The Sinners Ability to CHOOSE

[Marooncat79]

More Acts



Acts 13:47–48

After Luke records Paul’s sermon in Acts, he reports how the Gentiles heard the Gospel and believed. But instead of leaving it there, he also declares that ———those who believed were the one’s God appointed to believe (cf. Eph. 1:4–6; Rom. 9:1–23; 1 Thess. 1:5).

47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and ———as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 16:14

Moving from the doctrine of election in Acts 13:48, we spot the doctrine of regeneration in Acts 16:14.——— Lydia responded in faith, because the Lord opened her heart.

14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

 

[SavedByGrace]

The Reformed/Calvinist are very selective in what Bible verses they appeal to for their theology. In doing so, they wilfully ignore are disregard those passages in the Bible, that actually shows that their "theology" is man-made, and not Biblical!

I have show in the OP, from Matthew chapter 22, where we read of the Parable of the Wedding Feast, which is to do with salvation, that people are INVITED, to attend, and many REFUSED to come, which shows FREE WILL! Yet this is IGNORED, because it is AGAINST this "Reformed" theology!

In Luke 13:24, we again have the words of Jesus Christ

"Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail" (NLT, which is what the Greek says)

Again shows that the sinner DOES something, or else these words of Jesus are pointless! Again, this is REJECTED by "Reformed" theology!

 

[Marooncat79]

And another

Here we see Gods Divine Election at work

God promises that there will definitely be believers. There are places on Earth where the Gospel is preached and no one responds!

Acts 18:9–11, 26–28

In Acts 18, the Lord tells Paul to stay in the city of Corinth, because he has many of “my people” there. Importantly, this statement comes prior to Paul’s work of evangelism. In other words, the Lord motivated Paul with the promise of his people (i.e., the one’s chosen by God) receiving the Word and believing.

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, ———for I have many in this city who are my people.”

 

[Marooncat79]

And another w the Ordo Salutis


Later in the same chapter, we find another evidence of the way Luke thinks about salvation. In v. 27, he says that faith as a result of grace, not grace as a result of faith. In this turn of phrase, we find the normative pattern of New Testament grace and faith—faith is a gift of God’s grace (see e.g., Eph. 2:8–9; 1 Phil. 1:29; Tim. 1:14).

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

 

[SavedByGrace]

Ok. You want Acts, here it is


Acts 5:31

If the Christ-centeredness of Acts 4:12 is not sufficiently monergistic, Acts 5:31 begins to fill in the details: the exalted Lord gives repentance.

31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, ——to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18

God’s salvation comes to the Gentiles, just like it came to the Jews—God granted repentance that leads to life.

18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying,—— “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

so Acts chapter 2 does not exist?

God ALLOWED the Gentiles to repent and be saved, as He did the Jews at first. No one will argue against this. You have FAILED to deal with the FACT, that those in chapter 2, said to Peter, "what must we DO"? Peter did not say, "DO NOTHING"!

 

[SavedByGrace]

And another

Here we see Gods Divine Election at work

God promises that there will definitely be believers. There are places on Earth where the Gospel is preached and no one responds!

Acts 18:9–11, 26–28

In Acts 18, the Lord tells Paul to stay in the city of Corinth, because he has many of “my people” there. Importantly, this statement comes prior to Paul’s work of evangelism. In other words, the Lord motivated Paul with the promise of his people (i.e., the one’s chosen by God) receiving the Word and believing.

9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, ———for I have many in this city who are my people.”

does this mean that God MAKES people believe? NO!

 

[Marooncat79]

And Yes


Acts 26:15–18

Finally, in Acts 26, the Lord says that——— Paul will be sent open the eyes of the spiritually blind, so that they might repent, believe, in order to receive forgiveness and a place among the saints.———

15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 ———toopen their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins ———and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

 

[Marooncat79]

BTW, this Acts passages are NOT my own

full disclosure here

 

[SavedByGrace]

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, CHOOSE this day whom you WILL serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we WILL serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

This standard of CHOOSING to REJECT or FOLLOW the Lord, is God's plan for the salvation of all sinners. It is NOT as the Reformed teach, that God ENABLES and MAKES the elect sinner to BELIEVE!

 

[SavedByGrace]

BTW, this Acts passages are NOT my own

full disclosure here

How can they be your own, when it is from the Bible? What you have done, is to misquote what is said!

 

[Marooncat79]

does this mean that God MAKES people believe? NO!

Make is not the correct term

God frees the sinner through the New Birth allowing them the ability to repent and believe

 

[AustinC]

The Reformed/Calvinist are very selective in what Bible verses they appeal to for their theology. In doing so, they wilfully ignore are disregard those passages in the Bible, that actually shows that their "theology" is man-made, and not Biblical!

I have show in the OP, from Matthew chapter 22, where we read of the Parable of the Wedding Feast, which is to do with salvation, that people are INVITED, to attend, and many REFUSED to come, which shows FREE WILL! Yet this is IGNORED, because it is AGAINST this "Reformed" theology!

In Luke 13:24, we again have the words of Jesus Christ

"Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail" (NLT, which is what the Greek says)

Again shows that the sinner DOES something, or else these words of Jesus are pointless! Again, this is REJECTED by "Reformed" theology!

Not true. I appeal to all scripture. I appeal to all scripture in its context. I appeal to all scripture helping interpret other scripture.

Now, it is obvious that you are forcing a theory of "free will" into the text. You ignore that God tells you openly that all humans are slaves to sin. That sin has imprisoned all humans. That only God can free a sinner from the chains of sin.

You ignore all of that, just to cling to an idea that YOU are in control and can talk back to God and put God in His lower place whenever you feel like it.

So, go ahead and show us, in the context of scripture, how humans determine their own salvation and render God a spectator who just hopes that sinners free themselves by choosing to ask God to help. I await your vast number of passages that teach such folly.

 

[Marooncat79]

How can they be your own, when it is from the Bible? What you have done, is to misquote what is said!

I have NOT misquoted scripture

 

[SavedByGrace]

So, go ahead and show us, in the context of scripture, how humans determine their own salvation and render God a spectator who just hopes that sinners free themselves by choosing to ask God to help. I await your vast number of passages that teach such folly

can you quote from the OP, or any of my other posts, where I say this? You are fighting what the Bible clearly says, that God has given ALL sinners the ABILITY to ACCEPT or REJECT salvation!

Answer me this, did Adam and Eve have the ABILITY to OBEY or DISOBEY God, or did God ENABLE them to DISOBEY His Command? Where in Scripture does it teach, that this same ABILITY was changed or removed?

 

[SavedByGrace]

I have NOT misquoted scripture

you have, because the passages that you refer to from Acts, says nothing about God ENABLING any sinner to believe on Him. This is a complete nonsense, as it makes people to be nothing more than dumb machines! I have shown in the OP, where Jesus Himself says that sinners do REJECT the Gospel, for their own salvation. Which is what Paul also says!

 

[Marooncat79]

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, CHOOSE this day whom you WILL serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we WILL serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

This standard of CHOOSING to REJECT or FOLLOW the Lord, is God's plan for the salvation of all sinners. It is NOT as the Reformed teach, that God ENABLES and MAKES the elect sinner to BELIEVE!

Romans 9:15

psalm 5:5

Psalm 11:5

Matthew 13:15

Mark 4:10-12. Especially v 12

 

[AustinC]

Jesus said repent and believe.

He invited ... didn't come crashing in.

there's a difference between God's KNOWING who'll recognize, repent, believe and confess ... and compelling/forcing that decision to receive.

Go and make disciples is busy work if God is forcing all this to happen. Where there is love there is freedom. God is love. There is freedom to reject. Wide is the gate which leads to destruction ... many take that gate. Narrow is the gate which leads to life. It's the exception ...

But it's clear God has made provision for all and even says He desires ALL to have salvation. But He says He doesn't force it. IDK how it can be clearer than that.

The only argument I see is this quibble about declaring a work to be in the receiving of the gift.

2Wings, do you understand the difference between the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant.

To whom was Jesus speaking? What is the context in which Jesus speaks?

Second, go and make disciples is a command, given to the children of God, whom God uses to bring other children of God into the Kingdom. It is God's choice in redemption.

After that, you just go off the deep end stating "where there is love there is freedom..."

Romans 6:17-18
Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

Notice, we are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. You and I are never free.

Now observe how God has freed you from the dungeon of sin.

Romans 3:23-27
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.

 

[Marooncat79]

can you quote from the OP, or any of my other posts, where I say this? You are fighting what the Bible clearly says, that God has given ALL sinners the ABILITY to ACCEPT or REJECT salvation!

Answer me this, did Adam and Eve have the ABILITY to OBEY or DISOBEY God, or did God ENABLE them to DISOBEY His Command? Where in Scripture does it teach, that this same ABILITY was changed or removed?

1. See above esp Mark 4

2. Originally, Adam and Eve were in an innocent state in the Garden. After the fall, they were no longer in an innocent state—- they were now in a fallen state ie sinful. Notice their sadness after the fall and the fact they hid from God

3. If Gen 3 teaches anything, it teaches that man is at the mercy of God meaning until God does something to us or for us ie God slew the animal

 

[Marooncat79]

you have, because the passages that you refer to from Acts, says nothing about God ENABLING any sinner to believe on Him. This is a complete nonsense, as it makes people to be nothing more than dumb machines! I have shown in the OP, where Jesus Himself says that sinners do REJECT the Gospel, for their own salvation. Which is what Paul also says!

Sinners always reject the Gospel. It is inherent to our nature to hate the Gospel

until God changes us, we have no hope

 

[Marooncat79]

you have, because the passages that you refer to from Acts, says nothing about God ENABLING any sinner to believe on Him. This is a complete nonsense, as it makes people to be nothing more than dumb machines! I have shown in the OP, where Jesus Himself says that sinners do REJECT the Gospel, for their own salvation. Which is what Paul also says!

You really need to read the passages out loud.

They do exactly what you say they do not

they are very clear