I see that
@Van is still peddling a thinking that diminishes the divine attributes of God.
Accordingly, his view is filled with misinformation and even adding words to the Scriptures that they may be supportive of his views.
Ultimately, his view denies God has all knowledge, knowing even the thoughts and intents of the heart prior to human even thinking. (Psalm 139)
His view determines that God is conformed to human timing, and not the God of time and Space who places boundaries and limits to His purpose.
His view is that humankind can actually thwart the purposes of God, making humans more powerful than God. He inappropriately uses Matthew repeatedly in this false presentation.
His view is that God is not all wise, for he presents that God is just wise enough to establish that some nebulous group will be predestined and elected, but not knowledgeable about the specific members of that grouping.
His view presents God as not quite all seeing and understanding, for the humankind must make expressions and God must wait to see if the expressions are made with enough veracity as to then warrant salvation.
He has exalted human kind to actually have the ability to conjure up human faith pure enough to be acceptable to God.
Of course, there are those who are drawn into what this person has posted.
Didn’t the Lord discuss a parable about the blind leading the blind and the consequences?
I rarely use the Berean Bible. My opinion is that it is highly accurate in rendering Ephesians 1
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
4For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
5He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
10as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
13And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
Agedman, there is no excuse for you to be this misinformed. The reason for this Ephesian letter is to reveal an eternal plan of God that he will work out in this age from the cross to the Day of the Lord, or to his second coming. The plan is the purpose for this age and it defines and explains the history of this age, beginning in Acts 10 and going forward to this very day. The purpose is to form a bride for the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Adam, from his body, and to include gentiles together with them as equally the sons of God as the Jews, and then to present his bride without spot or blemish to the Father.
This is one of the "mysteries of God' and has remained a mystery for those whose minds have been blinded by ignorance of the scriptures and by false religious teachers, energized by Satanic forces. This mystery is called by Paul in this letter, "the mystery of Christ" and is it's theme. What we know so far is that the Jews were in this body first, and later the gentiles were included. The inclusion is clearly distinguished by Paul in Eph 1:12-13, wher he stopped using our and we and began to use the pronouns Ye and your, because he is careful in this letter to keep these two groups separate in order to teach the doctrine of the New Testament church of Jesus Christ.
Now, why did God keep this information from Satan and men until after the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Do we know? Are we told? The answer of course is yes, we are told and we do know. Remember that Paul said he spoke of the mystery before in few words? Where did he do that?
Well, Ephesians was written in AD 60 and 1 Corinthians was written in AD 54. He had mentioned this mystery to them but was unable to teach them at that time because of their carnality. But here is some things he said.
1 Cor 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of
the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even
the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Now why did he say he kept it hidden? Can you believe?
8
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
There it is! Plain as the nose on your face but I already know that Calvinists will not believe it because if they did they would have to chuck Calvinism, and they will not do it.
Now, watch this;
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
The Spirit was not given to men as the third part of their being until Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended back to heaven. He, the Spirit, is the only one who can teach the saved man these truths about what God has prepared for them that love him. He says that below.
12 Now
we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
To understand the mystery of Christ one must possess the Spirit and the Spirit must teach him. He must also have the words of God.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Just WOW. How plain does it get?
1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Calvinism destroys the truths of Ephesians and the mystery of Christ.
1 Cor 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
I hope this is helpful because it is the truth. We do not have just a difference of opinion. The scriptures are truth.
