Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | retxar | 61067 | ||
Jesus gave a genuine offer of salvation to the rich young ruler (Mark 10:21), but him actually receiving it depended on the condition of his positive response to the gospel. Jesus provided forgiveness, and God really actually forgave those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34), but them actually receiving the gift of forgiveness, along with the gift of salvation, depended on the condition of their positive response to the gospel. Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus (John 3) that the plan of salvation He had laid out to him was dependent on the condition of his positive response to the gospel. Steven made it clear to the Sanhedrin that their rejection of the gospel was because they resisted the Holy Spirit (Act 7:51), not that He would not give them the faith to believe. “Whosoever believes in Him should not perish” Or was that “Whosoever should not perish believes in Him?” retxar |
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2 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | John Reformed | 61093 | ||
Hello Retxar, You began to prove your belief from Mark 10:21" Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Your conclusion was :"but him actually receiving it depended on the condition of his positive response to the gospel." Why did this nice young man, who Jesus felt a special affection for, decide to, in the end, reject Jesus? Was it not because He desired wealth rather than Christ. Yes! He loved his wealth more than he loved Jesus. Mark 10:23 "And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!" The rich young ruler seemed like a nice jewish boy who was zealous for God. But the dialog between him and Jesus shows us that under the outward appearence of righteousness beat an unregenerate heart. Sure, he will serve God but on his terms not God's. He would not be ruled by God! We feel sympathy for the young man. Why? Because we love riches (sin) also, and if God had not given us a new heart, we would have gone away sad also. Jesus said (Mark 10:25 )"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The astonished disciples asked "Then who can be saved?" "Then who can be saved?" was the question I asked to begin this thread. Jesus gives us the answer. Mark 10:27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." The story of the rich young ruler is our story also. It is not so much a story about a man's love of wealth, but of the love of sin that lies festering in all our hearts. It is a universal disease which afflicts every man , women and child on the planet. Our only hope is a heart transplant from" The Great Physician" Himself. A home remedy will not suffice... Just ask our rich young friend. John |
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3 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | retxar | 61108 | ||
John, I agree totally with your conclusion of why this nice young man, who Jesus felt a special affection for, decided to, in the end, reject Jesus. It was, as you said, "He loved his wealth more than he loved Jesus". It was not that Jesus did not give him what he needed to believe. I also see, and you do too, that Jesus desired very much that this young man answer the call to salvation He had given him, and that Jesus was very sad when he decided, instead, to walk away. This young man was in the same boat as the ones Stephan spoke to before the Sanhedrin (Act 7:51). It was not that Jesus did not give him a genuine call to salvation. It was that he willfuly resisted and rejected God's call to salvation. retxar |
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4 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | John Reformed | 61141 | ||
Yes my friend, He (as you said) wifully refused. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. Our young friend thought it foolish to give away his riches to follow Jesus. He could not prperly appraise that he was in fact exchanging incorruptible riches for corruptible. He was spiritually dead in trespasses and sin. John |
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5 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | retxar | 61147 | ||
Yes we agree, but how do you deal with the fact that the young mans decision went against what Jesus wanted him to do? (receive salvation and follow Him) | ||||||
6 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | John Reformed | 61193 | ||
Dear Retxar, Many people have the mistaken notion that "calvinists" believe that God forces His elect to believe. Nothing could be further from the truth! What we really believe is that man is free to choose, but because of his wicked heart he is unable to choose spiritual good. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders." (Matt 15:19). In fact, saving faith requires a new heart. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezek 36:26) We do not know the ultimate fate of the young man ,whether or not God granted him repentance, and I do not want to go beyond what the Bible has said about him. But we do know this: "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:44) Jesus was then and is now fully man and fully God. As a man he felt sorrow for the young man. As God, He knew His Father's will and eternal pupose were was perfect and just. God takes no delight in the destruction of the wicked because God is Love. At the same time, God is Just and the wicked will recieve the justice they so richly deserve. The difference between the elect of God and the rest of fallen man is that God has mercy on those He has chosen to give to His Son. For it is written: "For He says to Moses, 'I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.' So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." (Rom 9: 15,16). John |
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7 | How can anyone be saved? | 1 Cor 2:14 | retxar | 61208 | ||
Well that does not really answer my question (why people God want's saved do not always get saved), but that's OK, this is a tired debate. retxar |
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