On his own, man is totally unable to believe in the gospel

BCsenior

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Man is …
• a spiritual idiot …
just consider the historical variety of religions, cults, sects, etc.

• spiritually blind and deaf …
Matthew 13:13-15, John 12:39-40,
Ephesians 4:18

• unable to understand the things of God
(they are foolishness to him) …
1 Corinthians 2:14

• sees the gospel as utter foolishness …
1 Corinthians 1:18

• unable to believe the truth of the gospel
because it is veiled …
2 Corinthians 3:14-16, 2 Corinthians 4:3


Man is …

• blinded by Satan …
Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

• controlled (ruled) by Satan …
John 12:31, 1 John 5:19, Acts 26:18,
Ephesians 2:2

• deceived by Satan …
Revelation 12:9, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:14

• a captive of Satan (unto death) …
Hebrews 2:14-15, Luke 4:18, 2 Timothy 2:26, Ephesians 4:8


Man is …

• unable to be saved by his own desire or works …
Romans 9:16, Ephesians 2:8-9

• only able to be saved by the grace and
mercy of God …
Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:4-7

• not allowed to choose; God chooses only whomever He pleases …
Romans 9:9-24


Man is …

• born with an inherited sin nature …
requires a separate thread to list the many verses!

• spiritually dead in his sins …
Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13, Romans 4:17, 1 Corinthians 1:9-10, 1 Peter 4:6, Revelation 3:1

• a captive to the law of sin and death …
Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6

• a slave of sin …
John 8:34, Romans 6:12-22, Galatians 4:7

• an enemy of God … Romans 8:7
 
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Pethesedzao

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Man is …
• a spiritual idiot …
just consider the historical variety of religions, cults, sects, etc.
• spiritually blind and deaf …
Matthew 13:13-15, John 12:39-40, Ephesians 4:18
• unable to understand the things of God
(they are foolishness to him) …
1 Corinthians 2:14
• sees the gospel as utter foolishness …
1 Corinthians 1:18
• unable to believe the truth of the gospel
because it is veiled …
2 Corinthians 3:14-16, 2 Corinthians 4:3

Man is …
• blinded by Satan …
Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
• controlled (ruled) by Satan …
John 12:31, 1 John 5:19, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 2:2
• deceived by Satan …
Revelation 12:9, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:14
• a captive of Satan (unto death) …
Hebrews 2:14-15, Luke 4:18, 2 Timothy 2:26, Ephesians 4:8

Man is …
• unable to be saved by his own desire or works …
Romans 9:16, Ephesians 2:8-9
• only able to be saved by the grace and mercy of God …
Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:4-7
• not allowed to choose; God chooses only whomever He pleases …
Romans 9:9-24

Man is …
• born with an inherited sin nature …
requires a separate thread to list the many verses!
• spiritually dead in his sins …
Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13, Romans 4:17, 1 Corinthians 1:9-10, 1 Peter 4:6, Revelaton 3:1
• a captive to the law of sin and death …
Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6
• a slave of sin …
John 8:34, Romans 6:12-22, Galatians 4:7
• an enemy of God … Romans 8:7
In sin did my mother conceive me...
 
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ilovejcsog

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"not allowed to choose; God chooses only whomever He pleases …
Romans 9:9-24"
Why bother trying then?

There are rules we are supposed to live by in the word. Why follow any of them if we have no say so in our outcome? Why are there things we should live by in the bible if they aren't for the sinner?
WHO ARE THEY FOR?
 
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BCsenior

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I DISAGREE.
Don't you understand that all spiritual Truth of any
depth at all must be revealed to a person by God?

For example ... 1 Corinthians 2:14
"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

"Spiritually discerned" means revealed through the Spirit
to man's spirit (man).

Multitudes of different religions, cults, sects, etc.,
which have vastly different spiritual beliefs,
just proves that man cannot find spiritual Truth
through his own thinking, methods, etc.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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Don't you understand that all spiritual Truth of any
depth at all must be revealed to a person by God?

For example ... 1 Corinthians 2:14
"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

"Spiritually discerned" means revealed through the Spirit
to man's spirit (man).

Multitudes of different religions, cults, sects, etc.,
which have vastly different spiritual beliefs,
just proves that man cannot find spiritual Truth
through his own thinking, methods, etc.
I do understand. I just don't believe we are so pathetic that God created man and it was a mistake. I am not a Calvinist. Your OP sounds like TULIP.
Blessings
 
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BCsenior

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I just don't believe we are so pathetic that God created man and it was a mistake. I am not a Calvinist. Your OP sounds like TULIP.
Aaaaah, you don't believe in the fall of man in Genesis.
Do you think David was crazy when he said,
"In sin my mother conceived me ...", etc. etc.

Our sinful nature disastrous condition

was why the Word came to earth,
and became a man, our Savior!, etc. etc.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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Do you think David was crazy when he said,
"In sin my mother conceived me
We do not know what David means by this statement. There are however some clues to his insecurity which includes this statement that he never felt part of the family. There is more detail in the Talmud if that is any help. I do know it has nothing to do with the first sin by Adam.
 
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BCsenior

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We do not know what David means by this statement ... I do know it has nothing to do with the first sin by Adam.
The whole entire NT is about the Word (God)
coming from heaven to free us from our sins,
i.e. to make it so we could be free from
being slaves from sin, having to sin, etc.

because of our inherited sinful nature.
Jesus came to teach us a great many things,
but IMO, the blue is the #1 reason why He came!
Because no one gets into heaven who has not
overcome his sin nature, i.e. his sins.
"... without holiness no one will see the Lord"
(Hebrews 12:14)
.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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The whole entire NT is about the Word (God)
coming from heaven to free us from our sins,
i.e. to make it so we could be free from
being slaves from sin, having to sin, etc.

because of our inherited sinful nature.
Jesus came to teach us a great many things,
but IMO, the blue is the #1 reason why He came!
Because no one gets into heaven who has not
overcome his sin nature, i.e. his sins.
"... without holiness no one will see the Lord"
(Hebrews 12:14)
.
I am not going to get pulled into Calvinism. I understand we are sinners, I understand Jesus came to pay for our sins and I understand it is up to us to accept His payment for our sins by believing in Him. Anymore than that, is man made doctrine.
 
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BCsenior

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I just don't believe we are so pathetic that God created man and it was a mistake.
Well, we are so pathetic!
Yes, God created man.
Was it a mistake? ... You tell us.
Genesis 6:5-7
"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air,
for I am sorry that I have made them.”
 
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FreeGrace2

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ilovejcsog said:
Om his own, what do you mean by that?
With his own efforts it is absolutely impossible.
God must intervene with a seed of faith, or ...?
Or what?

God DID intervene. He sent His Son to pay the sin penalty for everyone. So the choice is up to man. Either believe and accept the free gift of eternal life, or not.

btw, believing in Christ takes no effort at all. Unless you consider thought to be effort.

Jesus said His yoke was easy and burden was light. So let's not twist Scripture and claim that man is unable to believe the gospel.

Only those who haven't developed normal intellectual ability and cannot comprehend anything abstract are those who cannot believe the gospel.

But they will go to heaven anyway because Christ died for all. He left no one out.

If you want to go down the TULIP road, I'm more than ready to show that the 'lilt' is off the tulip.
 
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BCsenior

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I am not going to get pulled into Calvinism. I understand we are sinners, I understand Jesus came to pay for our sins and I understand it is up to us to accept His payment for our sins by believing in Him. Anymore than that, is man made doctrine.
How about getting pulled into the dozens of NT warnings
about habitual (unrepentant) sinning?
Believing in Jesus is like entering kindergarden.
Going beyond this basic step is desperately required!
 
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Maria Billingsley

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How about getting pulled into the dozens of NT warnings
about habitual (unrepentant) sinning?
Believing in Jesus is like entering kindergarden.
Going beyond this basic step is desperately required!
I do my best not to make a habit of sinning.
Blessings
 
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FreeGrace2

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Maria Billingsley said:
I am not going to get pulled into Calvinism. I understand we are sinners, I understand Jesus came to pay for our sins and I understand it is up to us to accept His payment for our sins by believing in Him. Anymore than that, is man made doctrine.
How about getting pulled into the dozens of NT warnings
about habitual (unrepentant) sinning?
How about them? What do the warnings warn of?

Believing in Jesus is like entering kindergarden.
I wouldn't equate the kingdom of heaven to kindergarten.

Going beyond this basic step is desperately required!
Of course every believer is commanded to grow up spiritually.

Would you care to share the steps to this growth? How it's accomplished?

Thanks.
 
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Butch5

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Man is …
• a spiritual idiot …
just consider the historical variety of religions, cults, sects, etc.
• spiritually blind and deaf …
Matthew 13:13-15, John 12:39-40, Ephesians 4:18
• unable to understand the things of God
(they are foolishness to him) …
1 Corinthians 2:14
• sees the gospel as utter foolishness …
1 Corinthians 1:18
• unable to believe the truth of the gospel
because it is veiled …
2 Corinthians 3:14-16, 2 Corinthians 4:3

Man is …
• blinded by Satan …
Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
• controlled (ruled) by Satan …
John 12:31, 1 John 5:19, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 2:2
• deceived by Satan …
Revelation 12:9, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:14
• a captive of Satan (unto death) …
Hebrews 2:14-15, Luke 4:18, 2 Timothy 2:26, Ephesians 4:8

Man is …
• unable to be saved by his own desire or works …
Romans 9:16, Ephesians 2:8-9
• only able to be saved by the grace and
mercy of God …
Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:4-7
• not allowed to choose; God chooses only whomever He pleases …
Romans 9:9-24

Man is …
• born with an inherited sin nature …
requires a separate thread to list the many verses!
• spiritually dead in his sins …
Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13, Romans 4:17, 1 Corinthians 1:9-10, 1 Peter 4:6, Revelation 3:1
• a captive to the law of sin and death …
Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6
• a slave of sin …
John 8:34, Romans 6:12-22, Galatians 4:7
• an enemy of God … Romans 8:7

It's a moot point since Christ gives some level of understanding to everyone.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
(Jn. 1:7-9 KJV)

That all might believe because Christ gives light to every man coming into the world.
 
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Butch5

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Man is …
• a spiritual idiot …
just consider the historical variety of religions, cults, sects, etc.
• spiritually blind and deaf …
Matthew 13:13-15, John 12:39-40, Ephesians 4:18
• unable to understand the things of God
(they are foolishness to him) …
1 Corinthians 2:14
• sees the gospel as utter foolishness …
1 Corinthians 1:18
• unable to believe the truth of the gospel
because it is veiled …
2 Corinthians 3:14-16, 2 Corinthians 4:3

Man is …
• blinded by Satan …
Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
• controlled (ruled) by Satan …
John 12:31, 1 John 5:19, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 2:2
• deceived by Satan …
Revelation 12:9, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:14
• a captive of Satan (unto death) …
Hebrews 2:14-15, Luke 4:18, 2 Timothy 2:26, Ephesians 4:8

Man is …
• unable to be saved by his own desire or works …
Romans 9:16, Ephesians 2:8-9
• only able to be saved by the grace and
mercy of God …
Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:4-7
• not allowed to choose; God chooses only whomever He pleases …
Romans 9:9-24

Man is …
• born with an inherited sin nature …
requires a separate thread to list the many verses!
• spiritually dead in his sins …
Ephesians 2:1-5, Colossians 2:13, Romans 4:17, 1 Corinthians 1:9-10, 1 Peter 4:6, Revelation 3:1
• a captive to the law of sin and death …
Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6
• a slave of sin …
John 8:34, Romans 6:12-22, Galatians 4:7
• an enemy of God … Romans 8:7

This is a great example of the dangers of proof-texting. Context please!
 
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bling

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With his own efforts it is absolutely impossible.
God must intervene with a seed of faith, or ...?
There are warnings against putting our "faith"/trust in idols so all mature adults have the gift of "faith", but must direct that faith toward God. I agree man needs God's help to believe the gospel, but he has to be willing to accept God's help extended to him. The unbelieving sinner has the faith needed to accept God's help (charity/grace/mercy/forgiveness), but most don't want to humbly accept charity.
 
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