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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | Not yet | 151519 | ||
In his post #351 concerning Calvinism Kalos made the following statement " . . . WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT ELECTION? Election is the act of God whereby in eternity past He chose those who will be saved. Election is unconditional, because it does not depend on anything outside of God, such as good works or foreseen faith (Romans 9:16). This doctrine is repeatedly taught in the Bible, and is also demanded by our knowledge of God." Though I know that there are many who are much more learned than I will ever be, I simply do not read the words of scripture as making such a statement as is noted above. No doubt, they can be read as saying such, but the following is how I read it. God is an all knowing God. Before He created the heavens and earth, He knew each and every soul who would ever walk the face of the earth. He also knew who and who would not accept His Word, which was and is His one and only Son. Thus, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will . . . . . . “ Ephesians 1:4-5,11 Is it not his will, as is stated in scripture, that none should perish. If it were as is stated by Kalos, in having chosen His Elect, would it not be His will that the non elect would perish? Who are those he knew? Are they not those whom, from the beginning, He knew would know Him? I think this is more likely to fit the description of the loving and Graceful God of scripture. Is our faith not by His Grace? No, I do not believe that God just “picked and chose” from the pot of humanity, who would, and who would not be saved by His Grace. And though many interpret otherwise, I do not believe such a statement can be found in scripture if one takes scripture as it was intended, “as a whole,” not a bit here and another bit there. “Cover to cover.” I am called a Republican, but I am not a Republican. I am called a conservative, but I am not a conservative. I am called a Calvinist, but I am not a Calvinist. I tend to vote Republican because the party tends to poses morals, and lean toward what is scripturally founded, though they do not always operate by either. I tend to be a bit conservative. I believe the bible teaches such, but it also teaches charity and sympathy. I am called Calvinist because I believe what scripture teaches, even though others read it differently. I once looked up the biblical definition of the word “sin.” One of the many definitions of sin in scripture, is “anything done to the excess. It appears to me that Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, Calvinists and Armenianists, or what ever they are called, all tend to be ULTRA--Republican, ULTRA- Democrats, ULTRA-Conservatives, ULTRA-this and, ULTRA-that. Even when the opponent is right, they refuse to admit it and change their views. Why can we not just be Christians; All members of one body; the body of Jesus Christ, our savior? |
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2 | Why can we not just be Christians? | 1 Pet 1:2 | kalos | 151536 | ||
WHAT DOES BIBLE TEACH ABOUT ELECTION 1 [Because of the length of this article, I am posting it in two parts. --Kalos] 'Election is the act of God whereby in eternity past He chose those who will be saved. Election is unconditional, because it does not depend on anything outside of God, such as good works or foreseen faith (Romans 9:16). This doctrine is repeatedly taught in the Bible, and is also demanded by our knowledge of God. To begin with, let's look at the biblical evidence. 'The Bible says prior to salvation, all people are dead in sin-- spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-3). In this state of death, the sinner is utterly unable to respond to any spiritual stimulus and therefore unable to love God, obey Him, or please Him in any way. Scripture says the mind of every unbeliever "is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8, emphasis added). That describes a state of total hopelessness: spiritual death. 'The effect of all this is that no sinner can ever make the first move in the salvation process. This is what Jesus meant in John 6:44, when He said, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him." 'This is also why the Bible repeatedly stresses that salvation is wholly God's work. In Acts 13:48 we read, "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." 'Acts 16 tells us that Lydia was saved when, " . . . the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul." 'Romans 8:29-30 states, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." 'Ephesians 1:4-5,11 reads, "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will . . . also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will." 'Ephesians 2:8 suggests that even our faith is a gift from God. 'In 2 Thessalonians 2:13, the apostle Paul tells his readers, "God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation." 'Second Timothy 1:9 informs us that God "has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.' (continues in next post) ____________________ Article by John MacArthur at www.gty.org - listed in Issues and Answers archives |
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