Results 1 - 10 of 10
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Receiving Christ - Works? | Bible general Archive 2 | Huron | 92945 | ||
I need a little help with a question: My brother (great guy) tells me that "decision theology" is wrong. I disagree because I believe that everyone must make a decision about Christ. He states that a decision would be "works", and that we are spiritually dead before the renewing/rebirth therefore we can't do anything ourselves to effect salvation. I realize that we are saved by grace through faith per Ephesians 2.8,9 and Titus 3.5, but there are MANY verses in the Bible like John 1.12, 3.16, and Revelation 3.20 that talk of "receiving Christ." I tried to tell him that he is right, it's not by works BUT making a decision (or accepting Christ) is not works. Kind of like accepting a rope tossed out to you if you were drowning. The drowning person is NOT saving himself, BUT must receive the rope. He keeps telling me that decision theology "cheapens God's grace". Who is right? I'm seriously outclassed in this debate because he's got Greek lexicons/dictionaries/commontaries ad naseum, and I'm a Bible only type guy. Thanks! |
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2 | Receiving Christ - Works? | Bible general Archive 2 | New Creature | 93020 | ||
Dear Huron Try the following verse which speaks of God's provision of grace which is to be received. What God has provided, must individually be appropriated. Romans 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. In His service New Creature |
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3 | Receiving Christ - Works? | Bible general Archive 2 | JibbyJee | 93022 | ||
NC Tell me, what in Romans 5:17 speaks about ABILITY TO "RECEIVE"? That is the issue, and you are still dodging the whole point. The Bible is very clear about the INABILITY of natural man to recieve Christ and about the certainty that those who God has elected will come to Him without exception. The great irony, as I see it, is that you used this verse that is a compelling argument used by the Apostle Paul that we have eternal life that cannot fail. That's eternal security. IN Christ, JIBBS |
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4 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | New Creature | 93058 | ||
JIBBS; You stated "The Bible is very clear about the INABILITY of natural man to recieve Christ" and then you fail to support that statement with a single verse of Scripture. Look at the following text John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day It is clear from the above verse that once God draws an individual, the individual can then come, because He has been enabled to do so by Sovereign God. No one seeks after God, except those whom God has first sought out. We love Him because he first loved us. In Rom. 10:20 we read that Isaiah said: (in Is. 65:1) I was found of them that sought me not; I was revealed unto them that asked not after me. Our knowing God is a consequence of God taking knowledge of us. We know Him by faith, because He first singled us out by grace No man can come to Jesus, except God draws him John 6:44 When God by his mercy and grace reveals Himself to us, we are then enabled to choose whether or not to believe. God does not believe for us, but after making us spiritually alive, He gives us the ability to respond in belief Consider John 1:12: "s many as received him [elabon, aorist indicative, a definite act in past time - conversion] to them gave he [edoken], an aorist indicative, a definite act in past time - conversion] power to become [or to be] children of God, to those who believe [pisteuousin, present participle, present progressive action - perseverance in faith]. The distinction is vivid in Verkuyl's translation: "But to those who did accept Him, He granted ability to become God's children" (Life In The Son - Robert Shank) In His Service New Creature |
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5 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | JibbyJee | 93087 | ||
NC The natural man recieveth not the things of the Spirit. 1 Cor 2:14 Tell me, is the Gospel a spiritual thing? In Christ, JIBBS |
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6 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | New Creature | 93297 | ||
Dear JIBBS; Yes the gospel is a spiritual thing. However the fact still remains that man's response to God's calling is to 1) confess with his mouth the Lord Jesus. 2) believe in his heart See Rom. 10:9-10 below That is man's response. No where in Scripture do we see where God confesses, believes or repents for us. Actually God commands us to repent. Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: SO DOES GOD COMMAND US TO DO SOMETHING HE HAS NOT FIRST ENABLED US TO DO? YES OR NO Your concept of inability does not come from God's word, but rather from your theological bias. Rom. 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom. 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. In His Service New Creature |
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7 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | JibbyJee | 93336 | ||
NC Oh how I love to battle heretics Has any Calvinist ever said it isn't US who believes and repents? NO! So get your facts straight before you misrepresent us with your straw man arguments! WE ARE REQUIRED AND COMMANDED TO BELIEVE AND REPENT. IT IS US WHO BELIEVE AND REPENT, NOT GOD FOR US. However, ONLY AFTER GOD's GIVES THIS GIFT (FAITH and REPENTANCE) can you DO it. Do you get it? You CANNOT do it UNLESS YOU ARE ENABLED by the gift of faith. Why is that so hard for you to understand??? You also wrote: """SO DOES GOD COMMAND US TO DO SOMETHING HE HAS NOT FIRST ENABLED US TO DO? YES OR NO"" Absolutely. If we were able to do what God commands, then JESUS ON THE CROSS IS MEANINGLESS. Of course, you don't understand the cross either. My theological bias comes from God's word which shows me how utterly inable we are to come to Christ for who He truly is without the active force of His grace working to that end. Which is why I can have a little bit of patience with you. :) Thanks for the beautiful verses! Who believes? Who confesses? Sincerely, JIBBS |
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8 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | New Creature | 93342 | ||
Dear Jibby; Your assumption that your discussing theology with a heretic, is rather harsh and judgemental. If what I have previously stated does not seem to line up with Scripture, and you correct me with Scripture that is acceptable. But to label those whom you disagree with, and have never met in person as heretics is unChristian to say the least. I think we both love the Lord, and treasure His word in our hearts, so can we please omit the name calling? Having said that I now will respond to the remainder of your reply I think we are both trying to say the same thing, if I understand you correctly. However your answer to the following question I posed appears to contradict what you stated in your opening comments in your reply: When I asked: "SO DOES GOD COMMAND US TO DO SOMETHING HE HAS NOT FIRST ENABLED US TO DO? YES OR NO" You answered "Absolutely" So I can only assume that you 1) believe that God has commnded us to do something that he has not enabled us to do. or 2) you misread, or misunderstood the question I asked. I personally believe that if God commands us to do something, then He has first given us the ability and the desire to do what He commands. Do you agree? In His service New Creature |
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9 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | Hank | 93345 | ||
New Creature: I say amen to, I applaud, and I totally agree without reservation with your response that God never commands His creatures to do anything unless He enables them to do it. To believe otherwise is contrary to what the Bible teaches on the nature and attributes of God and re-images the holy, loving and righteous God into an unthinkably hideous monster. Would any loving parent ever dream of threatening his infant child with severe corporeal punishment, even death itself, unless that little baby stood up and recited Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? Does God command all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) while at the same time making it impossible for all but a chosen few of them to do so? And does He then condemn to eternal hell those from whom He has withheld the "ability" to obey Christ's command to "repent and believe in the gospel"? (Mark 1:15) Everyone who does not "repent and believe in the gospel" is hell bound to be sure. But are they hell bound because God has not given them the "ability" to do what He says do, or is it because they themselves chose to disobey a command that they clearly had the ability to obey? --Hank | ||||||
10 | Inability? | Bible general Archive 2 | New Creature | 93352 | ||
Dear Hank Very well thought out, and very well put. Grace to you New Creature |
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