Is God able to change a person's will?

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God calls or woos all ... one decides at some point ... to receive Him... or not. If one does receive Him, sincerely repents and invites Him in ... He will then begin changing the heart and mind of that person through the Holy Spirit along with His Word over the course of their lives. It is then when a person begins understanding spiritual truths. So yes, understanding spiritual truth comes through the Holy Spirit ... wasn't implying otherwise.

Revelation 3

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

Does every person have the Holy Spirit from birth? Why would one person make the right decision and another the wrong decision?

Romans 3
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

My mother had six children. I'm the only one who has become a Christian. One has passed away.

Christian any-goodness-in-a-sinner-or-all-gods-mercy.jpg
 
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MDC

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Does every person have the Holy Spirit from birth? Why would one person make the right decision and another the wrong decision?

Romans 3
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

My mother had six children. I'm the only one who has become a Christian. One has passed away.

View attachment 250008
All the grace and mercy of God! Romans 9:16.
 
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Rescued One

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setst777 said: ↑
According to God's Word, God commands us to humble ourselves, and is with those who humble themselves. I gave you the Scriptures numerous times, and you are, in essence, saying, "I just can't believe in God's word." The question is, will you believe God's Word?

Phoebe Ann responded:
I absolutely believe God's word. I do NOT believe your faulty interpretation of His Word.

My response:
I never interpreted the words given, I just copied them directly from the Bible. All the Passages in the Bible state we must humble ourselves as God commands us to do.

Unbelievers aren't born understanding God's word. Both of us can copy God's word from the Bible. You will use them to make your point and the point you make tells us your interpretation. Does the Holy Spirit say that what you believe is right and what I believe is wrong?

The humble will listen:

Psalms 25:9 (WEB) Bolding mine… 9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.

Psalms 18:27 (NIV) Bolding mine… 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

Which one of us is haughty?

Psalms 147:6 (WEB) 6 Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

Luke 18:13-14
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Click to expand...

Phoebe Ann responds:
If my people... His people are those He has saved and made new creatures! Who listens? The ones whose ears He has opened! IOW, His sheep!

My reply
The new creation by the indwelling Spirit is a covenant of the New Testament, not the Old Testament.

And the new creation in Christ is only given by faith.

John 7:37-39 (NIV) Bolding mine
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

So which comes first: Humility or Faith?
  • Is it not those who humble themselves first that will then believe the word?
  • Is it not only those who believe that receive the Holy Spirit?

Phoebe Ann wrote:

The regeneration by the Holy Spirit gives sinners the new birth.

My reply: Yes, I agree.

The new birth, being born of God, is by the indwelling Spirit - Christ in you.

Romans 8:9-10
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

That is why you are only Born of God by faith: John 1:13-14

Only by an obedient faith does the Spirit indwell us...

Acts 5:32 We are witnesses of these things,
and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Galatians 3:2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

How would you answer the above question?

Galatians 3:5 So again I ask,
does God give you his Spirit
and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

How would you answer the above question?

Galatians 3:14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promised Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. 14 The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.

Acts 2:38
38
Peter replied,Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, after you believe, and if your faith is genuine – accompanied by repentance – then you receive the Holy Spirit to mark you for salvation and to work with your faith to renew your nature, making you alive spiritually, but only as you live by the Spirit – your faith and the Spirit working together.

Romans 8:12-13
(NIV)
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Who gave the believer his faith?

The Spirit decides where He will go.
John 3
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

John 1:13
Children of God are those who “who were born, not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”


1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.
 
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bling

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Do humans possess desires? Can a person who desires his own will instead of God's be changed by God? If he can't be changed why was he made that way? Do you pray for unbelievers?
The prodigal son had a strong desire to: leave his father’s house, live away from people who might hold him accountable, and live a wild life style, but the father wanted him to become like himself with unconditional, unselfish Love, by first humbly willingly accept such Love as pure charity. The easiest way for the father to achieve his desire is by allowing his son to do what he did do and hopefully be humbled enough to accept his charitable forgiveness know: “…he that is forgiven much will Love much…”.

The selfish desires of the son really did not “change” at the moment his actions brought him to his senses in the pigsty, but being brought to his senses allowed him to make a free will choice: hang in there, take the punishment he fully deserves, pay the piper, done fuel his old brother’s contempt, and avoid pestering his father further with requests OR he can wimp-out, give up and surrender seeking undeserved pure charity from his father and all for the selfish reason of wanting to continue living with some kind of livable life.

My pray is the same pray the father had for the prodigal son and I pray to be like the father of the prodigal son to help him fulfill his earthly objective.
 
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Rescued One

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This is not human will:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

Ye must be born again.

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

We are saved by grace (not humility) through faith (not humility).



 
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setst777

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Hi setst777. Would there have been a need for the King without the Kingdom. I understand the word about the Messiah but there seems to be an amazing lack of Kingdom represented considering how He said there should be word about the Kingdom of God which mankind still rejects to this day. He said that it was His Gospel, not Himself.
'thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in earth' is not way off in the future but now yet people pretend otherwise in order to avoid change in their ways or no longer supporting those who seek gain at the expense of others. The evening news to them is the equivalent of a sports event, taking sides among man rather than siding with Kingdom against the world of man (the word Jesus taught).

Setting man against man was not about internal struggles, yet we hear little if anything of the separation of world of man and the Kingdom which His sword segregated, the reason He said He came to give us choice over now, not as an option upon death. Too much Messenger, too little message IMO.

I agree with you regarding the Kingdom, and that too little is really taught about it. Thank you for your perspective.

The whole Gospel of Christ is about the Kingdom of God, which Christ is the Way by which we may enter. I remember some of the Parables of Jesus when he explains what the Kingdom of God is like, and (in summary) we see that those who are in the Kingdom of God are those who, in essence, by faith in Christ and His Gospel, commit to:
  • give up everything regarding this earthly carnal kingdom - repentance (to die to the old life of living for selfish ambition - the gaining of what this life offers as our purpose for living) to instead,
  • follow our Lord Jesus into a life of love and service to others (the Kingdom of God).
That is the Gospel of the Kingdom by which we are sanctified, forgiven, justified and declared righteous, and by which we are saved - receiving the Spirit of Christ by faith to make it possible for us to live out this New Life of the Kingdom by which we have committed our lives to by faith.

In fact, this is the true faith of the Gospel message that Christ Jesus taught by which we enter the Kingdom of God now, in this life, and eternal life in the future revealing of the Kingdom of God - the New Jerusalem - made up of all those disciples of Jesus who considered everything this earthly life offered as loss in comparison to the incomprehensible blessing and riches of following Christ Jesus - the Lord and King of the Kingdom.

So what do we understand about a saving faith when we consider the Kingdom of God? The faith God accepts, and by which we are saved (God living in us by His Spirit), is to repent of our slavery to empty idolatrous lives of sin in this present system, and then to Listen to and Follow Christ Jesus, which is to deny self and take up our crosses and follow Him into a life that radiates the Love of God to a lost world. In this way, we become sanctified temples of the Holy Spirit, producing Spiritual fruit.
 
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timothyu

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follow our Lord Jesus into a life of love and service to others (the Kingdom of God).

There is why so many seek a loophole and found it in the modern day gospel of salvation rather than Kingdom. That way they can continue to defend the oppressive systems of man rather than seeking to dismantle them. Christianity since the re-alignment with State became one of those oppressive systems and would find it hard to teach that which goes against itself.
 
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setst777

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Unbelievers aren't born understanding God's word.

Phoebe Ann wrote:
Unbelievers aren't born understanding God's word.

My Response:
Do you believe what Jesus taught when He said that, when He is lifted up, He would draw all people to himself?

John 12:32 (NIV)
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Lord Jesus made clear how this drawing took place:

The Word of God, the Gospel, is always accompanied by the Spirit of Christ to draw people to himself because the Word is the Sword of the Spirit.

Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

So how do sinners hear the Gospel? Sinners hear the Gospel by the Spirit working with the Gospel Word to convict and draw people.

Yet, we also learn, that not everyone who hears the Gospel will accept it.

Why? Because many will resist the Spirit, just as Scripture states.

Acts 7:51 (WEB) 51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.”

Isaiah 63:10 (WEB) 10 But they rebelled, and grieved his holy Spirit. Therefore he turned and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them.

Psalms 106:32-33 (WEB) Bolding mine…32 By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord, and trouble came to Moses because of them; 33 for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips.

Why? Because many are proud and arrogant, just as Scripture states.

Only those who humble themselves will be receptive to listen to the Gospel and will be drawn to Christ by the Spirit.

You like to say,

'God humbles us through regeneration'

But you provide no Scriptures that teach this even though I have repeatedly asked you.
You are just giving me your biased opinions.

Therefore, while all people are drawn by the Spirit and Word, many will resist, but those who do not resist are the ones drawn to Christ.

You cannot say God regenerated people so they could be humble, because God's Word never teaches that.

We agree that the new birth, being born of God, is by the indwelling Spirit - Christ in you.

Romans 8:9-10
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Only by an obedient faith does the Spirit indwell us...

Acts 5:32 We are witnesses of these things,
and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Galatians 3:2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

How would you answer the above question?

Galatians 3:5 So again I ask,
does God give you his Spirit
and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

How would you answer the above question?

Galatians 3:14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promised Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38
38
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Phoebe Ann writes:
Both of us can copy God's word from the Bible. You will use them to make your point and the point you make tells us your interpretation. Does the Holy Spirit say that what you believe is right and what I believe is wrong?

My Response:
I gave you the Scriptures clearly teaching the regeneration of the Spirit only occurs by Christ's Spirit dwelling in us, and that we only receive the Spirit by faith. LOOK at the numerous Scriptures I quoted teaching that the Spirit is only received by faith, and you tell me what they are teaching?

You have given ZERO passages showing your opinion that the Spirit is given before faith and before humility.

Phoebe Ann writes:
Which one of us is haughty?
Who gave the believer his faith?

My Response:
Some people are haughty and arrogant. Many people in Elect Israel were proud and haughty, but some were humble and feared God - and this was BEFORE Spiritual regeneration. Only after Christ was glorified, was the New Covenant of the Spirit introduced.

John 7:39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

How many people were humble in the Old Testament before the regeneration of the Spirit of the New Testament?

Phoebe Ann writes:
The Spirit decides where He will go.
John 3
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

My Response:
Humans cannot see the Spirit, nor do they know where or why the Spirit will enter someone. However, Christ clearly taught Nicodemus that those who believe would receive Eternal Life (John 3:16).

This eternal life is regeneration.

Lord Jesus taught that the Spirit is only given to regenerate (giving us Life) by Faith...

John 7:37-39 (NIV) Bolding mine
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Phoebe Ann writes:
John 1:13
Children of God are those who “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

My Response: You deliberate cut off part of the Passage showing that only those who believe will God give the right to be children of God, born of God...

John 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Galatians 3:26
26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.

Phoebe Ann writes:
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

My Response: You falsified the quote. Here is 1 Peter 1:3...

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Unbelievable how you actually have to disfigure God's Holy Word to uphold your opinions - as if your opinions have more authority than God and His Word.

The Passage you quoted does not teach HOW a person is born of again, but John 1:12-13 and John 3:16 DOES show HOW God caused us to be born of God.

You have to look at the context of Scripture to understand what it means. Quoting verses that do not show the How or Why something occurred, and then implanting your own biased view of how or why it occurred is dishonest.
 
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Rescued One

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Phoebe Ann writes:[/B]
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

My Response: You falsified the quote. Here is 1 Peter 1:3...

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Unbelievable how you actually have to disfigure God's Holy Word to uphold your opinions - as if your opinions have more authority than God and His Word.
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

2 Thessalonians 2:13-16
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

1 Peter 1:3 NIV
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:3 Berean Study Bible
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Peter 1:3 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,


You are making false accusations:

Unbelievable how you actually have to disfigure God's Holy Word to uphold your opinions - as if your opinions have more authority than God and His Word.

Those who believe, believe because they are His sheep.

John 10
22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Romans 9:16
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Willing and running, or human efforts, are not essential to salvation. God's mercy is essential.

God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
 
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Llewelyn Stevenson

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Do humans possess desires? Can a person who desires his own will instead of God's be changed by God? If he can't be changed why was he made that way? Do you pray for unbelievers?

See The Hornet Song

When the Canaanites hardened their hearts against God
And grieved Him because of their sin,
God sent along hornets to bring them to time,
And help His own people to win.

The hornets persuaded them that it was best,
To go quickly, and not to go slow;
God did not compel them to go 'gainst their will,
But He just made them willing to go.

Chorus

He does not compel us to go, No! No!
He does not compel us to go.
He does not compel us to go 'gainst our will
But He just makes us willing to go.

If a nest of live hornets were brought to this room
And the creatures allowed to go free,
You would not need urgings to make yourself scarce,
You'd want to get out, don't you see.
They would not lay hold and by force of their strength
Throw you out of the window, Oh No,!
They would not compel you' to go 'gainst your will,
But they'd just make you willing to go.

Chorus

When Jonah was sent to the work of the Lord,
The outlook was not very bright;
He never had done such a hard thing before,
So he backed and ran off from the fight.
But God sent a big fish to swallow him up,
The story I'm sure you all know;
He did not compel him to go 'gainst his will,
But He just made him willing to go.

Chorus

When Moses was sent to lead Israel out,
To Canaan's rich fruit-bearing land.
Resisting His Spirit they worshiped a calf,
But refused to obey God's Command.
God did not compel them to go to the land,
Which with wine, milk, and honey did flow,
But fed them on manna for forty long years,
'Till He got them all ready to go.

Chorus

When Balaam was sent to the Moabite king,
And wanted things run his own way,
His mule, ever faithful, spoke at the right time,
Made him willing God's Will to obey.
God can use any man, since He used Balaam's mule,
For He is Almighty you know;
He does not compel us to go 'gainst our will
But He just makes us willing to go.

Chorus
 
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setst777

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You are making false accusations:

Phoebe Ann writes:
John 1:13
Children of God are those who “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

My Response: You deliberately cut off part of the Passage showing that only those who believe will God give the right to be children of God, born of God...

John 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Galatians 3:26
26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.

Phoebe Ann writes:
1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

My Response: You falsified the quote. Here is 1 Peter 1:3...

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Unbelievable how you actually have to disfigure God's Holy Word to uphold your opinions - as if your opinions have more authority than God and His Word.

Phoebe Ann Responded:
You are making false accusations

My response:
I am glad this message is permanently on this board for all to see. You accuse me of false accusations. Yet, I just caught you two times in one post where:
  • you only quoted part of a Scripture that showed how one is born of God to uphold your biased view, and then ...
  • you re-wrote God's word in another Passage that says nothing about being born again.
And than when I point this out to you, you say I am making false accusations.

Well, I can see the character of the person I am dealing with here, and so can everyone else.
 
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setst777

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Those who believe, believe because they are His sheep.

Phoebe Ann wrote:

Those who believe, believe because they are His sheep.
John 10:22-25

My response:

I agree. But what are you implying?

Did not God promise to guide, teach and save the humble?

The Sheep are the humble. Christ Jesus was sent by the Father to preach to the Humble because they will listen and believe.

Psalm 25:9 (WEB)
9 He will guide the humble in justice.
He will teach the humble his way.

Lord Jesus taught much about the sheep as well as the goats. For instance, read Matthew 25:31-46

What does the word "sheep" refer to?
Answer: Those who are meek and humble.

What do the "goats" refer to?
Answer: Those who are stubborn and arrogant.

Who did Christ come to preach the Gospel to?
Answer: The humble.

Isaiah 61:1-2 (WEB) (Lord Jesus quoted this Passage and referred it to himself)
1 The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor. . .

So which ones will believe in and follow in Jesus - the sheep or the goats?

John 10:27 (WEB)
27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Those who are humble will listen to God and so believe. Those who believe receive the Spirit and regeneration:

John 7:38-39
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

Phoebe Ann wrote:
Romans 9:16
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Willing and running, or human efforts, are not essential to salvation. God's mercy is essential.
>>

My reply:
God is righteous in that He hardens in judgement those who repeatedly reject His grace. And God may use this hardening to fulfill another purpose, as God did with Pharaoh, or even with Elect Israel.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 (NIV) 10 They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.

Romans 1:28 (WEB)
28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting

Romans 1:21-25
21 Because, knowing God
, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

In like manner, God declares many times how Israel is rebellious toward him and hard-hearted and would not listen.

Ezekiel 3:7 (WEB)
7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you; for they will not listen to me: for all the house of Israel are obstinate and hard-hearted.

So God hardened the hearts of His Elect people in judgement.

God will show Mercy on whom he shows mercy...

Regarding salvation, God wills to show mercy on all...

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
32 For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

However, only those who repent and believe receive the mercy that God wills to give to the sinner (John 3:16).

Luke 18:13-14
13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Phoebe Ann wrote:
God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

My reply:
I agree. But HOW did God say he would save us?

John 10:9 (WEB)
9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

Romans 10:8-12 (WEB)
4 For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. ...
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart”; that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.

Phoebe Ann wrote:
He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

My response:
I agree that God saved us through rebirth by the Holy Spirit.
But HOW are we saved? Answer: By faith (John 3:16)
But HOW do we receive the Holy Spirit to give us the rebirth?

Answer: By faith... Let us go to the Scriptures to see if this is true...

John 7:37-39 (NIV) Bolding mine
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 4 (NIV) Bolding mine
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The rebirth is to be Born of God, a child of God - only by faith

John 1:12-13 (NIV)
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Galatians 3:26
26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
 
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bling

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This is not human will:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

Ye must be born again.

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

We are saved by grace (not humility) through faith (not humility).
Read my post 145

The father "caused" the prodigal son to be brought to his senses, but it was by providing the money to allow the son to get into a tragic situation.
 
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BNR32FAN

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Do humans possess desires? Can a person who desires his own will instead of God's be changed by God? If he can't be changed why was he made that way? Do you pray for unbelievers?

I believe God gives us the guidance we need thru the Holy Spirit which enables us to see the way to salvation but I don’t believe God forces anyone to walk the path of righteousness. If He was going to do that then there’s no point in us being in this world. He could’ve done that at creation and there would’ve never been a fall of man.
 
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BNR32FAN

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Does every person have the Holy Spirit from birth? Why would one person make the right decision and another the wrong decision?

Romans 3
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

My mother had six children. I'm the only one who has become a Christian. One has passed away.

View attachment 250008

Both saved and condemned alike still make the wrong decisions. Everyone still sins even after receiving the Holy Spirit. This is because the Holy Spirit does not control us He simply guides us by showing us the way.
 
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BNR32FAN

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Read my post 145

The father "caused" the prodigal son to be brought to his senses, but it was by providing the money to allow the son to get into a tragic situation.

What are your thoughts on the following passages?
Does every person have the Holy Spirit from birth? Why would one person make the right decision and another the wrong decision?

Romans 3
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

My mother had six children. I'm the only one who has become a Christian. One has passed away.

View attachment 250008

Also no one has the Holy Spirit from birth. No one is born a Christian.
 
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BNR32FAN

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This is not human will:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again.

Ye must be born again.

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

We are saved by grace (not humility) through faith (not humility).



Then why are there so many warnings to believers who are saved about refraining from sin and abiding in Christ that can result in loss of salvation if they are incapable of losing salvation? For example John 15 or Ephesians 5?
 
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I believe God gives us the guidance we need thru the Holy Spirit which enables us to see the way to salvation but I don’t believe God forces anyone to walk the path of righteousness.

Who inserted the word force? OTOH, is force wrong? Would we not force a loved one to not have the means to commit suicide?

If He was going to do that then there’s no point in us being in this world. He could’ve done that at creation and there would’ve never been a fall of man.

Do humans have God's wisdom and knowledge?

Isiah 55
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

If no one has the ability to seek God, should God say, "So what!"

Romans 3
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Jeremiah 17
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
 
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