Is God able to change a person's will?

[Rescued One]

1 John 2:19 is in reference to antichrists which are people who deny that Jesus is God and spread lies about both Jesus and The Father. Not everyone who falls from grace fit into this category. You seem to post a lot of scriptures out of context. Notice John 15:1-10 Jesus warns His faithful 11 apostles to abide/remain in Him. According to John 6:64 Jesus knew without a doubt that they were believers yet He still felt it was necessary to give them this warning in His final messages to them before being taken to be crucified. According to the doctrine of eternal security Jesus was warning them about doing something that they are incapable of doing.

You say when God warns true believers He does it for their sanctification. If they are chosen by God and predestined for salvation the warning is irrelevant.

No it isn't. Only believers believe His words. Only believers want to be sanctified. Believers believe the words of the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Don't think God only instructs Timothy who knew the scriptures from childhood. God uses His word as a light unto our path. Anyone can walk away from God. A new creature doesn't desire to do so.

Jesus telling someone to abide in Him when that person is incapable of failing to abide is a pointless and useless message. Just like Paul in Ephesians 5 warning the Ephesians about becoming sons of disobedience and receiving God’s wrath who were saved children of God according to Ephesians 2. These are both indications that children of God can once again become sons of disobedience. Romans 11 the branches that are grafted into the vine can be cut off and grafted back in again.

Christ doesn't offer temporary freedom to follow Him. When we are adopted into God's family, He isn't going to disown us.

Jude 24
"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy."

God's power keeps us from falling.

Ephesians 2
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

All Christians were children of disobedience, but now we are children of light.

 

[Rescued One]

Being justified is just the beginning. That just means you have been made right with God. It doesn’t mean you can’t be made wrong with Him again. You forgot to mention that we must abide and endure to the end to be saved.

We do abide and endure, because God saved us!

Philippians 2
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

John 17
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

John 6
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

That's plenty for now. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[Rescued One]

What is the reason for judgement? What are we being judged for? Are we being judged for not being chosen by God? Because according to Calvin unless we are chosen by God we are incapable of being born again.

Why are you asking, "Why are we being judged?" We aren't. The ones being judged are those who follow Satan.

John 5
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Romans 8
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

[Rescued One]

I chose the word “force” because if we do not believe and obey of our own free will then it is against our will.

God has to change our will. Remember no one is born righteous, no one seeks God. And no one is saved against his will.

What Paul is teaching is that no one can be saved by obedience to the law because all have fallen short of keeping it. What did Paul and Silas say to the jailer when he asked what he must do to be saved? If Calvinism is true then their answer should’ve been “you can do nothing, if God has chosen you then you will be saved no matter what you want or what you do, if He hasn’t chosen you then there’s nothing you can do to be saved.” Did the jailer not seek God?

Who said anything about Calvin? Let's concentrate on God's word.

1. God chooses whom He will save. He saves us because we can't save ourselves.

He quickens us when we are dead in sins. If He doesn't quicken us, we remain dead and cannot please Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him.

If He doesn't quicken you, who will do it? No one! I don't have power to quicken anyone nor do you. Sinners don't quicken themselves and God doesn't need our permission to perform His own will.

2. We share the gospel (a seed), another waters it, God makes it grow. We can plant a million seeds, but growth is in God's power not ours.

Actions are determined by Who guides the person's heart. Those actions will be good or bad.

One person follows Jesus, another Satan.

2 Corithians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

The Christian's deeds are done for the glory of God and the Christian's name is in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.

 

[BNR32FAN]

If you have faith it isn't because of something righteous you have done. It is because God gave you faith.

Everyone is incapable of being born again by their own efforts; they are under the control of Satan and unworthy of the new birth.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

John 3
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Who changed the Apostle Paul? He didn't. He persecuted Jesus!

Acts 26
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

1 John 5
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Do you deserve salvation? I don't. Neither did Paul.

Romans 9 God was patient with the vessels for destruction but they constantly rebelled against Him despite His calling and warnings.

Romans 9:22

22 And if God, willing to shew the wrath and to make known His power, did endure, in much long suffering, vessels of wrath fitted for destruction,

Paul was a God fearing man and thought he was doing what God had commanded the Israelites but persecuting people he thought were idolaters. So when he was corrected by God yes he submitted to God’s will because he was a servant of God the whole time. Pharaoh didn’t submit to God’s commandment did he? And as a result he was severely punished.

No one deserves salvation so I’m not sure what your point is here.

 

[BNR32FAN]

Why are you asking, "Why are we being judged?" We aren't. The ones being judged are those who follow Satan.

John 5
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Romans 8
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Ok let me rephrase why are the condemned being judged when according to Calvinism they are incapable of turning to God if they have not been chosen by God? According to Calvinism it is God who is responsible for their rebellion because God never gave them the ability to repent.

 

[BNR32FAN]

God has to change our will. Remember no one is born righteous, no one seeks God. And no one is saved against his will.



Who said anything about Calvin? Let's concentrate on God's word.

1. God chooses whom He will save. He saves us because we can't save ourselves.

He quickens us when we are dead in sins. If He doesn't quicken us, we remain dead and cannot please Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him.

If He doesn't quicken you, who will do it? No one! I don't have power to quicken anyone nor do you. Sinners don't quicken themselves and God doesn't need our permission to perform His own will.

2. We share the gospel (a seed), another waters it, God makes it grow. We can plant a million seeds, but growth is in God's power not ours.

Actions are determined by Who guides the person's heart. Those actions will be good or bad.

One person follows Jesus, another Satan.

2 Corithians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

The Christian's deeds are done for the glory of God and the Christian's name is in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.

I already explained Ecclesiastes 7

“Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you. For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others. I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me. What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it? I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her. "Behold, I have discovered this," says the Preacher, " adding one thing to another to find an explanation, which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these. Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:20-29‬ ‭NASB‬‬

No one continuously is seeking God all fall short of righteousness. That’s the point of the quote. It doesn’t literally mean no one is seeking God. It means there was a time when they weren’t seeking God which makes them unrighteous.

You say...
“He quickens us when we are dead in sins. If He doesn't quicken us, we remain dead and cannot please Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

This is because of our sinful nature to which God knows that we are incapable of overcoming without His guidance. Which leads back to my question who is responsible for those who are condemned if they are incapable of repenting? That’s like God saying whoever walks across this line will receive salvation and over half of the people He created don’t have arms or legs. Then God warns everyone whoever doesn’t walk across this line will be thrown into the lake of fire to burn for all eternity. It’s completely ridiculous, it doesn’t make any sense at all, and I can’t believe people actually believe this. God loves the world, God sent His Son so the world can be saved, God wants everyone to repent and be saved and yet He doesn’t give them the ability to repent? Rubbish.

 

[worshipjunkie]

If you have faith it isn't because of something righteous you have done. It is because God gave you faith.

Everyone is incapable of being born again by their own efforts; they are under the control of Satan and unworthy of the new birth.

I don't understand why you have this notion that accepting a freely given gift of God implies a "righteous work" or some sort of merit on our part. Recognizing our total lost-ness without God is not a good work. It's an acknowledgement of reality; and one which God gives every person the capacity to have. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)" The Holy Spirit comes to convict us of our lost condition. Convicting the already saved that they're lost is illogical.

Of course God is the one who causes us to be born again. Of course it is He who justifies us. Our part is to acknowledge that we need this. We do not cure our blindness, but we are all given the ability to see that we are blind. "Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. (John 9:41)."

Who changed the Apostle Paul? He didn't. He persecuted Jesus!

If the people of Jesus' day could reject Him in the light of a man raised from the dead, Paul could have rejected Christ in this vision. The verse right after the ones you quoted said "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19)- which means he could have been disobedient or it's a pointless statement.

" let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:20)". Pointless if the sinner can't turn and if the person is going to be saved no matter what.

It is too long to post here, but Ezekiel 33 really addresses this issue. "10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’ 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezekiel 33:10-11)."

Israel is saying what you're saying "If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, how can we be saved?". And God responds that He wants the wicked to turn, and that they should turn. He doesn't say "Well, those of you I've chosen will be ok and the rest of you are going to hell anyways, so there's nothing for any of you to do." Nor does He say that He would consider their repentence to be any sort of work on their part or worthy of any sort of merit on their part.

Later it says both the righteous and the wicked can turn. "17 “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. 19 But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. 20 Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.” (Ezekiel 33:16-20)

 

[Rescued One]

Ok let me rephrase why are the condemned being judged when according to Calvinism they are incapable of turning to God if they have not been chosen by God? According to Calvinism it is God who is responsible for their rebellion because God never gave them the ability to repent.

God isn't required to save sinners. The wages of sin is death. Sinners are estranged from God. God isn't required to save anyone --- the wages of sin is death. All are guilty of sin. If men didn't love sin more that Christ there would be no need for reconciliation.

 

[Rescued One]

I don't understand why you have this notion that accepting a freely given gift of God implies a "righteous work" or some sort of merit on our part. Recognizing our total lost-ness without God is not a good work. It's an acknowledgement of reality; and one which God gives every person the capacity to have. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)" The Holy Spirit comes to convict us of our lost condition. Convicting the already saved that they're lost is illogical.

God's elect aren't saved apart from faith. They aren't born saved. Can you prove that the Holy Spirit has convicted all non-Christians?

Of course God is the one who causes us to be born again. Of course it is He who justifies us. Our part is to acknowledge that we need this. We do not cure our blindness, but we are all given the ability to see that we are blind. "Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. (John 9:41)."

I disagree. I've known many people who absolutely don't recognize their need for a Savior; they don't understand spiritual things just as God's word tells us.

Romans 3:11
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If the people of Jesus' day could reject Him in the light of a man raised from the dead, Paul could have rejected Christ in this vision. The verse right after the ones you quoted said "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19)- which means he could have been disobedient or it's a pointless statement.

Strawman.

Did he tell him why he was not disobedient? Because he had faith in the Savior, he obeyed. Faith and repentance are twins.

" let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:20)". Pointless if the sinner can't turn and if the person is going to be saved no matter what.

We can share the word, we can plead with the sinner, but we can't give the sinner sight. Only God can do that. God uses His word to change us, but it doesn't change everyone:

1 Corinthians 3
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

I'll have to address the rest later --- I have to call my doctor now.

 

[timothyu]

Because he had faith in the Savior, he obeyed.

What did they obey? The Gospel of the Kingdom. God's will before man's which is loving all neighbour as self or as Jesus loves us. Allegiance to the Kingdom of God and ways of the Kingdom as Jesus taught , not what theology comes up with to skirt their way around the Kingdom..

Just like in Jesus' day those who didn't recognize 'spiritual things' could still understand loving neighbour as self, just as those before understood the 10 commandments which said the same thing. The Kingdom changed everything. It was a place free of the oppression of man. The Kingdom made sense of doing good to those who oppressed them, unlike the commandments before that said do alone. It gave hope to the people and they had faith in Jesus' Gospel of the Kingdom as their salvation from the backwards ways of mankind

 

[BNR32FAN]

God isn't required to save sinners. The wages of sin is death. Sinners are estranged from God. God isn't required to save anyone --- the wages of sin is death. All are guilty of sin. If men didn't love sin more that Christ there would be no need for reconciliation.

Whose fault is it that they are a sinner according to John Calvin’s theology? Is it the one who is incapable of repentance or is God the one responsible for making him incapable of repentance? This is why Calvin’s theology doesn’t work because it makes God unjust by condemning those who He created being incapable of attaining salvation. It’s like God putting a bar 50 feet high off the ground and saying jump and grab the bar and you will receive eternal life in heaven. Anyone who can’t jump high enough to grab the bar will be punished for all eternity in the lake of fire because they failed to obey my commandment. Do you see how ridiculous that sounds? Calvin is saying God is punishing people for not doing something that is impossible for them to do.

Now contemplate this idea. Why did God create us? What can we possibly offer God that would be of any value to Him? The only thing we can offer God that is of any value to Him is our love. Love is a gift given freely. That’s what makes love so valuable. It’s a caring sentiment, an emotional attachment, an intense feeling of deep affection. I’m sure you would agree it is a very very beautiful thing. But would love have that same value if you had to make someone love you against their will? For example what if you put a spell on your husband to make him love you against his will and he had no other choice but to love you because of the spell you put on him. When he says I love you what would be your first thought? For me in that situation my first thought would be ok sure he has no other choice. It sounds nice but it’s not genuine. It’s artificial love because he doesn’t have the capability to choose either way. The Calvinist idea of predestination is the same situation. God chooses who will be saved and this person has no free will he is bound to do what God has predestined him to do. He can’t choose to love God because God has chosen him. Do you really think that kind of Love is of any value to God? It’s not special anymore. If that was God’s plan He could’ve created us to love and obey Him in heaven and this world would be pointless. This world was created to cultivate people that will love and honor God. People who want to love Him and have fellowship with Him of their own free will so that God can have a true and genuine loving relationship with us.

God calls us and it’s up to us whether or not to accept His calling. If we accept then He gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us and enable us to repent and walk in His Spirit and His love. Jesus and the apostles kept encouraging nonbelievers to believe. They gave so many warnings about how living in sin and living ungodly lives will lead to eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Why? All the encouragement and warnings are completely useless according to Calvinism. What good is it to encourage or warn someone who is not chosen and is incapable of believing or repentance? What good is it to encourage or warn someone who is incapable of failing to believe or repent? Either way it makes Jesus’ ministry, the apostles ministry, the church, and the teachings in the Bible all completely useless if everyone is either predestined for grace or for condemnation.

 

[Rescued One]

Whose fault is it that they are a sinner according to John Calvin’s theology? Is it the one who is incapable of repentance or is God the one responsible for making him incapable of repentance? This is why Calvin’s theology doesn’t work because it makes God unjust by condemning those who He created being incapable of attaining salvation. It’s like God putting a bar 50 feet high off the ground and saying jump and grab the bar and you will receive eternal life in heaven. Anyone who can’t jump high enough to grab the bar will be punished for all eternity in the lake of fire because they failed to obey my commandment. Do you see how ridiculous that sounds? Calvin is saying God is punishing people for not doing something that is impossible for them to do.

You haven't said that God is going to save everyone. Why, under your belief, are some saved, but not all? My siblings don't want to rebel against God. They don't believe He exists. They don't believe that heaven and hell exist. Who created them? Why will they be punished for eternity in your view? Will they be punished because they don't believe the Bible or a pastor's preaching or my pleading? How can they believe? It's up to God!

1 Corinthians 3
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Please give God the credit that He is due.

Now contemplate this idea. Why did God create us? What can we possibly offer God that would be of any value to Him? The only thing we can offer God that is of any value to Him is our love. Love is a gift given freely. That’s what makes love so valuable. It’s a caring sentiment, an emotional attachment, an intense feeling of deep affection. I’m sure you would agree it is a very very beautiful thing. But would love have that same value if you had to make someone love you against their will? For example what if you put a spell on your husband to make him love you against his will and he had no other choice but to love you because of the spell you put on him. When he says I love you what would be your first thought? For me in that situation my first thought would be ok sure he has no other choice. It sounds nice but it’s not genuine.

Stop talking to me about Calvin. You're barking up the wrong tree. I haven't studied Calvin.

If someone says, "I love you," how do you know it's true? That person might be trying to manipulate you.

It’s artificial love because he doesn’t have the capability to choose either way. The Calvinist idea of predestination is the same situation. God chooses who will be saved and this person has no free will he is bound to do what God has predestined him to do. He can’t choose to love God because God has chosen him. Do you really think that kind of Love is of any value to God? It’s not special anymore. If that was God’s plan He could’ve created us to love and obey Him in heaven and this world would be pointless.

Can you give me a Bible verse that tells me why God created the earth and why He didn't create humans in heaven?

This world was created to cultivate people ...

Show me.

that will love and honor God. People who want to love Him and have fellowship with Him of their own free will so that God can have a true and genuine loving relationship with us.

I don't know of anyone who believes against his/her will.

God calls us and it’s us to us whether or not to accept His calling. If we accept then He gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us and enable us to repent and walk in His Spirit and His love. Jesus and the apostles kept encouraging nonbelievers to believe. They gave so many warnings about how living in sin and living ungodly lives will lead to eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Why? All the encouragement and warnings are completely useless according to Calvinism. What good is it to encourage or warn someone who is not chosen and is incapable of believing or repentance? What good is it to encourage or warn someone who is incapable of failing to believe or repent? Either way it makes Jesus’ ministry, the apostles ministry, the church, and the teachings in the Bible all completely useless if everyone is either predestined for grace or for condemnation.

What good is it to warn sinners who don't believe? God's word is never useless nor does it convert the spiritually blind and deaf.

 

[Rescued One]

I don't understand why you have this notion that accepting a freely given gift of God implies a "righteous work" or some sort of merit on our part.

I never said that . How can a natural man repent or have the gift of faith?

Recognizing our total lost-ness without God is not a good work.

It's the result of regeneration.

It's an acknowledgement of reality; and one which God gives every person the capacity to have. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)" The Holy Spirit comes to convict us of our lost condition. Convicting the already saved that they're lost is illogical.

Is God incapable of saving all people?

Of course God is the one who causes us to be born again. Of course it is He who justifies us. Our part is to acknowledge that we need this. We do not cure our blindness, but we are all given the ability to see that we are blind. "Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. (John 9:41)."

This does not say that no one is blind.

2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3
23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

My siblings weren't living under the law and don't even know what it is. They haven't been brought to Christ.

It is too long to post here, but Ezekiel 33 really addresses this issue. "10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’ 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezekiel 33:10-11)."

Israel is saying what you're saying "If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, how can we be saved?". And God responds that He wants the wicked to turn, and that they should turn. He doesn't say "Well, those of you I've chosen will be ok and the rest of you are going to hell anyways, so there's nothing for any of you to do." Nor does He say that He would consider their repentence to be any sort of work on their part or worthy of any sort of merit on their part.

Not of works.

8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

The law demanded perfection.

Later it says both the righteous and the wicked can turn. "17 “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. 19 But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. 20 Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.” (Ezekiel 33:16-20)

Romans 3
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

 

[BNR32FAN]

You haven't said that God is going to save everyone. Why, under your belief, are some saved, but not all? My siblings don't want to rebel against God. They don't believe He exists. They don't believe that heaven and hell exist. Who created them? Why will they be punished for eternity in your view? Will they be punished because they don't believe the Bible or a pastor's preaching or my pleading? How can they believe? It's up to God!

1 Corinthians 3
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Please give God the credit that He is due.




Stop talking to me about Calvin. You're barking up the wrong tree. I haven't studied Calvin.

If someone says, "I love you," how do you know it's true? That person might be trying to manipulate you.



Can you give me a Bible verse that tells me why God created the earth and why He didn't create humans in heaven?



Show me.
View attachment 250181



I don't know of anyone who believes against his/her will.



What good is it to warn sinners who don't believe? God's word is never useless nor does it convert the spiritually blind and deaf.

I’m sorry please forgive my misunderstanding. From your post I thought you were advocating Calvinism.

In answer to your question I’m not a universalist.

 

[BNR32FAN]

How can a natural man repent or have the gift of faith?

By the calling of the Gospel.

 

[BNR32FAN]

Is God incapable of saving all people?

God is capable of all things but according to the scriptures that is not His plan. The scriptures say not everyone will be forgiven and saved.

“"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21-23‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:10‬ ‭NASB‬‬

 

[BNR32FAN]

My siblings weren't living under the law and don't even know what it is. They haven't been brought to Christ.

I’m very sorry to hear that. I share this same dilemma with my sister and brother in law who are atheist. They refuse to hear the gospel because they think it’s nonsense. I’ve tried talking to them about it but they get angry because they don’t want to change their lifestyle. I just don’t know what I can do except pray for them. As they say a profit is least respected in his home town. Our mother is Christian but she is with The Lord now. Our father became Christian about 3 years before he went to be with The Lord. I’ve promised both of them I would keep trying to bring them to Christ but I fear pushing too hard as it may result in them pushing back and pushing them farther away from Him. So I just try to plant seeds when I can in hopes that they will grow over time.

 

[timothyu]

because they don’t want to change their lifestyle.

Incapable of understanding Dicken's A Christmas Carol ??

 

[BNR32FAN]

Incapable of understanding Dicken's A Christmas Carol ??

That’s over my head friend I’m not sure what you meant. Lol