Subject: Predestination: scriptures meaningless? |
Bible Note: JRdoc, I said: "...unbelief is not "a" sin... Rom 5:18-21" You said: "1. Funny, but untrue. ..." You completely ignor the scripture. "...What in turn you have said is that NO ONE may be lost because UNBELIEF (which everyone has) is NOT SIN. ..." Everyone IS lost in the sin condition of the flesh: Psalm 51:5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. After we choose Christ we are born of the Spirit and can live in our new spirit nature by dying to the flesh. "...Since it is not a sin (so you say) it does not need to be forgiven. ..." Isaiah 55:6Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. I am not going to pretend to understand all of God's ways: Isaiah 55:8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. 9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. However, the first Passover was a choice to put blood over the door posts. To look upon the bronze serpent was a choice. Noah chose to move with fear and build the Ark of Safety. All of these were types and shadows of Christ involving simple choices to believe God's warning. Salvation is still a gift. It is a lie to call it a "work": Romans 3:4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged."[3:4 Psalm 51:4] "...Thus anyone who is a unbeliever goes to Heaven? Please…Get Real! " No, but the sin condition of the flesh leads to the choice of unbelief: Gal 5:19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[3] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, murders,[4] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. "2. Next you assume that UNBELIEF is a condition of the “flesh” and not a “spiritual condition” Actually, I barely said 3 sentences in the entire post. Most of it was quoting you or scripture. Unbelief IS a spiritual condition, as well as, a condition of the flesh. "Christ has a different opinion of UNBELIEF than you: Mat 13: 58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their UNBELIEF. ..." This is my point, their unbelief was due to walking in the flesh. All of your scripture quotes show this same thing. Unbelief is the opposit of faith. Faith is ... the evidence of things not seen. Abraham chose to believe God (faith in something with no physical proof) and it was counted to him for righteousness. By your reasoning, the parable of the sower is therefore meaningless: Mat 13:18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. (Shouldn't matter, if he was predestined he'll understand one day before he dies) 20But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. (Shouldn't matter, if he was predestined he'll stop stumbling one day before he dies)22Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (Shouldn't matter, if he was predestined he'll become fruitful one day before he dies) 23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." " May God give you mercy to see the truth. " I choose Jesus by faith. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the life. Don't worry though, by your reasoning I will come around if God has predestined me anyway. God Bless, Pastor Glenn |