Featured A Text for the Calvinist

Salvation is not obtained the same way throughout all the dispensations, nor with the same concomitant blessings.

Concerning repentance, I did my best to go through as many verses and contexts as possible here:

 

Many will 'seek" to get to heaven, but its by their own way, by good works and own efforts!

 

The “are saved” from verse 23 is past tense, it has already happened.

What do you make of verses 24+, where you have people knocking on the door, begging to get in but God refuses to allow them in. Are you saying these folks will be refused salvation who are begging for salvation?

Isn’t that contrary to the belief any can come and God will accept them?

peace to you

 

They are already saved in the present. They didn’t ask “are there only a few that will be saved.” Wouldn’t that require a future tense?

Since they are already saved in the present, Jesus telling them to “strive” is referring to perseverance, not initial salvation.

Again, please address the rest of the passage you quoted. These are people knocking at the door and begging God to get in, but God refused them entry.

If this is about initial salvation, you must believe God will refuse salvation to those begging for salvation.

peace to you

 

I understand it differently, in the passive sense, when I read it.

Is there a particular reason I should go back to the Greek for my understanding of the text, when we as believers have the Holy Spirit to show us?
1 Corinthians 2:6-16.
1 John 2:20-27.

 

I don't dispute it, as to me it clearly says that the Thessalonian believers were chosen to salvation through two things...
sanctification of the Spirit,
and belief of the truth.

 

Amen.
It seems that we both agree on who does the actual saving.

Mine is flawed?
OK, I'll accept that as your opinion.

But let me ask you a question if I may...

I wasn't aware that you had the authority to tell me, one way or the other, that my understanding of the scriptures is flawed... but I can understand where you're coming from.

From my perspective, I'm willing to tell you how I understand it, and we can compare notes if you wish, but if you're going to step in where only the Lord is allowed ( as my Teacher ), shouldn't you consider re-phrasing the comment?

 

To me, you're putting the cart before the horse...
I see that repentance has to be granted to someone by the Lord, due to our rebellious and willful condition as God-hating men:

Acts of the Apostles 11:18.
2 Timothy 2:25.

While it is a necessary evidence, it does not determine who is saved and who is not...
It reflects who is saved and who is not.

Genuine repentance comes from a changed heart, not a willful and obstinate heart of stone that refuses to seek the Lord.
That is my understanding of it.

 

Thanks... Well then maybe he had a distant ancestor, that great Puritan Theologian author... John Owen, who wrote The Holy Spirit, which I'm reading and studying now... Ummmm?... Brother Glen

 

I see we are at 4 pages, and so this response only addressees the OP, and does not address any subsequent claims.

The first truth to jump off the page is "many will seek to enter" which contradicts the false doctrine that the fallen are unable to seek God at any time.

Next, the false doctrine of "irresistible grace" is shown to be bogus, as many of those striving are not able to enter.

The "contend and struggle" refers to people going "all in" for Jesus. If you only go in at the shallow end of the pool, like soil #2, you will not have your faith credited as righteousness. OTOH, if you go in at the deep end of the pool, but wear a life jacket of worldly treasures, like soil #3, your faith also will not be credited. I expect all of us who have committed our lives to Christ know of the struggle.

Finally, justification by faith, if unpacked properly, is a valid doctrine. How are we justified? When God places us spiritually into Christ, where we undergo the washing of regeneration (we are born anew) and the circumcision of Christ, where what God held against us is taken out of the way and nailed to the cross. So we were justified by the faithfulness of Christ, and not by anything we did, and we received that justification when God placed us spiritually into Christ, based on God alone crediting our faith as righteousness. So when you fully unpack the doctrine, it is spot on.

 

The Holy Spirit inspired in the Koine Greek the very words that were wrote down to us!

 

They all came knocking at the door due to the Lord giving to them ears to hear and hearts to respond!