Choose ye this day whom you will serve

[J.D.]

O.K. it’s graduation day – let’s see who gets diploma. Who successfully answered these questions?:

1. WHAT WAS IN THE TWO THAT BELIEVED THAT WOULD CAUSE THEM TO REPENT AND RECEIVE THE LORD?

2. LIKEWISE, WHAT WAS IN THE EIGHT THAT BELIEVED NOT THAT CAUSED THEM TO REJECT THE LORD?

3. Why and how can a man that has that same sin nature turn right around and DECIDE to love light rather than darkness?

2BHizown, Pinoybaptist and Npetreley all graduate with honors.

2BHizown said: Man has no ability to do good or to please God, unless and until God regenerates his heart and calls him to Himself!! Grade: A+


Pinoybaptist said:

To the first question: because man's choice is bound to his nature. fallen. corrupt. sinful.

To the second question: if good means to please God, then it is because as Paul put it, 'God worketh in you to do and to will of His good pleasure'.

Unregenerate men can also do good, but good that is pleasing before men, not before God. More often the good that unregenerate men do is to earn the praise of men.

Grade A+

Npetreley said:

Why people believe:
Quote:
Phil 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

Acts 13:48/2 And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.


Why people don't believe:
Quote:
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (see above Philippians quote)

John 10:26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.


There are a lot more quotes than these, but here are some.

Grade A+ with special honors for accurately using scripture to answer easy questions that some people consider unanswerable.


Poster “A” (name withheld to hopefully quell some of the fury I expect to receive from this post) did not graduate, but receives the Good Effort award because his answers were an accurate reflection of his hybrid/Arminian training:

1. Don't / can't know

2. Don't / can't know

3. Don't / can't know

And also he receives partial credit for coming up with the correct answer to the auxiliary question “How can a man in his right mind CHOOSE to love darkness rather than light?”: Two words...sin nature.

But unfortunately he failed to answer the follow-up question: Why and how can a man that has that same sin nature turn right around and DECIDE to love light rather than darkness?

Poster “B” (name withheld for same reason as above) did not graduate: A wonderful man that has great passion for what he believes, but lets his determination to be right get in the way of his logical cognition.


End of Report

Yes, I know I’m arrogant, unloving, I shouldn’t mock, etcetera etcetera. But the purpose of this exercise was to clearly show one of the main reasons that I switched to Calvinism from that other thing. The answers are there for all to see, very plainly stated in scripture. The various arminian-based systems can present the problem of sin, but can not answer to it with a solution. They know that if the root of sin is in man that the root of righteousness can not be in man also, so they offer it as an "unanswerable paradox". I could live with that if the bible did not make the answer so plain.


It is not my desire to mock anyone, but to rather plead “OPEN YOUR EYES”. And yes, I believe God uses means to accomplish his predetermined will, so by the means of my pleading, I say again, please open your eyes to the truth. God will have His glory.

 

[webdog]

Your report is shocking :laugh:

I guess I'm held back another year while the highly intelligent calvinists beem in their vast knowledge of infinite God.

But unfortunately he failed to answer the follow-up question: Why and how can a man that has that same sin nature turn right around and DECIDE to love light rather than darkness?

I didn't answer? I thought I did. Anyway, the answer is the same...don't / can't know until we can ask God face to face. All men are drawn, why all men don't respond NOBODY knows, not even professor J.D. Your way makes the Word powerless to those in the darkness. My Jesus is more powerful than that, He IS the resurrection and the life. There is power in His Word...even to those in the darkness.

The flip to that question is: how (and why) can man who is in the light turn around and decide to love darkness, if the light is "irresistable"?

 

[Brother Bob]

You don't have to explain your "desire" for it is plain for all to see.

I see those who won were all "Calvinist", wonder why that doesn't surprise me.

You were given better answers than you needed to have your answer by the non-calvinist but the blind spot won't let you see them. Blind lead the blind and both fall in the ditch.

 

[Brother Jeremy Slone]

If I can I would like to focus this thread on the last question I asked in my OP, which is the real issue I intended:
Why do some people choose to do evil and others choose to do good? What is th difference between people? Why do some people believe the gospel and others do not?
Here's another way of putting it:
If man is totally corrupt, why to some choose that which is good?
If man is not totally corrupt, why does he choose that which is evil?

Proverbs 20:9 who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: :20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. also Ezekiel 36:26

Jeremiah 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

Psalm 65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee...........

 

[Brother Jeremy Slone]

Why and how could anyone in their right mind DECIDE to love darkness rather than light?

Mark 5:15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

 

[Brother Jeremy Slone]

WHAT WAS IN THE TWO THAT BELIEVED THAT WOULD CAUSE THEM TO REPENT AND RECEIVE THE LORD?

LIKEWISE, WHAT WAS IN THE EIGHT THAT BELIEVED NOT THAT CAUSED THEM TO REJECT THE LORD?

And an added question from a previous post:

Why and how can a man that has that same sin nature turn right around and DECIDE to love light rather than darkness?[/QUOTE]

Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. :4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Roman 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe. for there is no difference:
Galatians 2:16 as well, read and think about who's faith.

for your last question it must be that they were quickened (made alive)
2 Thessalonians 2:13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
So its what God did and sanctification is what separates some from others, and we can see the difference from some compared to others.

 

[Brother Jeremy Slone]

Ok i see i was trying to answer your questions as I went along before I had to go to work and I guess I din't see that last one right before my explanations. well I am home from work now you should of closed it out and saved me the trouble.
:laugh:

You know I thought those questions were a little bit to structured.

 

[J.D.]

Hello Brother Jeremy, I think that's some pretty good answers you gave, especially your first post.

 

[Bro Tony]

Quote:
Originally Posted by J.D.
Why and how could anyone in their right mind DECIDE to love darkness rather than light?


John 3:19 (New King James Version)

19 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.


Bro Tony

 

[Brother Bob]

neither doth they come to the light lest their deed be reproved. (1 : to scold or correct usually gently or with kindly intent). In other words "repent".

Repentance is required at the hands of all men. All mean all and God don't require from man what he cannot do.raise:

 

[J.D.]

God don't require from man what he cannot do.

Can man keep the law? Didn't God require it be kept?

 

[Brother Bob]

The young man told Jesus he had kept it and if he had of been lying I am sure Jesus knew his heart but Jesus didn't deny that he had kept it and said "come and follow me".

Also, the whole duty of man is to Love God and keep his Commandments. Bless,raise:

Commandments never did give Salvation it still took a fountain to be opened even to redeem them under the Law. The only way man has ever received Salvation is through the blood of Christ. Amenraying:

 

[J.D.]

The young man told Jesus he had kept it and if he had of been lying I am sure Jesus knew his heart but Jesus didn't deny that he had kept it and said "come and follow me".

Also, the whole duty of man is to Love God and keep his Commandments. Bless,raise:

Commandments never did give Salvation it still took a fountain to be opened even to redeem them under the Law. The only way man has ever received Salvation is through the blood of Christ. Amenraying:

There we have it folks, we've been lied to all this time. Our Baptist preachers have been telling us that no man was righteous under the law. But Brother Bob has proven them wrong. Now let's all start keeping the law so we can be righteous. No imputation needed.

 

[Brother Bob]

You are putting words in my mouth. I said Jesus said "thou lacketh one thing go and sell all thou hath and come and follow me".

I am sorry but you do err not knowing the Law. There are those that desire to be teachers of the Law but know what they say nor do they understand but we that know the Law knows that it is not for the righteous but the sinner and ungodly. The Law is a very big subject and needs a thread of its own. But if you think the Commandments are done away with then you do err again not knowing the Scriptures. Sorry. Amen :wavey: :Fish: :sleeping_2:

 

[Rippon]

The Lord could have picked any of the commandments and the rich young ruler would had to fess-up that he ( all of us ) had failed miserably in all of them . He had a surface-level understanding of what the Law really meant . The rich young ruler certainly wasn't the runner-up to Jesus in keeping the whole Law .

 

[Brother Bob]

That is not true. He said these have I kept from my youth up and he was talking to Jesus not you or I. If he had of been lying you think Jesus would of said "come and follow me" I think not. You are saying something the Scriptures do not say. Bless:Fish:

 

[Rippon]

Bob , do you think that the rich young ruler kept all of the Law perfectly ?

 

[Brother Bob]

I believe the Scriptures and apparently Jesus believed him that he kept them good enough to suit Him and that is good enough for me. Do you believe all the Scripture or just part?:wavey:

 

[Rippon]

"Jesus believed that he kept them good enough to suit him . " What foolhardiness BB . Do any of us keep them good enough to suit Jesus ? The whole point of the coming of Jesus was that none of us are good enough on any basis to please God . But Jesus kept the Law perfectly --- the only oneto do so . Consequently He was the only One to be able to be the perfect sin-bearer . The young man had no idea what hit him . The youth said : "All these I have kept since I was a boy ." What arrogance ! What superficiality ! The young man did not have a clue . He did not even realize with whom he was speaking . "Good teacher."
Good teacher ?!! Is that all that Jesus is ? The young man would have been found guilty of keeping none of the commandments had Jesus chosen to pursue that line . Such as it was , He aimed at a central weakness . But really Bob , do you really believe that that young man kept the whole Law ?

 

[Brother Bob]

Jesus believed Him, why shouldn't I? He also called Him Master and you say he didn't know who He was. He also ask Him "what must I do to be saved" and you say he didn't know who He was?

Yes I believe in keeping of the Commandments. I ask you can you be killing people and go to Heaven? Which Commandment can you be guilty of still doing and be saved. I believe Jesus saves you from your sins. The Commandments are just as binding today as they ever were. They never did give life and they still do not. They were added to show what sin is. "Cleanse your hands you sinner". How can you do that except you quit sinning? Here are many who kept the Commandments down through time. You seem to have added something that is not Scripture.
You call what Jesus accepted "fool heartedness". I don't say that about Jesus I truly love Him and trust in Him that if the young man was lying He would of told us.:tear:

KJMatt.19
16": And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

"17": And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

"18": He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

"19": Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

"20": The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

"21": Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

1 John, chapter 5
"3": For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

1 Chronicles, chapter 28
"8": Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever

Judges, chapter 2
"17": And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.


Daniel, chapter 9
"4": And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

John, chapter 14
"15": If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John, chapter 14
"21": He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John, chapter 15
10": If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

John, chapter 15
"10": If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Blessings, raise: :Fish: