Why does God have to give anyone a chance? What is in them that God should offer them salvation? If He saves by grace, then it is unmerited favor, meaning, there was nothing in the one He saved that caused Him to bestow His grace upon them. Yet, the other side keeps saying God must offer grace to everyone indiscriminately. If He must do this, then it’s an obligation not grace.
 

preacher4truth

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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Your statement here seems to contradict the following passages:

2 Thessalonians 2
[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Let's also look at the contrast between the reprobate there, and those elect in the next portion by looking at the context of the passage. We have to only read a few more words to get the answer: God chose those whom he had written to, and saved them by the preaching of the Gospel.

"But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So we see God glorified in exercising justice and mercy. We should keep in mind the lost are not going to hell "for" rejecting the Gospel, they are already lost and worthy of damnation. The others were also called as well, but "many are called, few are chosen." If the lost aren't damned until "they reject" then we should leave them be so "they can go to heaven."

The text deserves a more complete look rather than just using a portion of it as a proof text to try and defeat a loathed biblical doctrine.
 
Feb 29, 2020
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Where does that say fallen man has the ability to believe and come to Christ?
2 Thessalonians 2:10
[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

I’m confused by your commentary.

This passage, along with others, are abundantly clear to me.

To each his own. :)
 

preacher4truth

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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2 Thessalonians 2:10
[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

I’m confused by your commentary.

This passage, along with others, are abundantly clear to me.

To each his own. :)
You're leaving out context. :)
 
E

EleventhHour

Guest
Amen
I’d they have no possible way to believe. They un essence have an excuse.
The excuse is God did not give me a chance so i
Never could believe even if I wanted to
Defies all logic and the attributes of God.
 

preacher4truth

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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Why does God have to give anyone a chance? What is in them that God should offer them salvation? If He saves by grace, then it is unmerited favor, meaning, there was nothing in the one He saved that caused Him to bestow His grace upon them. Yet, the other side keeps saying God must offer grace to everyone indiscriminately. If He must do this, then it’s an obligation not grace.
Yep. Grace isn't owed or it isn't grace, and isn't merited by any action of man God "foresaw."

People put demands on God that he must meet to be considered fair, by mortal man. Romans 9:19-20 deal with this.
 
Feb 29, 2020
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The text deserves a more complete look than just using a portion as a proof text to try to defeat a loathed biblical doctrine.
Well, naturally we should loath every false way, right?

Psalm 119:128
Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

I can accept that God knows who will believe and endure to the end. But I think we should exercise this principle:

Psalm 131:1
Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

We are told to preach the gospel to every creature. Having the attitude that God has already selected those who will be saved hinders that work in my estimation; in fact, it may hinder the believer’s own walk with the Lord.

It just seems strange to me. I continue reading the scriptures and I am not told by scripture to think that way.

I’ll keep searching though...
 

preacher4truth

Senior Member
Dec 28, 2016
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We are told to preach the gospel to every creature. Having the attitude that God has already selected those who will be saved hinders that work in my estimation; in fact, it may hinder the believer’s own walk with the Lord..
It didn't hinder Paul, it motivated him:

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,

for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. - 2 Timothy 2:8-10.

Note Acts 18 as well, what God told Paul about Corinth. Look at 18:9-10 especially.

These truths should encourage not discourage. :)