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NASB | John 3:16 ¶ "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:16 ¶ "For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. |
Subject: What does the word"believe"involve |
Bible Note: DD4Truth, Post two, please read post one first. 4. You missunderstand what is being said in Heb 3:18-19. Yes we see a wondrous interplay between faith and obedience in Heb 3. We are reminded that the two are remarkably interconnected. But you miss the connection! Heb 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? Heb 3:19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. He refers here, of course, to the Hebrew people in the desert. Search out for me now in the Old testament where God makes this statment. Heb 3:11 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'" Now rightly the writer of Hebrews is quoting Psalm 95, but where does the quote originate in the wilderness wonderings? You will find no direct quote. David is putting the judgements recorded in Numbers 14 into his own words here. And what is the context of numbers 14? God has told his people to go in and take the land for He would give it into their hand. The spied returned and counseled disobedience to the people. The told them to not go in for the inhabitants were too strong. Why did they counsel this? Because they did not believe the word of God when He told them that He would give it to them. So we see here their disobedience found its root in unbelief. This is exactly the writers of Hebrews' point! Which is why his warning to them was against unbelief! Heb 3:12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. Now it is very true that our unbelief often expresses itself in disobedience, but the writer of Hebrews shows clearly that this disobedience finds its ugly root in unbelief This being the cheif enemy. 5. You state "just because God gives us something as a gift does not mean that He can not require something of us to receive the gift." Of course this is true. Though that is the question, is it faith, or is it faith and obedience? And whicheve it is, does it find its root ultimately in us or in God? 6. You quote 2 Thess 1:8. I presume you mean to focus on the phrase "those who do not obey the gospel." Indeed, the gospel contains a command to repent. There is no salvation without repentence. But the gospel also contains a command to believe. Neither one finds its ultimate source in us, but both are gifts of God. Who opens are eyes to the glory of God in the face of Christ? 2Co 4:6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Mat 16:17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Who gives repentence? Act 11:18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." 7. You quote Jesus in his statements of those who do and do not do his words. I say to them, amen! Again, there is no salvation without sanctification, but blessed is he who is counted righteous apart from works! Rom 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: And blessed is that soul that as a result of the new covenant in Christ's blood experiences what Ezekiel described. Eze 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. Blessed is that precious soul who does not receive salvation by works, but rather receives his works by salvation! There is more, but I will let it rest there. In Christ, Beja |