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NASB | 1 Corinthians 2:14 ¶ But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 2:14 ¶ But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters]. |
Subject: How can anyone be saved? |
Bible Note: Dear Sir Pent, I think we need further clarification. You wrote: "Then God could, within that system, choose some of those beings as exceptions to that rule,." No. First their are no exceptions to the rule, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Therfore all are justlly condemned without exception. Christian Tom's sin had to be paid for as well as Pagan Jerry's sin. The difference between these two sinners is that Tom's sin was paid for by Christ while Jerry had to pay for his sin himself.( Romans 9 shows how this preferential treatment by God is not at all unfair on God's part.) Also, I would not call it a system or portray it as having occured over a period of time, but would say rather that it is God's Eternal Plan for mankind. That is, He puposed and forordained salvation for Tom and damnation for Jerry. Keep your shirt on now! Let me explain further. God did not force Tom into heaven or Jerry into Hell. Each one chose freely from the desire of their own hearts It is at the same time true that God did choose to show mercy to one but justice to the other. Jerry got what he deserved. Tom did not!!! No one can deserve God's mercy. Rom 9:18 "So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. Now, our human reason and sense of fairness might say: Thats unfair to Pagan Jerry! How can God choose Tom who is just as wicked and rotten, if not worse than Jerry? or as the Scripture puts it in . Rom 9:19-21 "You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will? On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?". These are hard words to recieve. They fly in the face of human reason and democracy and our sense of fairplay. But if we are to boldly proclaim to others "The Bible said it, and that settles it" we must believe it. Prov 3:5: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding". You wrote: "However, it is also possible that God being sovereign and all powerful could have created beings (humans) that were actually capable of either desiring a relationship with God or not desiring it. Their nature could be partially corrupted so that they have a tendancy to choose to reject God, but still have the ability to overcome that first instinct. Then some of them would choose to love God and would deserve heaven (only by God’s grace of providing a way to salvation through Jesus). But others would choose to reject God and His salvation and would deserve Hell. Thus everyone gets what they deserve (in a greater sense). ................................... " If this were true then it would also be true that some fallen men are better, or wiser, or smarter than others in understanding spiritual things. 1 Cor 4:7 " For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?". Which brings us back to the question of why some believe but others do not. If Tom had faith he must have recieved it from God. Tom will not be able to boast about how he deserved salvation because God found him to have an inherent spark of goodness or desire for God within himself. No! He along with the rest of the elect, will fall on their faces before Jesus Christ our Saviour and cast their crowns at His feet. There will be not even a moment of hesitation while one saint considers "Well....I did make a decision out of my own free will did'nt I? Don't I deserve even a little credit after all I was only partially corrupt? To God Alone be the Glory, John |