Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Our name erased or added to Book of Life | Rev 13:8 | John Reformed | 87974 | ||
Dear Tim, You stated; "But, if 'all' is not modified, then it means 'all'. If you look 'pas' up in a Greek dictionary, you will not find a single listing for the meaning 'some'!" I never said all may mean some, Tim. However, I do believe it can mean virtually all, most, or many depending on context. As a child of God, we are privledged to be in the possession of "inside information". Christians are the only people who can understand the Bible. Now...Don't get me wrong...I am not saying that I myself or any other christian have perfect knowledge or understanding. The fact that you and I differ at all proves that! Nevertheless, our familial relationship with our Father puts us in a special category when it comes to discernment. We are vessels of the Holy Spirit whose will it is to enlighten us and cause us to grow in the knowledge of God. To this end God has also provided for us pastors and teachers, who are specially gifted, to assist us in our discovery of the will of God for our lives. One of the things that I have learned from my teachers is the importance of context. I have been warned against coming to any conclusion based upon a single verse. Rather, the prudent reader will examine the surrounding verses, the chapter, the book and the entirity of Scripture as well if needs be. Therefore, if a particular word in a particlar verse seems problematical, additional light from another verse may be brought in to solve the difficulty. Please allow me to show the method I have used to solve the proplem of the use of the word "all" in Matt 3:5 and why I think it is an innocent use of hyperbole. Firstly I checked the meaning of "all" in the concordance. I then looked for other verses from Matthew to get the sense of how the writer understands the word. I agree that to Matthew "all" meant "all" most of the time, but in some cases it was not used in the precise definition of the term. For instance: Matt 21:10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" Now, If we are to believe that ALL the city (every living soul within the city limits) said "Who is this?", it leads to an absurdity. In order to be considered "Bible believing christians", must we believe that the dumb and newborn infants as well spoke these words. Common sense alone is sufficent to tell us that "all" in this case does not mean absolutely everyone! I rest my case. Moving on...You said "Allow me to ask you a question. I know from previous posts that you believe that Christians can still commit acts of sin (as do I). When you sin, do you sin because you willed to or because God willed you to sin?" When Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel who gathered together to perform the most grievous sin of all, was it because they willed it or because God willed it? Acts 4:26-28 'THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.' "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. Now, what does Scripture say about this radical concept that man can accept or receive the gift of salvation?... Rom. 5:17 - "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God?s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ."...Receive - Present, Active, Participle. The active voice means that the subject is doing the action. Your pre-supposition that man has an inate ability to choose spiritual good, despite being "dead in sin", compels your interpretation of Rom 5:17 as supporting free-willism. The way I interpret 5:17 is that those who recieve, do so because God had drawn them, had taught them (through the power of the Holy Spirit using the means of the gospel) and raised them from spiritual life by giving them a believing heart of flesh. God has not failed in anything He has puposed to do! Prov 16:4 The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. Is 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; Yes I am a sinner. And yes I believe that God has pre-ordained all things. I also believe that He is not the author of sin, neither does He tempt sinners to sin. The soverignty of God and the responsiblity of man is one of those questions that must wait til we are perfected. In the meantime I trust the Lord to keep me and try to avoid leaning on my own understanding. Your Brother, John Reformed |
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2 | Was it our choice to be born physically? | Rev 13:8 | ne14pool | 88300 | ||
Tim, In your response, you mentioned that you can not choose where to be born. How true! Not only did we not play a role in where we would be born, but we didn't play a role in our birth. The same principle that applies to our physical birth also applies to our spiritual birth. It was not our choice, but God choose us to be born of the Spirit! Just as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus declared to him "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (born from above) Nicodemus took Jesus literally and asked, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. God determined that we would be born spiritually, it was no more our choice that it was our choice to be physically born. That is why Jesus said to his disciples in John 15:16. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Then in John 1:12-13 it says "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. Note: Not a human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. Then in speaking of the Sovereignty of God in choosing who he will, it says in Rom 9:16 "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." It wasn't your desire or effort to seek God. But it was God who by His Spirit caused you to be born from above and he caused your Spirit to awake from the dead and He opened your eyes to the truth. Then we beheld Christ and His wonderful work upon the Cross and we believe the good news of what he did for us. While we thought it was our faith we mustered up, all the while it was God that was working in us to draw us to Himself. Because we were enabled by God to come to Christ. We were the love gift that was given to Christ before the foundation of the World. Once we were awaken by God spiritually we then fixed our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him (that is us - His bride) endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. I don't mean to ramble on, but I couldn't help in when you mentioned we don't choose our place of birth... That comment triggered all this... Take care and may God continue to bless you richly! In Christ...Doug |
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3 | Was it our choice to be born physically? | Rev 13:8 | Morant61 | 88324 | ||
Greetings Doug! Pretty much everything you said, I agree with. The only difference is that while you stopped at Rom. 9:16, I go on to Rom. 11:32. :-) Arminians do not believe that salvation is dependent upon the will of man. It is all of God. It is a gift, but the gift is offered to man and must be accepted. If Christ did not draw, no one could be saved. But, John 12:32 says that Christ will draw all men to Himself when He is lifted up. To me, my friend, one must read Romans 1-11 as a unit. The whole 11 chapters demonstrates that God's plan of election was to always work through individuals and nations in such a way that Rom. 11:32 was possible. Thanks for you response! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | Are those drawn 2 Christ raised to life? | Rev 13:8 | ne14pool | 88408 | ||
Tim, You had said, that If Christ did not draw, no one could be saved. Which I agree with. Then you went on to quote John 12:32 which says that Christ will draw all men to Himself when He is lifted up. Which I interpret to mean men of "all types" (Jew and Gentile) not all men individually but collectively. I say that because if you believe that Christ draws all men to himself, then all men must be saved because in John 6:44 Jesus proclaimed that "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. Notice that same one that is drawn by the Father is also raised up on the last day. Keep in mind the context of this verse, it is salvation. So if you hold to the belief that God draws all men (individually to himself, then you must also believe that those that are drawn will be raised to eternal life with God (John 6:44) In Christ...Doug |
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5 | Are those drawn 2 Christ raised to life? | Rev 13:8 | Aspiring Overseer | 88410 | ||
Tim, Doug and any other readers, Belief that God is the one and only God is necessary before anyone will devote energy to listen to the Word. They will not understand that word unless they are sincere in their desire to seek God. When John 6:44 and 6:65 state that the Father draws or grants salvation, it is implied that He does that due to their obedience of faith. Some are not seeking and some seek, but not with understanding. It is only those who seek understanding and demonstrate obedience that the Father draws to Christ. AO |
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