The Gospel that Calvinism cannot believe.

[Dave G]

These God Fearing Gentiles were present in Acts 13.

Yes, there were.
Paul is addressing both those of Israel and those among the Gentiles that "feared" ( respected ) God.
" Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent."

But since, by nature, no one seeks God and there is no "fear" before anyone's eyes ( Romans 3:9-18 ), then to me many of these men were already evidencing God's work in them by the fact that they feared God.
So, Paul here is telling me that to His elect was the word of their salvation sent...

Which is why "...as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."

 

[Dave G]

Paul preaches the Gospel. The OT Jewish false believers leave, the OT God fearing Gentiles stay to hear more. the next Sabbath....

Acts 13:48 Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Sorry buddy, but context is the beauty that killed the beast called Calvinism.

I'm sorry, Dave, but it looks to me as if God's word from other places, and the things that Paul would later reveal to the churches ( that all of mankind starts out as "dead in trespasses and sins" ), is what comes into play here.

Because of that, I see that the Gentiles who ended up believing what Paul preached at Antioch in Pisidia, were sent a preacher by God ( please see Romans 10:14-21 ) to preach the Gospel to them...
Which is why the Lord had Paul phrase it the way that he did:

" Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent." ( Acts 13:26 )

Not only was Paul preaching Christ to Jews ( most of whom would not end up believing ), he was also preaching to those of God's Gentile elect because he was sent by the Spirit of God to do so.
For proof of this, please see Acts 13 farther up, where the Scripture specifically tells us:

" So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost..." ( Acts 13:4 )

Have you not read these things, my friend?

 

[Dave G]

It's not rocket surgery. Your belief of 'be saved and believe' is backwards from the Gospel message.

Not if one takes into account all that the Lord Jesus, Peter, Paul and even John had to say about election, Dave.
That's why I disagree....

Because Scripture tells us why some believe and why others do not.
For example, He had Paul tell the Philippians why they believed:

" For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; " ( Philippians 1:29 ).

Which brings us back around to what Hebrews tells us that faith is, Dave...
The evidence of God's work, not the determiner of God's work.

Our will had nothing to do with our being born again ( John 1:13 ).

 

[Dave G]

Hey Dave

I'm guessing that what you're doing with John 5:24 is what is commonly done with 1 John 5:1?

Yes, same thing.
That is how I currently understand it.

Let me know if that's not what you meant. It's just a statement of fact. He's not saying that they already had eternal life before they believed.

I'm sorry, but that is how I see it.

Just out of curiosity, in John 3:18 that you quoted, what of those future believers, the elect that have not yet come to believe, are they condemned already also?

No they are not.
Not one of the ones that the Lord Jesus was sent to save will ever be lost:

" My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand. " ( John 10:27-29 )

God the Father is not willing that any of His beloved perish, but that they all come to repentance ( 2 Peter 3:8-9 )

 

[KenH]

I have looked for the biblical text that shows salvific faith given to a person.

Acts 11:18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 16:14 Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him.

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

(emphasis mine)

 

[KenH]

You do realize that infant baptism is not why we would call you a calvinist/reformed.

I understand. I do not consider myself a Calvinist nor Reformed, but a Sovereign Grace Baptist. Just want to make that clear.

 

[Silverhair]

I understand. I do not consider myself a Calvinist nor Reformed, but a Sovereign Grace Baptist. Just want to make that clear.

But you still hold to the Calvinist/reformed views not withstanding that you use a different term to define your views.

 

[Silverhair]

As I said "I have looked for the biblical text that shows salvific faith given to a person."
Your response does not provide any verses that show that Ken.

Acts 11:18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

God chose to pour out His Spirit on the Gentiles, as He had previously done for the Jews who believed. God granted the Gentiles repentance to life because they believed.

Acts 16:14 Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Lydia, who was already a worshiper of God, heard what Paul was saying and responded to the message about the risen Christ. She already had faith in God but did not know of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him.

The Philippians were already believers in Christ Jesus. Paul was just reminding them that it is to be considered an honor to suffer for Christ because you believe in Him.

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Paul is not speaking of faith here but rather of gifts and or talents received from the Holy Spirit.

But what we do not see in any of these verses is faith being given.