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NASB | Acts 8:13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 8:13 Even Simon believed [Philip's message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. |
Subject: How do I make sense of the context? |
Bible Note: Joe You have such a warm and friendly way of saying things. Makes a person want to warm up to you and just tell you … Well back to our friendly discussion :-) You said, "I guess someone forgot to tell Paul:" No I think Paul understood what I was saying and knew people have a choice and therefore was telling us to pray they make informed choice :-) "Nonsense!" you say! How so? If God choose who is saved and who isn't from the foundations of the Earth how is my praying going to change that one way or the other? You say their salvation is decided and my prayers which were also known about and were figured into the plan. Then I ask what if I decide not to pray does that mean their lostness was really because God didn’t choose them and my refusal to pray for them played again right into the plan? Either way it was God choice He just made it look like I had something to do with it by praying or not praying. Or are you saying their salvation was choose by God because God knew I was going to pray for them. Then we have God not sovereign but reacting to us. Or are you saying they were chosen for salvation by God and God also knew I was going to pray for them so everything worked out okay. Again how did my prayers fit in the decision process. Joe I could say, “ honestly in your effort to disprove ‘all’ means ‘all’ in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” And that ‘whoever’ means ‘whoever’ in 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.” gets in the way of you thinking clearly through the arguments of your opponents.” But I won’t !!!!! :-) Instead I will say Joe it is a mystery. The whole Bible is written with two things in mind God’s sovereignty and man’s choice to react to the Love God showed them. I know salvation is a miracle, that only God can do, but I also know God has given man the ability to reject the Grace once it is offered. If not then Adam and Eve had something we didn’t the right to reject God’s authority over them. Peace brother EdB |