Featured The Sinners Ability to CHOOSE

More Acts



Acts 13:47–48

After Luke records Paul’s sermon in Acts, he reports how the Gentiles heard the Gospel and believed. But instead of leaving it there, he also declares that ———those who believed were the one’s God appointed to believe (cf. Eph. 1:4–6; Rom. 9:1–23; 1 Thess. 1:5).

47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and ———as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 16:14

Moving from the doctrine of election in Acts 13:48, we spot the doctrine of regeneration in Acts 16:14.——— Lydia responded in faith, because the Lord opened her heart.

14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

 

And another

Here we see Gods Divine Election at work

God promises that there will definitely be believers. There are places on Earth where the Gospel is preached and no one responds!

Acts 18:9–11, 26–28

In Acts 18, the Lord tells Paul to stay in the city of Corinth, because he has many of “my people” there. Importantly, this statement comes prior to Paul’s work of evangelism. In other words, the Lord motivated Paul with the promise of his people (i.e., the one’s chosen by God) receiving the Word and believing.

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, ———for I have many in this city who are my people.”

 

And another w the Ordo Salutis


Later in the same chapter, we find another evidence of the way Luke thinks about salvation. In v. 27, he says that faith as a result of grace, not grace as a result of faith. In this turn of phrase, we find the normative pattern of New Testament grace and faith—faith is a gift of God’s grace (see e.g., Eph. 2:8–9; 1 Phil. 1:29; Tim. 1:14).

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

 

And Yes


Acts 26:15–18

Finally, in Acts 26, the Lord says that——— Paul will be sent open the eyes of the spiritually blind, so that they might repent, believe, in order to receive forgiveness and a place among the saints.———

15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 ———toopen their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins ———and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

 

BTW, this Acts passages are NOT my own

full disclosure here

 

Make is not the correct term

God frees the sinner through the New Birth allowing them the ability to repent and believe

 

Not true. I appeal to all scripture. I appeal to all scripture in its context. I appeal to all scripture helping interpret other scripture.

Now, it is obvious that you are forcing a theory of "free will" into the text. You ignore that God tells you openly that all humans are slaves to sin. That sin has imprisoned all humans. That only God can free a sinner from the chains of sin.

You ignore all of that, just to cling to an idea that YOU are in control and can talk back to God and put God in His lower place whenever you feel like it.

So, go ahead and show us, in the context of scripture, how humans determine their own salvation and render God a spectator who just hopes that sinners free themselves by choosing to ask God to help. I await your vast number of passages that teach such folly.

 

I have NOT misquoted scripture

 

Romans 9:15

psalm 5:5

Psalm 11:5

Matthew 13:15

Mark 4:10-12. Especially v 12

 

2Wings, do you understand the difference between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant.

To whom was Jesus speaking? What is the context in which Jesus speaks?

Second, go and make disciples is a command, given to the children of God, whom God uses to bring other children of God into the Kingdom. It is God's choice in redemption.

After that, you just go off the deep end stating "where there is love there is freedom..."

Romans 6:17-18
Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

Notice, we are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. You and I are never free.

Now observe how God has freed you from the dungeon of sin.

Romans 3:23-27
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.

 

1. See above esp Mark 4

2. Originally, Adam and Eve were in an innocent state in the Garden. After the fall, they were no longer in an innocent state—- they were now in a fallen state ie sinful. Notice their sadness after the fall and the fact they hid from God

3. If Gen 3 teaches anything, it teaches that man is at the mercy of God meaning until God does something to us or for us ie God slew the animal

 

Sinners always reject the Gospel. It is inherent to our nature to hate the Gospel

until God changes us, we have no hope

 

You really need to read the passages out loud.

They do exactly what you say they do not

they are very clear