Are the Lost Allowed to Seek God?

[Van]

Does God allow people to seek God and put their trust in Christ? Yes, usually, but not always. Romans 11 teaches God does harden the hearts of some people for His purpose. Ditto for Judas who was not allowed to "come to Jesus." (John 6:65)

Now there are none who seek God all the time, as we are not seeking God when sinning, and we all have fallen short of the glory of God. Does this truth prevent some, most, of the lost from seeking God some of the time? Nope. The fields are white for harvest.

Did Jesus tell the lost to seek the Kingdom of God? Yes.

Did those of the Old Testament ever, at some time, seek God?
See:

Exodus 33:4
2 Chronicles 14:7
2 Chronicles 22:9
2 Chronicles 26:5 ​

Did Jesus tell the lost to seek God's righteousness? Yes
See:

Matthew 6:33
Matthew 7:7
Luke 13:24
Acts of the Apostles 15:13-18

The gospel is clear, we are to seek the righteousness of God through faith in Christ.




​

 

[KenH]

Romans 3:9-18 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth,
There is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open sepulchre;
With their tongues they have used deceit;
The poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes.

(emphasis mine)

 

[kyredneck]

Your question is redundant. Who will answer with a yes or no? ...and probably an oxymoron.

 

[Van]

Did anyone see where a passage presented in the OP was repeated, but without explanation?
Or a post of deflection?

Are some of the Lost allowed and thus able, to seek God? The answer from scripture is yes, but they do not seek God when sinning, and since we all sin, none of us seek God all the time.

This is not rocket science.

 

[37818]

It is mandatory that the lost seek God.
Luke 24:46-47, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 

[canadyjd]

Who does the “allowing”? Either the lost have the ability to seek God according to their own “free will”, or they do not.

A better question is “do the lost have any desire to seek God?” The scriptural answer is no. None seek God unless God causes it to happen.

Your “rewrite” of Romans 3 to fit your unbiblical views is very sad. Just accept what scripture says. You will be much happier.

peace to you

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Are some of the Lost allowed and thus able, to seek God?

I can't believe this question is being asked!
Matthew 9:13. "For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" Sinners are the only people that the Lord Jesus calls, and if they will come, He will by no means cast them out (John 6:37). The problem is, of course, that left to themselves, they will not come. 'And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil' (John 3:19).

 

[Van]

Who does the “allowing”? Either the lost have the ability to seek God according to their own “free will”, or they do not.

A better question is “do the lost have any desire to seek God?” The scriptural answer is no. None seek God unless God causes it to happen.

Your “rewrite” of Romans 3 to fit your unbiblical views is very sad. Just accept what scripture says. You will be much happier.

peace to you

Good question!!

God does the allowing. The concept of a "free will" is flawed as we all operate within the purview allowed by God.

Yes, we, some of the lost, did not seek God before we experienced God's revelation of Himself. Thus God allows it (our desire to seek God) rather than compels some to seek God.

You "re-imagination of Romans 3:11 to fit your unbiblical views is very said. Just accept what scripture says, and do not add "ever" to the text.

 

[Van]

I can't believe this question is being asked!
Matthew 9:13. "For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" Sinners are the only people that the Lord Jesus calls, and if they will come, He will by no means cast them out (John 6:37). The problem is, of course, that left to themselves, they will not come. 'And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil' (John 3:19).

Yet another double-speak post.

1) First the presence that is no controversy concerning "total spiritual inability." He is probably aware of the controversy.

2) Is the fact Christ came to "call" (save) sinners in dispute? Nope

3) Is the fact that if a sinner is saved, by being called into His kingdom, Christ will by no means cast them back out in dispute? Nope

4) The problem for the false doctrine of "total spiritual inability" is Matthew 13, where three of the four souls seek salvation. But simply seeking does not always result in salvation.

5) Yes some of the lost reject the gospel or do not even understand it. This is not in dispute. The re-imagination that all humans love darkness such that none will ever seek God is what in dispute. He knows it, and I know it. No need for double-speak.

 

[Van]

It is mandatory that the lost seek God.
Luke 24:46-47, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

It is mandatory that God credit the faith of those seeking God in order to obtain salvation. Thus we, those born anew believers, are to beg the lost, be reconciled to God. And to become reconciled, to receive the reconciliation, requires that our faith is credited by God as righteousness. We do not automatically save ourselves by professing faith, no matter how sincere.

 

[Van]

Exodus 33:7
Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.

To claim no lost person ever sought the Lord is simply nonsense.

 

[Van]

2 Chronicles 14:7
For he said to Judah, “Let’s build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.

To claim no one ever seeks God based on adding "ever" to Romans 3:11 is nonsense. No one seeks God while sinning.

 

[Van]

There are none who seeks after God all the time. All have sinned and we are not seeking God when sinning.

 

[Van]

2 Chronicles 22:9
He also searched for Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death, and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

Besides providing another OT example of a person seeking God, the effort appeared full throttle, not "half-hearted."

 

[Martin Marprelate]

Yet another double-speak post.

1) First the presence that is no controversy concerning "total spiritual inability." He is probably aware of the controversy.

What controversy? That @Van thinks that "dead" means "quite poorly"?

2) Is the fact Christ came to "call" (save) sinners in dispute? Nope

Is the claim that "call" = "save" in dispute? You bet!

3) Is the fact that if a sinner is saved, by being called into His kingdom, Christ will by no means cast them back out in dispute? Nope

But Van has God casting sinners out because their faith is somehow 'unrighteous.'

4) The problem for the false doctrine of "total spiritual inability" is Matthew 13, where three of the four souls seek salvation. But simply seeking does not always result in salvation.

Matthew 7:7. Also, complete misunderstanding of Matthew 13.

5) Yes some of the lost reject the gospel or do not even understand it. This is not in dispute. The re-imagination that all humans love darkness such that none will ever seek God is what in dispute. He knows it, and I know it. No need for double-speak.

Contra, of course, Romans 3:11; John 6:44 and Acts of the Apostles 13:48. Just read Ephesians 2:1-10. God must make us alive before we can respond to the Gospel (c.f. also John 3:1-8).

 

[canadyjd]

Good question!!

God does the allowing. The concept of a "free will" is flawed as we all operate within the purview allowed by God.

Yes, we, some of the lost, did not seek God before we experienced God's revelation of Himself. Thus God allows it (our desire to seek God) rather than compels some to seek God.

You "re-imagination of Romans 3:11 to fit your unbiblical views is very said. Just accept what scripture says, and do not add "ever" to the text.

You literally changed scripture from “none seek God, not even one” to “some” do not seek God, and no one seeks God all the time.

Thank you for acknowledging the good question.

I’ll leave you to it.

peace to you

 

[kyredneck]

You literally changed scripture

Vanology in a nutshell.

 

[Marooncat79]

Jesus said that He came to seek and save the Lost

was Adam and Eve seeking God after sinning? No

was Abram seeking God? No

what about Moses? No

David? No

Jeremiah? No

Saul? No

any of the apostles? No

 

[JonC]

In a very real way the lost DO seek God. But they seek God on their own terms, in their own image. This is why we have so many religions. The apex of man seeking God is atheism.

What God did is He sought man. He sent His Son that all who believed would have life. God desires that none perish but that all repent and believe.

 

[canadyjd]

In a very real way the lost DO seek God. But they seek God on their own terms, in their own image. This is why we have so many religions. The apex of man seeking God is atheism.

What God did is He sought man. He sent His Son that all who believed would have life. God desires that none perish but that all repent and believe.

Explain how the apex of man seeking God is atheism?

Additionally, I would distinguish between man seeking to justify himself through made up religion from man seeking God as revealed in scripture.

peace to you