Author	Thread: Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive?
Admin	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 13 Apr, 2010 08:39 PM Deuteronomy 30:6: And the Lord your God will CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEART and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. Ezekiel 36:26,27 A NEW HEART I will give you, and a NEW SPIRIT I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and CAUSE YOU to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. (compare Ezekiel 11:19) James asks: Whom does God do this for? Everyone? or whom He chooses? John 5:21: For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son GIVES LIFE to whom he will. James asks: WHEN does God do this? AFTER you "make a decision" to believe? Ephesians 2:1,5: and you HE MADE ALIVE, WHEN YOU WERE DEAD through the trespasses and sins...even when we were dead through our trespasses, [God] made us ALIVE together with Christ.... Colossians 2:13: And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, GOD MADE ALIVE together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses. James replies: Some Christians say, it is YOU hearing God's Word, and YOU making the decision is what is Crucial, and in Acts we have the Gospel being preached to crowds for the first time, and GUESS WHO believed? Acts 13:48: And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ORDAINED to eternal life BELIEVED. Does it say, whoever made the decision? does it say they thought about it, and reasoned it through? How about Lydia? did she use her power of reasoning to decide whether or not to believe in Jesus? Acts 16:14: One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART TO GIVE HEED to what was said by Paul. Many hear the call of the Gospel, but how come only a few believe? Matthew 22:14: "For many are called, but few are CHOSEN." James concludes: Here is a very important verse: Ephesians 2:8,9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD--not because of works, lest any man should boast. Why is it so important? Well, if you deny that God took you, a totally spiritually dead man, with a will enslaved to sin, and you demand that The Fall didn't really effect you, and you have a perfectly free will, then you CAN boast! I am a Christian in the classic, historic sense. I believe things that Christians in the past believed, and so I believe that the ONLY reason I am saved is because of God's mercy. I deserve Hell, but God showed me the most incredible mercy by making me come alive spiritually, and AFTER He did that, my new nature, naturally wanted to repent and trust in Jesus. So I can boast of NOTHING. Now, I ask YOU..... WHY did YOU become a Christian and your neighbor did not? Oh? you saw your need for Christ? That's nice. Now WHY did YOU see your need for Christ, and your neighbor did not? I can keep going all day with these questions and in the end you only have TWO options: 1. you are a better person than your neighbor, so you CAN boast about your "decision" 2. You are smarter than your neighbor, so again you CAN boast about your smart "decision. So if you STILL think that you are a Christian because YOU heard the word of God, and YOU made the decision and THEN, God rewarded you for your good decision, here is another verse: Romans 9:16: So it depends not upon man's will or exertion, but upon GOD'S MERCY. I urge you to read the context of this verse also. Maybe start at Romans 9:6 and read the whole chapter. Then, go to John chapter 6 and read that whole chapter. God has chosen His people, and Jesus died for them, and at some point in the life of each one of His people, the Holy Spirit comes and makes them come alive, and THEN, that person naturally says: "I want to be a Christian". In Christ, James Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 13 Apr, 2010 08:46 PM Jn 6:44 and John 6:65 Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 13 Apr, 2010 09:46 PM :laugh: I saw this huge, long post, and then just two simple verses... LOL Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 13 Apr, 2010 10:19 PM Again in Acts we see it happening again, hearing the word. 4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 14 � Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Notice how hearing the word of God and the believing they received. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 � While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? Again we see all them that heard the word. 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John�s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve. Why is it that some would say some christians say it happens when men hear the word, no they didn't say it the bible did It is not hard to see it in the word of God, that hearing the word is relative to receiving from God. Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 05:08 AM The word of God is something that happens. It can be ignated by reading or hearing the bible, but isn't necessarily connected to it. How long will you seek the living God among the dead? Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 05:30 AM The truth of god is too sure and clear to be denied.Some people ignorant of scripture attack sound doctrine with intolerable anger and falsehoods.because god chooses some and rejects others,they argue with him.but since the scripture is so clear,whats the point in quarreling.expeirience proves this teaching to be true.God has always been free to shower his grace on whoever he wants to.Great post Sirjames!!!!!!!:applause: Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 05:52 AM That is a good point, the bible is so clear, how can twist so much, and then try to tell you it is Good news. Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 11:51 AM Thats alright P.j. we can agree to disagree,Ill go on givin the lord all the credit for my salvation,and you can still keep taking credit for yours! Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 03:05 PM I don't see the disagreeing here: People hear the word of God, that is: The word of God is working in their hearts, which means Christ is going into their hearts, as the Spirit opens them while they hear. This is all God doing and nothing man does. Or did I get a thing wrong here? God bless De Benny Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 03:08 PM Your never heard me say one time I took credit for my Salvation, I choose stand against the false teaching of calvinism You are accountable for all the unbelief you spread and influence or hinder others. Post Reply
View Profile History	Free will "decision", Or God making Dead men come Alive? Posted : 14 Apr, 2010 04:14 PM Not being able to do anything to our salvation but being chosen by God dosn't mean we wouldn't be accountable for the wrong we do. If we were not accountable for that, we wouldn't need salvation at all, for we would not be accountable for sin... I do not think Luther or Calvin thought differently on that matter. We are accountable for all bad we do. But we are not accountable for chosing God, for it was Him chosing us and we had no choice at all. At least that is what I experienced and I wonder if I am the only one who will say so. Would all of you say you had a choice to accept Jesus Christ as your saviour? As for me, when it was clear to me, I couldn't say no to that... God bless you all De Benny Post Reply

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