What 3 verses say that a lost man cannot believe the gospel?

[George Antonios]

We all agree that man is inherently sinful and that he cannot redeem himself by any work.
We can all quote verses about the sinfulness of man.

I'm interested in the BEST verses you have that SAY [NOT JUST "IMPLY"] that a lost man cannot believe the gospel.

If you had to choose, say, the 3 clearest and most relevant verses to answer the question, what would they be?

Please, please, give the BEST and only 3.

Thanks.

 

[Sai]

Without me you can do nothing
You have not chosen me but I have chosen you
There is none not even one


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

[Barry Johnson]

Without me you can do nothing
You have not chosen me but I have chosen you
There is none not even one


Joy unspeakable full of glory

that SAY [NOT JUST "IMPLY"] that a lost man cannot believe the gospel.

 

[George Antonios]

Without me you can do nothing
You have not chosen me but I have chosen you
There is none not even one


Joy unspeakable full of glory

They don't "say" that, but I appreciate that you gave three verses, kind of.

 

[mailmandan]

2 Corinthians 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.

 

[Dave G]

Without me you can do nothing

that SAY [NOT JUST "IMPLY"] that a lost man cannot believe the gospel.

" I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." ( John 15:51 ).

Here's what I see when I read this, Barry:

Jesus is the vine, in the spiritual sense.
He that abides ( lives ) in Him, has life because of Him ( John 17:2-3 ) and has been "quickened" ( made alive, Psalms 80:18, Psalms 119:25, Psalms 119:37, Psalms 119:40, Ephesians 2:5 ) by Him, are the same as those who have been chosen "in Him" from the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:4 ).

Jesus lives, or abides, in them ( Romans 8:9-10, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20 ).
Because of this, they bring forth true spiritual fruit ( Matthew 13:18-23, Galatians 5:22-23 ) pleasing to the Father.

Without, or "outside" the body of Christ and without the power of the Holy Spirit, they can do nothing...
Not even believe His words.

I see this plainly when I read passages such as this:
To the perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness...
But to us which are saved, it is the power of God ( 1 Corinthians 1:18 ).

In addition, those who are not of God, do not "hear" His words ( John 8:43-47 ).
While those who are "of God", can and do.
They are the ones who have been given "ears to hear".


Therefore, there is no implication...

Scripture shedding light on other Scriptures,
I plainly see that, straightforwardly, without ( or "outside of" ) Christ in the spiritual sense ( a spirit to Spirit relationship ), we as believers can do nothing towards God.

Except to persist both in our rebellion towards Him and in our rejection of His words.

 

[Dave G]

We all agree that man is inherently sinful and that he cannot redeem himself by any work.

I disagree, George.
To me, it seems that we do not.

I hold that no man can even redeem himself by his belief of the Gospel, and it seems that you hold that the belief of the Gospel is what actually saves a person, if I'm correct.
I, too once believed this up until about 17 years ago.

We can all quote verses about the sinfulness of man.

I agree.

I'm interested in the BEST verses you have that SAY [NOT JUST "IMPLY"] that a lost man cannot believe the gospel.

If you had to choose, say, the 3 clearest and most relevant verses to answer the question, what would they be?

Please, please, give the BEST and only 3.

Thanks.

The 3 passages that immediately come to my mind, are these:

" 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.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." ( John 6:44-45 ).

" Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God." ( John 8:43-47 ).

And this one, which Dan has already given above.
To me it is the strongest and most clearly stated:

" 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." ( 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 )

There are several others that I could bring up, but you asked for only 3.

 

[Barry Johnson]

" I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." ( John 15:51 ).

Here's what I see when I read this, Barry:

Jesus is the vine, in the spiritual sense.
He that abides ( lives ) in Him, has life because of Him ( John 17:2-3 ) and has been "quickened" ( made alive, Psalms 80:18, Psalms 119:25, Psalms 119:37, Psalms 119:40, Ephesians 2:5 ) by Him, are the same as those who have been chosen "in Him" from the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:4 ).

Jesus lives, or abides, in them ( Romans 8:9-10, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20 ).
Because of this, they bring forth true spiritual fruit ( Matthew 13:18-23, Galatians 5:22-23 ) pleasing to the Father.

Without, or "outside" the body of Christ and without the power of the Holy Spirit, they can do nothing...
Not even believe His words.

I see this plainly when I read passages such as this:
To the perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness...
But to us which are saved, it is the power of God ( 1 Corinthians 1:18 ).

In addition, those who are not of God, do not "hear" His words ( John 8:43-47 ).
While those who are "of God", can and do.
They are the ones who have been given "ears to hear".


Therefore, there is no implication...

Scripture shedding light on other Scriptures,
I plainly see that, straightforwardly, without ( or "outside of" ) Christ in the spiritual sense ( a spirit to Spirit relationship ), we as believers can do nothing towards God.

Except to persist both in our rebellion towards Him and in our rejection of His words.

" I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." ( John 15:51 ).

Here's what I see when I read this, Barry:

Jesus is the vine, in the spiritual sense.
He that abides ( lives ) in Him, has life because of Him ( John 17:2-3 ) and has been "quickened" ( made alive, Psalms 80:18, Psalms 119:25, Psalms 119:37, Psalms 119:40, Ephesians 2:5 ) by Him, are the same as those who have been chosen "in Him" from the foundation of the world ( Ephesians 1:4 ).

Jesus lives, or abides, in them ( Romans 8:9-10, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20 ).
Because of this, they bring forth true spiritual fruit ( Matthew 13:18-23, Galatians 5:22-23 ) pleasing to the Father.

Without, or "outside" the body of Christ and without the power of the Holy Spirit, they can do nothing...
Not even believe His words.

I see this plainly when I read passages such as this:
To the perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness...
But to us which are saved, it is the power of God ( 1 Corinthians 1:18 ).

In addition, those who are not of God, do not "hear" His words ( John 8:43-47 ).
While those who are "of God", can and do.
They are the ones who have been given "ears to hear".


Therefore, there is no implication...

Scripture shedding light on other Scriptures,
I plainly see that, straightforwardly, without ( or "outside of" ) Christ in the spiritual sense ( a spirit to Spirit relationship ), we as believers can do nothing towards God.

Except to persist both in our rebellion towards Him and in our rejection of His words.

Again stop reading yourself into every text. This is the issue with Calvinism and Charismatic/ Pentecostals . They read every verse as if its about themselves in 2020 . failing to see who Jesus is speaking to , when ,about what? ect . " Nah every verse is about me , when Jesus speaks. Especially when the letters are red " No ,check the context. Calvinism and context never go together . I don't think I've seen as yet any context or expounding on any text so far from a Calvinist. Its always . " well it says in this one verse in John, and back over here in this one verse in levitucus it says this , and back over to hebrews this one verse , then over to Mark , back to Genesis, over to Corinthians, to Exodus, Revelation, Mathew" . All one verse ??

 

[Barry Johnson]

I disagree, George.
To me, it seems that we do not.

I hold that no man can even redeem himself by his belief of the Gospel, and it seems that you hold that the belief of the Gospel is what actually saves a person, if I'm correct.
I, too once believed this up until about 17 years ago.

I agree.

The 3 passages that immediately come to my mind, are these:

" 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.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." ( John 6:44-45 ).

" Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God." ( John 8:43-47 ).

And this one, which Dan has already given above.
To me it is the strongest and most clearly stated:

" 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." ( 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 )

There are several others that I could bring up, but you asked for only 3.

/////I hold that no man can even redeem himself by his belief of the Gospel, and it seems that you hold that the belief of the Gospel is what actually saves a person, if I'm correct.
I, too once believed this up until about 17 years ago.///// " redeem himself by his belief of the Gospel " what??? Jesus Redeems ,this is Christinity 101 . You were confused 17 years ago ,for ever how long ? I.ll go slow . IT ....PLEASES ....GOD ....TO SAVE !!!!!!! ( HE SAVES ) WHO DOES HE SAVE ? IT PLEASES GOD ...HE SAVES ....WAIT FOR IT ....HE SAVES
..HE ...GOD ....SAVES ...WHO ? ...
IT PLEASES GOD ...NOTICE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THIS . AND NOTICE WHOS PLEASED . GOD !!! HOW IS HE PLEASED ? HE IS PLEASED TO SAVE ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE.

 

[MB]

2 Corinthians 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.

What do you think happens when the light does shine on them?.
MB

 

[Sai]

They don't "say" that, but I appreciate that you gave three verses, kind of.

George “Karen” Arminius
Lol just kidding


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

[Sai]

I had a Mormon realtor years ago, I would not fire him because of his religion but rather I engaged him on the gospel of salvation. He attempted to agree with me that his salvation was based on Christ and the cross alone, he fully understood the gospel presented by me as free with no strings attached and said that is what he believed too.

Two weeks later he came back and said that he believed that it was free but that he believed he needed to keep it by works.

He is the perfect example of the unregenerate man who cannot understand spiritual things in scripture but has been given the grace to be able to understand the simple difference between our belief system and every other belief system on the earth. He could not own the faith to accept the truth that he conceded made the only sense of a perfect God and how imperfect beings needed to be saved. He to my knowledge may not be elect but I do not give up, and continue presenting the free nature of God’s plan of salvation.


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

[Barry Johnson]

I had a Mormon realtor years ago, I would not fire him because of his religion but rather I engaged him on the gospel of salvation. He attempted to agree with me that his salvation was based on Christ and the cross alone, he fully understood the gospel presented by me as free with no strings attached and said that is what he believed too.

Two weeks later he came back and said that he believed that it was free but that he believed he needed to keep it by works.

He is the perfect example of the unregenerate man who cannot understand spiritual things in scripture but has been given the grace to be able to understand the simple difference between our belief system and every other belief system on the earth. He could not own the faith to accept the truth that he conceded made the only sense of a perfect God and how imperfect beings needed to be saved. He to my knowledge may not be elect but I do not give up, and continue presenting the free nature of God’s plan of salvation.


Joy unspeakable full of glory

Its harder to convince someone of the truth who believes he already has it . Even saved Christians still believe they have to endure to the end to be saved , to persevere in good works , trust in their works and their fruit . One of the hardest ideas to grasp is Grace , God's free gift of salvation. Mormonism , Jehovah's_Witnesses, SDA, Catholics are just some of the groups who have been decieved into the ' you can't have your cake and eat it ' religions that are works focused . This appeals to some .Everyone can put their Faith into something .Faith in the wrong thing or the right thing .Its not about any crazy idea of a secret arbitrary election . Its about where you place your trust and faith in . Only Faith in Jesus is the answer . If the person who shared with me gave up after the first few times of sharing who knows? it took a further 7 months from hearing the Gospel to finally believe and be saved .

 

[SGO]

1 Corinthians 2:14 |
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

[Barry Johnson]

1 Corinthians 2:14 |
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

I'm interested in the BEST verses you have that SAY [NOT JUST "IMPLY"] that a lost man cannot believe the gospel.
But what about verse 6 ?Then 1 cor 3.1-2 ?

 

[SGO]

"Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word."
John 8:43

 

[SGO]

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life;
but the wrath of God abideth on him."
John 3:36

 

[SGO]

" But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,
and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."
Isaiah 59:2

 

[SGO]

"The full soul loatheth an honeycomb'..."
Proverbs 27:7

 

[SGO]

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God...."
Psalm 14:1