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NASB | Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, |
Subject: Theological Terms: Regeneration |
Bible Note: Hi, Momma! You asked, "Does God know what man will choose before he chooses it?" Yes, He does. One of the attributes of God is omniscience, which means that He knows all things. You asked, "Does man know that God is the best?" Note that I did not say that men make choices on what they know. Even when they know something is true, they often do not make the proper choice. I do that and so do you. The problem is with the effections, or what we usually call the heart. Christ taught that all choices begin there. You asked, "Before the Fall, was it the law of God (Gen 2:17) that provided the opportunity of choice for Adam and Eve?" I'm sorry, I should have been specific about Adam. (Note that we are told by Paul that Eve was deceived.) John Hendryx said it better than I can when he wrote, "People generally tend to confuse coersion with necessity. Recently I heard Ron Rhodes interviewed on a local radio station and he said God did not create us as robots ... and this is correct, and then he said, God gave us free choice (between good and evil) ... which is right when applied to Adam ... but then he commits a fatal error is when he said that 'our will is free just like Adams' ... which is nonsense. Our will is corrupted and in bondage till Christ sets us free. What Rhodes means to say, I believe, is that we are not robots, which is true ... but this is not how the Scripture defines the will which is not free ... so it is wrong to teach that man has a 'free will' in that sense. It destroys the very gospel we preach." You asked, "How does man come to know that God is the best -and therefore that His way is the best for man?" Through the Gospel. See my post 151431. You asked, "How did Adam and Eve come to this realization?" Since Adam was not deceived, he knew it all along. Eve presumably realized it more clearly after the fact. You wrote, "We know that some choose the bullet." Yes. Which, to them, is the best course of action. Suicide is an expression of self love. You wrote, "Perhaps this is because they don't believe that God's Way is best, but their way is better." Man lacks the moral ability to change his nature (Jeremiah 13:23). He can't stop sinning or even stop wanting to sin (2 Peter 2:14). Everything he does has a sinful motive behind it, even when his actions appear outwardly good (Genesis 6:5). Man is unable to obey God (Matthew 7:18, Romans 8:7-8). He never seeks God (Romans 3:11). He is unwilling and unable to come to God for help (John 3:19-20, John 5:40, John 6:44, 65). In Him, Doc |