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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Predestination | Eccl 6:10 | Michael T. | 197974 | ||
Greetings again, Part 3 – Conclusion: You said: “Or when it says GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD??” My reply: It helps discussion if you always supply the Scripture references of each of the particular Scripture passages to which you refer. In this instance, I assume that you’re alluding to Gospel of John 3:16. The Bible isn’t a collection of individual verses flung together. Instead, the Bible is one entire inter-connected work of Divine revelation, consistent throughout, and designed by GOD its Author to be its own interpreter, by the Spirit of GOD. Therefore the proper meaning of any particular verse of Scripture can only be determined by always carefully considering each verse in its local context and also always in the context of ALL the Scriptures. There are *no short cuts* in this process of responsible and accurate exegesis. We need to have a working-knowledge of ALL the Scriptures if our conclusions are to be properly informed and consistent with the Scriptures. To err is to misrepresent the Scriptures, which is to misrepresent the Author of His Scriptures, Who is the LORD God. The local context of John 3:16 is John 3:1-36. In John 3:1-13, Christ is in dialog with Nicodemus, a religious leader from among the Jewish people. In John 3:14-15, Christ declares that salvation is conditioned on obedient saving Faith [believing] on the Son; i.e. Christ, and in John 3:16, it is confirmed that salvation is not restricted to believers from among the Jews but also to believers from among the Gentiles; i.e. the “world.” [refer also to John 4:22:24]. It is obvious that the term “world” in John 3:16 cannot mean ““every individual person of the entire human race in all generations from Adam and Eve until the end of the world without exception” because, as John 3:16 emphasises, salvation is always conditioned on saving Faith in Christ the only-begotten Son. And Gospel of John 3:36 declares that the righteous wrath of GOD continues upon all who do not believe [i.e. do not have saving Faith] in the only-begotten Son. Since we know from Romans 12:3, Acts 13:48, Acts 18:27; Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 5:22 etc, that saving Faith is itself the gift of GOD, and since without Faith it is impossible to please GOD [Hebrews 11:6], it is therefore blatantly obvious that in respect of all those who perish in their sin and unbelief [John 3:16b], that it never was the will of GOD that any of those perished ones should be saved. Thus it is evident from the Scriptures that the love of GOD which is spoken of in Gospel of John 3:16 is His love for all of His elect and pre-destinated people from among both the Jewish people and from among the Gentiles, but no more than these. It is obvious that GOD does not extend His love to those whom He willed from before Creation to withhold salvation. To assert otherwise, as many people rashly and ignorantly do, is foolish and also absurd because it implies that GOD is double-minded and self-contradictory, which is blasphemous. To sum up, the Scriptures deny and refute the heresies of “universal salvation,” “universal redemption,” “universal atonement,” and “universal propitiation.” You said: “I also wanted to apologize for my attitude in the last note that I wrote, this is a very emotional topic for me knowing that God's love and mercy is for any who will accept it,“ My reply: It’s not a matter of “accepting” but of having true saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ never asks people to “accept” Him; instead, as in Gospel of Mark 1:15: REPENT and BELIECE the Gospel!” Stick to what the Scriptures say. You said: “It bothers me that other people choose to believe that they are chosen and some have no hope b/c God just decides they will be punished no matter the heart.” My reply: Nowhere do the Scriptures require people to believe that “they are chosen.” Instead, saving Faith is to be in Christ. Confine yourself to all of GOD’s Scriptures. Let then be your lamp and your light [Psalm 119:105], in dependence upon GOD to enlighten you by His Holy Spirit. Regards, Michael T. |
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2 | Predestination | Eccl 6:10 | azurelaw | 197976 | ||
Dear Michael, First of all, a belated Merry Christmas to you. However, it matters not if it is truly the Christmas day or not as long as we always remember the purpose of our Christ Saviour coming into the world. I also wish you a fruitful (both spiritual and material) year of 2008. I appreciate your contribution and effort in explaining your view, position and concern on this highly controversial topic. If you've got the time, I do hope that you might do a word search "predestination" which I did already and found there are over 200 posts containing the word "predestination" just in 2001 and 2002. Now, it is 2007 and going to be 2008, you can estimate how many discussions (very thoroughly) have been made between both sides of believers. Therefore, I would like to offer the below scriptures for your kind consideration. 2 Peter 1:3-11 2 Peter 1:3 ...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Pet 1:4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 2 Pet 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 2 Pet 1:6 and in your knowledge, SELF-CONTROL, and in your SELF-CONTROL, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 2 Pet 1:7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 2 Pet 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Pet 1:9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 2 Pet 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 2 Pet 1:11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Shalom Azure |
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