Originally posted by sturgman:
Originally posted by Brother Bill: GOD NEVER CALLS SOMEONE TO DO THAT WHICH HE HAS NOT MADE POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO DO.
That is not true, he commands us to be holy, yet are we able to be holy?
Yes, he commands us to be holy then sends His Son to be perfectly Holy for us so that we could be clothed in His righteousness, thus giving us the ability to accomplish that very command through faith in His Son.
He calls everyone to do the impossible; all the while making it possible for everyone he calls.
He commanded the Israelites to obey the law of God, yet can they do it? No.
Same thing as above. He commanded righteousness of the Law which Christ accomplished for us through faith in Him, thus making this possible for everyone.
He commands many things that we cannot do, so why?
You are correct he does command things we cannot do, but he always makes it possible. Can a lame man take up his mat and walk? No. Yet, that is exactly what Christ called him to do. And he gave him the ability to do it! What were the means all of this was accomplished? FAITH. The lame man had faith that Jesus could heal him. Did Jesus reach down and pick the man up and carry him around like a rag doll or did the man get up by his own God-given ability? Christ gave him the ability, but he had the faith and he did the walking!
Paul says that the law was given to show us our transgressions against it.
Yes, you are correct. The law made men realize their need to be clothed in someone else's righteousness. It made them realize their need for a savior. If we are effectually called why is this even needed, the Holy Spirit could have brought the conviction, made us aware of our sin and irresistably called us to himself. But, God didn't do that. He put the law there as a "tutor" so that man would see their need and repent. The law is an external motivator, much like envy.
Can God call us to do something that we cannot do? Yes, and He is just in doing so. The fact that He still saves some is an incredible act of grace.
Again, I agree that God calls us to things we can't do on our own. I'm saying that He always makes whatever He calls people to do possible for those people. He didn't call Hardened Israel, so he didn't make it possible for them to respond. He called the Remnant ["called by grace"] and the Gentiles ['they will hear'], they are enabled to respond in faith to the message of the gospel.
Job said it also, "Can we accpet good from God and not evil as well?" Your problem is you don't like where it takes you.
This has absolutely nothing to do with God's inabiling people to accomplish what he calls them to do. It rains on the just and the unjust. Disease, Death, and Divorce hit believers and non-believers. We all agree on that point.
With Respect,
Bill
