Regeneration

[npetreley]

Well, I didn't save myself.

It is my will to grow hair on top of my head. I don't have hair on top of my head, and no matter how hard I will it, it ain't gonna happen. If God told me, through His word; If thou shalt soak thy head in a vat of grease, thou shalt grow hair on top of your head, and I chose to obey Him, I think I would grow hair on top of my head. I believe God.

The problem with this analogy is that the latter part starts with you believing God. You'd do it because you trust Him. But how did you come to trust Him?

A more accurate (or parallel) analogy would be: Some stranger that you are inclined to hate (you are inclined to hate him for reasons you don't understand, but that's just how you feel), comes along and tells you that if you soak your head in a vat of grease you'll grow hair. What would you do then? Are you desperate enough to try it, against your natural inclination? If so, how did you get that desperate? And so on...

 

[Blammo]

I fell to understand how that relates to God performing a miracle without your assistance..

Are you suggesting that if God wants to perform a miracle he must consult your obediance ?

You crack me up. :laugh: No, God can do whatever He desires. However, He does not lie, and He does not save you unless you believe the gospel. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. Calvinism is not the gospel.

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

My hearing and faith did come from God.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[Blammo]

The problem with this analogy is that the latter part starts with you believing God. You'd do it because you trust Him. But how did you come to trust Him?

A more accurate (or parallel) analogy would be: Some stranger that you are inclined to hate (you are inclined to hate him for reasons you don't understand, but that's just how you feel), comes along and tells you that if you soak your head in a vat of grease you'll grow hair. What would you do then? Are you desperate enough to try it, against your natural inclination? If so, how did you get that desperate? And so on...

No, you are correct, there is more to it. As I responded to B57:

My hearing and faith did come from God.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[Blammo]

But a dead man cannot hear unless a miracle has given him life ! An Illustration is Lazaruz, save a miracle from the Power of Christ , He would not hear christ call come forth...Thats why the raising of Lazaruz is considered a miracle in the bible.


The next time you go to a funeral command that dead person to come forth and see what happens....

Don't worry, B57, I won't try it, I am not God. Without God I have nothing, do nothing, and am nothing.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

That is Romans 10:17 (incase you didn't recognize it). It says that hearing comes by the word of God. So, you and I agree, without God there is no hearing. God gave us His word, His word brings about hearing, and hearing brings about faith. Therefore, hearing and faith are given by God. Do you see it yet? We agree.

 

[rsr]

Please note that this forum is for Baptists only.

I cannot edit out non-Baptist posts because that would make a hash of the thread, but future posts from non-Baptists will be deleted.

Thank you.

rsr

 

[npetreley]

Don't worry, B57, I won't try it, I am not God. Without God I have nothing, do nothing, and am nothing.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

That is Romans 10:17 (incase you didn't recognize it). It says that hearing comes by the word of God. So, you and I agree, without God there is no hearing. God gave us His word, His word brings about hearing, and hearing brings about faith. Therefore, hearing and faith are given by God. Do you see it yet? We agree.

Add to that the fact that the Greek for "word" in this case is "rhema", not "logos". Literally, hearing comes by the utterance of God. Some would argue this makes little or no difference to the meaning of the text, and they may be right. But I read it as faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes when God says so.