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Appointed To Eternal Life?

Silverhair

Well-Known Member
:rolleyes: Psalm 115:3. 'But our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.
If God desires every single person in the world whoever lived to be saved, that is what would happen. That you continue to miss this is quite surprising. It seems to be more that you do not want to accept it than that you do not see it. Ignoring the truth does not make it go away Silverhair. Although you do seem to be quite adept at doing just that.

You are quite adept at ignoring clear text that does not fit your theology. But I have come to expect that from some of a particular theological persuasion.

I do agree that God does as He pleases and His desire is that all should be saved {John 3:17} but as we see in scripture He will not force anyone to be saved. {John 3:18}

But He has provided the way for people to be saved, faith in Him. {John 3:14-16}

Those that hear and believe will be saved {Ephesians 1:13 & Romans 10:9-10}
 

Martin Marprelate

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I do agree that God does as He pleases and His desire is that all should be saved {John 3:17} but as we see in scripture He will not force anyone to be saved. {John 3:18}
You are quite adept at ignoring clear text that does not fit your theology. But I have come to expect that from some of a particular theological persuasion.
God does not force anyone to act against his or her will, but He changes it so that His people come to Him freely, Psalm 110:3 Acts 16:14. He takes away the hard, stony heart and replaces it with a malleable heart of flesh, Ezekiel 36:26. He gives new life to those dead in trespasses and sins, Ezekiel 37:9; Eph. 2:1-10. All these are acts of pure monergism; 'For it is God who works in you to do and to will of His good pleasure' (Phil. 2:13).
 

Silverhair

Well-Known Member
You are quite adept at ignoring clear text that does not fit your theology. But I have come to expect that from some of a particular theological persuasion.
God does not force anyone to act against his or her will, but He changes it so that His people come to Him freely, Psalm 110:3 Acts 16:14. He takes away the hard, stony heart and replaces it with a malleable heart of flesh, Ezekiel 36:26. He gives new life to those dead in trespasses and sins, Ezekiel 37:9; Eph. 2:1-10. All these are acts of pure monergism; 'For it is God who works in you to do and to will of His good pleasure' (Phil. 2:13).

They come freely through faith, which is a condition.
2Sa 22:31 "As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Eph 3:11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Eph 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Isa 45:22 "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.

Salvation is conditional upon faith in the risen Christ. Even you showed this in you quoted text.
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Eph 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Only God can save and He has chosen to save those that turn to Him in faith.

But according to calvinism God has to cause them to come via an irresistible force. So all you have done is show that your calvinist TULIP is wrong.

Under your calvinist view only those that are included in the Unconditional Election that will partake of the Limited Atonement will then be drawn to God by His Irresistible Grace. So all men do not have an equal chance to know or trust in God. Your own theology precludes this, but you it seems do not want to acknowledge that fact.
 

Silverhair

Well-Known Member
now if you make anything a condition, man must do to get saved, its an accursed gospel of works. Salvation is not of works, thats simple bible truth

I agree salvation is not of works. Faith is not a work but it is a condition of salvation. No faith no salvation.

The reason God can declare ungodly sinners to be righteous is because the Lord Jesus Christ has fully paid the debt of their sins by His death and resurrection. When sinners accept Christ by faith, they are justified.

Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
 

Silverhair

Well-Known Member
@Silverhair



False gospel of works

I am not saved by works but by placing my faith in the risen Savior and expecting to be saved “by grace through faith”.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith;...

When we turn to God in faith He is gracious to save.

Rom 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Since He does not call faith a work why do you do so? Do you think God got it wrong?

That would be quite arrogant of you BF.
 

David Lamb

Well-Known Member
I am not saved by works but by placing my faith in the risen Savior and expecting to be saved “by grace through faith”.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith;...

When we turn to God in faith He is gracious to save.

Rom 10:13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Since He does not call faith a work why do you do so? Do you think God got it wrong?

That would be quite arrogant of you BF.
No, biblical faith is not a work. It's a gift:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-10 NKJV)

But if we make faith something which we sinners produce by our own efforts, we are turning faith into a work.
 

Van

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
OK. Acts 13:48. 'When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been designated to eternal life believed.' It doesn't change the meaning of the sentence. Also, the word 'chose' appears nowhere in Matthew 28:16. You have written it in.

Neither the word 'choose' nor the word 'directions' appear anywhere in Luke 7:8; you have written them in, but OK. Acts 13:48. 'When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been directed to eternal life believed.'

Neither the word 'agree' nor the wor 'direction' appear anywhere in Acts 15:2; you have written them in, but OK. 'When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been directed to eternal life believed.'

Acts 22:10. '....."Arise and go into Damascus and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.' But OK. Acts 13:48. When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been designated to eternal life believed.

The words 'preach' and 'follows' appear nowhere in Acts 28:23. Acts 28:23. 'So when they had 'appointed him a day......' But OK Acts 13:48. 'When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been directed to eternal life believed. '

Romans 13:1. '.........The authorities that exist are appointed by God.' But OK. Acts 13:48. When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and all who had been designated or arranged to eternal life believed.

You have chosen the wrong verse. 1 Cor, 15:16. 'For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.

It does nothing of the sort despite your attempts to write it in. None of them mention an arrangement by mutual agreement.

Acts 13:48 does not mention anyone accepting anything; nor does it mention Paul or his direction. The verse says that all those who were appointed, designated or directed to eternal life believed.

On the contrary, you have utterly corrupted all the texts you have produced to fit your man-made doctrine. All those texts are perfectly clear.
I am sorry, Sir, that you spent so much time addressing, to be generous, misconceptions.

When we make an appointment with our doctor, we receive direction, i.e. the Doctor could see you at 10:15 next Tuesday. We can "choose" to accept that time period, i.e. make an appointment by mutual agreement, or choose not to accept the arrangement. So making a choice is integral with the meaning of "tasso." Thus my interpretation of Matthew 28:16 is spot on.

Also, I did not say all who had been directed to eternal life believed, I said all those who had accepted Paul's direction believed. Please address what I said, rather than make up a flawed version and rail against it.
 

Martin Marprelate

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
They come freely through faith, which is a condition.
You continue not to get the point, and we've been through this so many times that it really is getting wearisome.
Unless God opens the heart of a sinner to believe, he simply will not do so (John 3:19 etc.) I pointed out Eph 2:1ff earlier, but you think being dead is just being a bit poorly, and therefore God making us alive means making us a bit less poorly.
But if the Holy Spirit had wanted to say 'ill' or 'sick' instead of 'dead,' He could have done so. The words exist in Greek. But He says that we were 'dead in trespasses and sins,' and that God had to make us 'alive.' So we cannot believe, or do anything else pleasing to God (Rom. 8:7-8) unless and until God opens our hearts to do so.
So faith is not a work we must do as a condition to be right with God, as we might climb a mountain or fight a dragon to earn our salvation; it is the gift of God. He opens our hearts to believe, and we do so.
 

Silverhair

Well-Known Member
No, biblical faith is not a work. It's a gift:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-10 NKJV)

But if we make faith something which we sinners produce by our own efforts, we are turning faith into a work.

As Bill Mounce says it helps to know a little Greek. And he know a great deal.

Regarding Eph 2:8-9
While a pronoun's case is determined by its function in the sentence, the gender and number are determined by its antecedent. Therefore, "that" G5124 a neuter pronoun cannot be referring back to "faith" G4102 a feminine noun. But "grace" G5485 also is feminine, so it cannot be the antecedent of [that G5124]. So what is?
If you look backwards for an antecedent, you will look in vain. There are neuter nouns, but they make no sense as an antecedent.
The answer is to know a little Greek! When Greek wants to refer back to a general thought, perhaps a phrase, the pronoun can be in the neuter. This is "not of yourselves" does not refer specifically to [πίστεως faith G4102] but rather to the entire salvific process, of which faith obviously is a part.

["For by grace you have been saved "] {how} through faith. Salvation is a gift that we receive from God because of our faith.

Antecedents and Faith (Eph_2:8-9)
“Grace is God's part, faith ours.” He adds that since in the original the demonstrative “this” (and this not of yourselves) is neuter and does not correspond with the gender of the word “faith,” which is feminine, it does not refer to the latter “but to the act of being saved by grace conditioned on faith on our part.”
“In Eph_2:8 … there is no reference to διὰ πίστεως [through faith] in τοῦτο [this], but rather to the idea of salvation in the clause before.”
A. T. Robertson {RWP} found in Baker's cmtx

Since the Greek does not agree with your understanding of the text You , Martin and Ken need to do a rethink on how you understand Eph 2:8-9.
 

Silverhair

Well-Known Member
You continue not to get the point, and we've been through this so many times that it really is getting wearisome.
Unless God opens the heart of a sinner to believe, he simply will not do so (John 3:19 etc.) I pointed out Eph 2:1ff earlier, but you think being dead is just being a bit poorly, and therefore God making us alive means making us a bit less poorly.
But if the Holy Spirit had wanted to say 'ill' or 'sick' instead of 'dead,' He could have done so. The words exist in Greek. But He says that we were 'dead in trespasses and sins,' and that God had to make us 'alive.' So we cannot believe, or do anything else pleasing to God (Rom. 8:7-8) unless and until God opens our hearts to do so.
So faith is not a work we must do as a condition to be right with God, as we might climb a mountain or fight a dragon to earn our salvation; it is the gift of God. He opens our hearts to believe, and we do so.

You continue not to get the point, and we've been through this so many times that it really is getting wearisome.
I have pointed out via scripture the truths of God and you still reject this truth.
We know that God convicts the world of sin Joh 16:8-9 because they are spiritually dead. But that does not mean they cannot hear and respond to the gospel message does it.

Mar 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Note it does not say those I have made alive will believe.

Eph 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Your right, faith is not a work, but it is the condition for ones salvation.
Joh 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

You can fight against what the Holy Spirit has said but it will not change the truth. Only God saves and He saves those that have turned to Him in faith.

1Co_15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
Eph_2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
which is explained in
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith,...
Col_2:13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
 
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