Indeed. I'm glad we agree. So, when God does brings someone the light (i.e. the gospel truth), don't excuse those who reject it by suggesting they were born unable to clearly understand or respond to that light.
Now, I want to expound upon that previous post of mine. I am sure I can find how far our agreement goes. We are born sinners, sinners as being born in Adam...or I think you hold to this view...if I am wrong, please forgive me. As sinners, we are spiritually dead...not akin a corpse dead, but dead to righteousness...IOW, we're in the dark. In this darkened state, we are also blind, with a hardened heart. No amount of gospel preaching can change this state. That's why I am anti-gospel regeneration.(I think this is where I agreement stops, btw) If it took someone to hear the gospel to be regenerated, then the deaf people are goners. God is the one that does the regeneration, and then the gospel expounds upon it. They have new eyes to see with...coming out of darkness into that glorious Light. They have a new heart, a fleshly heart, a heart of love. They have ears to hear with. All of these took place at the point of regeneartion. Here's some passages to ponder:
John 3:14-21
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
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.
As you can see, those who die lost, have no desire to come to the Light. Why? They love darkness, they're content to stay in darkness. They believe their good works and "God loves everyone" means they can do these good deeds and based solely on "God's equal love for all mankind" will take them to heaven. There are homosexual couples that actively work in their "church". They pay their tithes, they pray, they vist the sick, homeless, are good to their neighbors, etc. They think/believe they're going to heaven when they leave this world. They have been deceived and yet, they live happily in discord with the record of God. No amount of "thumping the pulpit" preaching will change their minds. It takes God to reveal this to them. If He doesn't, then they were not of His, and He left them in their already fallen state.
Here's some more verses to ponder:
Psalms 65:4 Blessed is the man whom
thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Romans 9:16 So then
it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that sheweth mercy.
Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord:
and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Now, let's look at one more passage that your side of the debate loves to use:
Titus 1:11-15
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Now, in verse 11, it says all men. The universal atonement folk say, "Well goody, goody. Everybody's got a chance to go to heaven." Look at the follwing verses. It says the grace of God "teaches us" to live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present world. Apparently the grace of God is a very bad teacher if this means any and everybody w/o exception. Just read your newspapers, watch your tv's, listen to your radioes. There's a lot of bad teaching if He is teaching everybody w/o exception to live righteously, soberly, and Godly.
Then there's "Gave Himself for us" and "redeemed us". Who is the "us" in this passage? The church, which Christ gave his life for(Ephesians 5:25). Then in John 10, who did Jesus say the good Shepherd was? Who would the Shepherd give His life for? He's the good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep. He even prayed for His sheep in John 17, and not for the world. He then said, "not for these only, but those who would believe their word."
So the "all men" in verse 11 of Titus 2, has to be the church, the bride, the elct, the chosen, the sheep...those He chose from the foundation of the world. And these He chose from the foundation of the world, will have that Light shine in their darkened heart, and it will cause a Godly sorrow to set up, and bring about God-given repentance(2 Cor. 7:10). This God-given repentance will then bring them to Him, and they will surrender their life into His hands.
