Well yes, God had to give His chosen first dibs. Now there are no chosen in spite of what the US sees itself as.So you do agree that it was only until at least mid Acts, after Stephen was stoned, that things have changed.
Alright then we are in agreement.
Well yes, God had to give His chosen first dibs. Now there are no chosen in spite of what the US sees itself as.
Well there won't be one for Jews and another for the gentiles including the other 10 tribes of the House of Israel (they were considered gentile also).So you believe that the same physical kingdom of God, for example as stated in Luke 1:68-75, is now being offered to gentiles too?
When you preach to unbelievers, do you still tell them to "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand"? (Matthew 3:2,Matthew 4:17,Mark 1:15)?
Well there won't be one for Jews and another for the gentiles including the other 10 tribes of the House of Israel (they were considered gentile also).
Repentance is simply rejecting the self serving ways of man for instead the ways of God.
Why not? Each deserves a chance to decide what they will find more worthy to follow, the ways of man or the ways of God.But do you preach to unbelievers now that the kingdom of heaven is at hand for them?
That is my question.
It's very easy to ask anyone what it is that they don't like about the world and then ask why. Guaranteed it always falls into the same self serving ways about us that God's not keen on either. Then presenting the counter-culture of the Kingdom compared to the culture of man is a snap. Many are surprised to find they were in line with the Kingdom all along but thought it involved a religion.Okay, assuming you really do tell unbelievers that, at least you are being consistent.
And how does any of that deny what I have said?What does the Spirit will to do?
The will of the Spirit is to indwell and give life to those who believe:
John 7:38-39 (WEB) 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive.
By faith, we pass from spiritual death to life
John 5:24 (WEB) 24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Did he say they become unbelievers? Not to defend Stanley, but it sounds like something taken out of context.---Stanley speaks of believers who become unbelievers.
I'm not sure where you draw this line. To me, God will CAUSE to happen everything that does happen, but he does much of this through the decisions of Creatures. Furthermore, experience and Scripture both show he is tender and kind, more gentle than we are --yet we can be sure he will indeed accomplish all he set out to do.The point of my quoting Romans 6:10-14 (written to believers) is to show that the Lord instructs believers to take certain actions in order to effect the desired change (i.e. becoming instruments of righteousness). Hopefully this is obvious: God is not a forcer and He will not do for us what he has instructed us to do.
And how does any of that deny what I have said?
So when he said that the Spirit does what it will, quite independently of anyone's putting it into obligation, and when he said "Ye must be born again" (not, 'you need to gin up some worthy faith so that you can become born again') He was just talking to the wind?
BTW the well of water springing up to eternal life doesn't say 'well of water causing eternal life', but I don't even need to go there --Again: HOW does one get this water? God gives it to those to whom he chooses to show mercy.
What does the Scripture say? The water (the Spirit) is given to those who "drink" or "believe." Lord Jesus could not have made it any more plain to understand.
John 7:38-39 (WEB) 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive.
By faith, we pass from spiritual death to life
John 5:24 (WEB) 24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
What does the Spirit will to do?
The will of the Spirit is to indwell and give life to those who believe:
John 7:38-39 (WEB) 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive.
By faith, we pass from spiritual death to life
John 5:24 (WEB) 24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
And how does any of that deny what I have said?
So when he said that the Spirit does what it will, quite independently of anyone's putting it into obligation, and when he said "Ye must be born again" (not, 'you need to gin up some worthy faith so that you can become born again') He was just talking to the wind?
BTW the well of water springing up to eternal life doesn't say 'well of water causing eternal life', but I don't even need to go there --Again: HOW does one get this water? God gives it to those to whom he chooses to show mercy.
Wrong. That is not what I said. The Spirit indwelling you is the very cause of your faith. Thus, it is the cause of your belief, the cause of your repentance, the cause of your obedience, all the work of God. You do indeed believe, receive, repent, obey etc. But it is the work of God, begun with regeneration by the Spirit --not genuine salvific belief accomplished by the dead in sin.I also learned from you that you do not believe the Spirit indwelling you by faith is the cause of eternal life:
It can be accepted but lost
Then the parable of the sower lied.
Oh right. Nothing applies to us that Jesus said. He wasn't our Messiah. Forgot.Jesus was not addressing us, He called Paul to do so and gave him his "my gospel". We are under the dispensation of the grace of God. They were under the law. Big difference.
Nowhere is this ever stated in Scripture. Never is the phrase "initial salvation" or "final salvation" ever used in the New Testament. This unbiblical language is merely a cover for works-salvation which the Bible flatly and repeatedly rejects. (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5)
Wrong. That is not what I said. The Spirit indwelling you is the very cause of your faith. Thus, it is the cause of your belief, the cause of your repentance, the cause of your obedience, all the work of God. You do indeed believe, receive, repent, obey etc. But it is the work of God, begun with regeneration by the Spirit --not genuine salvific belief accomplished by the dead in sin.
Wrong. That is not what I said. The Spirit indwelling you is the very cause of your faith.
Jesus was not addressing us, He called Paul to do so and gave him his "my gospel". We are under the dispensation of the grace of God. They were under the law. Big difference.
It’s not a gotcha question. It’s a biblical question, and there’s an answer.When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, he promised the remission of sins and gift of the Holy Spirit (this arguably requires regeneration) to those who repent and are baptized (in verse 38). Verse 39 says that that offer extends to today. Were those taking up the offer in the spirit or in the flesh at the time? I don't need to know - its just a gotcha question.
Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them
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