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Rightly dividing 2 Thessalonians 2:13
- Thread starter Van
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Brightfame52
Well-Known Member
Thats true. The non elect are doomed from the womb for their sins
That is a species of Hyper-Calvinism. The Bible says, 'Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' But the Bible also says, 'And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men preferred darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.'
The gates of heaven are open right now, and God says, 'Whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.' Yet men will not come, not because they cannot, but because they will not - unless God drags them into the kingdom, as He did me.
That was John Calvin's standard Calvinism. he believed in double predestination.
How did God make you a willing subject for Him to drag you in? Do you think it was against your will, or do you think He made it your will.
God chooses individuals for salvation on the basis of crediting their faith in the truth as righteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Romans 4:23-25
2 Thess 2:13 says through faith in the truth, and only by jumbling the word does anyone see "NOT through faith in the truth. Those that believe God raised Jesus from the dead are credited with faith in the truth. Not a jumble but a lock. No OT Saint believed God raised Jesus from the dead before Jesus died...
I would describe myself more as a Spurgeonic Calvinist. I haven't read much Calvin and he was not the originator of Calvinism. William Tyndale was a Calvinist while Calvin was still in short pants.
He opened my heart to believe, as He did Lydia's. I had resisted many attempts to convert me for many years. I had read the Bible through and didn't understand it. Until, one day, the penny dropped in the slot.
But my resistance was all of me. I didn't want to give up my selfish, sinful lifestyle. My inability was not physical, but moral and spiritual I take God at His word. If I had believed earlier, He would have saved me earlier. I don't kmow if you have ever read The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson; "I fled Him down the nights and down the days...." That would pretty much sum me up. Thompson was a Roman Catholic, so not everything he wrote is correct, and poetry is not to be taken strictly literally, but I certainly fled from God, and God certainly pursued me until, at the time of His choosing, He conquered me.
I have heard the similar testimony several times.
God knew you would believe and He chose the right time and way for you to accept Him, all of His timing.
In the end you chose to believe, but you also could have chosen to kept running and refusing.
I guess it's an example of the long-suffering of the Lord not willing that any should perish.
Spurgeon said he was more of a Calvin man that Luther, but he preached and reached out to the lost as if free will was alive.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but 2 Thessalonians 2:13 blows Calvinism out of the water.
First, rather than Unconditional Election, scripture teaches we were chosen through faith in the truth, thus a conditional election.
Next, to be individually chosen through faith in the truth means we had come to faith BEFORE we were chosen, therefore during our physical lifetime after we had heard and learned from the Father, and NOT before we were created.
Thus all the posts of denial or of diversion from the topic.
First, rather than Unconditional Election, scripture teaches we were chosen through faith in the truth, thus a conditional election.
Next, to be individually chosen through faith in the truth means we had come to faith BEFORE we were chosen, therefore during our physical lifetime after we had heard and learned from the Father, and NOT before we were created.
Thus all the posts of denial or of diversion from the topic.
Free will is alive.
'Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power' (Psalm 110:3). Have a blessed Christmas, brother!Brightfame52
Well-Known Member
Brightfame52
Well-Known Member
false statement, election is unto salvation and belief of the truth 2 Thess 2:13
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: