renewed on Acts 15:18
Sure it does since Justification before God is a Work of God ! Rom 8:33,34
reneweddaybyday said:
The verse does not support your claim that justification before God occurs before "those Christ died for" (which wouldl be all mankind – John 1:29, John 3:16-17, 1 John 2:2) "ever believe a thing".
Acts 15 tells us about the council at Jerusalem after there was no small dissension and disputation (Acts 15:2).
Paul and Barnabas were ministers to the gentiles. They faithfully taught the gospel of Christ to the gentiles. However, some men came down from Judaea and taught that the gentiles could not be saved except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses (Acts 15:1).
The apostles and elders came together for to consider this matter (Acts 15:6).
After there had been much disputing, Peter stood up and spoke (Acts 15:7-11); then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:12).
Then James answered with the verse you quoted (out of context to support your erroneous dogma).
Acts 15:
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
From Clarke's Commentary:
Known unto God are all his works from the beginning - As if he had said, This is not a new counsel of God: he had purposed, from the time he called the Israelites, to make the Gentiles partakers of the same grace and mercy; and ultimately to destroy those rites and ceremonies which separated them from each other.
For you to misconstrue Acts 15:18 to indicate that God justifies anyone "before [they] ever believe" is improper interpretation of Scripture. Read the verse within the context ... do not rip a verse from its context to support erroneous dogma. Bring your dogma into alignment with Scripture. Do not attempt to align Scripture to your error.
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