He who began a good work

[Ignatius21]

Let's have a look at these verses from John 15, and you tell me if man has no part in it, and if he does, then let's see if God does His part. I am going to put man's part in red, and God's part in blue.


So I ask, how do you contend this is not talking about man doing his part, and then God doing His part? (Matthew 13:14)

I'm curious about your language here. Few questions...

1. Do "God's part" and "Man's part" add up to a whole? Obviously we can't assign actual values or percentages to it, but in principle would you agree with something like I once heard Billy Graham say, "God does 99%, but man needs to still do that 1%"

2. If you agree with the above, would you say that Man's part is like 1%? 5%? 50%? 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001%?

3. "Then." Is there a relationship in time? Man does his part, then God responds by doing his part?

 

[elman]

I'm curious about your language here. Few questions...

1. Do "God's part" and "Man's part" add up to a whole? Obviously we can't assign actual values or percentages to it, but in principle would you agree with something like I once heard Billy Graham say, "God does 99%, but man needs to still do that 1%"

2. If you agree with the above, would you say that Man's part is like 1%? 5%? 50%? 0.000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001%?

3. "Then." Is there a relationship in time? Man does his part, then God responds by doing his part?

God does not gift the wicked with eternal life. God decides if we have done our part, but the point is, we have a part to play in receiving the gift of eternal life.

 

[Ignatius21]

God does not gift the wicked with eternal life. God decides if we have done our part, but the point is, we have a part to play in receiving the gift of eternal life.

You're 0-for-3

Could you answer my actual questions?

 

[elman]

You're 0-for-3

Could you answer my actual questions?

No I cannot answer your question about percentages. No one can. I do believe our receiving eternal life is based not just on grace and not just on our obedience to the command to love. I do not think God will gift the wicked and disobedient with eternal life--the fact that we all fall short does not result in our all being equally wicked. I do believe God responds to our repentance--to our turning from being unloving to being loving. That is why the wicked die and do not live, but if they turn to righteousness they will live and not die. Ezekiel 18.