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NASB | Luke 8:15 "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 8:15 "But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience. |
Bible Question:
I'm one hundred percent in agreement with everyone that says that God gives us a new heart when we are in Christ. (Ezekiel 36:26-27) Where I am puzzled is when I see these verses that say (apparently to me anyway) that these folks who received the Word did so BECAUSE their heart was different. To put it another way, it isn't saying that their heart was different AFTER they heard it (although it obviously would be), it appears that the heart in both of these examples was already open BEFORE they heard the Word. Regards, Huron |
Bible Answer: Greetings Huron, The Lord can bring a person to a point in their life, through circumstance and situation, where they give the Word of God a hearing. Everyone has a personal volition or will so the issue isn’t the heart, and weather it is receptive before of after they hear the Word, but weather the hearer responds by grace through faith, and believes the message. When one believes in Christ the receiving is automatic. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: People must give the Word of God a hearing before they can believe it! Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Those that keep it have responded through faith! There are thousands of people who read the Bible it’s the number one seller every year, but they are missing the main ingredient. John 5:39-40 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Jesus and the Word are synonymous. John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Here is something that is awesome; the same message goes out to all, some are saved, others are lost and they both hear the same message. Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. So you see it isn’t not a problem of the heart, but of the will and it is still by grace through faith. Ephes. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: The gift is something that is given but we must want it and receive it. John 3:16 (A) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son Those that receive, and or believe in the Son, Jesus, have eternal life because the Son Himself is eternal life. Everybody want to go to heaven and have eternal life but they don’t want to do it on God’s terms, which is in His Son Jesus. I John 5:10-13 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Have a great day, CDBJ |