Unable to Believe the “Foolish” Gospel

[Dougcho]

Because of what is clearly stated in the NT …
unredeemed man is NOT able to believe in Jesus
and the “foolish” Gospel due to a multitude of reasons!
(The Gospel is “foolishness” to those who are perishing,
1 Corinthians 1:18)

Here are some of the best NT passages testifying to this:

Inherited sin nature ... Spiritual enemy, Satan
Romans 3:9-18,5:12 ..... Ephesians 2:2,6:11-12
Galatians 3:22 ......... John 10:10, 1 Peter 5:8

Sin nature against God . Satan’s army against us
Romans 8:7 ............. Ephesians 2:2

Enemy of God ........ Under Satan’s power/control
Colossians 1:21 ..... Acts 26:18, 1 John 5:19

Spiritually blind ...... Deceived by Satan
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 .... Revelation 12:9

Lives in an evil world ... Held captive by Satan
Gal.1:4, 2 Peter 1:4 ..... 2 Timothy 2:26

Slaves of/to sin ....... Robbed of initial faith
John 8:34, Romans 6:6 .. Matthew 13:19

In Spiritual darkness
John 8:12,12:46
Acts 26:18

Spiritually dead
Ephesians 2:1,2:5
Colossians 2:13

Gospel is foolishness
1 Corinthians 1:18

Problems, persecution,
worries, lure of wealth
Matthew 13:21-22

Do you really think that people in this condition
are going to be able to choose to believe in
Jesus and the Gospel?

If God can tell the animals how to survive …
surely, He will make sure His elect-chosen-called people will
believe in Jesus and the Gospel … and get them into heaven!

He gives us the faith necessary to believe the “foolish” Gospel.
But, not everybody gets it … only the ones He chooses.
It’s His prerogative … He created everything and owns everything.

In the OT, He says that He blesses those He chooses to bless.
We, who the Lord has caused to be born again,
should be praising and thanking Him every day! Amen.

Please, don’t be led astray by people who are deceived and
who say to themselves and others: “I made the decision to believe in Jesus and the Gospel … and by God’s grace
I was born again.”

 

[ChristB4Us]

Do you really think that people in this condition
are going to be able to choose to believe in Jesus and the Gospel?

I do not think that. Especially since the Father knows who prefer their evil deeds from those that want to be with God.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

I take that bold portion of verse 21 as a testimony that my believing in Jesus Christ is a manifested work of God alone and certainly why we should give the Father thanks in Jesus's name for our faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith is a fruit of the Spirit per Galatians 5:22-23 & faith comes by hearing the word of the gospel Romans 10:17 just as the promise of the Holy Spirit is received at the hearing of the word per Acts 10:43-44 and so our believing in Him is a manifested work of God which is why no saved believer needs a sign of proof that they have the Holy Spirit when faith is a fruit of the Spirit for how we are believing in the Lord Jesus Christ & the God has raised Him from the dead.

The Father hides the truth from those that prefer their evil deeds even among the wise and the prudent, and yet able to reveal His Son to babes.... dare I say, even the ones in the womb!!!

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

That is why the Father has to draw sinners unto the Son as our sinful nature cannot seek after God..

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

So definitely we have no room for boasting of our intellect for believing in Jesus Christ to save ourselves as the Father is able to save the life of the unborn along with the retarded, the mentally ill, and the simple as the father gives them to the Son.

John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

If God can tell the animals how to survive …
surely, He will make sure His elect-chosen-called people will
believe in Jesus and the Gospel … and get them into heaven!

He gives us the faith necessary to believe the “foolish” Gospel.
But, not everybody gets it … only the ones He chooses.
It’s His prerogative … He created everything and owns everything.

In the OT, He says that He blesses those He chooses to bless.
We, who the Lord has caused to be born again,
should be praising and thanking Him every day! Amen.

Please, don’t be led astray by people who are deceived and
who say to themselves and others: “I made the decision to believe in Jesus and the Gospel … and by God’s grace
I was born again.”

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

One time, I was reading a thought for the day in one of my daily Bible reading devotional, saying "Decide this day whom you will serve, the Lord Jesus Christ, or something else in His name".

There was a sense of urgency that was impressed upon me from the Lord and I said out loud, "well you of course" but that sense of urgency remained and so I prayed," Please help me to do this" and then that sense of urgency was gone as replaced with His peace.

The next weekend, after travelling several states over to visit my favorite aunt in Missouri, her church was exposed to the holy laughter movement just prior as they made us watch a tape on what had happened.

Needless to say, I did not connect the warning from the Lord and although I made that decision or choice to serve Him and nothing else in his name, I definitely needed Him as my Good Shepherd & Friend for me not to fall for that apostate movement and later on, He led me to read the scriptures on the role of the Holy Spirit for why He would never take or eyes off of the Son in worship with "visitations of signs and lying wonders, but the spirits of the antichrist would.

My former church had also led me astray earlier by making a commitment to make Jesus Lord of my life. later on, I also been to Urbana convention where the guest speaker Billy Graham offered that apostate altar call whereby I had renewed my commitment to follow Jesus Christ.

One day I came across a pamphlet from Bill Rudge Ministries convicting me of the words of my mouth for cussing out at the warehouse when no one was around. On the back of the pamphlet, it led me astray by making a covenant with my mouth which so I would not cuss out at the warehouse any more. The very next day, I was worse than I ever was before.

Thoughts in my head, mayhap the devil himself, said "You are not His! If you were His, He would have helped you keep your covenant!" I had stopped listening to those thoughts but I was at my wits end and so I prayed to the Lord, Why aren't you helping me? You know I do not want to do this !"

A small still voice, not audible bit yet I heard Him say "You made the covenant. You said you were going to do it. I made the Covenant and I said I am going to do it. All I ask from you is to believe in Me."

I know we should test the spirits and afterwards He provided scripture to confirm His word to me with Numbers 30:2 & Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 & thus why in verse 36 in Matthew 5:33-37 in the KJV ( the CEV changed the message in His words to be used for one of those Promise Keepers' convention ) and Galatians 5:1,5 with Philippians 1:6-11 continues to point to Jesus away from myself in looking to myself doing the best I can & trusting Him to do His work in me John 6:28-29 although I had not applied it at the time for when Jesus had set me free from that covenant I made with my mouth, it dawned on me to apply that towards all other man made yokes of bondages to Christ as well.

So thanks to Jesus Christ as my Good Shepherd & Friend, He is helping me to follow Him & His words by faith in Jesus Christ by making me away of the weights ( provisions for the flesh ) as well as the sins to lay aside daily in thought, word, and deed as He is enabling me to walk in the light in fellowship with the Father & the Son.

So I agree that whenever we make a decision or a choice, there is no power in our flesh to carry it out but we do have power of Christ living in us to help us to follow Him since He is in us and with us always as our Good Shepherd & Friend to do this.

And certainly, the decision to believe in Jesus Christ is a manifested work of God for why no flesh shall glory in His Presence.

1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

 

[Brightfame52]

The Gospel is hid to them that are lost, so it wont be believed by them, so one has to be saved first to believe the Gospel in a conversion way 2 Cor 4:3-4

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 

[Brightfame52]

Because that which is hidden or hid cannot be comprehended or known, or believed !

The word hid as in hid to the lost 2 Cor 4:3

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Its the greek word kalyptō:

1. to hide, veil cover
   
   1. to hinder the knowledge of a thing
      

Also its perfect passive, denoting as long as one is lost its permanent, a lost person can never believe the Gospel in a conversion experience

 

[Dougcho]

“And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?'
But He (Jesus) said,
“The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God.” (Luke 18:26-27)

 

[ChristB4Us]

The Gospel is hid to them that are lost, so it wont be believed by them, so one has to be saved first to believe the Gospel in a conversion way 2 Cor 4:3-4

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

But although the above scriptures is true. God the Father knows Who seeks Him from those that prefer their evil deeds.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

That is why the Father draws some but not others to the Son to believe in Him because He knows the others prefer their evil deeds.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

And so in spite of the world blinding the lost, the Father is able to draw sinners that would receive Him, unto the Son to reveal His Son to them so they can believe and be saved for why our believing in Jesus Christ is a manifested work of God.

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

 

[ChristB4Us]

Because that which is hidden or hid cannot be comprehended or known, or believed !

The word hid as in hid to the lost 2 Cor 4:3

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Its the greek word kalyptō:

1. 
   
   
   • to hide, veil cover
     1. to hinder the knowledge of a thing

Also its perfect passive, denoting as long as one is lost its permanent, a lost person can never believe the Gospel in a conversion experience

That is why it is on the Father to give those that He foreknew would receive Him to draw them unto the Son to reveal His Son to them so they can believe and be saved per John 6:44 as our believing in Him is a manifested work of God per John 3:18-21.

According to Matthew 11:25-27 the Father is able to reveal His Son even unto babes for how they can believe in Him & be saved for all they can do is take Him at His word.

 

[ChristB4Us]

“And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?'
But He (Jesus) said,
“The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God.” (Luke 18:26-27)

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

[Brightfame52]

“And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?'
But He (Jesus) said,
“The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God.” (Luke 18:26-27)

Doesnt change anythng, the Gospel is hid to the lost

 

[Brightfame52]

But although the above scriptures is true. God the Father knows Who seeks Him from those that prefer their evil deeds.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

That is why the Father draws some but not others to the Son to believe in Him because He knows the others prefer their evil deeds.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

And so in spite of the world blinding the lost, the Father is able to draw sinners that would receive Him, unto the Son to reveal His Son to them so they can believe and be saved for why our believing in Jesus Christ is a manifested work of God.

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

One cannot believe the Gospel unless they are saved, because its hid to the lost

 

[Brightfame52]

That is why it is on the Father to give those that He foreknew would receive Him to draw them unto the Son to reveal His Son to them so they can believe and be saved per John 6:44 as our believing in Him is a manifested work of God per John 3:18-21.

According to Matthew 11:25-27 the Father is able to reveal His Son even unto babes for how they can believe in Him & be saved for all they can do is take Him at His word.

Once one is drawn they are saved, you have to be saved to believe the Gospel, to believe in Jesus

 

[kyredneck]

you have to be saved to believe the Gospel

This is where you need correction.

You have to be born from above to believe the gospel to be saved (enter the kingdom; gospel deliverance).

It's 'Regeneration Before Conversion' (saved):

Does regeneration necessarily precede conversion? - 9Marks

The Immediacy of Regeneration | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org.

 

[Brightfame52]

@kyredneck

You have to be born from above to believe the gospel to be saved (enter the kingdom; gospel deliverance).

Being born from above by the Spirit is saved, Titus 3:5

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Once man is regenerated, renewed by the Spirit, he can believe the Gospel

 

[ChristB4Us]

@kyredneck

Being born from above by the Spirit is saved, Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Once man is regenerated, renewed by the Spirit, he can believe the Gospel

Faith is a fruit of the Spirit per Galatians 5:22-23.

Yet faith is received when hearing the word Romans 10:17

Just as the promise of the Holy Spirit is received at the hearing of the word per Acts 10:43-44.

So our believing in Jesus Christ is a manifested work of God per John 3:18-21.

I "think" you & @kyredneck are saying the same thing, but maybe your wording is making it hard for you both to see that?

Feel free to correct me if you guys are not actually saying the same thing.

 

[kyredneck]

I "think" you & @kyredneck are saying the same thing, but maybe your wording is making it hard for you both to see that?

@Brightfame52 doesn't make the distinction that the Primitive Baptists do between the 'eternal aspect' of our salvation (born from above, born of the Spirit, born of God, born from Jerusalem above) in which we are totally passive, and the 'temporal aspect' of our salvation in which we are actively engaged in obeying/believing the gospel.

 

[kyredneck]

Feel free to correct me if you guys are not actually saying the same thing.

We're both Monergists for sure, and I believe we both agree with the 'all-sufficiency of the atonement'.

 

[Dave G]

Do you really think that people in this condition
are going to be able to choose to believe in
Jesus and the Gospel?

Not the real Gospel, no.

 

[Dave G]

The Gospel is hid to them that are lost, so it wont be believed by them, so one has to be saved first to believe the Gospel in a conversion way 2 Cor 4:3-4

Amen.
The way I understand the Scriptures laying it out, God's decision to save someone ( i.e. make them a vessel of mercy ) happened before the world began...as hard as that may be to understand. His decision to place them in Christ was at that point, and in our lifetimes those whose names were written in the Book of Life will be called by the Holy Spirit and come to Him as the new creatures in Christ that they become after the new birth through the preaching of His words.

 

[ChristB4Us]

Amen.
The way I understand the Scriptures laying it out, God's decision to save someone ( i.e. make them a vessel of mercy ) happened before the world began...as hard as that may be to understand. His decision to place them in Christ was at that point,

Original statement as I was writing this post....

More like His decision to redeem them by Christ at the appointed time of the day of their salvation in that book of the living.

Cyrus was a Babylonian King that the Lord used to bring back the nation of Israel, but this prophesy in Isaiah was over 2 centuries before Cyrus was born.

So there is the book of the living, whereby one can have their days shortened and no longer be living on earth, and our days are written for what we would do and say, even before we were formed in the womb Psalm 139:13-17 even for sinners like Cyrus who never believed in the God of Israel but honored Him among other gods since he was prophesied as not knowing Him.

I can also see how in regards to the book of the living by which the dead shall be judged by, at the Great White Throne Judgment for why anyone's name not found in the Book of Life, will be cast into the lake of fire.

Then the Lord edified me more in the knowledge of Him.

But yeah, I learned something new today as there is that Book of Life which Revelation 13:8 & Revelation 17:8 testifies to our names being written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world. Boggles the mind but since He is the Alpha and the Omega and sees everything, I can see how He predestined us to be saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

and in our lifetimes those whose names were written in the Book of Life will be called by the Holy Spirit and come to Him as the new creatures in Christ that they become after the new birth through the preaching of His words.

FYI Unless you have scripture to that portion of your comment in the bold, I would defer that credit & thus that glory to God the Father.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

It would explain a lot for how the Father gave us to His Son to save since the foundation of the world.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

 

[Brightfame52]

You must be saved to believe the Gospel of your salvation,

I know this surprises people, but its true, a lost person cannot and will not understand and believe the Gospel when it comes to Salvation and Conversion.

The truth of the matter is while men are in a unregenerate lost state, the Gospel is hidden from them resulting in unbelief. 2 Cor 4:3-4

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Its plainly stated in the passage "our gospel it is hid to them that are lost" !

So the counter to that is, our Gospel is not hid to the save. By saved I mean two things #1 Those saved by the Eternal Purpose of God and Blood of Christ, and #2 Saved by the Regenerating Power of the Spirit. See only those who have been regenerated have been liberated from Spiritual darkness and blindness by the god of this world, as long as we are unregenerate our minds remain blinded by the god of this world.

Also how can the Gospel be the Gospel of ones Salvation Eph 1:13 if the person is in a lost state, that's a contradiction.

Paul had written earlier that its the saved, to whom the preaching of the Cross is the power of God 1 Cor 1:18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Notice, not unto the lost is it the power of God, but unto us which are saved !

Notice also saved here in this verse 1 Cor 1:18 is in the present tense, they are in a saved state, and they are being saved, converted, because its also a passive voice.

This confirms that the Gospel can only be a converting word, if one is saved already, and no longer in a lost state.