Featured Cannot believe?

Your interpretation of 1 Cor 2:14 cannot be correct, for in the very same book Paul says if unbelievers come in and hear the church prophesy in words easy to be understood he will be convinced by all, and judged by all, and falling down on his face will worship God. (1 Cor 14:24-25). 1 Cor 2:14 is not discussing the gospel, but the "deep" things of God (vs. 10).

Yes, and Jesus says that when we believe we have "everlasting" life.

Jhn 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

And I just showed you that Jesus said those that hear his word and believe have everlasting life.

I understand the difference between being saved out of a sickness or particular situation where we are in danger, but Jesus said those that believe on him have everlasting life and will not come into condemnation.

You know these verses as well as I, but you try to change the meaning. Jesus is not speaking of illness or being in a situation of danger here, he is speaking of being forgiven all our sins and given everlasting life, never to come into condemnation. These scriptures are very straightforward and easy to understand, but you change the meaning.

 

Thank you, and I apologize for my sarcasm as well. :love2:

You know, you are not quite in the Reformed/Calvinist camp. You recognize from Romans 1 that men can "know" about God, because God has shown them.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Notice that verse 19 speaks of "that which may be known of God". So, I believe this implies men have a limited knowledge of God. They cannot possibly know the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe on him by simple observation of the creation around them, but I believe they can know and understand enough to seek for God. They surely know enough to know there is a God and are therefore responsible to seek for him. Would you agree?

Men also by nature know some acts are contrary to nature.

Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

These verses argue that man by nature understands that some actions are wrong and sin, in this case it is speaking of h*m*sexuality. I believe this is OBVIOUS to all if you know what I mean. You cannot plug a male electrical plug into another male electrical plug, it must be plugged into a female socket. So, it is pretty easy to understand the male and female were designed for each other, and that men with men, and women with women is unnatural.

So, men are not nearly so depraved as Calvinism teaches. They are not utterly oblivious to what is right and wrong. Not only this, but Paul further shows men are able to do what is right.

Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; )

The scriptures do not show unregenerate man unable to understand and do that which is lawful and right, they show exactly the opposite, that all men have the law written on their hearts and also have a conscience.

Calvinists skip over all these verses and go straight to Romans 3 to proof-text Total Depravity. They choose to overlook the first two chapters which show men not only can conceive of God and know what is right and wrong, but are able to perform it also.

I am glad to see that you see this in Romans 1.

 

Well, who has to do the hearing?

You know, it is God who makes crops grow, but the farmer still has to go out and plow his field and plant the seed. If the farmer does not do this, no crops will grow. However, it is still true that only God has the power to make the crops grow.

1 Cor 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Notice that we are to take no credit for planting and watering (listening and learning) but to God who gives the increase. If God had not provided his Word, it would be impossible for us to listen, learn from, and believe it. You cannot believe what you do not know.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

Likewise, we have to hear, we have to be willing to listen and learn. Even so, we should not glory or boast, for unless God had revealed his truth to us, we would all remain in total darkness and have no hope of being saved.

 

God's word is Spirit.

Jhn 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

God's Word is not ordinary words, they are spirit, and they are life. Do not ask me to explain this, I cannot, but that is what Jesus himself said.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Again, the word of God is not ordinary words, they are quick and powerful, they can pierce the heart and convict the hardest sinner. They are a truth which all men inwardly know is true. They teach, they give knowledge...

But man must do the hearing. God came down to speak to us in a way we could understand, through hearing, and through the understanding of the mind. It is not that we reach up to God, it is that he came down and met us on our level.