Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Praying for the 'World'. | Matt 5:44 | atdcross | 163644 | ||
Regrading Jn 17:9. First question: "Did Jesus know at that time who was His Father's and who wasn't?" Response: There is no indication at all that this is an issue contemplated in the verse. Second question: "If Jesus didn't pray for the 'world', should we? Or should our prayer be for the elect only?" Response: Tim Moran has provided an adequate answer to this question in his post ID#163556. Third question: "Is it futile to be praying for someone to be saved when 'before the foundations of the world' they were already known." Response: It seems you left more out in the question. Do you mean it is futile to pray because they were already known by God to be damned? On the assumption that this is what you meant, whether God foreknows one's eternal destiny is not the issue nor is any indication given in this verse one way or the other. Again, I refer you to Tim's post cited above regarding whether ot not we ought to pray for the "world". Unfortunately, what you are being taught, that 2 Peter 3:9 refers to "His Chosen," seems to be a total distortion of its clear and intended meaning. 1. If one wants to argue that the context - "is patient toward you" - demands that "the chosen" are understood, then it must be understood that Peter is writing to those who are not saved at the time his letter is being read (or else why does God need to be patient with them and why does will that they not perish if they are already saved?). 2. To change the meaning or interpret "any" to refer to "the chosen" is totally unwarranted in the text and, although I am not a Greek scholar, my references give no indication this is the case. The "any" includes the "God-mockers" of v.3; God desires their repentance also and that is why he delays his return. Respecting your desire not to debate the issue (nor do i want to argue it or attempt to prove anything), I only add my understanding of the Bible for further thought. |
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2 | Praying for the 'World'. | Matt 5:44 | kalos | 163672 | ||
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any[4] to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NET Bible) Footnote 4. "He does not wish for any to perish." '...the literary context seems to be against the Arminian view, while the historical context seems to be against (one representation of) the Calvinist view. The answer to this conundrum is found in the term "wish" (a participle in Greek from the verb boulomai). It often represents a mere wish, or one's desiderative will, rather than one's resolve. Unless God's will is viewed on the two planes of his desiderative and decretive will (what he desires and what he decrees), hopeless confusion will result. The scriptures amply illustrate both that God sometimes decrees things that he does not desire and desires things that he does not decree. It is not that his will can be thwarted, nor that he has limited his sovereignty. But the mystery of God's dealings with humanity is best seen if this tension is preserved. Otherwise, either God will be perceived as good but impotent or as a sovereign taskmaster. Here the idea that God does not wish for any to perish speaks only of God's desiderative will, without comment on his decretive will.' ____________________ (http://www.bible.org/cgi-bin/netbible.pl#note_3) |
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3 | Praying for the 'World'. | Matt 5:44 | Morant61 | 163676 | ||
Greetings Kalos! I realize that you are not the author of this material, but I was curious about one of the statements in this quote. The author writes: "The scriptures amply illustrate both that God sometimes decrees things that he does not desire and desires things that he does not decree." I can certainly understand how could could desire something but not decree it, but how could God decree something that He does not desire? ;-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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