- Aug 11, 2017
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But your contradicting verse 12.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”
John 1:12
Let’s examine the Greek definitions of the words received and right.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
received
G2983
G2983
Lemma:
λαμβάνω
Transliteration:
lambánō
Pronounce:
lam-ban'-o
Part of Speech:
Verb
Language:
greek
Description:
1) to take a) to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it
1) to take up a thing to be carried
2) to take upon one's self b) to take in order to carry away
1) without the notion of violence, i,e to remove, take away c) to take what is one's own, to take to one's self, to make one's own
1) to claim, procure, for one's self a) to associate with one's self as companion, attendant
2) of that which when taken is not let go, to seize, to lay hold of, apprehend
3) to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fisherman, etc.), to circumvent one by fraud
4) to take to one's self, lay hold upon, take possession of, i.e. to appropriate to one's self
5) catch at, reach after, strive to obtain
6) to take a thing due, to collect, gather (tribute) d) to take
1) to admit, receive
2) to receive what is offered
3) not to refuse or reject
4) to receive a person, give him access to one's self, a) to regard any one's power, rank, external circumstances, and on that account to do some injustice or neglect something e) to take, to choose, select f) to take beginning, to prove anything, to make a trial of, to experience
2) to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back
The definition of the Greek word lambánō does not give any indication that the one who received is given something against his will. The definition means something that is taken or accepted. Now let’s examine the definition of the Greek word for “right or authority”.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
power
G1849
G1849
Lemma:
ἐξουσία
Transliteration:
exousía
Pronounce:
ex-oo-see'-ah
Part of Speech:
Noun Feminine
Language:
greek
Description:
1) power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases a) leave or permission
2) physical and mental power a) the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises
3) the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege)
4) the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed) a) universally
1) authority over mankind b) specifically
1) the power of judicial decisions
2) of authority to manage domestic affairs c) metonymically
1) a thing subject to authority or rule a) jurisdiction
2) one who possesses authority a) a ruler, a human magistrate b) the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates d) a sign of the husband's authority over his wife
1) the veil with which propriety required a women to cover herself e) the sign of regal authority, a crown
Again those who receive are given the power or liberty of choice. Nothing in this definition indicates the one receiving is becoming a child of God without his own choice or acceptance.
So are you trying to say that verse 13 is saying children of God are not born of God by their own choice after verse 12 just told us they make the choice? Verse 13 is saying they are born not of the desires of blood or man they are born of God’s desire. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 and 2 Peter 3:9 support God’s desire that all men would repent and be saved and is relevant to the discussion as evidence of God’s desire that all should be saved but by man’s own choice he will either stand or fall.
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