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Jesus didn't make an example out of "everyone" in John 3:14, He cited the israelites being led by Moses in the wilderness who were suffering the judgment of death for sin. Like the bronze serpent, Jesus being lifted up creates a decision point. I did not ignore your assertion about...

God's chosen people were suffering the judgment of death for sin. They had the option of being delivered from death by the choice to look and live. Apparently you think God should have sent snakes among the Canaanites and have Moses raise the bronze serpent in their midst to make the point. It's...

I concur. God is not "offering" to save us. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and the only escape from inevitable judgment is through faith in Christ. Acts 16:31: salvation is conditioned on faith. According to Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible...

John 3:14-21 makes the choice abundantly clear, cf. Numbers 21:8-9; the serpent is lifted up and as many as choose to look, live. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me" John 12:32. All are drawn, not all accept what God offers. You don't describe people...

What is your view of Acts 17:26-31?

This may be true, but I don't see how it is pertinent. God offers man a choice of a sunny day or a far-worse-than-cloudy one, both of which He Himself creates and implements - salvation or judgment. So we're talking about a choice between God-created and God-given alternatives, not man...

I'd be interested to see scriptural support ahead of each of your periods above.

If settling the question of Luke's ethnicity spurs you to love and good works, drive on.

No, it doesn't. It says God patiently bears with vessels of wrath "having made themselves suitable" "or having been made suitable" (depending on if you take the aorist participle as middle or passive) for destruction in order to make known His glory to vessels of honor which He "prepared...

I essentially agree with everything you have noted above (for what that's worth :) ). I think Balaam, Pharaoh, and other narrative episodes in the OT constitute a bit of a red herring since no one seriously argues that God cannot allow or prevent any circumstance, from letting the people go to...

Of course not. That doesn't mean every human choice is God's will. Unlike man, God can herd cats.

According to your view man cannot thwart or defeat God's will. If Adam broke covenant with God and that breach was not God's will, then your claim is disproved. If Adam's choice was God's will, then his and every other human sin is God's will.

You can use essential oils in spray form at points of entry to repel rats, mice, and other creepy crawlers, especially when they aren't finding anything to eat in your area and therefore aren't highly motivated; peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and citronella are known to work for non-offensive...

This notion essentially makes every human sin God's will.

"Keep on striving/struggling/endeavoring to enter" are JESUS' words. Look up ἀγωνίζομαι in the lexicon; "struggle" is a primary meaning. By the way, it is translated "fight" in 1 Timothy 6:12 where it occurs in the same present middle imperative form as Luke 13:24. The only person here...

John 1:12, for example, does not say "As many as He gave power received Him," but "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." To me John's order of events is clear: receive the Son, believe in the name of the Son, and then...

Lack of initiative (seeking) does not mean there is no ability to respond (repent and believe). This is why I have emphasized the point elsewhere that seeking/striving for salvation is not required. Faith comes by hearing, not by seeking.

In your view Jesus is not talking to the saved in Luke 13:24, who would certainly no longer need to strive for what they have already found. In your view Jesus is talking to the unsaved, telling them to "keep on struggling" to enter into eternal life. That, my friend, is salvation by works. Your...

I appreciate your detailed response. I don't have time to address each passage at the moment, but I'm glad you mentioned Lydia in Acts 16:14 because (in my view) it contains the key to understanding Jesus' words about His sheep. Lydia is a habitual visitor to a place of prayer by the river. She...

If your claim about falsifiers is true, one had better not be guilty of putting the disinformation words "our endeavor seeking does not stop when found" in the mouths of others, no? ;) Let's say you're right, and entrance into the narrow gate means salvation. Jesus then goes on to say many...