</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Ray Berrian:
Believe is an action word that only the sinner can accomplish.
That may be your opinion, but it is one which contradicts clear verses to the contrary.
John 6:64 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
Phil 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It does not say faith comes by hearing the word of God. It says faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God. Not by man's decision to hear. Not by man's decision to have faith. But the ability to hear comes by the word of God.</font>[/QUOTE]Here you make a mistake. Paul is laying out the steps of coming to faith.
First one must hear, (what must one hear?) hearing comes by the Word of God (what does the word of God say?). Paul is not speaking of the auditory sense of hearing but rather the spiritual acceptance of the content of the Word of God. It is that content upon which one comes to faith and upon which faith grows. That is why we are instructed to "study to show thyself approved....". We are to take upon ourselves 'the Whole Armor of God', so that we may stand against the wiles of the devil. Note: We are not to sit by and let God dress us in the armor, we are to do the dressing and studying ourselves. God could have impressed his whole essence upon us, thus negating the need for study and arm ourselves. He is however allowing us to exercise our own free will to do that.
So let's look at what you say. You say that God created us then took away from us essentials that we need such as hearing, or that he never gave us hearing in the first place. So He, at our appointed time, installs in us the ability to hear. Then He tells us through our hearing that we can only believe what He tells us we can believe, and in fact he blocks all but what He gives us, and that we have no choice, therefore, human free will cannot exist. That is exactly what we humans do when we develop Robots! We program the robot with what we want the robot to do, we develop choices for the robot based upon specific stimuli, so that the robot looks intelligent, able to make "choices". Ever hear of Pavlov and his dog?
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />John 6:29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Not the work of man. Not the will of man. Not the decision of man. The work of God.</font>[/QUOTE]If that is God's work, why does God need to believe in God, or the one that God sent? The work of God is becoming as one of us so that we, by our own work or will, come to belief in Him. God's work is the creation, God's work is the restoration, our work is belief!
Where are the verses that say that "believe" is an action word that only the sinner can accomplish? There are none. Zero. Zip. Nada. Goose-egg. So trust in your own wisdom if you like, but let's not pretend it's Biblical.
Here's one you may have heard of, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
Here's a few more for your reference, in case you want to do a study
Bible: King James Version
Word or phrase: believe
(Matthew 9:28)
28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus
saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea,
Lord.
(Matthew 18:6)
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were
drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matthew 21:25)
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned
with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why
did ye not then believe him?
(Matthew 21:32)
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not:
but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it,
repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
(Matthew 24:23)
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it
not.
(Matthew 24:26)
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not
forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
(Matthew 27:42)
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him
now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
(Mark 1:15)
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent
ye, and believe the gospel.
(Mark 5:36)
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of
the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
(Mark 9:23)
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him
that believeth.
(Mark 9:24)
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord,
I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
(Mark 9:42)
42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast
into the sea.
(Mark 11:23)
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be
thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart,
but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall
have whatsoever he saith.
(Mark 11:24)
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe
that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
(Mark 11:31)
31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he
will say, Why then did ye not believe him?
(Mark 13:21)
21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is
there; believe him not:
(Mark 15:32)
32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and
believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
(Mark 16:17)
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast
out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(Luke 8:12)
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh
away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
(Luke 8:13)
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy;
and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation
fall away.
(Luke 8:50)
50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and
she shall be made whole.
(Luke 22:67)
67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will
not believe:
(Luke 24:25)
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken:
(John 1:7)
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men
through him might believe.
(John 1:12)
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
(John 3:12)
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe,
if I tell you of heavenly things?
(John 4:21)
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall
neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
(John 4:42)
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we
have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour
of the world.
(John 4:48)
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not
believe.
(John 5:38)
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye
believe not.
(John 5:44)
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the
honour that cometh from God only?
(John 5:47)
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
(John 6:29)
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe
on him whom he hath sent.
(John 6:30)
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see,
and believe thee? what dost thou work?
(John 6:36)
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
(John 6:64)
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning
who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
(John 6:69)
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living
God.
(John 7:5)
5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.
(John 7:39)
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet
glorified.)
(John 8:24)
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe
not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
(John 8:45)
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
(John 8:46)
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not
believe me?
(John 9:18)
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and
received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his
sight.
(John 9:35)
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said
unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
(John 9:36)
36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
(John 9:38)
38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
(John 10:26)
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
(John 10:37)
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
(John 10:38)
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know,
and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
(John 11:15)
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may
believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
(John 11:27)
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of
God, which should come into the world.
(John 11:40)
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe,
thou shouldest see the glory of God?
(John 11:42)
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand
by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
(John 11:48)
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall
come and take away both our place and nation.
(John 12:36)
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of
light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
(John 12:39)
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
(John 12:47)
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came
not to judge the world, but to save the world.
(John 13:19)
19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe
that I am he.
(John 14:1)
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
(John 14:11)
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me
for the very works' sake.
(John 14:29)
29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to
pass, ye might believe.
(John 16:9)
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
(John 16:30)
30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man
should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
(John 16:31)
31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
(John 17:20)
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word;
(John 17:21)
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
(John 19:35)
35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that
he saith true, that ye might believe.
(John 20:25)
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he
said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put
my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will
not believe.
(John 20:31)
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Nearly all of these point to the fact that it is up to man to believe!
