Choose? or ... ASK?
What scripture DOES offer as the course for any individual to follow would be to ASK God for that good gift. So that if any find themselves disbelieving but wish to believe, or find themselves weak in faith, or find themselves beset by doubt, or find themselves unable to connect with God and experience His gift, they have but to ASK. Not "choose" ... but ASK.
But it does not unequivocally indicate the origin of that saving faith, which scripture clearly does define as being a gift from God and not something produced by human effort (individual or otherwise).
Mere mental WHAT?
NOT because Moriah judges them -- Moriah bes woefully unfit to judge anyone! -- but because Our Lord so tells us so, and the fruits of His word may plainly be seen in their discourse.
Please produce any scriptures that even remotely indicate or point to human individual "choice" figuring into this equation. We have produced many to indicate it does not, but you have not produced a single one to the contrary yet. You have merely repeatedly asserted this to be the case without one single scripture showing forth the matter plainly.
What scripture DOES offer as the course for any individual to follow would be to ASK God for that good gift. So that if any find themselves disbelieving but wish to believe, or find themselves weak in faith, or find themselves beset by doubt, or find themselves unable to connect with God and experience His gift, they have but to ASK. Not "choose" ... but ASK.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? ~Luke 11:9-13
Why does Jesus mention the Holy Spirit in this context? Because every good and perfect gift which comes down from the Father of Light, in Whom bes no variableness nor shadow of turning, bes "packaged" in the gift of His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings to us from God the full provision of our new life in Him, including (though not limited to):If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? ~Luke 11:9-13
- being the active agency of rebirth into the Kingdom of God (John 3:6-8);
- guiding us into all truth (John 16:13), which makes us free (John 8:32);
- teaching us all things (as promised in Jeremiah 31:34) and bringing all things Jesus taught to our remembrance (John 14:26);
- convicting us of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8);
- dwelling with us and in us (John 14:17);
- bestowing spiritual gifts (charisms) equipping us for service (1 Corinthians 12:4-13);
- and much more...
That bes a very eloquent statement of the faith that saves us indeed.
But it does not unequivocally indicate the origin of that saving faith, which scripture clearly does define as being a gift from God and not something produced by human effort (individual or otherwise).
Mere mental WHAT?
With all due respect, anyone that perceives the Gospel as nothing more than a set of ideas requiring mere mental assent has not been born again, has never tasted of the Kingdom of God, and has never truly met or encountered the risen Jesus Christ. As such, they bes not of the Body and cannot contribute to a discussion of matters pertinent to the Body because spiritual things bes spiritually discerned, and they have not been born of the Spirit.
NOT because Moriah judges them -- Moriah bes woefully unfit to judge anyone! -- but because Our Lord so tells us so, and the fruits of His word may plainly be seen in their discourse.
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.......
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ~John 10:1, 10
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
~ 1 Corinthians 2:7-16
God bless richly each member of His Body and bring those not yet here out of darkness into His glorious light. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ~John 10:1, 10
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
~ 1 Corinthians 2:7-16
