ARCHIVE: Finding my way
- Thread starter docrob57
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The Berean
Well-known member
Why do I need "wisdom" to accept God? Does a child need "wisdom" to know that their parents love them? I was shown quite clearly and was convicted that I was an unrepentant sinner in need of Jesus Christ to cleanse my sins. When I was convicted of my sins I really didn't know what I needed by I did know that I was a "filthy rag". When the Gospel was presented to me it had a :idea: moment.docrob57 said:
Really??? Variation??? Variation in God's predetermined plan? How could that be?docrob57 said:
Can you give me an example?
Can you tell me how that would fit with your recent assertion that there is NOTHING that God doesn't control (post #35)? Yet now you say there might be something that God doesn't control. Do tell.
I would prefer that you not talk at all.allsmiles said:
The Berean
Well-known member
Why do I need merit to make a choice? Does not God want all to come to Him as they are? I have no merit that will earn my salavation. God granted me salvation through His grace.docrob57 said:
His heart! Just as the Bible says....docrob57 said:
Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Some might call that our conscience.
The Berean
Well-known member
The truth of the Gospel was presented to me and it was explained who Jesus really was and why I needed him, this truth convicted me.docrob57 said:
I've always wondered how these verses fit into all of this....The Berean said:
Rom 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;
Rom 8:7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards God; for it is not being subjected to the Law of God, for neither can it be.
Also the verses about God brings the increase when people believe. I'm not saying Calvinism is right, but I think sometimes we may underestimate God's involvement.
:idunno:
Thank you! And therefore no growth, no change, no difference from the predetermined plan.docrob57 said:
I bring these distinctions to light because I hate it when Calvinists use terms to describe their theology that are inconsistent with their own theology.
The Berean
Well-known member
I can't speak for allsmiles, I'll let him speak for himself. But I made the choice because the truth of the Gospel convicted me. I had a change of heart and I realized that I indeed needed Jesus Christ in my life. Plus I had some interesting "divine" appoints that I realized could not have been random events. These events caught my attention and I started to think more aobut who God really is.docrob57 said:
God gave us the ability to choose Him. He gave all men room for repentence.
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
1Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
1Timothy 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
John 12:32 “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
1Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
1Timothy 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
allsmiles
New member
Knight said:
There's no doubt in my mind that you find the words I type to be venomous down to the darkest, deepest depths of your soul
But it's not me that you want to silence Knight.
On the subject of God foreordaining men to salvation, Ephesians 1 handily devastates any anti-Calvin (and in essence anti-Bible) claims made by OVers such as yourself
Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
Don't be mad at me, be mad at God :thumb:
God doesn't want to force Himself upon us! That's sick! God wants us to choose to love Him on our own freewill...
Joshua 24:15 “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15 “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Knight said:
As I hate it when open theists mock God by saying that he cannot know the future. God would never allow rape to happen right? When it does it is a surprise to Him and He no doubt grieves that He was unable to stop this terrible thing.
So let's assume we have a serial rapist at time A that has not been caught. He has already commited 10 rapes. It is in the past, so God knows that this person is a rapist. By time B, he has committed 20 rapes. Why didn't God stop him? Is He that devoid of knowledge that He couldn't tell the rapist would continue?
The Berean
Well-known member
I don't underestimate God's role. He provided faithful witnesses to His truth and He placed them in my life to speak His truth to me. I finally realized I was running away from God for carnal reasons. He granted me salvation. Salvation is His gift, a gift I cannot earn in any way.kmoney said: