Do people “choose to believe”?

I am sure you think that
I am still getting over the shock of reading what you posted.
Maybe your posts are deeply complex and I just cannot fathom the wisdom you offer.

 

But we have to choose to accept the conditions He set forth for our salvation.

 

We don't know what Pharaoh did after his army was destroyed trying to attack the Israelis.

 

Think what you want. It's your right.

 

After we have experienced the new birth. We boldly willfullly and freely flee to Christ in faith

 

Judas

 

What about the faith in Christ before the new birth?

 

Pick the name of any person who has died in their sins without reconciliation to God. There are billions of names who have died, apart from Christ.
Here's what we know to be true.

John 10:3-5,14-16,24-30

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

roby, if God's word cannot persuade you, then nothing will. Reside in your false teaching if you are incapable of reading the text I share and it does not radically change your way of thinking. God is so openly telling you that your teaching is wrong that nothing I add would be more plain and straightforward than what God says in those words of scripture. I leave you to God.

 

No such thing.

 

Are you saying or implying that a person can have faith in Christ while being a pagan?

 

Yes. I unfortunately some do not think it out


But the natural man can do nothing to please God

 

I chose to believe what I believe as a believer after measuring all the other beliefs, different from mine... I didn't believe to be changed I already was... Until I already was changed by The Holy Spirit alone, according to scripture, at a young age, I was DEAD!... I did not quicken myself!... So did some on here quicken themselves?... When Adam and Eve died both naturally and spiritually, another needed to step in and reconcile to God and all their posterity chosen by God, who was offended... And one did Jesus Christ the Son Of God... I never take from what I believe only add to it, daily... My belief has always been 100% Christ... I'll stop here, this is not the C/A Forum... Brother Glen

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:

2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

he wasn't predestinated with no chance for redemption. Jesus gave him a great chance by letting Judas know He was aware of his plan, & saying that it would be better for His betrayer if he'd never been born.

 

None of those people were predestinated for hell, with no chance for redemption.

And you seem to be having trouble with the word "whoever".

 

Then are you actually arguing the gospel is not needed to be believed prior to beingç born again?

 

I agree,
Which means that even our belief does not merit us salvation...
Nothing does.

God does not rely on a person's belief in order to save them, and He does not rely on anything we do or have in order to save someone.

That is what "unmerited favor" is...
God not being influenced by anything that we do, say, ask, possess, etc.

That's not what this says, roby:

" For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;" ( Philippians 1:29 ).

It says that it was given to those that believed, to believe...
not that it was given to choose to believe.

Look at it again, my friend.

 

" And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." ( Acts of the Apostles 13:48 ).

Judas Iscariot.

John 6:64-71.
John 17:12.
Acts of the Apostles 1:16-20.

There are no conditions, roby;
That is what "unmerited favor" means.

No conditions that can be met = No way of earning salvation by our performance.

Belief, faith, works that are seen by God as good works, indwelling of the Holy Spirit, being born again, inheriting eternal life ( knowing God and His Son ), being glorified with new bodies that do not hurt, never age, never tempt us to sin, etc...

Are all benefits ( evidences ) of being one of God's elect;
They are necessary "proofs" that must be present in a person and that reflect the reality of God's decision to save them...
Him choosing them "in Christ" before the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:3-11 ).


I'll make this my last reply to you in this thread, my friend.
Again, may God bless you in many ways.

 

God regenerates us first unto saving faith in Christ!

 

No, as that is what the Holy Spirit uses to produce in and thru us saving faith

 

Judas freely chose to be the betrayer of Jesus, and as Jesus stated, better for than one if had not been born!