I feel like the more I've been reading scripture lately, the more I've been finding contradictions.
John 1:12
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Now, correct me if I'm wrong. To recieve something or someone implies that a decision is made to accept that person or thing, right? To accept or reject anything necessitates free will, does it not?
John 1:13
...children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God
This very next verse states the opposite of previous in that it denies a decision of receptation was made by a person and inserts God's Sovereignty. How does this work? Does He allow us to accept His terms or does He override and make the decision for us?
It even says we are not born of a husband's will, but God is supposed to be our husband and it is His will that we be saved, for if it is not, then whose will could it possibly be?
Can anyone smarter than me explain this?
John 1:12-13 says:
12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
God opened the heart of Lydia to hear the words of God spoken by the apostle Paul.
Acts of the Apostles 16:14 says:
“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”
The Spirit (God) reproves (convicts) men of their sin so as to seek forgiveness with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13) and to believe the saving gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and to receive Christ as one’s Savior (John 1:12).
John 16:8-9 says:
8 ”And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;”
God is always one step ahead of us.
God convicts the world of sin, and Christ draws all men to Him, and He illuminates His Word for us to understand it (without which we cannot do so without His intervention), and then God sets the free will choice in front of us to either accept the gospel, or reject it (etcetera).
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
God knew from the beginning who would be saved.
Every baby who dies is saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
This is why all babies are saved and are of the kingdom (Except for those who will worship the beast in the future - See: Revelation 13:8, and Revelation 17:8). When a baby grows up and they learn of sin, and they break God’s laws, they are separated from the LORD, and they need to be born again spiritually to enter the Kingdom. When one is born again, it does not end there.
We are told:
“...We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” (
Hebrews 3:13-14).
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (
Jude 1:21).
"...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (
Revelation 2:10).
We are told to:
- Continue in the grace of God (Acts of the Apostles 13:43).
- Continue in the faith (Acts of the Apostles 14:22) (Colossians 1:23).
- Continue in his goodness, otherwise we can be cut off (just like the Jews were cut off) (Romans 11:21-22).
2 Thessalonians 2:10 says:
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
So those who perish are perishing because they RECEIVED NOT the love of the truth that
they MIGHT be saved.
There is no might be saved in Calvinism and yet that is exactly what my Bible (the KJB) says.
2 Thessalonians 1:8 says:
”In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”
There are two conditions here:
#1. We have to know God and
#2. We should be obeying the gospel.
I see obeying the gospel as believing the message in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
This is confirmed in Romans 10:16 that says that they have not all obeyed the gospel (Which then ties it into the next step in being saved by God’s grace in calling upon the name of the Lord for salvation - See: Romans 10:14). Believers need to receive and stand upon this truth in that Jesus died for our sins, He was buried, and risen the third day for their salvation. But that’s not are only instructions from God to believe in and do by faith.
To know God is found in 1 John 2:3-4, and 1 John 4:6-7.
1 John 2:3-4
3 ”And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
1 John 4:6-7
7 ”Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
Many love to boast in only in being saved by God’s grace, but they don’t realize that there is another aspect of salvation that God calls us to. God has chosen us to salvation through the Sanctification of the Spirit and a belief of the truth - which is a call of the gospel (Please read now: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Also, the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel - in that: “The Just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). This is not only a belief on the gospel message for salvation, but this is also the context that says: “The just shall lived by faith” as also mentioned at the end of Hebrews 10 (i.e. Hebrews 10:38); Yet, the very next chapter (Hebrews 11) is an example of how we are to live by faith. BY FAITH: Noah prepared an ark to the saving of his household. BY FAITH: Abraham offered Isaac upon the altar. So faith may start off as a belief alone, but it does not remain that way. Faith continues and it believes all of what our LORD said and commanded of us. It is to deny ourselves, to pick up our cross, and to follow Jesus (See: Matthew 16:24). This is all living out the faith (Which is a part of the righteousness revealed in the gospel and not that it is the gospel). God’s grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and that we should live righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-12). For without holiness, no man shall see the LORD (Hebrews 12:14).
