AAAAHHHH shucks I thought I did pretty good. I don't know much about semantics but what I do know is that I looked up the word "hear" to see if what you said was truly a contradiction or not because interpreting that scripture at face value with out doing any research would cause anybody to misinterpret that verse.
But even after I gave you a very good interpretation of what the verse was actually saying you still came up with a way to discredit the interpretation. In other words I put the truth in front of your face and you still couldn't see it. You want to be able to say the Word of God is corrupted. Ok have it your way.
I didn't say the word of God is corrupted. That's not anywhere in my posts to this particular verse.
Rather, what I have observed is that if someone believes God's word then the matter of what God tells you in that particular verse can't be overlooked.
God doesn't listen to or pay attention to sinners when they pray. To put it in modern English terms.
But he does listen to those who believe in him and do his will.
Therefore, the question that arises in my mind is to ask why God would then think a sinner has a chance of praying for forgiveness and accepting Christ? When God has already told that sinner in his own words that he does not listen to nor pay attention to the prayer of a sinner.
I think that verse is important and should be important for every Christian and sinner alike.
Especially when every TV preacher I have ever watched for a time ends their sermon with their version of the sinners prayer. Which isn't in the bible. Maybe that verse we're discussing is why.
Maybe, if we go further, that is the crux behind that other verse from Jesus. "
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. "
Maybe what that's saying, along with all those verses that tells us all things are predestined by God due to his zeal for his own glory, is that people are saved or damned by God's choice. Not their own. Maybe that is why some people don't feel saved even when they think they've gone through all the steps to accept Christ as their savior.
Because if they're that sinner God has predestined them to be, they're not saved. Because God doesn't pay attention or listen to them. Maybe the only people who are saved are the people God has chosen to save and
that is why , recalling that last part of the verse we're talking about, they do his will and worship him. Because he saved them by his will, not because they prayed and asked to be saved. Maybe what grace is is the matter of fact of semantics. God has graced people he's chosen, predetermined, to worship him and do his will to be saved from being a sinner. And the rest of the human race aren't paid attention to. Not even when they pray. Because their fate is sealed by Godly predestination.
??? 