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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 Retxar, Many people have the mistaken notion that "calvinists" believe that God forces His elect to believe. Nothing could be further from the truth! What we really believe is that man is free to choose, but because of his wicked heart he is unable to choose spiritual good. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders." (Matt 15:19). In fact, saving faith requires a new heart. "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezek 36:26) We do not know the ultimate fate of the young man ,whether or not God granted him repentance, and I do not want to go beyond what the Bible has said about him. But we do know this: "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:44) Jesus was then and is now fully man and fully God. As a man he felt sorrow for the young man. As God, He knew His Father's will and eternal pupose were was perfect and just. God takes no delight in the destruction of the wicked because God is Love. At the same time, God is Just and the wicked will recieve the justice they so richly deserve. The difference between the elect of God and the rest of fallen man is that God has mercy on those He has chosen to give to His Son. For it is written: "For He says to Moses, 'I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.' So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." (Rom 9: 15,16). John |