The Next subject is God's freely give undeserved grace.
GOD'S GRACE IS FREELY GIVEN, UNEARNED FAVOR WITH GOD
IT IS RECEIVING WHAT WE DO NOT DESERVE
IT IS GOD'S BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT
What is the grace of God? Simply put it is God's favor and kindness toward us. Grace is God choosing to bless us rather than curse us as our sin deserves. It is His benevolence to the undeserving.
But it also exerts God's power in our life to bring about all that is needed for us to be saved: regeneration, repentance, faith, and trust in God in Jesus. And in Titus 2:11-13 we read that God's grace empowers us to say yes to what is right and no to what is sinful. It enables us to live godly lives in a wicked world.
The Holy Spirit uses grace to sanctify us unto God and to transform us to be more and more like our Lord and Savior. And it provides us with a sure and blessed hope of the appearing of Jesus, the great God and Savior. Without grace, we would give up on this hope. But God graces us with hope that does not fail.
God rains down grace on all mankind. He gave us the beauty and wonders of nature that we see each and every day. He gives us near misses when accidents are heading our way. He often brings us the right thing just in time. And He also gave us an innate conscience to know right from wrong. All these things are common graces, and everyone born on the earth has the benefit of them because God so loved the world.
Just being born on this planet includes many benefits. But when someone becomes a believer in Christ, that person receives even more graceful benefits from God reserved only for God's elect. In fact, believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm because we are united with Christ.
"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" ( Acts 15:11).
Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves."
I stated, In the context of your posting, God so loved the world should be kept in John 3:16.
Gigi the reason I say that is because you contributed "WHOSOEVER" to only the elect when I mentioned it to Carlton as salvation being an invitation to all.
Whosoever thirst in Revelation 22:17 is the same whosoever in John 3:16.
God so loved the world is uniquely cosigned to John 3:16 because of what follows! "That he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"
Let's examine that verse and include the previous verses.
14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
My questions to you would be, Jesus gave the example of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness.
Was that to emphasize an elect or was it for the whole congregation?
And if God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that only the elect might be saved. When did he began to love them "after" he chose them or before?
If you're saying he loved them "before" he chose them then that would include "ALL" being that there was no difference between them all.
So, the whosoever is an invitation to All!
If he loved them after he chose them.
Are you saying God is partial?
It is getting late. See part 3 over the weekend as I read over a few more postings.
In regards to you question about the serpent on a pole that Moses lifted up in the desert which Jesus referenced, here are a few thoughts of mine.
When the Lord instructed Moses to raise the serpent in the wilderness, anyone of people of God (the chosen) could look to the serpent and be healed. The context of that account was not an action to be taken for the whole of humanity, but for the people God selected to be His people, a holy nation. So, we are dealing with the people God had set aside for Himself just as the elect are those God set aside before the creation to receive salvation.
My own question is: did every person among the Israelites who were bitten by the fiery serpents look to the raised serpent for healing? The text said that many had been bitten and died prior to the raising of the bronze serpent. And the text does not say that everyone who was bitten id look to the serpent to be healed and remain alive. But in this text, the whosoever are those who were bitten and did look to the bronze serpent for healing and life. They had faith to believe what the Lord had said would happen through Moses.
Similarly, in a much grander way, Jesus saying that He would be lifted up as the serpent was for people to have life, He meant that anyone who did who believed in Him through the Word of God in the Gospel will also be saved and have eternal life. The whosoever in this case are those who do believe in Jesus, not the ones who did not believe. Otherwise, everyone would be saved whether they believe or not. I do not think that the Bible teaches such universalism.
Over the course of church history, many millions or even billions have heard the call of the Gospel, but only those who belie3ve will receive salvation and eternal life. I pretty much think that we both agree on this point. So, where we differ is perhaps on who the elect are, how they become elect. Perhaps even other aspects of this topic. I will consider this and post later.
God so loved the world. He loves His creation and is benevolent in administering His reign over it.
I believe that God loved the elect from before the world began and works in the life of the elect to bring them to faith and salvation. I do not believe that He begins t love us after we are saved. Jeremiah 3:13 says that God has loved us (His chosen) with an everlasting love.
As to your point about the "whosoever" of John 3:16 and the availability of salvation to all I believe that the Gospel is to be preached to every nation, tongue, and people. It calls people to be reconciled to God. Unregenerate people cannot believe the Gospel because they do not want to. They are unable to respond to the call of the Gospel because they are dead in sin and cannot please God or seek Him. Unless God does a work of grace in an unregenerate person, they will to reject the Gospel call and will to be at enmity with God. They are truly hopeless to come to Christ. I believe that only those who God regenerates are able to obey the call of the Gospel and that these people are the "elect".
For now, this is all I wish to write in this post addressing some of your questioning of what I have posted. I appreciate your response and will spend some time considering your other points.
I would like to ask one thing of you, though. Would you explain what you think about the topics I posted on, not to query me but to explain your position as I have done. That will help me understand more fully your viewpoint. Thanks in advance.
I'm finally getting a chance to sit down to read a few more of your postings.
I haven't been able to keep up so I'm starting from the most recent and going backwards.
Here's something that caught my eye, You stated "believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the "HEAVENLY REALM" because we are united with Christ.
"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are"
Then you referenced
Acts 15:11.
Look at this verse in its proper context!
Acts 15:7-11 "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that THE GENTILES by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
And put no difference between US AND THEM, purifying THEIR hearts by faith.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ WE shall be saved, even as THEY.
Gigi, Peter is making a distinction between Himself and the other Jews (Kinsman of the flesh) and the Gentiles.
Peter is saying the Jews shall be saved apart from the law like the Gentiles.
Here's another very impressive issue that concerns me.
You Stated;
God rains down grace on all mankind. He gave us the beauty and wonders of nature that we see each and every day. He gives us near misses when accidents are heading our way. He often brings us the right thing just in time. And He also gave us an innate conscience to know right from wrong. All these things are common graces, and everyone born on the earth has the benefit of them BECAUSE GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD.
In the context of your posting, God so loved the world should be kept in John 3:16.
This comment in particular. Salvation is a gift to each person that believe without partiality.
Just being born on this planet includes many benefits. But when someone becomes a believer in Christ, that person receives even more graceful benefits from God reserved only for God's elect. In fact, believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm because we are united with Christ. Amen!
GOD'S GRACE IS FREELY GIVEN, UNEARNED FAVOR WITH GOD
IT IS RECEIVING WHAT WE DO NOT DESERVE
IT IS GOD'S BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT
What is the grace of God? Simply put it is God's favor and kindness toward us. Grace is God choosing to bless us rather than curse us as our sin deserves. It is His benevolence to the undeserving.
But it also exerts God's power in our life to bring about all that is needed for us to be saved: regeneration, repentance, faith, and trust in God in Jesus. And in Titus 2:11-13 we read that God's grace empowers us to say yes to what is right and no to what is sinful. It enables us to live godly lives in a wicked world.
The Holy Spirit uses grace to sanctify us unto God and to transform us to be more and more like our Lord and Savior. And it provides us with a sure and blessed hope of the appearing of Jesus, the great God and Savior. Without grace, we would give up on this hope. But God graces us with hope that does not fail.
God rains down grace on all mankind. He gave us the beauty and wonders of nature that we see each and every day. He gives us near misses when accidents are heading our way. He often brings us the right thing just in time. And He also gave us an innate conscience to know right from wrong. All these things are common graces, and everyone born on the earth has the benefit of them because God so loved the world.
Just being born on this planet includes many benefits. But when someone becomes a believer in Christ, that person receives even more graceful benefits from God reserved only for God's elect. In fact, believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm because we are united with Christ.
"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" ( Acts 15:11).
Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves."
See Pt. 2
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD.
Part 2
I stated, In the context of your posting, God so loved the world should be kept in John 3:16.
Gigi the reason I say that is because you contributed "WHOSOEVER" to only the elect when I mentioned it to Carlton as salvation being an invitation to all.
Whosoever thirst in Revelation 22:17 is the same whosoever in John 3:16.
God so loved the world is uniquely cosigned to John 3:16 because of what follows! "That he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"
Let's examine that verse and include the previous verses.
14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
My questions to you would be, Jesus gave the example of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness.
Was that to emphasize an elect or was it for the whole congregation?
And if God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that only the elect might be saved. When did he began to love them "after" he chose them or before?
If you're saying he loved them "before" he chose them then that would include "ALL" being that there was no difference between them all.
So, the whosoever is an invitation to All!
If he loved them after he chose them.
Are you saying God is partial?
It is getting late. See part 3 over the weekend as I read over a few more postings.
Blessings.
In regards to you question about the serpent on a pole that Moses lifted up in the desert which Jesus referenced, here are a few thoughts of mine.
When the Lord instructed Moses to raise the serpent in the wilderness, anyone of people of God (the chosen) could look to the serpent and be healed. The context of that account was not an action to be taken for the whole of humanity, but for the people God selected to be His people, a holy nation. So, we are dealing with the people God had set aside for Himself just as the elect are those God set aside before the creation to receive salvation.
My own question is: did every person among the Israelites who were bitten by the fiery serpents look to the raised serpent for healing? The text said that many had been bitten and died prior to the raising of the bronze serpent. And the text does not say that everyone who was bitten id look to the serpent to be healed and remain alive. But in this text, the whosoever are those who were bitten and did look to the bronze serpent for healing and life. They had faith to believe what the Lord had said would happen through Moses.
Similarly, in a much grander way, Jesus saying that He would be lifted up as the serpent was for people to have life, He meant that anyone who did who believed in Him through the Word of God in the Gospel will also be saved and have eternal life. The whosoever in this case are those who do believe in Jesus, not the ones who did not believe. Otherwise, everyone would be saved whether they believe or not. I do not think that the Bible teaches such universalism.
Over the course of church history, many millions or even billions have heard the call of the Gospel, but only those who belie3ve will receive salvation and eternal life. I pretty much think that we both agree on this point. So, where we differ is perhaps on who the elect are, how they become elect. Perhaps even other aspects of this topic. I will consider this and post later.
I will speak to your last pint first.
God so loved the world. He loves His creation and is benevolent in administering His reign over it.
I believe that God loved the elect from before the world began and works in the life of the elect to bring them to faith and salvation. I do not believe that He begins t love us after we are saved. Jeremiah 3:13 says that God has loved us (His chosen) with an everlasting love.
As to your point about the "whosoever" of John 3:16 and the availability of salvation to all I believe that the Gospel is to be preached to every nation, tongue, and people. It calls people to be reconciled to God. Unregenerate people cannot believe the Gospel because they do not want to. They are unable to respond to the call of the Gospel because they are dead in sin and cannot please God or seek Him. Unless God does a work of grace in an unregenerate person, they will to reject the Gospel call and will to be at enmity with God. They are truly hopeless to come to Christ. I believe that only those who God regenerates are able to obey the call of the Gospel and that these people are the "elect".
For now, this is all I wish to write in this post addressing some of your questioning of what I have posted. I appreciate your response and will spend some time considering your other points.
I would like to ask one thing of you, though. Would you explain what you think about the topics I posted on, not to query me but to explain your position as I have done. That will help me understand more fully your viewpoint. Thanks in advance.
I'm finally getting a chance to sit down to read a few more of your postings.
I haven't been able to keep up so I'm starting from the most recent and going backwards.
Here's something that caught my eye, You stated "believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the "HEAVENLY REALM" because we are united with Christ.
"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are"
Then you referenced
Acts 15:11.
Look at this verse in its proper context!
Acts 15:7-11 "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that THE GENTILES by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
And put no difference between US AND THEM, purifying THEIR hearts by faith.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ WE shall be saved, even as THEY.
Gigi, Peter is making a distinction between Himself and the other Jews (Kinsman of the flesh) and the Gentiles.
Peter is saying the Jews shall be saved apart from the law like the Gentiles.
Here's another very impressive issue that concerns me.
You Stated;
God rains down grace on all mankind. He gave us the beauty and wonders of nature that we see each and every day. He gives us near misses when accidents are heading our way. He often brings us the right thing just in time. And He also gave us an innate conscience to know right from wrong. All these things are common graces, and everyone born on the earth has the benefit of them BECAUSE GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD.
In the context of your posting, God so loved the world should be kept in John 3:16.
Please see part 2.
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD..
This comment in particular. Salvation is a gift to each person that believe without partiality.
Just being born on this planet includes many benefits. But when someone becomes a believer in Christ, that person receives even more graceful benefits from God reserved only for God's elect. In fact, believers are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm because we are united with Christ. Amen!
We are so blessed in our Savior!
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Please Sign In or Register to post comments...
Report Comment
Which best represents the problem with the comment?