Yes, he uses metaphors for several topics like saying Speaking in Tongues is Angel Language. It's a metaphor. It means it's not what it is but what it appears to be.
Election by God Is According to His will, not man’s Will to believe
- Thread starter Jon777
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Nope, I don't belong to a belief system that is predicated upon brain washing and I allow the Holy Spirit to lead me rather than man made Doctrine.
You belong to a system that exalts the will of man over God ! Will worship
Nope, I belong to a belief that God makes Himself known to all like Roman chapter 1 claims.
That God knows the end from the beginning so He is well aware of what someone within the mother's womb will do even when God makes Himself known to them.
That God being Creator of all has Authority to do as He Wills and we've seen this when He was establishing the Hebrew peoples and the Land of Israel.
But because has done a things a couple of times (Esau and Pharaoh) does not mean He does it to everyone. That is why we have David and Joshua saying CHOOSE GOD because the ability to do so is there.
And that You clearly follow a Doctrine that has removed the majority of Scripture.
Sorry creation doesnt make God known spiritually. Only Jesus does that in a spiritual saving way way Jn 17:2-3
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Matt 11 27
27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
You may know God superficially through creation, but not by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Romans chapter 1 explains that they know who God is and reject God so ultimately God gives them over to unnatural desires and a reprobate mind.
So they have a very good idea of who God is.
You just hate the truth.
Creation doesnt reveal God Spiritually only Christ does. The only thing Creation does in regard to God is causes men to idol worship, like freewill worship. Man is born depraved and dead to God spiritually, so with Creations revelation of God, a depraved sinner turns it into Idolatry, thats Pauls point in Rom 1:18ff
Indeed, brightfame52:
[Luk 10:21-22 KJV]
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and [he] to whom the Son will reveal [him].
Actually, the moment you were regrnerated and saved you didn't know God spiritually yourself. You didn't know this until you were taught, instructed, read and learned. So at the beginning you are as equal in knowledge about God as those in Romans chapter 1.
You contradict what Paul says about creation showing people the basics about God. It is not creation that causes men to worship idols, it is demons and false teachings of men.
Romans 1
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Creation cannot be divorced from the Creator.
Paul's point in Rom. 1:18-2:9a is that some souls choose idolatry/condemnation
and others choose to cooperate with GW by accepting the Gospel of Christ--which reminds me of this song:
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/from-paul-to-the-proud
What does God’s Foreknowledge mean?
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge(prognosis) of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23, KJV)
God’s foreknowledge is based on his own determinate counsel, definite plan.
The BDAG
Prognosis, “πρόγνωσις predetermination, of God’s omniscient wisdom and intention (so Alex. Aphr., Fat. 30 p. 200, 31 Br.; Proverbia Aesopi 131 P.; Jdth 9:6; Just., D. 92, 5 πρόγνωσιν ἔχων) w. βουλή Ac 2:23. κατὰ πρόγνωσιν θεοῦ πατρός destined by God the Father (NRSV) 1 Pt 1:2 (Just., D. 134, 4; s. WArndt, CTM 9, 1929, 41–43).—DELG s.v. γιγνώσκω. M-M. TW.”
Thayer
2. Prognosis, “πρόγνωσις, forethought, prearrangement (see προβλέπω): 1 Peter 1:2; Acts 2:23 (but cf. προγινώσκω, and see Meyer on Acts, the passage cited).
For whom he did foreknow(proginosko), he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom 8:29, KJV)
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew(proginosko). Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, (Rom 11:2, KJV)
BDAG
Proginosko, “προγινώσκω choose beforehand τινά someone Ro 8:29. τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ 11:2”
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1Pet 1:2, KJV)
compare
who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1Pe 1:2 NRSVue)
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matt 7:23, KJV)
Did Jesus not previously know that they existed? Of course, He knew they existed, but they were not known in and by the love of Christ.
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge(prognosis) of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23, KJV)
God’s foreknowledge is based on his own determinate counsel, definite plan.
The BDAG
Prognosis, “πρόγνωσις predetermination, of God’s omniscient wisdom and intention (so Alex. Aphr., Fat. 30 p. 200, 31 Br.; Proverbia Aesopi 131 P.; Jdth 9:6; Just., D. 92, 5 πρόγνωσιν ἔχων) w. βουλή Ac 2:23. κατὰ πρόγνωσιν θεοῦ πατρός destined by God the Father (NRSV) 1 Pt 1:2 (Just., D. 134, 4; s. WArndt, CTM 9, 1929, 41–43).—DELG s.v. γιγνώσκω. M-M. TW.”
Thayer
2. Prognosis, “πρόγνωσις, forethought, prearrangement (see προβλέπω): 1 Peter 1:2; Acts 2:23 (but cf. προγινώσκω, and see Meyer on Acts, the passage cited).
For whom he did foreknow(proginosko), he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom 8:29, KJV)
God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew(proginosko). Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, (Rom 11:2, KJV)
BDAG
Proginosko, “προγινώσκω choose beforehand τινά someone Ro 8:29. τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ 11:2”
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1Pet 1:2, KJV)
compare
who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1Pe 1:2 NRSVue)
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matt 7:23, KJV)
Did Jesus not previously know that they existed? Of course, He knew they existed, but they were not known in and by the love of Christ.
What must I do to be saved? You must believe that God elected you to salvation from the foundation of the world and that there is nothing you must do to be saved, in fact, you're already saved. Congratulations! But, to answer your question, simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved even though you are already saved.
True or False: Is the preaching of the cross the power of God unto salvation?
The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
The preaching of the cross to unbelievers is foolishness. They are blinded by the god of this world.
Slaves to sin. Refusing to come into the Light. Lovers of darkness. Opposed to the spiritual things of God.
Hostile to God in their minds, and incapable of submitting to Him.
As you know the foundational doctrine of Reformed/Calvinists is that God bequeaths belief/faith to his pre-selected after a person is regenerated.
Because they have adopted a false soteriology when they read scripture they read it into the words, when in fact scripture asserts nothing of the sort.
Regeneration prior to belief/faith is completely and totally a false doctrine.
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians ch 2 v 14