Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Theological Terms: Regeneration | Titus 3:5 | DocTrinsograce | 151473 | ||
Dear Terrib, No, the Scriptures do not teach that at all. Man's will is perfectly free (although corrupt). No one ever chooses to do what they do not deem will be best for themselves. No one's will is ever really forced. For example, a robber might demand all of your money. You refuse. Now, the robber can alter the circumstances that contribute to your choice, by holding a gun to your head. Given the new circumstances, you choose to hand over your money. Are you being forced? No, you still have a free will. You choose what you deem will best lead to the objectives of your immediate happiness: you give him your money that your life might be spared. Christ taught that the will is influenced to make choices by the heart (Matthew 12:33-37). In the fall of man, the ability of man to desire the things of God was lost (Romans 5:6; 8:7; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44). Sin has damaged his affections, and even confounded his ability to understand what is good and what is evil. (See Romans 1.) Consequently, what the Scripture is saying is that a lost man has a free will. However, because of the fall, he has a "moral inability" to choose to obey God. Therefore, God miraculous intervenes to restore this ability in those He has chosen to save (Colossians 1:13; John 8:36; Philippians 2:13; Romans 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23). God would have been perfectly just to let all men die in their sins. Nothing obligates Him to redeem anyone. Furthermore, the believer now has the ability to choose that which is Godly (Ephesians 4:13). He is a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galaltians 6:15). His effections have been renewed (2 Thes 3:5, 1 John 4:7). He desires the things of God, and will give all that he has in order to please Him (Matthew 10:37, 13:44, 46, Luke 14:26, etc.). In glorification, the final taint of sin of will be completely removed in every respect for the believer. He will then be perfrectly and immutably free to do only God's will. At that time, his full restoration will be complete. Salvation is entirely a work of God, start to finish (Ephesians 2:9). God is sovereign, not man. In Him, Doc "The will is not destroyed but rather repaired by grace." --John Calvin "God's predetermination of second causes is that effectual working of his, according to his eternal purpose, whereby though some agents, as the wills of men, are causes most free and indefinite, or unlimited lords of their own actions, in respect of their internal principle of operation (that is, their own nature), they are yet all, in respect of his decree, and by his powerful working, determined to this or that effect in particular; not that they are compelled to do this, or hindered from doing that, but are inclined and disposed to do this or that, according to their proper manner of working, that is, most freely." --John Owen |
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2 | Theological Terms: Regeneration | Titus 3:5 | terrib | 151478 | ||
Hi Doc, You wrote: "No, the Scriptures do not teach that at all."(concerning freedom of choice) Yes, I agree! But a close view of these quotes do not say this. Theological Term: Divine Providence "He governs all creatures and events so that they accomplish what he intends, either by their acting freely (as through human choice) or contingently (as when something happens that did not have to happen) or necessarily (as with the law of gravity). Thus God, in ways beyond our understanding, works in and through everything to bring about his good purposes." Theological Term: Election "Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, He has out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His own will, chosen from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault from the primitive state of rectitude into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom He from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect and the foundation of salvation. This elect number, though by nature neither better nor more deserving than others, but with them involved in one common misery, God has decreed to give to Christ to be saved by Him, and effectually to call and draw them to His communion by His Word and Spirit; to bestow upon them true faith, justification, and sanctification; and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of His Son, finally to glorify them for the demonstration of His mercy, and for the praise of the riches of His glorious grace." Theological Term: Predestination "Predestination is that aspect of foreordination whereby the salvation of the believer is taken to be effected in accordance with the will of God, Who has called and elected him, in Christ, unto life eternal." (One-sided ... were is the unbeliever in this definition?) Theological Terms: Gospel Call "Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel." I find no free choice in any of the above statements, for they are all one-sided! They completely neglect to mention those that are unbelievers as though they do not exist at all. Out of all the statements by these men qouted above and in the Theological Terms essays that have been posted, this one has got to take the cake! Is this called redundant or what: (?) "Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only." --Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter III)" - DAH ! That's like saying, "The room was painted white, the painter bought white paint and painted the walls white, therefore the walls are white." The Theological Terms essays that have been posted, to me, do not support free will. Now, as with Paul seeing the war inside himself between flesh and spirit, I now also see a war inside myself between usefullness and uselessness. But, I see Christ, in the parable of the sower, (Mat 13:3-8), spreading the seed to all the world. And, I see that a man can choose, (Mat 7:8) "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." And, I see the Gospel to be extremely simple, either one accepts it or not. All the "eight by ten glossy photos with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was", becomes a multitude of confusion. Do you think it is possible that we over-explain things, and in the midst of all these words, all these explanations, they give birth to more questions? Maybe this is why Jesus said, Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. terrib |
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3 | Theological Terms: Regeneration | Titus 3:5 | DocTrinsograce | 151483 | ||
Dear Terrib, You wrote, "But a close view of these quotes do not say this." As with everything, it depends on your definition. If you mean, do we have the "freedom of choice" to post on the forum or not on the forum, then the answer is, "Yes, we have freedom of choice." If you mean, do we have the "freedom of choice" to be something other than our nature, then the answer is, "No, we do not have freedom of choice." In this latter example, you and I cannot choose to be a cat. Nor can a cat choose to be a dog. Each of these things can choose to move left or right, but then that is in their nature to make such choices. Even God is under the same restraints! He cannot be other than what He is. He cannot lie, for example, because that would be contrary to His nature. You wrote, "Now, as with Paul seeing the war inside himself between flesh and spirit, I now also see a war inside myself between usefullness and uselessness." That is correct. The fact that you have that war going on inside of you is evidence of your salvation. The lost do not have that kind of battle. You and I will fight that fight until we breathe our last. (This is what is meant by the theological term of the flesh, or indwelling sin.) You wrote, "I see the Gospel to be extremely simple." This is also true. Another theological term we have yet to discuss is the "clarity of the Gospel." God has made it very simple for us to understand. But that does not mean it is a simple thing, nor that it was easy to accomplish, nor that its implications are not profound. You asked, "Do you think it is possible that we over-explain things, and in the midst of all these words, all these explanations, they give birth to more questions?" We can only explain what the Scripture tells us. For it is the revelation of God (Deuteronomy 29:29). If we do not delve into these things, we run the risk of treating them too lightly. Furthermore, we run the risk of saying something that God did not say, or not saying something that He did say -- that is heresy. Finally, we run the risk of presenting a false Gospel -- either to others or to ourselves! Matthew 5:37 is not a call for being vague or unclear. Furhtermore, if I may humbly point out, your use of it in this context is making Christ say something that He did not say. QED In Him, Doc Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are SOME THINGS HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:15b-16) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) |
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4 | Theological Terms: Regeneration | Titus 3:5 | terrib | 151488 | ||
Hi Doc, We are beating the same drum. Your eloquence of words far exceeds mine, for my oratory skills are were not delivered in such a big package from the Spirit. But we are twins in Spirit and in that I am thankful. 1Sa 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. terrib |
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5 | Theological Terms: Regeneration | Titus 3:5 | DocTrinsograce | 151489 | ||
Dear Terrib, Thank you for the encouragement. I'm afraid I tend to put most people to sleep! So perhaps we should be thankful that God has chosen to make us in different ways. This way, at least one of us will keep them awake! :-) In Him, Doc |
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6 | Theological Terms: Regeneration | Titus 3:5 | Wild Olive Shoot | 151495 | ||
Doc, I've found your posts to be thought provoking, enlightening and edifying in the short time I've participated in this forum. Don't sell yourself short. Some, like Eutychus, will fall asleep no matter who is speaking. :) WOS |
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