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NASB | Ecclesiastes 6:10 ¶ Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ecclesiastes 6:10 ¶ Whatever exists has already been named [long ago], and it is known what [a frail being] man is; for he cannot dispute with Him who is mightier than he. |
Subject: Predestination |
Bible Note: Greetings again, Part 3 – Conclusion: You said: “Or when it says GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD??” My reply: It helps discussion if you always supply the Scripture references of each of the particular Scripture passages to which you refer. In this instance, I assume that you’re alluding to Gospel of John 3:16. The Bible isn’t a collection of individual verses flung together. Instead, the Bible is one entire inter-connected work of Divine revelation, consistent throughout, and designed by GOD its Author to be its own interpreter, by the Spirit of GOD. Therefore the proper meaning of any particular verse of Scripture can only be determined by always carefully considering each verse in its local context and also always in the context of ALL the Scriptures. There are *no short cuts* in this process of responsible and accurate exegesis. We need to have a working-knowledge of ALL the Scriptures if our conclusions are to be properly informed and consistent with the Scriptures. To err is to misrepresent the Scriptures, which is to misrepresent the Author of His Scriptures, Who is the LORD God. The local context of John 3:16 is John 3:1-36. In John 3:1-13, Christ is in dialog with Nicodemus, a religious leader from among the Jewish people. In John 3:14-15, Christ declares that salvation is conditioned on obedient saving Faith [believing] on the Son; i.e. Christ, and in John 3:16, it is confirmed that salvation is not restricted to believers from among the Jews but also to believers from among the Gentiles; i.e. the “world.” [refer also to John 4:22:24]. It is obvious that the term “world” in John 3:16 cannot mean ““every individual person of the entire human race in all generations from Adam and Eve until the end of the world without exception” because, as John 3:16 emphasises, salvation is always conditioned on saving Faith in Christ the only-begotten Son. And Gospel of John 3:36 declares that the righteous wrath of GOD continues upon all who do not believe [i.e. do not have saving Faith] in the only-begotten Son. Since we know from Romans 12:3, Acts 13:48, Acts 18:27; Hebrews 12:2; Galatians 5:22 etc, that saving Faith is itself the gift of GOD, and since without Faith it is impossible to please GOD [Hebrews 11:6], it is therefore blatantly obvious that in respect of all those who perish in their sin and unbelief [John 3:16b], that it never was the will of GOD that any of those perished ones should be saved. Thus it is evident from the Scriptures that the love of GOD which is spoken of in Gospel of John 3:16 is His love for all of His elect and pre-destinated people from among both the Jewish people and from among the Gentiles, but no more than these. It is obvious that GOD does not extend His love to those whom He willed from before Creation to withhold salvation. To assert otherwise, as many people rashly and ignorantly do, is foolish and also absurd because it implies that GOD is double-minded and self-contradictory, which is blasphemous. To sum up, the Scriptures deny and refute the heresies of “universal salvation,” “universal redemption,” “universal atonement,” and “universal propitiation.” You said: “I also wanted to apologize for my attitude in the last note that I wrote, this is a very emotional topic for me knowing that God's love and mercy is for any who will accept it,“ My reply: It’s not a matter of “accepting” but of having true saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ never asks people to “accept” Him; instead, as in Gospel of Mark 1:15: REPENT and BELIECE the Gospel!” Stick to what the Scriptures say. You said: “It bothers me that other people choose to believe that they are chosen and some have no hope b/c God just decides they will be punished no matter the heart.” My reply: Nowhere do the Scriptures require people to believe that “they are chosen.” Instead, saving Faith is to be in Christ. Confine yourself to all of GOD’s Scriptures. Let then be your lamp and your light [Psalm 119:105], in dependence upon GOD to enlighten you by His Holy Spirit. Regards, Michael T. |