Reformed V Biblical Salvation

[canadyjd]

How about just dealing with the passage from John 3. It is there for a purpose

John 3 is a continuation of themes first stated in John 1. This is how John writes. He introduces a theological theme, moves to another or two, then comes back to elaborate on previous themes offering more detail.

He first introduces the theme of being “born” in John 1 where he states those that are children of God are born by the will of God.

In John 3 he elaborates on the theme of being “born” by stating you must be “born again” or born from above. He also includes in the teaching of being born again that this new birth is done by the will of God Holy Spirit which cannot be manipulated by human effort.

And so, the “whosoever” of John 3:15-17, has already been qualified by John 1 (children of God born by the will of God) and John 3 (those born again by the Spirit are born by the will of God Holy Spirit).

That God loves the world, loves every single person on the planet, does not change the previous foundation already laid that the children of God are born by the will of God.

These themes are further explained later in John where Jesus says He lays down His life for His sheep, (not for all) that He knows His sheep and calls them by name (a specific call to a specific people already known to Him, not a general call to all),

He tells the Pharisees they “do not believe because they are not His sheep”. He doesn’t say they are not His sheep because they don’t believe, He says they don’t believe because they are not His sheep.

Reformed theology rightly harmonizes these teachings by understanding them both in the context they are written and the Bible as a whole.

Nothing is ignored, all is dealt with.

peace to you

 

[Salty]

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[TurtleSox]

"For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all" (Romans 11:30-32)

A much misused verse by the Reformed, is Romans 9:15, "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion". Which is supposed to teach, that God will only have Mercy on the "elect", while this saving Mercy, does not extend to the "non elect".

The passage in Romans 11 completely destroys this false teaching! Here the Apostle Paul is contrasting the Jews with the Gentiles, which is what the entire world is made up of. If you are "Jewish", then you are not a "Gentile", and vice-versa.

God, says Paul, has concluded "τους παντας", in unbelief, that He might have Mercy "τους παντας". Here Paul uses the plural with the Greek article, which denotes, "the whole mass", that is, "the whole of the human race". Though both uses of "τους παντας" are identical, and teach the same thing, this does not mean that Paul is teaching "universal salvation". This is denied by the use of the verb, "ελεηση", which is here used in the subjunctive, "denoting possibility". Only those who actually "repent and believe in the Gospel", as Jesus clearly says in Mark 1:15, will be saved. If they don't believe, they will be damned, as taught in John 3:18, 36; Mark 16:16, etc.

It is grave error to take verses out of their context, and without comparing them with the wider teachings of the Holy Bible, as is done by the Reformed here and elsewhere.

Salvation is freely available to every human ever born, but, it is CONDITIONAL, that the sinner follows what Jesus Christ says in Mark 1:15, and taught elsewhere in the Holy Bible

This IS Biblical Salvation.

The Romans 11:30-32 verse tells us God consigned all to disobedience,unbelief, so that he could show mercy to all.

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 11 - Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament


ἀπείθεια (apeitheia)
Strong: G543

GK: G577

an uncompliant disposition; obstinacy, disobedience, unbelief, Rom. 11:30, 32; Eph. 2:2; 5:6; Heb. 4:6, 11; Col. 3:6

 

[Salty]

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