Hey Dave
I pondered for a long time on how I should answer this. I disagree with your interpretation of many of the passages that you quoted, as I believe that the context that you applied to interpret them does not come from the Bible, rather, it comes from the system TULIP. That's what most reformed people do these days. I know you don't think so, but...
So, lets start out simple. I think that you would agree with this, and, if memory serves me, I think that you actually did confirm this at one time. So here goes. Follow me on this...
With the Spirit indwelling, we have the life, without the Spirit indwelling, we do not have the life (Romans 8:9-11). It's a very simple principle that can be proven in Scripture in many places. Do you agree with this?
And we know from very clear Scripture that we receive that indwelling Holy Spirit, which is the life, as a result of believing (Ephesians 1:13-14). In fact, that life that we receive from that indwelling, that we receive by faith, begins the process of being conformed to Christ likeness, perfected, or matured (Galatians 3:2-3). Of course, that process all starts with being born again. When we're placed into Christ, we're placed into His death, and raised up with Him, born again (Romans 6:3-11).
I'll give you much more Scripture if you like, just tell me what part you disagree with, if any.
OK, here's where it starts to get really cool. Ready?
1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
Now watch this, almost the same thing is repeated and elaborated on in Romans 8:18-30. The book of Romans was written to a Christian church in Rome, consisting of both Jewish and Gentile believers. Remember 1 Corinthians 8:3? Read it again, then read this...Watch....
Romans 8:18-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Did you catch that? "Whom He foreknew" is qualified by those who love Him. It's the same thing that was said in 1 Corinthians 8:3. It's those who love Him who are predestined to be conformed to Christlikeness. We know that one cannot be conformed to Christlike when he doesn't have the life, the indwelling Holy Spirit, but these already loved God. A mess for Calvinists, but we must consider that these are OT believers, hence, they loved God, and were foreknown by Him, yet they still did not hear and believe the Gospel, and receive the indwelling Holy Spirit so that they can have the life, and be born again, and begin being conformed to Christlikeness. Isn't that exactly what Jesus said over and over in John? Here's one easy example (John 7:38-39).
These are the sheep, the ones the Father gave to the Son, predestine to be NT believers, so they can receive the promise that was made to them. Salvation. Yes, on Pentecost, actual salvation came to those OT believers who were Gentiles, just like the Jewish believers. Those OT believers, already declared righteous, didn't have actual salvation before then. Only in promise.
But here's another part that you missed. All throughout Acts, these are all OT believers, already declared righteous, just like Abraham, because of their faith, but not saved. That only happens in Christ, and only after the death, resurrection, and ascension. But that's what Jesus said over and over in the Gospels, that He must be lifted up, glorified, sitting at the right hand of the Father, before the Holy Spirit is given that places a believer in Jesus, in Him.
Like the disciples of John the Baptist in Acts 19. These were not atheists, these were OT believers baptized in John baptism, publicly identifying with his teaching of the coming Messiah. They loved God and were know by Him already. Predestined to hear the Gospel (His sheep), and believe, and receive the life, the indwelling Holy Spirit that places a believer in Christ, where all the ingredients that save are now available in Christ. Cornelius, a man who feared God, OT believer, predestined to be in Christ and have the life that conforms him to Christlikeness. Lydia too, it's right in the passage that you quoted, she worshipped God, God already knew her because she loved Him, but did not yet know Jesus and the Gospel. All only in promise until God opened her heart to believe, why? Because she was predestined as an OT believer who loved God, you know, the ones that the Father gave to the Son, the Sheep, who hear Jesus. (BTW, the OT Jews who Jesus said were of the devil and would not believe (you quoted it, remember?), they were not His sheep, meaning they were not genuine OT believers given to him by the Father. If they were, they would have heard and believed.) Just like the OT believers at Pentecost, the three thousand. All those countries listed, represented by OT believers, mostly proselyte Jews, believing the Gospel and taking that indwelling back to all those other nations, the presence of God, fulfill Jesus' prophesy that when He is lifted up glorified, He will draw all nation to Himself (John 12:32).
But all those OT believers, already declared righteous, who were already born again and saved according to Calvinism, without the indwelling Spirit to place them in Christ, without the life, with out the death, resurrection and ascension, meaning without the actual righteousness established to be imputed, and without actual atonement, and without the blood of Jesus of the cross that cleanses us so that the Holy Spirit can be placed into us, making us placed into Christ.
There is something being left out of your equation. The Bible defines it as a prevenient grace, or common grace, albeit limited to the presence of God in the OT. That presence is taken everywhere in the NT/NC because indwelt believers take it with them when they evangelize. (John 12:32, John 16:7-11). That presence, the Light, is enough to draw someone and allow them to believe (John 12:36), even when they were not yet indwelt with the Holy Spirit, the life. We receive that life, that regeneration, as a result of faith (Ephesians 1:13-14), but only after the DRA was that life available to us. Because it was the DRA that provided the saving ingredients, and the blood that allowed the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. Blood cleanses Temples, promises don't.
Were these who believed dead in Adam, or alive in Christ? John 7:38-39
Back to were we started. Remember, with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we have the life, without the indwelling Holy Spirit we're dead (Romans 8:9-11). It's the indwelling that places us in Christ, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. You tell me, in this next passage, when did the life begin, Biblically?
Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
One last thing, Romans 3, the context is justification. Man is incapable of doing anything righteous, or good by righteous standards. That's still true of Christians. The fruit of the Spirit contrasted with the fruit of the flesh. But that's does not include desire. A genuine initial belief doesn't need to be pure/good by the righteous standards of the Law. That's read into that passage using TULIP as a foundation to interpret it. Back to square one.
Ephesians 1:13-14 These believed, before they had the life in them. Not pure, or good by righteous standards, but enough to receive the life. It's that life that is the gift from God. We enter into that grace by faith. The life, called faith, is what begins with our being born again, and also begins our being conformed to Christlikeness.
These did not have the life, the indwelling, yet they believed. How do you explain that. Why is Ezekiel 36:26-27 a future promise, like John 7:38-39? Why do we need promises if they already have it?
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