Author	Thread: The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel.
Admin	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 11 Mar, 2011 09:39 PM THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BY DIVINE ARRANGEMENT, WHO ACTUALLY HEAR THE GOSPEL. ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _ It is difficult to believe that the Triune God intended Christ's death for every man woman and child, the blessing of which is enjoyed upon condition that they believe in him, when he has not arranged for everyone to hear the Gospel. While it is true that Christ has commanded his church to carry the gospel to the nations, it is equally true that many people throughout the course of history have lived and and died in spiritual darkness, never having heard the gospel. And biblical evidence would indicate that God, by determining as he has the recipients of special revelation and by governing the geographic directions of missionary history, determined that some people would not hear the gospel. For example, throughout Israel's history in the Old Testament, God related himself to that nation in a way he never did to any of the Gentile nations. He left the Gentile nations "alienated from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12). Throughout Old Testament times he "let all the nations go their own way" (Acts 14:16) and "overlooked their ignorance" in the sense that he did nothing directly to overcome it (Acts 17:30). Exclusively to Israel did God entrust the oracles of God (Rom. 3:1-2). And the Psalmist even evokes praise to the Lord because "He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the Lord" (Ps. 147:19-20). Furthermore, God adopted only Israel as his son (Rom. 9:4). As God declared to Israel through Amos: "You only have I known ["loved covenantally" ], of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). Accordingly, in their midst alone the shekinah presence of God dwelt. With them he made his covenants, to them he revealed his law, they alone possessed the temple services which instructed them in the salvific ways of God and the promises of God, and theirs were the patriarchs and from them came the Messiah according to the flesh, who is over all, the ever-blessed God (Rom. 9:4-5). During his earthly ministry Christ praised his father, the lord of heaven and earth, that he had HIDDEN the gospel mysteries from the wise and learned and had revealed them to "little children" (Matt. 11:25), tracing his Father's actions to his good pleasure (11:26). He also declared that only those to whom he reveals the Father know him (11:27). On his second missionary journey, Paul and his companions "passed through the Phyrgian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and when they had come to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas" (Acts 16:6-8). As a result the gospel spread westward into europe and NOT eastward toward Asia, and many Asians died never having heard of Christ. Clearly, the matter of who hears the gospel is under the providential governance of the sovereign God, and he has so arranged gospel history that many people will never hear about Christ. It is unthinkable to suppose then that God sent his Son to save people who, by the ordering of his own providence, never hear the gospel in order that they may believe and be saved. From: A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith by: Dr. Robert L. Reymond Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 11 Mar, 2011 10:01 PM The word Jesus vs The word of Calvin facts: The first account on the day of pentecost: Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Ac 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 11 Mar, 2011 10:01 PM The word Jesus vs The word of Calvin facts: The first account on the day of pentecost: Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Ac 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 06:16 AM Well, think it through PhillipJohn.......... You say Jesus died for everyone, and the only way they can be saved through Him, is by believing in Him. But, not everyone who ever lived gets to hear the gospel. So, although according to YOU Jesus died for everyone, God has not arranged for everyone to HEAR about it. That does NOT make any sense! There are people who are alive today, and who will grow old and die without hearing about Jesus. There have been people throughout history who have lived and died without hearing about Jesus, and their numbers are hundreds of millions. So, AGAIN, another problem for those who say Jesus died for everyone who ever lived. I mean explain it to me, YOU say Jesus died for everyone who ever lived, and you KNOW that the Indians in the USA, and the Chinese, etc, and entire continents did not hear about Jesus for 1500 years plus after Jesus was on Earth. God had Jesus die for everyone, but did not have everyone even hear about it? That does not make any sense! In Christ, James Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 06:23 AM On the surface one might say "Wow, this article brings up some good points" But only on the surface, you see this article ignores scripture that addresses those who lived and died before the time of Jesus. The writer also assumes he knows what is going on in the spiritual realm. In fact, such systematic reformed theology (calvanist) writers assume it is by their intellect that they know God, they believe God can be clearly and completely defined by logical deductions and His plans totally understood and formulated by their intellectual systematic formulating of Scripture. Oh, what a small God they serve, and what great intellect they have! Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 06:31 AM Twosparrows, How about you explain to me why God would have Jesus die for everyone, and then have millions and millions of people never get the chance to hear about Jesus? In Christ, James Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 06:48 AM James why do you always say man says, the word of God is Jesus, it is what he has said. Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 06:56 AM James you have grave need to come to Jesus or continue in Calvin, for you are far from the truth, walking in the freedom of your unrenewed will, there is no salvation in Calvin, his message is always death the enemy of Christ. Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 06:58 AM James shared: "You say Jesus died for everyone,..... That does NOT make any sense!" --------------------------- James, it makes no sense because you misunderstand Scripture. You automatically assume that such a statement means universalism, which we both agree Scripture does not teach. Therefore why belabor the point? I have repeatedly explained this and you ingnore it and go off on another tangent. Again Sir, Jesus died for the sins of the world, does that mean everyone gets saved? ...No. What it means is God has reconciled Himself to mankind through Jesus, God has taken care of the sin issue that has seperated God and man. The law is fulfilled and sin paid for, the slate is clean. There is now a New Covenant between mankind and God, which really is not "New" because it has always existed and was before the Law but never proven with such ferocity. God invitation is to all and turns none away that wish to take part in the New Covenant. Romans 1:20 ~ "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities --- His eternal power---His divine nature --- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 07:03 AM James Jesus talked about you when he said in hearing they do not hear and in seeing they do not see, it is a reflection of the free will you do not have, according to you. To say you are of Jesus and continually deny truth presents a problem for you. Not those that believe. Post Reply
View Profile History	The limited number of people, who actually hear the gospel. Posted : 12 Mar, 2011 07:19 AM Twosparrows, How about you explain to me why God would have Jesus die for everyone, and then have millions and millions of people never get the chance to hear about Jesus? In Christ, James ------------------------------ James, your question not only proves my point, but shows you did not read my post with comprehension. James to put it simply: A man who can explain, logically deduce, or formulate a system that encompasses every aspect of God and His plans, thinks more of himself than he ought to and serves a very small God. James, did you know when Helen Keller was introduced to Jesus, she replied "Yes, I know Him already, I just never knew His name" James, I think you may be surprised who you see in heaven. Isaiah 55:9 ~ " As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Post Reply

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