Thread: He either is morally able or he is not commanded?
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He either is morally able or he is not commanded?
Posted : 23 Jun, 2011 08:09 PM
He either is morally able or he is not commanded?
from an ongoing conversation ...
Me: "...On the contrary, man is completely responsible to believe the gospel. To repent and believe is an imperative (a command) that man is completely responsible to obey. However, that does not mean he is morally able to do so."
Visitor: He either is morally able or he is not commanded. For the record, I am a raging Calvarminan.
Response: As an everyday example ... If you borrowed $100 million from a bank to establish a new venture but then squandered it an a week of wild living in Vegas, does your inability to repay the bank alleviate you of the responsibility to do so? No of course not. So if in an every day example this proves inability does not undo our responsibility, how much more so with God, to whom we have a debt we cannot repay. Therefore his commands to obey do not mean man is morally able. After the fall God does not change his standard simply because we are sinful.... but thanks be to God, in Christ Jesus He pays our debts in FULL.
The imperatives or commands of God were not given to show our ability, but our inability. In Rom 3:20 Paul says this very thing: "...through the law comes knowledge of sin." The law, in other words does not reveal ability but our impotence. ...the commandments are not given pointlessly; but FOR THE PURPOSE that through them the proud, blind man may learn the plague of his impotence, if he tries to do as he is commanded. Does it follow from the command: 'turn"' that therefore you CAN turn? Does it follow from "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart' (Deut 6.5) that therefore you can love with all your heart? it does not follow. ... ...
Just for the record, there is no such thing as a Calvarminan, you are EITHER a monergist or a synergist. There is no middle ground. Either you believe the work of regeneration is Christ alone (Monergism) or you believe it is Christ PLUS your UNREGNERATE will (synergism) . But the Bible declares that faith is not the product of our unregenerated human nature.
John 6:37 says >>"ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES TO ME WILL COME TO ME". Let me ask ... according to this verse how many people will come to Jesus who the Father gives to Him? Some? No the Text unambiguously says "ALL" that the Father gives the Son will believe the gospel. ALL ... not some.
IS SALVATION A 100 % FREE GIFT AND ETERNAL*REWARDS* 100% EARNED??
Ephesians 2:8,9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the **GIFT** of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do!"
John 6:44: Jesus says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the Last Day." {Of the Great Tribulation}
On the Last Day there will be 2 comings of Jesus: The first will be FOR His saints and then after the marriage Feast of the Lamb in Rev 19:8,9 Jesus will come *WITH* His saints as per Rev 19:10-21 and Revelation 17:14: "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings--and WITH HIM will be His CALLED, CHOSEN and FAITHFUL followers."
The Father only CHOOSES and then CALLS through the Word of God {I Pet 1:23} those who He knows will be FAITHFUL and then He will *REWARD* them according to what they have done."
Hebrews 11:6: "Anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He *REWARDS* those who earnestly seek Him."
Ephesians 6:7,8: "Serve wholeheartedly...because you know that the Lord will *REWARD* everyone for whatever good he does!"
2 John 1:8: "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be *REWARDED* fully!"
I Corinthians 3:6-9: Paul said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be *REWARDED* according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers!"
Daniel 12:3: "Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever!"
Matthew 5:11,12: Jesus says, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your *REWARD* in heaven!" {See Luke 6:35}
Revelation 22:12: Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming soon! My *REWARD* is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!":rolleyes:
2 Corinthians 5:9,10: "So we make it our goal to please Him..For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him:rolleyes: for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad!"
Matthew 16:27: Jesus says, For the Son of Man is going to come in His **FATHER'S GLORY WITH HIS ANGELS**:angel::angel:See Matt 24:30-31;25:31-40 & 2 Thess 1:6-10}}, and **THEN** He will *REWARD* each person according to what he has done,"
Jesus says in Rev 2:17; 3:4, 5, 21: �To him who overcomes...I will give a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.....He will walk with Me for he is worthy.... I will acknowledge his name before My Father and His angels.... I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem.....I will write on him my New Name... and I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.� According to Rev 22:3 these 2 thrones will be the only thrones in the Heavenly New Jerusalem!.:peace:
So Salvation is a 100% FREE GIFT as per Ephesians 2:8,9 and eternal *REWARDS* for God's faithful saints are 100% earned!
I Peter 1:13: �Therefore, prepare your minds for *ACTION*, and set your hope *FULLY* on the grace to be given *YOU* when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED*.:applause:
