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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How do I make sense of the context? | Acts 8:13 | Reformer Joe | 70217 | ||
In this case man isn't choosing salvation; he is choosing damnation. Our choices are determined by our natures. Unregenerate man can choose all kinds of things, but his nature is such that he will not WANT to truly embrace Jesus Christ. Just like my nature is such that I cannot bring myself to like eating sawdust, the unregenerate's nature is such that he cannot bring himself to want the true Jesus on His terms. Another example would be a herbivore's natural aversion to eating flesh. There is nothing external or physical stopping a plant-eating animal from chewing on a carcass, but its nature is such that the animal will never choose to do so. That is why I am careful to distinguish between one's WILL and one's NATURE. Our wills are free in a limited sense, but they are constrained by opportunity, by our own power to affect change around us, and by our own spiritual natures. That is why I speak of God giving us a new nature. Before possessing my new nature, I willfully chose not to receive Christ; it was my nature to do so, and I had no problem with it. When God called, however, my nature was changed so that I realized the necessity of responding to that call and the love of God for me in His sending Jesus to die for me. Before, I didn't desire Christ, just as those who reject my evangelistic efforts do not desire Christ. They willfully push it away, and would willingly choose anything else as their highest desire (even a false Christ). God gave me a new nature, and the Christ-hater THEN becomes the Christ-lover, and gladly does so. --Joe! |
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2 | How do I make sense of the context? | Acts 8:13 | EdB | 70258 | ||
Joe To what you have written in response to the Mormon discussion I disagree. They were brought to a choice and they made it. That is choice. To everything else you have written I'm in agreement with the caveat that God offers this to "all" men as clearly stated in the Bible, and we know some men for whatever reason reject it. EdB |
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