Originally Posted by brinny
Interesting question.....Before answering, mind if i ask you a question?
Is there anything written in His Word that would indicate that God IS pleased with the unregenerate?
Thank you kindly.
Originally Posted by Hammster
I don't believe so.
would you care to elaborate?
There are difficult verses in the scripture, because the truth of God is not as simple as we like to make it. The requirements of God and the grace of God are simple enough for most anyone to understand, but that does not mean there is anything easy or simple in what God did.
God has stated in His word that he is angry with the wicked, (
Psalms 7:11) or did something to certain wicked people that our theology may not wish to include. God said he hated Esau, Jacob's twin brother, before he was born. (
Romans 9:13) God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and showed more clearly His own power in doing this. Also, He proved His long-suffering, in that He refrained from killing Pharaoh during the conflict over letting the Jewish people go out of Egypt. (
Romans 9:22-23) God further states that whom He will, He hardens!
God sent a lying spirit to the prophets so they might convince King Ahab to go out against the enemy, expecting victory. This was so Ahab would be killed for his wickedness. (
I Kings 22, II Chronicles 18)
Romans 8
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
God stated that He shows mercy to whom He will. (Exodus 33:19, Romans 9:18) This is ALL in the providence of God. If God does not draw us by His Holy Spirit, we cannot come to Him, (John 6:44) because we are running the opposite way.
Ezekiel 20
21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
We love the wrong things and hate the things we should love. God is NOT pleased with us when we do that. We have no option till God regenerates us, and makes us capable of doing what He requires.
There have been many good
Sermons and Books on this subject, and many of the best from over the last few hundred years are available
here online.
These men knew the truth of what I am trying to tell you. Some were imprisoned for standing on these clear truths of the scripture. Some of the best people who ever walked this Earth were killed for their faith in Christ and testimony for Him. All of that was to bring God's holy truth to you, and others like you!
