Unable to Believe the “Foolish” Gospel

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Oct 28, 2024
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#21
Dougcho:
"Do you really think that people in this hopeless condition are
going to be able to choose to believe in Jesus and the Gospel?
"

Yes. God teaches men while in an unredeemed state.
Then when the time is right he opens their eyes to see and believe.
Sorry, everyone ... I meant on their own, with no help from God
 

sawdust

Active member
Feb 12, 2024
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#24
Sorry, everyone ... I meant on their own, with no help from God
That was how I understood your OP which is why I posted what I did because I thought it needed further clarification in that salvation is impossible for man without the grace of God.

God supplies what is needed for man to see the truth and in seeing, what man really prefers, light or dark, is revealed.

God does not decide who believes or who doesn't believe but His promise is to save believers. It is by His determination alone that believers are saved and not by the act of our believing.

People seem to get confused by this. If you say "you have to believe in the Gospel" (which you do for salvation (Rm.1:16), they seem to think you are saying that it's one's own believing that saves them, forgetting it is only because this is what God has determined for believers in His great love and mercy.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The promise is to believers. There are only two types of people in the world, believers and unbelievers. The grace of God does not cause us to be one or the other, His grace reveals which one we are.
 
Aug 25, 2024
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#26
I don't know of anyone who believes or says that.
There are those who do believe that. They insist God's Elect is referring to sinners who by free will "elect" to follow Jesus .

That is nowhere in Scripture yet those type folks do exist. Even on Christian discussion boards. I've read a few over the years. And there is no changing their mind.
 

sawdust

Active member
Feb 12, 2024
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#27
There are those who do believe that. They insist God's Elect is referring to sinners who by free will "elect" to follow Jesus .

That is nowhere in Scripture yet those type folks do exist. Even on Christian discussion boards. I've read a few over the years. And there is no changing their mind.
And there are others who are neither Calvinists or Arminians but somewhere inbetween. :)
 
Oct 24, 2012
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#28
1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Unto those that believe God and those that might choose to believe God, yet to choose
It is the power of God that has continued on ever since the resurrected Son, Which is the power of God giving new life to (Born again) to each one the tells God from within them, they believe God over all the hype here in this world, still going on today, thanks


Acts 5:38-42

Authorized (King James) Version

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
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#29
OP did you read your own post? You said "Do you really think that people in this hopeless condition are going to be able to choose to believe in Jesus and the Gospel?" Yet here you are :) Did He not find you?
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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#30
Sorry, everyone ... I meant on their own, with no help from God

What do you think it is that God's grace gives to a person?

Grace is God's enabling power.
Power to enable those who would otherwise be helpless to do, or choose freely.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s
power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:8-9


grace and peace ...........
 
Feb 12, 2024
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#31
OP did you read your own post? You said "Do you really think that people in this hopeless condition are going to be able to choose to believe in Jesus and the Gospel?" Yet here you are :) Did He not find you?
I thought the OP made it very clear man cannot be saved by his own power. If you thought he was saying something different maybe you are the one who needs to re-read his post. :)
 
Oct 28, 2024
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#32
You said "Do you really think that people in this hopeless condition
are going to be able to choose to believe in Jesus and the Gospel?"
Yet here you are :) Did He not find you?
The "hopeless condition" refers to people who cannot believe in
Jesus and the Gospel on their own, i.e. without God's intervention.
God must provide the faith to believe!
 
Feb 12, 2024
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#33
The "hopeless condition" refers to people who cannot believe in
Jesus and the Gospel on their own, i.e. without God's intervention.
God must provide the faith to believe!
He provides grace and truth first, then after one believes, He provides faith.

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Faith comes from the word and is the word of truth alive and working in ones life. You can't have saving faith prior to being in union with the Word.

Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
 

Genez

Junior Member
Oct 12, 2017
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#34
The "hopeless condition" refers to people who cannot believe in
Jesus and the Gospel on their own, i.e. without God's intervention.
God must provide the faith to believe!

He can not provide the gift of faith until after the barrier of the flesh's depravity is deactivated.

God's power of Grace turns off the power of the flesh's dominance over our soul.
Then the Word of God (faith) is revealed to the soul after it was made free of the flesh (by grace).
Then the soul, in the freedom just granted it by grace, will decide to accept, or reject, the word of God.

For our "faith" consists of what we believe when hearing the Gospel message.

Our gift of Faith comes by hearing the Word of God!!!!!!


So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard
through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17​

Faith is not something God imposes upon us.
Its not something He makes us to have outside of our will.
Faith is something we accepted when the Gospel was presented benevolently.

But, first, before faith can be given?
Grace must shut down the barrier of the depravity of the flesh.
The flesh was what had imprisoned our soul, and prevents man from believing.

Then, and only then.
Our soul is made free to believe... and chooses to do so, or not to.


Grace and peace .........
 
Nov 1, 2024
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#35
He can not provide the gift of faith until after the barrier of the flesh's depravity is deactivated.

God's power of Grace turns off the power of the flesh's dominance over our soul.
Then the Word of God (faith) is revealed to the soul after it was made free of the flesh (by grace).
Then the soul, in the freedom just granted it by grace, will decide to accept, or reject, the word of God.

For our "faith" consists of what we believe when hearing the Gospel message.

Our gift of Faith comes by hearing the Word of God!!!!!!
So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard
through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17​

Faith is not something God imposes upon us.
Its not something He makes us to have outside of our will.
Faith is something we accepted when the Gospel was presented benevolently.

But, first, before faith can be given?
Grace must shut down the barrier of the depravity of the flesh.
The flesh was what had imprisoned our soul, and prevents man from believing.

Then, and only then.
Our soul is made free to believe... and chooses to do so, or not to.
Grace and peace .........
This is essentially a form of neo-gnosticism.