Results 1 - 4 of 4
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Predestination | Eph 1:4 | Scribe | 41705 | ||
There has probably been more posted in chat rooms and theological forums on this subject than almost any other. First I suggest you read through the Bible and mark any passage of verse that would shed light on the concept of being predestined to either wrath or salvation. When you collect all the verses and not Just Rom 9 (which was quoting many OT passages so you really should study the OT passaged along with Rom 9) then you form your opinion based on all of these verse. Both sides, will passionately argue their side of the debate. One reason this is such a popular topic? Theological Universities. One of the main problems with Theological Universities is that they are often guilty of spending enormous amounts of time, effort, and energy teaching students about the Great debates in church history, (Calvin, Luther, Arminan (not sure about that spelling) and so the student comes out of the school one one side of the debate or the other and having formulated his reasons. Then he goes about trying to convert christians that are already living for the Lord in faith. If on the other had the student forgets about the Great debates he has been studying and arguing all semester and just reads his Bible with the view of knowing God he will find he has a passion for the Lost and he will find himself preaching to the lost about the love of Christ and he will notice that the Spirit of God and the pure Gospel message at least "assumes" the listner is destined to be one of the elect. Or in other words the student will release it is not his job to determine who is the elect and who isn't so he will go about preaching as though all can be. Thus even the one of the view that man has no free will as it relates to salvation will preach like the lost people he is talking to do have free will, so then.. what difference does it make. If you preach the gospel to the lost as though all can be saved, and the person on the free will side of the isle preaches that way too, then forget about the debate and win the lost! Then there is the issue of the student that does not preach the gospel but instead spends all his time debating with the saved. This person has a messed up heart that needs fixing by God whether he thinks he is predestined or no. Another thing is to use the Desert Island and Faith approach to Bible Study. That is.. read the bible as though you really believe God is in you and that you are born again (this is of course to the christian) and read the bible as if you were on a desert Island with just the Holy Spirit to guide you and read it throughly. If you come away without any human influence in a view of "some are going to be saved whether they like it or not" (exageration mine :) or if you come away with a view that God created some people (or most people) to populate eternal flames and they can do nothing to avoid their destiny. Then you have to live with that view. However I trust you will see it differently. |
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2 | Predestination | Eph 1:4 | Reformer Joe | 41750 | ||
You wrote: "One of the main problems with Theological Universities is that they are often guilty of spending enormous amounts of time, effort, and energy teaching students about the Great debates in church history" First of all, theology is not a dirty word, nor should it be reserved for those dreaded "theological universities." It is this kind of anti-intellectualism that has made the church so impotent today. It is completely ridiculous to think that it is possible to read Scripture "without any human influence." Isn't it quaint that it is the kind of thing the Jehovah's Witnesses and other cults tell us to do. "If you read the Bible apart from the church, you will see that WE are right!" Come on. You are influenced by all kinds of people, both Christian and non-Christian, before you open up your text. We are sinful people who believe what we want to believe many times, and in our sin we often do not listen to the Holy Spirit, or misinterpret our own sinful desires as "God talking to us." That is why God has given us the church to collectively interpret Scripture correctly (i.e the Holy Spirit works in and through the communion of saints). He has also equipped certain people with the gifts of teaching and knowledge to serve the church in passing on the traditions in the Bible (i.e. the Holy Spirit works through His Word as taught by OTHER people). To reject the church's role in interpreting Scripture and the role of teacher as a vital one in the church is to dishonor God's gifts to the believer. NEVER has God intended the Christian life to be "me, my Bible, and the Holy Spirit." False notions like this are why people have such disrespect for theology and sound teaching, and a love for our own, "personal" meaning of Scripture, no matter how off-the-wall it may be. Lastly, God has revealed Himself and His characteristics in His Word. That means he wants us to understand some things about Him and the way that He operates. Again, to say that it is pointless to examine how God works in salvation -- to make light of His self-revelation--is to dishonor God. We must get away from the idea that it is useless to know what God has to say about Himself. Obviously both cannot be right in this debate, but to call it an unimportant one just demonstrates one's love of ignorance. And that is something on which Arminian and Calvinist will stand in agreement. --Joe! |
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3 | Predestination | Eph 1:4 | steved | 41755 | ||
You spoke truth about the church. Too meany american christians thank that their religion is an individual thing; instead we neet to fellowship and worship as a body in a local church. To hear God's Word preached and commune in the Lord's Supper. | ||||||
4 | Predestination | Eph 1:4 | Reformer Joe | 41816 | ||
True...not to mention using our spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ. We are not buildings unto ourselves, but as Peter says: "And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." --1 Peter 2:4-5 We are saved individually, but we are saved into something much larger than ourselves, something that stretches out and back through time and space. Thanks for your words of encouragement! --Joe! |
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