Frustration over debate about Calvinism

[Brian Bosse]

Hola Roberto,

I'm not sure what you mean by "God's rejection of natural Israel is independent of the promise made." If by that you mean that they were under the law until the promise was fulfilled in Christ, then I agree. Also, you keep referring to Gal. 5:18, but I think you mean 3:18.

Yes, my mistake on the typo. I meant Gal. 3:18, and not 5:18. Earlier you said that Paul's answer to the objector was "to correct the idea that this 'Israel' is the one to whom the promises were made in the first place." My understanding of this is that the promise made by God was not made to "this Israel". As such, "this Israel" has no basis to claim that God was unfaithful. Here is the idea in a little more abstract manner...

(1) Person A promises X to person B.
(2) Person A does not promise X to person C.
(3) Person A does not give X to person C.
(4) Since the promise was made to person B and not person C, then A's not giving X to person C cannot be construed as unfaithfulness.
(5) Person A's not giving X to person C is independent from the promise made because the promise made was to person B not person C.

Does that help clarify what I meant? If so, am I understanding you correctly?

Brian

 

[ray Marshall]

It seems that no matter where I turn in the Bible, I cannot find the book of Calvin. Can someone please help this poor old unlearned hillbilly.
I've heard a lot about this Calvinist doctrine but I haven't been able to find the Bool of Calvin in my Bible.
Please enlighten me.

 

[canadyjd]

However to "JUDGE" a "Standard" must be established by law/principles, a standard which even the Judge can't deviate from, else he himself violates the law/principles,....

The standard of righteousness has already been articulated in Romans 1. Every person on the planet should have believed and worshipped God based on general revelation found in creation. Every person had a chance to believe through general revelation. They did not. They all turned away. No one sought for God. They all stand condemned by God's standard. God could send every person who ever lived to hell and not violate His righteousness.

Man is "born" with the law/principes (knowledge) of "Good/Evil" in his heart, and it's the "Heart" that God Judges.

And God judged the heart of every person and every person is condemned.

"Totally depravity" denies there is any "Good" left in this "image of God", called mankind.

That simply isn't true. Total depravity reflects the truth that all people stand condemned and are completely unable to come to salvation on their own.

Jesus preached to the deceased of the OT who. "in their heart", attempted to obey the law, but had never heard the gospel before they died, why wouldn't that same principle apply to other people in the same category???

Where in scripture do you find that Jesus preached to all the deceased of the O.T.?

The best preacher in the world is "OUR CONSCIENCE".

If you mean the best preacher of worldly ideas is our conscience, I'll agree with you. If you mean the best preacher of the gospel is our conscience, you are sadly mistaken.

Our conscience is prone to deception and manipulation.

Why would God say he didn't send Jesus to condemn the world, and died for the sins of the whole world, the "free gift" to "all men" that the whole might be saved, not willing "any" perish,

Why would Jesus say He came into the world for judgment? Why would Jesus say that those who don't believe have been condemned already? Why would Jesus say He isn't praying for the world, but just for those God the Father had given Him? Why would Jesus say that no one comes to the Father unless He is drawn? Why would Jesus say no one can know the Father unless the Son wills to reveal Him? Why would Jesus tell some that they do not believe because they are not of His sheep? Why would Jesus say He knows His sheep and calls them by name? Why would Jesus say that He would lose none that the Father had given to Him. Why would God reveal to us that He has mercy and compassion on those of His choosing? Why would God say that it doesn't depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy? Why would God say that those who believe are born (again) by the will of God and specifically says they are not born (again) by the will of man? Why would God reveal to us that He, as a potter molding with clay, make some vessels for wrath and some vessels for mercy? "If he didn't mean it"???

And that leads to all the other "out of context" interpretations.

From the man who boldly states you have to "read between the lines" and "behind the words" of scripture to find true doctine.

peace to youraying:

 

[ray Marshall]

Jim, You are right. They are left untouched by the will of GOD. They do not have any love of GOD but are happy in the state that they are in.
GOD did not predestinate them to go to hell. It would have been just with GOD to have left all mankind in the state they are in. GOD saves whomsoever he will. It is not of him thar willeth nor of him that runneth but of GOD who showeth mercy.

 

[canadyjd]

They are left untouched by the will of GOD.

I never said all people were left untouched my the will of God. Just the opposite. God has chosen some for salvation.

They do not have any love of GOD but are happy in the state that they are in. GOD did not predestinate them to go to hell. It would have been just with GOD to have left all mankind in the state they are in. GOD saves whomsoever he will. It is not of him thar willeth nor of him that runneth but of GOD who showeth mercy.

Amen, that is what scripture reveals.

peace to youraying:

 

[webdog]

I never said all people were left untouched my the will of God. Just the opposite. God has chosen some for salvation.

Yes...those of faith

 

[canadyjd]

Yes...those of faith

Which God gives as a gift through the power of Holy Spirit to those He has predestined to recieve eternal life according to His will and purpose.:thumbsup:

peace to youraying:

 

[Winman]

Well, you have very carefully picked scripture to fit your doctrine, but ignored much scripture that contradicts it.

It is clear that God's will is that all men be saved.

1 Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

These verses are speaking of God's WILL. It is clear from scripture that God wants everyone to be saved. At the same time we know from scripture that not all men will be saved. So obviously, God's will is not obeyed by everyone.

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Only those who doeth the will of the Father shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, by pure logic and the process of elimination, those who do not do the will of the Father will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

You can go on all day and claim God only selects some to be saved, the scriptures say God wants all to be saved. You can claim God's will cannot be disobeyed, when clearly the Lord Jesus himself showed it can be disobeyed. If God's will cannot be disobeyed, then clearly every man will be saved, which we know from scripture is not the case.

Let me ask you, do you obey God's will 100% of the time? I know I don't. I say that to my shame, but it is the truth, sometimes I disobey what I clearly know to be God's will. And I think if you are honest you will admit the same thing.

So, men have free will. We are not robots. God allows us to come to him of our own free will, or refuse.

That said, salvation is still 100% of God. Unless Jesus died for our sins, we could not be saved. Unless God gave us the scriptures, we would not know of Jesus and could not come to him. And salvation through Jesus is 100% God's idea, man did not think of it, the Gospel did not come through man's will.

It is a gift, we simply receive it, or refuse to receive it. A gift is not a work, everyone knows you do not work for a gift. If you worked for it, then it was earned, then it is a wage.

The Bible is clear that men can refuse the offer of salvation.

Matt 19:21 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. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Jesus told this young man "come and follow me". That was God's will for this young man, but he chose to walk away because he valued his possesions more than God.

Matt 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Here it is plain as day. In this parable the king represents God the Father. He calls men to the marriage of his son. So that is God's will, that they come to the marriage. But they refuse to come.

John 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

We already know that it is God's will that all be saved. But these scriptures prove that a man can disobey God's will and refuse to come to Jesus.

It is true that God draws all men, but not everyone who is drawn comes to God.

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Again, plain as day, Jesus says he will draw all men unto him. But we know that not all men are saved, therefore some must refuse. It is not God's will that they refuse, it is God's will that all men be saved.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

It is true that no man can come to Jesus unless he be drawn. But verse 45 shows an important condition, a person must hear and learn of the Father.

And this is the difference. Some men listen to God, while other men refuse to listen.

Luke 22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

Jesus does not cause these men to not believe, he is not commanding them not to believe here, Jesus simply knows beforehand (foreknowledge) that they will not believe him.

And we know it is God's will to believe Jesus, Jesus said so himself.

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

It doesn't get any plainer than this. When these people asked Jesus specifically what they should do to do the works of God, Jesus tell them to believe on him.

Therefore, anyone who does not believe on Jesus is disobeying the will of God.

So, you have all your scriptures you believe supports your view, and ignore many plain scriptures that clearly contradicts it.

 

[BaptistBob]

Hola Roberto,



Yes, my mistake on the typo. I meant Gal. 3:18, and not 5:18. Earlier you said that Paul's answer to the objector was "to correct the idea that this 'Israel' is the one to whom the promises were made in the first place." My understanding of this is that the promise made by God was not made to "this Israel". As such, "this Israel" has no basis to claim that God was unfaithful. Here is the idea in a little more abstract manner...

(1) Person A promises X to person B.
(2) Person A does not promise X to person C.
(3) Person A does not give X to person C.
(4) Since the promise was made to person B and not person C, then A's not giving X to person C cannot be construed as unfaithfulness.
(5) Person A's not giving X to person C is independent from the promise made because the promise made was to person B not person C.

Does that help clarify what I meant? If so, am I understanding you correctly?

Brian

That's close enough. There are some slight problems mixing a discussion of Galatians and Romans, but that can be straightened out later. You've gone back to Galatians several times now, so you apparently have something in mind that you are working up to. That's fine, too.

 

[Me4Him]

Why would Jesus say He came into the world for judgment?

Scripture say Jesus wasn't sent to condemn the world, or "judge". (at that time)

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;

Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

Why would God say that it doesn't depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy? Why would God say that those who believe are born (again) by the will of God and specifically says they are not born (again) by the will of man?

Why would God reveal to us that He, as a potter molding with clay, make some vessels for wrath and some vessels for mercy?
peace to youraying:

Roman 9 is used quite often to support predestination, but actually it is a warning that God isn't "Obligated" to save anyone, especially the Jews to whom Paul is speaking because they believed they were "predestine" because of being heirs of Abraham and the promise made to him.

They didn't like the idea of "Gentiles" being "equal" with them either. (Vessels of honor/dishonor)


Here is what Ro 9 is really saying.

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.


Ro 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever.

Ro 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.

You never answer my other questions, if faith is given by God before you can believe, why does scripture/Jesus blame Israel for not having faith??

and if Israel was "predestine" to reject Jesus, why did Jesus make an offer of "I would, you wouldn't" against the predestine will of God????

 

[psalms109:31]

Gift of God

God does give us the faith not the way you want it to be. He gives through the words of Jesus, but just like the young rich ruler you can walk away from it and gain the world and lose your soul.

Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

 

[psalms109:31]

Total depravity

Yes, we are totally depraved and can't do nothing without the Spirit, that is when the words of Jesus changes all that.

John 14:24
He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

John 3:34
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."[Some manuscripts and certain Jews]

John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life.

Don't walk away from Jesus because it is His words that is our Spirit and our life without His words not ours we have no Spirit and life.

 

[pinoybaptist]

What do you mean by Christocentric, corporate election, please ?

May I repeat that question, please ?

What do you mean by Christocentric, corporate election, please ?

not yelling. just trying to be heard over the cacophony and noise, thank you.

 

[Winman]

Yes, faith is not a supernatural gift from God like the speaking of tongues, faith is a normal ability that all men have.

If faith was a gift from God, then why did Jesus criticize the apostles for having little faith?

Matt 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Matt 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Matt 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Matt 16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

If faith is a supernatural gift from God, then it makes no sense for Jesus to critcize the disciples for having little faith. Could they not have responded, "Lord you only gave us a little faith"??

And if faith was a gift from God this would be a reasonable response.

And when the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, he put the ball back into their court.

Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

If faith comes from God, then the disciples request was completely reasonable. But Jesus answered "If ye had faith". He puts the fault on them, not himself.

And when someone had faith, to whom did the Lord give credit?

Matt 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

This is a pretty strange reaction that Jesus would marvel at this man's faith if it was a gift from God.

And why did Jesus say numerous times "thy faith"

Luke 17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Luke 18:42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee

Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

These are but a few examples, look up "thy faith" in any concordance and you will see the Lord said this many times to believers.

No, faith is not a supernatural gift like speaking tongues. Faith comes by hearing God's word. And anyone who will listen to God's word and believe can have faith and be saved.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is a gift from God in the sense that God has provided the scriptures that we might hear his word. If not for the scriptures we could not possibly know of Jesus Christ and trust in him for salvation. And the Bible says this.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

So God gets 100% of the credit. If he did not provide the scriptures we could not know of Jesus and therefore could not believe on him. But the scriptures show that a man can hear God's word and not believe.

Luke 22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

A person can refuse to accept the free gift of salvation.

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 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: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

So, verse 11 clearly shows that Jesus came to the Jews to save them, but some refused to receive him as their saviour. But to those that did receive him, to them gave he power. The power was from God, so man gets no credit, they were not born again of blood, because no man has the ability to do this. And salvation through Christ is not of the will of man, if man could choose salvation, men would choose works. And salvation through Christ was not of the will of man, it was 100% God's idea and from his will alone.

Faith does not save a person. Faith draws a person to Christ and makes him willing to receive Christ. It is then that Christ saves the man, by giving the Holy Spirit that quickens the man.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

[psalms109:31]

Little faith

When Jesus tells us that we are going to go to the other side we should not let storms rock our faith and be accused of having little faith.

When Jesus tells us to believe in Him that we will not be condemned and have eternal life, do not doubt and have the faith of the centurion.

Luke 7
The Faith of the Centurion
1When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." 6So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

We are saved by grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

 

[canadyjd]

Well, you have very carefully picked scripture to fit your doctrine, but ignored much scripture that contradicts it.

Brother, I was responding to skypair...errr...I mean Me4Him. I have ignored nothing. I can and do harmonize scripture concerning these issues. Let's look at the passages you quoted.

It is clear that God's will is that all men be saved.

1 Tim 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Viewing this passage in context, I see that Paul is urging Christians, Timothy in particular, to pray for "all men", even gentile kings under whose government they are living on the earth. Our prayers for such men is good and acceptable in the eyes of God, "who desires all men to saved and come to a knowledge of the truth".

Three ways that I see this passage being interpreted. (though I'm sure there is more)

1. The desire of God that all men be saved is similar to the desire of God that all men respond to general revelation, love Him, and obey His commands. Some have called this the "revealed will" as opposed to the "hidden will".

2. The stated desire of God that all men be saved means He desires every person on the planet to be saved.

3. The stated desire of God that all men be saved means He desires all types of men to be saved.

You believe #2. However, #2 cannot be harmonized with passages that speak of God hiding things about salvation from some and revealing it to others.

For example, Matt. 11:25 "I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and intellegent and didst reveal them to babes".

The context of that statement was Jesus' comments that if the cities of Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom had seen the miracles that the cities of Jesus's day had seen, they would have repented. If God had sent someone to do miracles (Lot was already in Sodom), they would have repented and would have been saved from destruction.

Now, if #2 is correct "God desires all men (every person on the planet) to be saved", then you have a conflict with Matt.11, which clearly says it was well-pleasing to God to hide some things about repentance from some and to reveal it to others.

There are many other passages of scripture that speak of God hiding, blinding, and other such language, some and revealing to others. In fact, in the Matt. 11 passage, Jesus says that no one knows the Father unless the Son "wills" to reveal Him. And so you see the will of God in the salvation of men.

How do you address the apparent conflict with your view of I Tim. and Matt. 11 (and the other passages)?

peace to youraying:

 

[Winman]

Psalms 109:31

Then why did Jesus marvel when the centurion had such great faith?

Matt 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

If I gave you a new car (grace), and the next day you drove up to me in that car, would I be amazed that you had a new car?

You see, that makes absolutely no sense. You interpret the scripture to fit your pre-conceived doctrine.

 

[canadyjd]

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Continuing....

This passage is simple. Peter is saying that God is not willing that any of the elect should perish, and that they should all come to repentance.

This interpretation is supported by Peter's address to "those who have recieved a fatih of the same kind as ours...." (1v1)

and v.3 "seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence."

Notice it is God who has granted to us "everything pertaining to life and godliness." and has "called us by His own glory and excellence."

Now, is faith necessary for "life" and "godliness"? Then it was given to us by God.

The interpretation is also supported by v.10 "Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; ..."

Particularly contrary to your interpretation of the passage that God wants every man on the planet to be saved is 2v.9 "the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment."

Now, if God wanted all men to be saved, why would He "keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment"?

Please explain how chp. 2v.9 is not in conflict with your interpretation of 3v.9.

peace to youraying:

 

[psalms109:31]

Winman

I am amazed by God's grace to me, but why should you be amazed by it? It is my gift.

Scripture is my doctrine. My words our meaningless, but Jesus words I will praise, because of His word that lead me to salvation only through Him

Hebrews 10:
35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while,
"He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38But my righteous one[One early manuscript But the righteous] will live by faith.
And if he shrinks back,
I will not be pleased with him." 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Hebrews 3
Warning Against Unbelief
7So, as the Holy Spirit says:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
8do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
9where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.
10That is why I was angry with that generation,
and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray,
and they have not known my ways.'
11So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.' "

12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. 15As has just been said:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion."

16Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? 18And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed[Or disbelieved]? 19So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

 

[Winman]

canadyjd

You can't pick and choose scripture to fit a pre-conceived idea. Yes, the scriptures talk several times of Jesus hiding things from men, and blinding them.

But if you study it out, you will see the reason God blinded them is because they loved evil and hated God.

2 Thess 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Here the scriptures mention those who will be deceived by a strong delusion. But God gives the reason, and reason being that they received not the love of the truth, and had pleasure in unrighteousness.

And the same is said in John

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

And in Romans

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

God wants everyone to be saved, but not all men want God. Many men love darkness and to do evil. God pleads with men to be saved for so long, but at a point he gives them over to their own lusts. God does blind these men, but there is a reason for it.