Who are the inspired scriptures directed to?

Your decal of the lion and Spurgeon's quote explains a lot in what I am trying to say to you. I do believe the scriptures explain themselves, but, we, by ourselves, do not unchain them. It is the Holy Spirits revelation that unchains them. If you had read that bible without the revelation of the Holy Spirit it would have been foolishness to you. The natural man (void of the Spirit) described in 1 Cor 2:14 cannot discern spiritual things. You were already born of the Holy Spirit and was converted by reading the bible. I commend you for turning to the bible, and you know that was probably the providence of God along with the Holy Spirit that was already within you.

I see you point . I get it . First let me say I come from a Reformed understanding of scripture. I just want to get that out so you know where I stand . You do bring up a interesting question though. I have not given much time to study or think about . When exactly do we stop being that natural man . I will post more I have to go now . Back in a bit . I have family stuff to do .
Blessings
Bill

The natural man while he is yet "dead in sins" and has no ability to discern anything that is spiritual, God regenerates him from his natural state and gives him the Holy Spirit to abide in him, he now can discern spiritual things as the Spirit within him begins to reveal some truths unto him. This process is explained in Eph 2, especially in verse 5. By God's design, this process is performed strictly by God's sovereign grace without any requirement from man.

I have a question. Are you telling Diana that our belief is the cause of our eternal salvation?

Ok . So when dose regeneration happen before or after becoming aware of the Gospel?
Blessings
Bill

No, God alone is the "cause" of our salvation.

If you'd like more detail on how I believe the salvation process happens, I'd be happy to provide you with that as well. Just let me know.

~Deut

Hi Bill, regeneration precedes faith, because unless/until God quickens our hearts ("regenerates" us/cause us to be "born again" .. Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3), we cannot be "aware" of the Gospel from His spiritual POV, or anything else in the Kingdom of God for that matter. The things of God are nothing more than foolishness to the unregenerate man or woman, because they have no ability to understand or accept any of it in their natural state of being .. 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-5. We can only come to understand the things of God when He quickens us to spiritual life, so again, regeneration precedes understanding/accepting/believing.

I hope you two didn't mind me adding in my 2 cents worth.(?)

~Deut

.........Ezekiel 36
.........26 ..I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you
.........a heart of flesh.
.........27 ..I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
.........

No . I don’t mind at all . That’s what we are here for . Open civil discussion is what what it’s all about .
My question was more of a leading question . I was trying get a better understanding of our brothers views.
Blessings
Bill

Ahh, thanks, I will be interested to hear what he has to say as well.

I will add this to what I said above, I believe God's quickening/regenerating/causing us to be born again, His drawing of the elect, and the gift of saving faith He gives to all of those who are His, to all be different sides of the same coin, so to speak (of course, I guess that would mean that it would have to be a multi-sided coin somehow ). At least I am presently considering that such a thing may be true anyway.

Thanks for letting me join the party

God bless you! (Numbers 6:24-26)

~Deut
p.s. - I love the Spurgeon quote in your signature line

Yes, I thought your belief and mine were pretty close to each other, but now I am wondering.

Your comment to Diana, "God saves us when we believe" Do you think that we believe before we are saved?

Technically, yes, but I believe God saves us/declares us "just" from the moment that we first believe .. John 5:24, so it's more like they happen at the same time. We are saved "by" grace "through" faith, so our choice to believe is certainly part of the "process" (so to speak) of being justified/saved.

~Deut

What is your explanation on Eph 2:5? The natural man, even when he was "dead in sins" DEAD, Strong's definition A CORPS, DEAD LITERALLY OR FIGURATIVELY. The natural man was yet spiritually dead, unable to discern spiritual things, as to believe. That is my understanding anyway. Eph 2:8 - The "through faith" is not man.s faith, but Christ's faith, or faithfulness to go to the cross. Compare to Gal 2:16 - Man is justified by the faith "OF" Jesus Christ, not "IN" Jesus Christ. Does this make sense?

In reference to John 5:24 - He that heareth my word and believeth, The natural man as described in 1 Cor 2:14 cannot hear and believe in spiritual things. John 10:27 says "my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Do you think that the natural man is his sheep?

Hear, trust, believe, call, sealed, whosoever, we, ye, All of these scriptures you have posted are applied to the regenerated man, not to the natural man. All of this would foolishness unto him.

Could you explain what you mean by "Technically, yes"?

I believe that all of these events happen nearly simultaneously. That said, God justifies/saves us ("declares" us just) when we "believe"/come to saving faith in Jesus (so technically, believing precedes justification).

~Deut

You can stick with believing those scriptures are referring to the natural man, void of the Spirit, if you want to, but they do not harmonize with 1 Cor 2:14 and others. All scriptures must agree or you are not understanding the doctrine of Jesus. Until you can correctly explain 1 Cor 2:14 you will never solve the mystery.