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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Who has the opportunity to be saved? | Job 38:1 | kalos | 1093 | ||
Jg8ball, I want to thank you for your pleasant reply to my previous message. And thanks for saying: "...you can stop using Calvinism." I'd be delighted to stop using that C word. You have no idea what a relief it is to just drop it from my vocabulary. (smiles) Good question in your last line. I must admit: you've got me there. I only know that the Bible is filled with clear verses saying in different words and in different ways that Whosoever will may come. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." "Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." . . . Yet it also clearly indicates that we don't choose God, He chooses us. God and God alone has taken the initiative in our salvation from the beginning to the end. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world for salvation. (See Eph 1:4 and following.) "...God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation..." (2 Th 2:13) . . . The Bible teaches two different things: whosoever will and God's choosing. How can two apparently contradictory statements be true? I don't know -- they just are. A word which well describes this is paradox, which is defined as "a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true." No sarcasm intended in my answer. This is my best attempt at answering your question. To give a deeper or more comprehensive answer to your question would be to parrot the views of others. I myself would need to dig deeper into the Bible doctrine of Election before I could come up with an answer of my own. I will admit, and this is NOT a cop-out, there are aspects of election that I do not understand. . . . It is apparent to me that not everything in the Bible, such as the Trinity or the origin of God Himself, can be explained. I no longer try to explain that which cannot be explained. Please have some tolerance and patience with me regarding my custom of not attempting to explain the unexplainable. Even if I am wrong regarding explanations of the unexplainable, this is my sincere position. I'm not trying to win any arguments or persuade you that my stand on this is the only stand. Friends? I hope so. . . . I honestly look forward to your reply. One thing I'll say for you: you've given this topic a lot of thought and have come up with some very interesting questions. |
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2 | Who has the opportunity to be saved? | Job 38:1 | jg8ball | 1095 | ||
I think we are closer in our beliefs than we realize. I guess our difference here is that I believe God's choosing us could be viewed as God making an initial offer to us and giving us the option to accept it or not. In other words, God chose all of us in his plan for salvation but want's us to make the decision to follow him on our own. Unfortunately, not all will. This thought allows for both the "Whosovers" and the "God's Choosing" to coexist nicely and makes it easier to interpret these "conflicting" passages. The other area we disagree on is that I believe it's possible to renounce one's salvation - although I have no idea why one would. I've replied back to you on this topic in another posting and in case you haven't read it yet, I appologize in advance for any little digs :) I tend to get a little over passionate on this stuff. |
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3 | Who has the opportunity to be saved? | Job 38:1 | kalos | 1135 | ||
Thanks for your reply. It is I who owe you an apology: I'm afraid I have been somewhat passionate and have made unkind remarks to you. See, that's why I couldn't be on the radio to field Bible questions. That and the fact that I don't know all the answers -- not by a long shot. I get too emotional, too passionate, whatever you want to call it. . . . Probably what I should do with my replies is to write them and then sleep on them. Re-read them the next day and decide whether they are appropriate before I send them. . . . I really like this new attitude of mutual respect and kindness, even though we don't agree on every last little thing. . . . I too think we may be closer in our beliefs than we realize. Perhaps some of the differences are because I'm not thorough enough in my questions or comments. Or perhaps I don't choose the right words to convey what I mean. I sincerely mean this. Thanks again for your reply. |
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