Limited Spiritual Ability of the Fallen

[atpollard]

Therefore the eunuch is demonstrating limited spiritual ability.

... and that "limit" is that he cannot "believe" or "understand" or "accept" the things of God, just as scripture teaches and the Doctrines of Grace affirm.

 

[atpollard]

Bottom line, there is no support anywhere in scripture for total spiritual inability,

... not as YOU have redefined it, but the Doctrines of Grace still affirm "Total Inability" as scripture defines it in 1 Corinthians 2:14.

and verse after verse showing the fallen seeking God.

... and only finding God with the help of God, as affirmed by the Doctrines of Grace and defined in Ephesians 2:8-9.
The Pharisees were fallen men seeking God, read what Jesus had to say about them and their efforts apart from the "Ephesians 2:8-9 Gift" in Matthew 23.

 

[37818]

Sorry, but I believe you are mistaken all three times.

First, Consider Psalms 14:2 for just a second. If because of the bogus total spiritual inability claim, why did God who is all knowing look down to see if any did understand - meaning to act prudently - and seek God. Now God sees that they all have turned aside - sinned - and none do good because all their works of righteousness are as filthy rags. But wait, there is more. In verse 4 the question is asked, do all the workers of wickedness not know and not call upon the Lord. Now read verse 5. folks who understand - act prudently - are there in great dread. Thus they have spiritual ability sufficient to fear God. And they have sought God as a refuge. Verse 6, the Lord is their refuge. So once again the very text cited to show a lack of spiritual ability, actually shows spiritual ability.

Second, the initial seeking (in the process of entering) cannot be sidestepped.

Third, 1 Peter 1:10-11 does not say those seeking have been "brought past" (enabled) so the claim is simply reading into the text what is not there.

We are not in agreement. ". . . the Spirit of Christ which was in them . . . ." They were inabled.

 

[Van]

... and not understanding (just like scripture said natural man can't in 1 Corinthians 2:14).

Your bogus doctrine says no one ever seeks God, thus this passage once again proves your "total spiritual inability" claim is bogus.

 

[Van]

... proving that the Eunich could not "believe" without external help from God (the GIFT of Ephesians 2:8-9) , thus proving the Spiritual Inability as defined in the Doctrines of Grace.

Proving no such thing. Once the scripture was explained, like what our Pastor's do every Sunday, the Eunuch believed.

 

[Van]

... and that "limit" is that he cannot "believe" or "understand" or "accept" the things of God, just as scripture teaches and the Doctrines of Grace affirm.

Hogwash, the whole NT presents people teaching and witnessing to people to help lead them to Christ. This poster reads into scripture what is not presented, whereas the fact the Eunuch was seeking God is ignored.

 

[Van]

... not as YOU have redefined it, but the Doctrines of Grace still affirm "Total Inability" as scripture defines it in 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Once again "the things" means spiritual solid food, because some men of flesh understand and respond to spiritual milk, 1 Corinthians 3:1.

... and only finding God with the help of God, as affirmed by the Doctrines of Grace and defined in Ephesians 2:8-9.
The Pharisees were fallen men seeking God, read what Jesus had to say about them and their efforts apart from the "Ephesians 2:8-9 Gift" in Matthew 23.

Here we have the hogwash that God revealing Himself constitutes the "gift of faith." Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is the gift of God and is not at issue. Since salvation is the gift received through or on the basis of faith, the passage provides absolutely no support for total spiritual inability.

 

[Van]

We are not in agreement. ". . . the Spirit of Christ which was in them . . . ." They were inabled.

We are not in agreement, they were searching scripture seeking an understanding of the Messiah and His coming. To claim because they had been inspired means they had been enabled from a fictional inability is absurd.

1Peter 1:10
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,
1Peter 1:11
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

All through scripture are examples where people demonstrate limited spiritual ability, seeking to understand God's word.

 

[Van]

The premise that if people are said to be seeking God means they have been enabled so they no longer have total spiritual inability is ludicrous. Here is a verse that would require lots of Jews to be enabled. LOL

2Ch 11:16
Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.

Limited Spiritual Ability, the ability to understand and respond to spiritual "milk" is demonstrated throughout scripture. The Law of Moses is said to lead people to Christ, once again showing the ability of the fallen to respond to God's word. Pay no attention to those who say they were enabled despite the fact the enablement is never mentioned.

 

[Van]

Lets look at another verse:
Romans 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Now according to some, this is what this verse really means (LOL):
So faith comes not from hearing but by being instilled as a gift via irresistible grace, and no one before being enabled can even hear let alone understand the word of Christ.

Folks, faith comes from hearing God's word, the gospel of Christ.

 

[atpollard]

Your bogus doctrine says no one ever seeks God, thus this passage once again proves your "total spiritual inability" claim is bogus.

That would be Romans 3 that makes that claim and not "my" Doctrine. My "totally bogus doctrine of grace" states that men cannot understand or believe without first receiving the gift of faith from God. See Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 2 for more details.

 

[Yeshua1]

They just make this stuff up. God's attributes are spiritual truths.

They are NOT saving truths, knowing God exists does not give you a relationship to Him!

 

[atpollard]

Proving no such thing. Once the scripture was explained, like what our Pastor's do every Sunday, the Eunuch believed.

... and once the scripture was explained the Pharisees remained confused like all those that "do not believe BECAUSE you are not [Jesus'] sheep" (whom the Father had given to Him). Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 9:15-16 explain what makes the difference.

 

[Yeshua1]

Yet another you, you, you post addressing the poster to deflect from the truth that Paul spoke, using spiritual milk, as to men of flesh.

No, as natural man cannot receive spiritual truths!

 

[atpollard]

This poster reads into scripture what is not presented

I disagree.

whereas the fact the Eunuch was seeking God is ignored.

It was not ignored. Hindus are all seeking God, but not finding Him. Many people seek God. Why do you not acknowledge that scripture says that the Eunuch was seeking God but could not understand what he was reading? It was GOD that exercised supernatural means to send a spirit filled Phillip to explain, not the scripture before him, but the invisible spiritual truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that the Eunuch did not even know he was seeking. It was not so much that the Eunuch was seeking God, but that God was calling the Eunuch. First with the scripture, then through Phillip, and ultimately through an Ephesians 2 gift of life.

How can you refuse to see the hand of God drawing the Eunuch to Himself in the encounter?
I see it so clearly that it is impossible to unsee.

 

[Yeshua1]

... proving that the Eunich could not "believe" without external help from God (the GIFT of Ephesians 2:8-9) , thus proving the Spiritual Inability as defined in the Doctrines of Grace.

This shows to us that he could read Isaiah, but not with understanding!

 

[Yeshua1]

I disagree.


It was not ignored. Hindus are all seeking God, but not finding Him. Many people seek God. Why do you not acknowledge that scripture says that the Eunuch was seeking God but could not understand what he was reading? It was GOD that exercised supernatural means to send a spirit filled Phillip to explain, not the scripture before him, but the invisible spiritual truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that the Eunuch did not even know he was seeking. It was not so much that the Eunuch was seeking God, but that God was calling the Eunuch. First with the scripture, then through Phillip, and ultimately through an Ephesians 2 gift of life.

How can you refuse to see the hand of God drawing the Eunuch to Himself in the encounter?
I see it so clearly that it is impossible to unsee.

This shows to us that the Lord literally with do whatever it takes to make sure one of His own get the message of Jesus as Lord...

 

[Yeshua1]

Your bogus doctrine says no one ever seeks God, thus this passage once again proves your "total spiritual inability" claim is bogus.

So you disagree with isaiah, paul, and God on this?

 

[atpollard]

Once again "the things" means spiritual solid food, because some men of flesh understand and respond to spiritual milk, 1 Corinthians 3:1.

You really should get an English teacher to help you diagram the sentence in 1 Corinthians 3:1 so you can understand what it is actually saying.

Paul had to talk to saved people like he spoke to unsaved people. That does not negate the statement that "natural men" do not understand "spiritual truths", nor does it change the fact that they hold the little that they do understand to be "foolishness". Nor does it negate Romans 3 and God's condemnation of the human heart without Him.

 

[37818]

We are not in agreement, they were searching scripture seeking an understanding of the Messiah and His coming. To claim because they had been inspired means they had been enabled from a fictional inability is absurd.

1Peter 1:10
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,
1Peter 1:11
seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

All through scripture are examples where people demonstrate limited spiritual ability, seeking to understand God's word.

Not I nor anyone except God can, if that, to get you to hear.