I know what you believe Kentucky so this is directed to SBG... How can a DEAD man repent?... If a man is brought to repentance, he has already been born again by God to repent... Not to be saved but because he is saved and has something to repent of... The first you mention is sight of sin, how can a man see sin, unless he is changed by God to, see it?... He must have spiritual eyes to even see God and serve him and serving one another is serving God... I hear some on here say since I've been here man has free-will to repent?... Man had free-will ONLY ONCE in a garden and look at what it cost him!... Did God say well Adam and Eve you messed up but I will give you a redo?... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!... The remedy was already available but only for Gods ELECT in the multiplied BILLIONS... Anyone on here that thinks God saved just a remnant, is not reading the same Bible I am... If just one is lost, its not universal... To many on here dwell on how cruel God is, that he didn't save ALL?... Then I've heard it said again and again that there is something I need to do to get saved... Show me one scripture that the first man Adam helped God in creation, then I will believe that man helped God in the new creation?... Some on here think they birthed themselves?... REGENERATION IS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT... ALONE!... And I rarely post my opinion but let scripture speak for me and I know that the following gets in SBG's craw as he thinks that the YOU in the verse is NOT DEAD but just playing possum!... Brother Glen
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Brother Glen, your first problem is that you think that a sinner is "born-again" by the Holy Spirit, or as some would say, "made alive", so that they can then call on the Lord for their salvation. And then when they "believe" with their God-given faith, they are "born-again" AGAIN! When Paul says "regeneration", in Titus 3:5, as some versions have it, the Greek is "παλινγενεσίας", which is literally BORN AGAIN!
In the second place, Ephesians 2:1 reads, "Also you—being dead in the trespasses and the sins", there is NO "he hath quickened", which the KJV, being a reformed version, inserts for theology!
Thridly, there is not one hint in Ephesians 2, that even suggests any time sequence, of the elect sinner being first "born-again", before they believe. Nor is this nonsense taught anywhere in the 66 Books of the Bible! It is SPECUALTION THEOLOGY!
Fourthly, you ask, "how can a dead man repent", simple, by the CONVICTION of the Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 2, after Peter had preached, some who heard the Message, we are told, "were cut to the heart", which is the CONVICTION by the Holy Spirit which Jesus Speaks of in John 16:8-10. Acts 7:54 says the same thing, "And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts". In the case of Acts 2, these asked Peter, "what must we DO", to which Peter does not say, "DO nothing", but, "REPENT... for the forgiveness of your sins..." (verses 37-38). In chapter 7, they were very angry at what they heared, and stoned Stephen. Note what Stephen says, "`Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers—also ye" (verse 51). They RESISTED the Holy Spirit! This is AGAINST the I in TULIP!
Fifthly, in John chapter 5, Jesus is talking to some Jews who wanted to murder Him, for working on the Sabbath, and calling God His own Father, thereby making Himself equal to the Father. To these Jews, for whom there is no record that they ever did believe in Jesus, so not part of the "elect", Jesus says to them, "“Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live" (verses 24-25). It is clear that Jesus tells there who were UNREGENERATE, who were very probably never saved, that they could HEAR and BELIEVE in Him! And those who did HEAR the Message of salvation, would be saved! In verse 34 Jesus goes on to say to them, "However, I say these things that you may be saved", Jesus desired that they were saved! Then goes on, "“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life" (39-40). Note here that these Jews REFUSED to go to Jesus, for ETERNAL LIFE!
