Salvation is a Free Gift.

  • 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.

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
If you are required do anything it is not free. Salvation was finished for all of those that God called, and gave to his Son who promised them an inheritance in eternal heaven (John 6:37-39)

Christ's sacrifice was offered to God, for God's acceptance. It was not offered to mankind for their acceptance.
Did God force you to be saved against your will?
 

PaulThomson

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2023
3,479
455
83
That "all" defines who the "all" are.

You know, the comparing of the spiritual with the spiritual admonition. By not following it, I can see how someone
would think that "all" means "everyone". However, the "all" cannot represent more, or be other than those whom the Father gave to Christ.
Yes it can. If Ms. Jones is a teacher and sends her kids to Mr Water's karaoke evening., Mr Waters may say , "All that Ms. Jones sends to me will come to me. That does not preclude other children also coming of their own volition, or sent, from other teacher's classes.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
19,319
6,647
113
62
Necessary for salvation in your view? Some say no, as though absolutely nothing was required of us. A work, they say.

Deuteronomy 30:6~
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him
with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
:)
A new creation is full of life and will respond to God. But any response on our part doesn't add to salvation, but evidences it's reality. And why wouldn't it? Where life is present, it grows. It's no different with spiritual life.

I think people overcomplicate salvation. I was blind, but now I see. Not really that hard.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
A person that is dead (in sins) cannot accept spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14). If the scriptures do not harmonize, then you are not understanding the truth.
Hearing the Gospel creates faith according to Paul.
So as soon as you hear the Gospel you are awakened.
Are you calling Paul a liar that Faith comes by Hearing?

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Notice, the Holy Spirit fell upon those WHILE they heard not before!
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
1,213
113
nah. that's just you presenting a case for elect vs non-elect and how God decides who will be saved and who will become fodder for the fire

a gift is actually something given with the recipient not doing anything to receive it, other than taking possession of said gift

so my husband comes home and hands me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. shall I toss it back in his face because I did not grow the flowers myself? I welcome those flowers, find the vase I want to put them in and cut the stems to fit and then place that in a prominent place so I can enjoy them.

according to this elect vs non-elect doctrine of misinformation, I am forced to take the flowers whether I want them or not and take care of them. the resentment would be real

You accept the flowers because he is your husband. When a person becomes born again, they are the bride of Christ, (Ephesians 2:5) He is their husband.

The natural person (1 Cor 2:14) has no husband, and cannot receive the things of the Spirit.

If a person defends the natural person, who has not been born again, saying that they can be born again by performing good works, they are deceiving themselves, and the truth is not in them.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
When a born again person, whose heart God has exchanged, (Ezk 11:19), comes unto a knowledge of the truth, they respond to their guilty conscience, and repent, as the born again Jews did when they were pricked in their heart to feel guilty, and responded by saying What must we do. This is a response of a born again person being converted (Acts 17-19) to following God's commandments.
You mean as they hear the Gospel preached?

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Notice, the Holy Spirit fell upon those WHILE they heard not before!
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
1,213
113
That means once the Gospel is preached the ears are opened and you can choose to believe or reject.
John 10:26-29 - The natural man's eye's and ear's cannot receive the preaching of spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14). Only God's sheep (those who have been born again) can see and hear spiritual things.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
John 10:26-29 - The natural man's eye's and ear's cannot receive the preaching of spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14). Only God's sheep (those who have been born again) can see and hear spiritual things.
This verse proves you don't understand the verses you present at all.

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Notice, the Holy Spirit fell upon those WHILE they heard not before!


+
John 10 is a Parable and Jesus said the Jews were prophesied to not be able to understand them.

Paul said the Jews are Blinded and Deaf.

So way to take this verse completely out of context.
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
1,213
113
A new creation is full of life and will respond to God. But any response on our part doesn't add to salvation, but evidences it's reality. And why wouldn't it? Where life is present, it grows. It's no different with spiritual life.

I think people overcomplicate salvation. I was blind, but now I see. Not really that hard.
You are rejecting 1 Cor 2:14 as being part of God's inspired word. and are not realizing that only those that have been born spiritually can see spiritual things, not the natural man, who cannot receive spiritual things, thinking them to be foolishness.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
You are rejecting 1 Cor 2:14 as being part of God's inspired word. and are not realizing that only those that have been born spiritually can see spiritual things, not the natural man, who cannot receive spiritual things, thinking them to be foolishness.
1 Corinthians 2:14 has NOTHING to do with HEARING the Gospel preached.

But it does have EVERYTHING to do with why you keep using it WRONGFULLY!
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,557
497
83
In that case, it wouldn't be a free gift. Anything that someone must do to obtain it, makes it theirs only by their doing, and therefore, not a free gift. To be truly free, it must be imputed to someone, placed into their possession in spite of, and apart from, anything they may do, otherwise, it isn't free.

[Tit 3:5-7 KJV]
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

[1Co 1:30 KJV]
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

[2Pe 1:1 KJV]
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
The only free choice I see left after the cross where Jesus the Son took away all the nasty nines and dirty dozen first. Left everyone to choose to believe God his Father or not, in the salvation offered them in risen Son for them. Then the new begins in each one that does believe God from within themselves
Eph 1:13. 6,7 good to read the entire Chapter for the context and trust God to reveal it to you too

Cool, all that is left from that cross of being reconciled by Son, all sins right then and there are by God forever forgiven, left one choice left to do for each person, "To Believe or not to believe" in the risen Son for us to be born new by God for us in trust (Faith) (2 Cor 5:17-20) he took away all Sin at that cross for his Father to receive it and then, we each have a new relationship, where Jesus separated sin and death once forever in Father's sight for us the people, in that final sacrifice of shed blood that used to bring forgiveness once a year under the Levite Priesthood, set up by Moses, that sacrificed perfect animals, that Father was not satisfied in people having to do that year after year, never being or getting 100% purged from sin forever. Now in Son from Father's view we are new, or to be new if another believes God in this truth. It is done by Son as said (John 19:30)
Read Hebrews 10, that is deep as can be and got me to see this truth, thank you, hoping for everyone else too. to see this, ask God for to see it in truth for you too and be freed in this love and mercy from now on too

The truly righteous are not self-righteous, ever, think on that, I do and see daily I am not righteous. Yet God is and remains righteous, that I remember I am by God only made righteous from God alone, written in stone from God through risen Son thanks, y'all are also. if, since you believe God too. Oh, and if one reading here has not seen this yet, continue in belief to see it through, thank you, even if you go through diversities, adversities, troubles too.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,557
497
83
My story? I was saved by God and not by me.
Thank you Father and Son for what is done for us to walk new in and not of flesh works any longer
Or anyone else, not even religion to be quite frank

God does it, God did it, God saves, time to stand in belief no matter what troubles come our way as in Col 1: 1-23 tells me, then Col 2 about his being risen after they got him killed first
Made an open spectacle of those religious leaders then as is said in Col 2
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,557
497
83
A spiritually dead person can Hear the Gospel and choose to believe or shut their ears like we see both cases in Acts.

That means once the Gospel is preached the ears are opened and you can choose to believe or reject.

That is 100% Bible Fact.
The call is for all in the risen Son, Father here on earth now in Spirit and truth. reaching out as Jesus talked of in John 3 as the wind. Not the physical wind, the Spiritual wind, wow, thank you for getting me to see this truth work through me right now, a no good person that needs God's lead in all things
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
1,213
113
Hearing the Gospel creates faith according to Paul.
So as soon as you hear the Gospel you are awakened.
Are you calling Paul a liar that Faith comes by Hearing?

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Notice, the Holy Spirit fell upon those WHILE they heard not before!

I cannot make a person see the truth of the scriptures, unless the Holy Spirit within them reveals it to them.

Until that happens in your life, you will not be able to rightly divide the word, and will continue to believe the scriptures teach that eternal salvation is accomplished by the natural man's good works.

Hopefully, you can deny yourself, and allow the Holy Spirit within you to reveal some truths to you when reading scripture, such as, John 10:26-29 in contrast to 1 Cor 2:14.

May the Lord bless you in diligently seeking the truth in your studies.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
I cannot make a person see the truth of the scriptures, unless the Holy Spirit within them reveals it to them.

Until that happens in your life, you will not be able to rightly divide the word, and will continue to believe the scriptures teach that eternal salvation is accomplished by the natural man's good works.

Hopefully, you can deny yourself, and allow the Holy Spirit within you to reveal some truths to you when reading scripture, such as, John 10:26-29 in contrast to 1 Cor 2:14.

May the Lord bless you in diligently seeking the truth in your studies.
That's because you must present truth to begin with and you are presenting it to collate your personal doctrine which has no truth in it.

You are basically calling the example in Acts a liar when it is proof how it actually works and tells you that your verses need to match it. Not the other way around.

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Notice, the Holy Spirit fell upon those WHILE they heard not before!
 

ForestGreenCook

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2018
8,441
1,213
113
You mean as they hear the Gospel preached?

44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Notice, the Holy Spirit fell upon those WHILE they heard not before!

You are still not understanding that the natural man, as explained, in 1 Cor 2:14 cannot hear or see or understand the preaching of the word, as do God's sheep in John 10:26-29.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
You are still not understanding that the natural man, as explained, in 1 Cor 2:14 cannot hear or see or understand the preaching of the word, as do God's sheep in John 10:26-29.
You are not understanding the Gospel being preached and heard.

Are you even saved and full of the Holy Spirit?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
60,334
29,582
113
A new creation is full of life and will respond to God. But any response on our part doesn't add to salvation, but evidences it's reality. And why wouldn't it? Where life is present, it grows. It's no different with spiritual life.

I think people overcomplicate salvation. I was blind, but now I see. Not really that hard.
I was thinking about that yesterday, about how it gets complicated with all the pedantry and differing views and even things that are not Biblical being thrown into the mix, and people contradicting themselves, also... how it misses the simplicity that is in Christ. People saying things like, if you cannot read the Greek, you cannot understand the gospel. Man, that is just so wrong! Okay, back to the point: so you are saying that once we are made alive, the deal is sealed even though Scripture says we are sealed upon belief? I press into this point because it was sixteen years in between when some would say I was made alive and when I came to believe. This particular topic does interest me perhaps more than others, and I know it is not the same for everyone. Then again, some say spiritual things do not interest people who are not born again, and I disagree with that, also. I think lots of people are interested in spiritual things and pursue spiritual truths before coming to believe more fully in God and turning their will and their life over to Him. I was one of them...
 

rogerg

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2021
3,693
574
113
Yes it can. If Ms. Jones is a teacher and sends her kids to Mr Water's karaoke evening., Mr Waters may say , "All that Ms. Jones sends to me will come to me. That does not preclude other children also coming of their own volition, or sent, from other teacher's classes.
That is exactly what it precludes because they (and they alone) - those whom the Father sends to Christ - will He raise them up on the last day and no others.

[Jhn 6:44 KJV] 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
16,557
497
83
When I give an alter call at the end of my sermon why are people coming to the alter?
They are coming to accept Jesus.
They heard the Gospel and made a choice to get up from the pew and walk to the altar and surrender their life to God.

That's how it basically happens to EVERYONE inside a Church Building.
really? Cannot anyone do that from the pew from within them their heart or even at home or anywhere? For I see the six gun holsters on the preachers. What???????????????????????????? no way?
Really yes way
the true worshipers worship God in God's Spirit and Truth, thank you Father.

Matthew 23:15
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Do we the people really think, that others do not use the Gospel for their own gain still even outside of the Church also? No flesh person can please God but Son's that did that on that cross once for everyone to believe he is risen for new life from Father to get given them
First reconciled ( 2 Cor 5:17-20), then belief to God in risen Son for them. Then continued belief (Col 1:21-23), no matter (Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees) God is the one and only one to be safe in at least for me, thanks