Attribute of God's Love

GeneMBridges

You're doing great, for you.

Anyone having difficulty accepting the 5 points I strongly recommend 'Chosen By God' by RC Sproul.

 

One of the reasons why I do not accept TULIP is contained in the words of Jesus in Matt 22:1-14

Who were "the elect from before the foundation of the world"? Were they those whom the bridegroom's father had already invited long before the event? or are they those "whosoevers" whom the Father sent his servants to the main crossroads to gather by invitation, just as the event was taking place?

Who begged-off, and made excuses even Killing the messengers that brought notice that the feast was soon to take place? Were they not the previously invited...which is the biblical definition of "The Elect"?

Who accepted the last minute invitation made by the bridegroom's Father? Were they not made the elect through their faith in accepting the invitation? They heard the word and believed, dressed themselves in righteousness, proper wedding apparel, and thus enjoy the feast, save for the one who was not clothed in righteousness.

No sir, TULIP is FALSE DOCTRINE! No amount of GeneMBridges' rantings can change that truth! Jesus said it, Jesus is God the Son!

 

The 5 points concerns the individuals salvation whereas Mt 22 concerns Israel's rejection of the kingdom.

The wedding banquet here portrays the kingdom offered to Israel.

The Son who refused to come is the nation of Israel.

The servants were John the Baptist and the 12 Apostles who told Israel to come. They were later killed by them.

Because of the Son's rejection the King sent his army and destroyed the city. This occurred when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans.

Those invited from the streets, good or bad, are Gentiles and a remnant of Jews. The "wedding clothes" given to selected guests is the righteousness imputed to the believer. The ones without the wedding clothes were not the ones chosen, and were "thrown outside, into the darkness." "Many are invited," they hear the gospel but few are actually chosen to receive it.

 

You make interesting points, and many scholars have voiced the same allegorical renderings. However, the plain text illustrates a situation where the invited guests have begged-off, leaving the father whose son is to be married, without an audience. He therefore extends short notice invitation to all who hear (understand/receive) the invitation to come. The invitation is given to those on the main crossroads. Coincidentally, Thessolonica was a major trade route in that day. It was also located in a gentile nation.

The Parable in Matt 22 concerns the church! The bridegroom is Jesus, the invited guests comprize the 12 tribes of Israel, and the main crossroads are the "whosoevers". The invited guests became invited in Exodus 4:22,23

God declared Israel to be his. That means His elect.

The invited guests, found other things to do at the appointed day, they all "begged off for various reasons. Thus God's elect refused to come to the wedding feast!

In order to be the elect from the foundation of the world, the whosoevers would have to be God's elect in parallel with the children of Israel, and we have no record of them being such.

 

You never gonna get it Wes, the Church did not exit at this time, it began 50 days after Passover when Christ was crucified. Jesus was still presenting the gospel to Israel.

Romans 16:25
Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed...(in Paul's time)

Gal. 1:12
I did not receive it (gospel) from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Everything about the Church was divinely revealed to Paul after Mt. 22, after his crucifixion and after his ascension.

Eph. 3:3
the mystery made known to me (Paul) by revelation as I have already written briefly.
the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations , but is now disclosed to the (Church) saints.

Do you understand? NO CHURCH IN MT. 22.

 

Prophesynut,
Your name belies your post, Did Jesus not prophesy? Is he not able to prophesy in Parables?

If he had laid out his plan in plain language would anyone at the time have understood him? Most today don't understand him, and we've had 2000 years to study Him.

I'm not sure why you want to call me ignorant as you have insinuated. But you are not addressing the issue that you brought forth (TULIP) which I have rebutted.

 

Hi Prophecynut;

You couldn't be more wrong my friend. The Church started the day Christ entered the world. He is the Rock that the Church is built on.

What Paul receive was not the gospel but the revelation that his previous blindness was keeping him from.
Act 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

What was revealed to Paul? was it the gospel, or the fact that Jesus was his messiah?
May Christ Shine His Light On Us All;
Mike

 

ILuvlight, this is the first time we've made contact, where have you been? One thing I like about the Light is you don't have to worry about getting a sunburn.

Mt. 16:18
Building His church was a yet-future work of Jesus Christ, for He had not yet started the process. He said, "I will build (future tense) My church," but His program for the nation Israel had to be concluded before another program could be set in motion that envolved the Gentiles.

On the road to Damascus Jesus revealed himself as Messiah, when he got into the city, and later in his ministry to the Gentiles, the gospel as applied to the Church was revealed. Paul did not receive his knowledge from man but by revelation.

 

Hi Prophecynut;

Where I've been mostly of recent is working for a living. It's the end of the year. Time for new contracts and to top it off the tax man will soon be beating at our doors. I try to get mine done right after the first of the new year and so does my boss.
I haven't been sunburned ever since I moved here I guess that could be a good thing but I'd like very much to some how burn all of Christ light right in to my skull

Yes this is true but Christ is the foundation of His Church so it is also proper to say His church started with His appearing because that is when the building of it actually began.

Yes Christ was revealed as the messiah but His instruction was told to him later but the gospel story of Christ and all that had happened to Him in his ministery was already known at least in part because he was killing all the Christians he could catch. Paul was no doubt a religious man before his encounter with Christ. Once Christ was revealed as truth to him everything just fell into place. Where does the scripture say that Christ taught him the gospel? In order for him to sniff out the Christians he had to know about there beliefs.
May Christ Shine His Light On Us All;
Mike

 

Who in Arabia gave Paul instruction in the "Things of the Lord". Did he wander around from mosque to mosque hearing all about Jesus?

Isn't Arabia the seat of Islam, the religion of Ishmael?

 

The country side just outside the city of Damascus was Arabia, a good place to interact with God away from the distractions of city life.

 

Ray and Prophesynut,

Both ideas are acceptable, but we may not know in this lifetime!

 

Let's not make a big issue of this, I accept that Revelation is just that, "Revelation", and John explains that while he was on Patmos, a prisoner, He had visions, though he eludes to "out of Body" experiences. But you, in your statement about Paul, indicate that Paul learned of the Lord while tarrying in Arabia for three years. I was just curious as to that comment.

 

AMEN!

 

mike [iluvlight],

Although the revelation Paul recieved was not the gospel words themselves which he already knew as the [to him] blaspheme of the 'Way' sect, they revelation he did recieve did confirm to him the veracity and the validity of the gospel.

mikew