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setst RE: Them? I look to the Scriptures to find the truth. If you also look to the Scripture, then you will have to show us the Scriptures that convinced you the Calvinism was true, and then be willing to discuss them.
setst RE: You were drawn by the Gospel and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Most people that are drawn by the Gospel and the Spirit will resist, and so will not be drawn to Christ. But those that do not resist are the ones actually drawn to Christ.
For example:
Lord Jesus promised that, after he was glorified, He would draw all people to himself.
John 12:32 (WEB)
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
But many resist the Spirit...
Many have and will grieve and resist the Spirit and Word and its enlightening, convicting and drawing work, and be lost.
Acts 7 (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.
Psalm 106:32 (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.
Ephesians 4:30-31 (WEB) Bolding mine… 30 Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.
Hebrews 10:29 (WEB) Bolding mine… 29 How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Therefore, although the Spirit draws all people to Christ through the Gospel,
- Not everyone drawn will believe because they resist.
- Also, those who believe, those who have the Spirit, can so grieve and insult the Spirit of grace so as to lose their salvation.
‘You must remain in Christ (the Vine) to be eternally saved.’
‘You must remain faithful to remain in the Holy Olive Root to remain saved or you will be cut off’ (See: Romans 11).
Even when the believer has the Spirit living in them by faith, they still are responsible to live by that Spirit to receive Life....
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.
Galatians 6:8-9 (WEB)
8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let US not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest IF WE do not give up.
Who are the ones that God gives to the Son?… What do the Scriptures say?
Answer: God gives to the Son those who listen to God – taught by God.
John 6:44-45 (WEB) Bolding mine… 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.
Who are those who will listen to and be taught by God to Christ?
The Scriptures teach that God foreknew the humble will listen to God, and so will be the ones drawn by the Spirit and Word to Christ. Those who humble themselves are the ones that God elects to save and to give to the son. Those God foreknew, God also predestined for salvation.
Psalm 25 (WEB) 9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
Those who humble themselves are the ones that God elects to save and to give to the son. Those God foreknew, God also predestined for salvation.
Psalm 18 (WEB)
27 For you will save the humble
God promised the humble, in many prophecies, that He would bring them justice and save the humble.
Psalm 18 (WEB)
27 For you will save the humble, but the haughty eyes you will bring down.
God is keeping His promise to all those who humble themselves.
Lord Jesus was sent by the Father to preach the Gospel to the humble and poor in Spirit to fulfill God's promise to them - and they will listen...
Isaiah 61:1-2 (WEB)
(Jesus applied this prophecy 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, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn
All through the Scriptures we are taught that God favors the humble, but He resists the proud.
The Gospel was designed to draw only the simple and humble of this world to Christ - for God has mercy on the humble.
Luke 10 (WEB) 21 In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”
Evidently, at some point in your life you felt the burden of your sins, you became empty inside and humbled. You were ready to listen to the Gospel and you did not resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit. So, your mind was opened by the Spirit to receive the Gospel. But this has nothing to do the Calvinism. You came to believe in Jesus by hearing the Gospel message along with the conviction of the Spirit.
setst RE: After you repented and put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, only then did the Spirit come to dwell in you to change you - the Spirit working through your faith.
By faith you received His Spirit: Acts 2:38; Acts 5:32; Galatians 3:2; Ephesians 1:13-14; John 7:37-39; John 14:15-17; John 14:23
By faith you were regenerated by the Holy Spirit: John 7:37-39
By faith you were born of God: John 1:12-13; Galatians 3:26
setst RE: A living faith in Christ Jesus necessarily is an obedient faith to your Lord Jesus - to daily take up your cross and follow him. In fact, the Great Commission that Lord Jesus commanded of us - the Gospel includes obedience...
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
An obedient faith is your responsibility.
YOU are responsible to:
• to put to death the misdeeds of the body to live: Romnas 8:12-13
• offer ourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness, and results in Eternal Life: Romans 6:18-19
• to live by and walk by the Spirit we receive so we won't fulfill the lusts of the flesh: Galatians 5:16
• to sow to the Spirit to reap eternal life: Galatians 6:8-9
• to live by the Spirit to fulfill the requirements of the whole law: Romans 8:3-4
• to take off the old self and to put on new self: Ephesians 4:24-25; Col 3:9-10
• to abstain from reaping to the flesh so we may enter the Kingdom of God: 1 Corinthians 6:7-10; Ephesians 5:1-6
• to live as slaves to God by which we reap holiness leading to eternal life: Romans 6:22 . .
Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV)
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, IF indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
God delights in our obedient faith and required this faith of you to be saved, We only receive the Holy Spirit, and are saved, by an obedient faith.
The Spirit will not believe for you
The Spirit will not remain faithful for you
The Scripture instruction makes clear that the responsibility is on the born again Christian to live by the Spirit, not that the Spirit does the work for you:
Your living faith must necessarily lead to obedience if that faith is truly genuine...
Romans 1:5 (NIV)
5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.
Romans 6:16 (NIV)
16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Romans 16:25-27 (NIV)
25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Hebrews 5:8-10 (NIV)
8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
John 14:21 (NIV)
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
John 14:23 (NIV)
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
1 John 2:4 (NIV)
4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
Romans 6:22
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
The Spirit is only received by obeying Christ Jesus (an obedient faith)...
Acts 5 (WEB) 32 We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.
John 14:15-17 (NIV)
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.
James 1:12-15
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Blessings
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