Paul did not teach Perpetual Belief Alone-ism for salvation.

[Grace ambassador]

It all depends on what you want to make the scriptures to say, since there are countless ways to interpret scripture.

q: Does Most Scripture need interpreting, besides the allegorical/symbolic, or is
not Most Scripture Plain And Clear, to be "taken at face value"?

we are to search God's Word to find how God explains all things to us by means of His Holy Prophets and Apostles.

Yet, we find even Christian leaders taking Scriptures out their context that does not explain the how, why, when, where, and for whom, and then these leaders force their own opinions onto the text in flowery language that seems logical, but it really deceptive.

If such Christian leaders really trusted God's Word, they would find the details of any doctrinal terms from the Scriptures themselves.

Q: Can they "find the details" without obedience to 2 Tim 2:15 KJB!, And thereby noticing not only the Similarities Of God's Different "Contexts," But, Also noticing, and Acknowledging The "Distinctions" Thereby Eliminating ALL the Massive Confusion we see Everywhere? For example:

Rightly Divided - "Brief" Intro!

"Prophecy/Law" {earthly} gospel of the kingdom, ISRAEL "Prominent!"

Salvation is by “faith + works” = believe AND be water baptized...

Rightly Divided ( 2 Tim 2:15 KJB! ) From "Things That DIFFER":

"Mystery/GRACE!" {Heavenly!} Gospel Of GRACE, Jew And Gentile "Equal!"

Salvation = “GRACE By faith” + ONE “Baptism BY The Holy Spirit”…

Does this not explain/eliminate the Contradictory Controversial Fight of:
"faith + works" vs "GRACE Through faith"?

“To The Praise Of The Glory Of HIS {Amazing} GRACE!”

 

[Clare73]

Does God explain to us why he hardens some and not others? Yes he does.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NIV)
10 They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie

Hosea 4:6 (WEB)
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me.

Romans 1:22-26 (WEB) 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; 25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. … 28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting

If God has to supernaturally harden someone’s heart so they can no longer receive His grace, that means that they might have repented if God had not supernaturally intervened in punishment. Therefore, God's grace has its limits on those who deliberately reject His grace.

Regarding salvation, does God explain to us in the Gospel who he desires to have mercy on? I quoted the Scriptures and you agreed.

And they don't say God has mercy on "all."

God knows the hearts of all men, and can foresee things. Therefore, God places people in earthly positions, as we wills, to fulfill His plans.
However, God's plan regarding salvation is made crystal clear for us to understand. God offers salvation to all,

Agreed. . .God offers salvation to all.

and whosoever believes, God will save. Did God not make this clear for us in the Gospel? Did I not quote those Scriptures that you agreed with?

 

[setst777]

And they don't say God has mercy on "all."

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

God will not have mercy on all, because many will reject God's mercy. But God desires to have mercy on all, which is why God paid the ransom for all people, so that whosoever believes may receive mercy.

Blessings.

 

[Clare73]

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

"Might" is not "will."

God will not have mercy on all, because many will reject God's mercy. But God desires to have mercy on all, which is why God paid the ransom for all people, so that whosoever believes may receive mercy.

Blessings.

Are you elaborating on the texts? Where is that specifically stated as you state it above?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

James is saying that we cannot be saved by FAITH ALONE. Faith must be perfected by works. Paul is saying that we cannot be saved by WORKS ALONE. Works must be perfected by faith. Both statements are true. We are all "without works" sufficient to justify ourselves.

We all fall short of God's glory, so boasting of our own righteousness is excluded (Romans 3:27). However God's law is not excluded, and by faith we obey God's law, just as Abraham did. So Paul and James are in agreement.

Source:
Justification by Works - The J in James (Part 1)

 

[setst777]

Are you elaborating on the texts? Where is that specifically stated as you state it above?

Let us review that Scripture again, and then see what I stated as follows:

<<
Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

God will not have mercy on all, because many will reject God's mercy. But God desires to have mercy on all, which is why God paid the ransom for all people, so that whosoever believes may receive mercy.
>>

God cannot not have mercy on all, because not all will believe, but that is God's desire to have mercy on all.

That is why Romans 11:32 says:

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

"Might" means: The possibility (but not certainty) of the action

God's full intention is to have mercy on all, but not all are willing to except that mercy that God offers. That is why the word "might" is added.

God never teaches universal unconditional salvation for all. The grace of salvation is offered to all people, but we only access that grace by faith in Lord Jesus. Romans 5:1-2

Blessings.

 

[Clare73]

Let us review that Scripture again, and then see what I stated as follows:

<<
Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

"Might" does not grant mercy to all.

God will not have mercy on all, because many will reject God's mercy. But God desires to have mercy on all,

Where do you find that stated?

You are reading that into the text, not out of the text.

which is why God paid the ransom for all people, so that whosoever believes may receive mercy.

Jesus said he "came to die as a ransom for many" (Mt 20:28), he did not say "all."

And you have not addressed the following from post #339:

Actually, what both the OT and the NT teach is that God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy,
and he hardens whom he wants to harden." (Ex 33:19; Ro 9:18).

God owes no one salvation. He is justly free to offer it to whom and only to whom he chooses to do so,
--as God revealed to Moses (Ex 33:19), and
--told Moses regarding Pharaoh before Moses ever went back to Egypt (Ex 4:21), and
--as Paul teaches in Ro 9:18, and
--and also teaches in Ro 11:25, regarding God choosing to blind and harden most of Israel, but not all,
having mercy on a remnant only and not blinding them to the gospel as he does the rest (Ro 11:25).

>>

God cannot not have mercy on all, because not all will believe, but that is God's desire to have mercy on all.

That is why Romans 11:32 says:

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

"Might" means: The possibility (but not certainty) of the action

God's full intention is to have mercy on all, but not all are willing to except that mercy that God offers. That is why the word "might" is added.

God never teaches universal unconditional salvation for all. The grace of salvation is offered to all people, but we only access that grace by faith in Lord Jesus. Romans 5:1-2

Blessings.

 

[NotreDame]

Believers can fall away.
Anyways, look at 1 Timothy 6:3-4. James 4:6 says God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. So if one is not living godly they don't have grace according to these two pieces of Scripture. Very simple to understand. I should not need another verse to prove my case, but I have more on my list. Paul also says that a person can deny God by a lack of works, too (Titus 1:16). See, works are necessary to prove that Christ is in us. Faith without works is dead. Can a dead faith save anyone? Even the demons believe and tremble. So works are a part of salvation. For they are a part of the faith.

My Pentecostal friend would disagree with you.

This is edifying but irrelevant. It doesn’t matter who does or doesn’t agree. The substance of the disagreement is paramount.

Believers can fall away.

I told you that in my post, and I said that in my post. I was unequivocal in my remark that at best you’ve demonstrated salvation received can be abandoned.

Paul says if any man does not agree with the words of Jesus and the doctrine according to godliness, he is proud and he knows nothing.

Yes, I can verify this is what the verse says in my NASB, but this verse doesn’t refute the notion of salvation by faith. Neither is this verse contradictory to salvation by faith.

So if one is not living godly they don't have grace according to these two pieces of Scripture.

Sure, a point I made in my post. Yet, the above doesn’t refute and doesn’t contradict Paul’s statment of salvation is by faith, believing. What you are obsessing over in the above comment is the idea of a salvation given, received by faith, but subsequently surrendered or abandoned by “not living a godly life.”

Very simple to understand. I should not need another verse to prove my case, but I have more on my list. Paul also says that a person can deny God by a lack of works, too (Titus 1:16). See, works are necessary to prove that Christ is in us. Faith without works is dead. Can a dead faith save anyone? Even the demons believe and tremble. So works are a part of salvation. For they are a part of the faith

“Works are a part of salvation” can be true but it isn’t the “works” which saves. Rather, the “works” are evidence of a salvation given and received by faith/belief.

And if you construe those verses to mean salvation is given on the basis of works, then you logically have to reconcile this doctrine with Paul’s unambiguous assertion it is faith/belief that results in salvation, nothing more.

The best, consistent, and rational interpretation is works are evidence of salvation by faith/believing, but the works themselves do not save.

 

[setst777]

"Might" does not grant mercy to all.

Where do you find that stated?

As regards grace of salvation, "Might" does not mean all are granted mercy by God, but the offer of mercy is made by God to all people through the Gospel (John 3:16).

• Many receive mercy, because they believe.
• Not all receive mercy, because not all will believe.
• But mercy is offered to all through the Gospel

And God desires to have mercy on all. You questioned me several times as if that was not God's desire at all, that is, if I understand you correctly. How can you look at all the Passages I listed for you showing God's Love and Grace extended to all people through the sacrifice of His Son, and then question whether God desires to have mercy on all?

Isaiah 45:21-22 (WEB)
21 There is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior. There is no one besides me.
22 “Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

Ezekiel 33:11 (WEB)
11 Tell them, ‘“As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “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 will you die, house of Israel?”’

Matthew 23:37 (WEB)
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

1 Timothy 2:3-6 (WEB)
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

That mercy and grace of God are accessed by faith:

Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

God offers his mercy and grace of salvation to all people.

Romans 11:32 (WEB)
For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

Titus 2:11 (WEB) 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men

Hebrews 2:9 (WEB) 9 But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.

The grace and mercy of God is offered to all through the Gospel. Those who access that grace and mercy are the “whosoever” that will believe.

John 3:14-18 (WEB) 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

So, regarding salvation, does God explain to us in the Gospel who he desires to have mercy on? … Yes - to all.

Do all receive that mercy? … No

Why not? Not all receive God’s mercy, because many will resist the Gospel message and the worldwide conviction of the Spirit, and so will refuse to listen or believe.

Acts 7:51 (WEB) You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.

Ezekiel 3:7 (WEB) 7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they will not listen to me; for all the house of Israel are obstinate and hard-hearted.

Acts 28:28 (WEB) 28 “Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

“whosoever” believes, are the ones who receive the mercy and grace of God onto salvation, and so receive the Spirit to give them spiritual life onto salvation – only by faith.

John 7:37-39 (WEB)
37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
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.

John 4:14 (WEB) 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

You are reading that into the text, not out of the text.

You accuse me of reading into the text, but the fact is, I am reading the context of Scripture into the text, just as I have described.

Jesus said he "came to die as a ransom for many" (Mt 20:28), he did not say "all."

True, not everyone is ransomed – In Matthew 20:28, the emphasis is on the fact that Lord Jesus did not guarantee to ransom everyone – no unconditional universal ransom for every person, but Jesus' sacrifice is sufficient to ransom all people.

Lord Jesus sacrifice is sufficient to ransom all people.

1 Timothy 2:6 (WEB)
Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.

Yet, only those who believe appropriate that ransom to themselves. For salvation is by faith in Jesus because of the Gospel that is offered to all people.

And you have not addressed the following from post #339:

Everything you brought up I did address, including the hardening (msg 342). You are bringing up again what I had already addressed without responding to what I addressed.

Blessings

 

[Dan1988]

I don't remember you posting 120 verses in defense of Calvinism.
Please do not do so here. Start another thread and give me a link to it.
A flat earther can post 75 flat earth verses and yet I do not have to address them in order to refute flat earth. I can simply post other evidences to support my conclusion so as to refute a flat earth and even Calvinism. Both are just as equally ridiculous in my opinion.



I can say the same for you. Did you even really consider the points in my post that refutes Calvinism? By your not addressing them, this means that you....

(a) Did not look at what I had written or
(b) You are ignoring the points I brought up, or
(c) You have not gotten around to figuring them out yet.

Again, I will just give you two glaring problems in Calvinism that you should know how to easily resolve if you claim to truly think Calvinism is the truth.

Why did Jesus preach ‘except you repent, you shall all likewise perish’ when the non-elect can’t repent and the elect can’t perish? (See: Luke 13:5).

How can the Lord hold the non-elect accountable for ‘not believing’ and condemn them for it, when He purposely did not give them the faith to enable them to believe to begin with? John 3:18 says, “...he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” The verse does not say that they are condemned because God has not given them the ability to believe.

There was no need to go through ever verse you listed out of it's intended context. Sufficed to say you took them all out of their context and changed their meaning to support your false theology.

You can't just ignore Bible verses you don't like and change others to make them comply with your private views.

Your don't have any authority to change and interpret the Bible to suit yourself. The Bible imposes it's authority on you and you must conform to it's dictates and not the other way around.

What does Jesus saying "except you repent" have to do with election and predestination. He was just stating a fact, it wasn't a command or even suggestion. See you pluck verses out of their context then force them to say something they never did.

Who are you to question why God does what He does with His property. Don't you see that it's blasphemous to falsely accuse God of being evil.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

This is edifying but irrelevant. It doesn’t matter who does or doesn’t agree. The substance of the disagreement is paramount.



I told you that in my post, and I said that in my post. I was unequivocal in my remark that at best you’ve demonstrated salvation received can be abandoned.



Yes, I can verify this is what the verse says in my NASB, but this verse doesn’t refute the notion of salvation by faith. Neither is this verse contradictory to salvation by faith.



Sure, a point I made in my post. Yet, the above doesn’t refute and doesn’t contradict Paul’s statment of salvation is by faith, believing. What you are obsessing over in the above comment is the idea of a salvation given, received by faith, but subsequently surrendered or abandoned by “not living a godly life.”



“Works are a part of salvation” can be true but it isn’t the “works” which saves. Rather, the “works” are evidence of a salvation given and received by faith/belief.

And if you construe those verses to mean salvation is given on the basis of works, then you logically have to reconcile this doctrine with Paul’s unambiguous assertion it is faith/belief that results in salvation, nothing more.

The best, consistent, and rational interpretation is works are evidence of salvation by faith/believing, but the works themselves do not save.

These verses below clearly teach we are saved by
works, obedience, and or holy living:
(Note: This would be works after we are saved by God's grace).

“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Hebrews 5:9).

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).

“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” (Luke 10:25-28).

“And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (John 5:29).

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) (Note: According to indirect wording in 1 John 2:9-11, walking in the light = loving your brother; So you have to love your brother (a work) in order for the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all sin (salvation)).

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10).

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:8-9).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

There was no need to go through ever verse you listed out of it's intended context. Sufficed to say you took them all out of their context and changed their meaning to support your false theology.

You can't just ignore Bible verses you don't like and change others to make them comply with your private views.

Your don't have any authority to change and interpret the Bible to suit yourself. The Bible imposes it's authority on you and you must conform to it's dictates and not the other way around.

What does Jesus saying "except you repent" have to do with election and predestination. He was just stating a fact, it wasn't a command or even suggestion. See you pluck verses out of their context then force them to say something they never did.

Who are you to question why God does what He does with His property. Don't you see that it's blasphemous to falsely accuse God of being evil.

Wow. So if Jesus tells people to do something it is not a command and neither is it even a suggestion? Jesus is God. Jesus is Lord. So if He tells us to do something directly then it is a command. Besides, the Bible says repentance is a command.

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts of the Apostles 17:30).

Also, you are not listening to the words of Jesus in light of how it does not work in Calvinism. Jesus is saying to repent or they will perish. The Non-Elect cannot repent according to Calvinists and the Elect cannot perish. So this is a contradiction of your belief. It's that simple.

In addition, you make bold assertions that I am taking the verses out of context in the OP. Yet, I do not see you actually explaining any of them whereby it would disprove what I said with God's Word. In fact, look at post #351 for some more verses in the Bible that teach works of faith are a part of salvation. Matthew 3:10 is a big one. If a tree does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. The good fruit is one's works, and we are the trees. The fire is representative of an element in a not so good place.

 

[Ceallaigh]

God told Adam that he would die the day he ate of the wrong tree (See: Genesis 2:17).
Did Adam die physically that day or did he die spiritually?
Adam only committed one sin.
Now, I can preach a feel good message and say that Adam was saved while he disobeyed God, but that would not be the truth.

What happened immediately after Adam sinned? He confessed! Adam and Eve both confessed. And yet the curse remained and they were cast out of paradise.

 

[Dan1988]

Wow. So if Jesus tells people to do something it is not a command and neither is it even a suggestion? Jesus is God. Jesus is Lord. So if He tells us to do something directly then it is a command. Besides, the Bible says repentance is a command.

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts of the Apostles 17:30).

Also, you are not listening to the words of Jesus in light of how it does not work in Calvinism. Jesus is saying to repent or they will perish. The Non-Elect cannot repent according to Calvinists and the Elect cannot perish. So this is a contradiction of your belief. It's that simple.

In addition, you make bold assertions that I am taking the verses out of context in the OP. Yet, I do not see you actually explaining any of them whereby it would disprove what I said with God's Word. In fact, look at post #351 for some more verses in the Bible that teach works of faith are a part of salvation. Matthew 3:10 is a big one. If a tree does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. The good fruit is one's works, and we are the trees. The fire is representative of an element in a not so good place.

Wow!!!, talk about butchering and twisting Gods Word to make it say what you want it to say. This shows an utter disrespect for what God has said.

How dumb do you think we are for you to come along and pervert Gods Word to say that the word "except" means "I command you". You guys really take it to another level of deception.
Jesus didn't command them to repent, He just proclaimed a fact.

You Arminians really love to twist the scriptures to force them to fit your man made religious views.

God gave the commandments to all men, fully knowing that not a single person would ever keep a single one. They were given to condemn the reprobate and to show the elect that they need to be saved.

There's no point in taking Matthew 3:10 out of context either as it doesn't support the Armininan heretical view.
Again You take the word "if" and twist it to say "I command you to bare good fruit" Jesus was making a statement of fact, it wasn't an invitation or alter call to every human so stop twisting and perverting Gods Word.

 

[setst777]

Wow!!!, talk about butchering and twisting Gods Word to make it say what you want it to say. This shows an utter disrespect for what God has said.

How dumb do you think we are for you to come along and pervert Gods Word to say that the word "except" means "I command you". You guys really take it to another level of deception.
Jesus didn't command them to repent, He just proclaimed a fact.

You Arminians really love to twist the scriptures to force them to fit your man made religious views.

God gave the commandments to all men, fully knowing that not a single person would ever keep a single one. They were given to condemn the reprobate and to show the elect that they need to be saved.

There's no point in taking Matthew 3:10 out of context either as it doesn't support the Armininan heretical view.
Again You take the word "if" and twist it to say "I command you to bare good fruit" Jesus was making a statement of fact, it wasn't an invitation or alter call to every human so stop twisting and perverting Gods Word.

Dan,

I believe Bible Highlighter did show that "repent" is a command by Scripture actually saying its a command. However, if your boss tells you to do something, well, that is a command. If Jesus, being Lord over all, tells us to repent, that is a command.

Let us be realistic and honest.

Blessings.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Dan,

I believe Bible Highlighter did show that "repent" is a command by Scripture actually saying its a command. However, if your boss tells you to do something, well, that is a command. If Jesus, being Lord over all, tells us to repent, that is a command.

Let us be realistic and honest.

Blessings.

The question is, is it a command to repent from unbelief?

For instance, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Luke 5:32

 

[Dan1988]

Dan,

I believe Bible Highlighter did show that "repent" is a command by Scripture actually saying its a command. However, if your boss tells you to do something, well, that is a command. If Jesus, being Lord over all, tells us to repent, that is a command.

Let us be realistic and honest.

Blessings.

Jesus never commanded anyone to repent in that verse, He said "except a man repent" you can't twist the word "except" to make it say "I command you".

Why didn't He say "I command you to repent" if that's what He was trying to say, why would He be playing word games with such an important message.

The only possible way to understand that verse is "if you don't repent you will perish" that's very different to saying "You must repent or you will perish". He knew that it's impossible for most to repent, so He spoke that as an observation like "if that blind man keeps walking towards that cliff he will fall to his death. He's not commanding the blind man to stop walking to his death.

 

[setst777]

The question is, is it a command to repent from unbelief?

For instance, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Luke 5:32

The question is, is it a command to repent from unbelief?

For instance, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Luke 5:32

The way that Passage is worded, that would not be a command.

Blessings.

 

[setst777]

Jesus never commanded anyone to repent in that verse, He said "except a man repent" you can't twist the word "except" to make it say "I command you".

Why didn't He say "I command you to repent" if that's what He was trying to say, why would He be playing word games with such an important message.

The only possible way to understand that verse is "if you don't repent you will perish" that's very different to saying "You must repent or you will perish". He knew that it's impossible for most to repent, so He spoke that as an observation like "if that blind man keeps walking towards that cliff he will fall to his death. He's not commanding the blind man to stop walking to his death.

I Dan,

I didn't read through as to which Passage you were referring to. I agree with you that, in that Passage, that is not a command.

I apologize for not reading through the posts to determine the Passage you were referring to. I will be more careful next time.

Blessings.

 

[Dan1988]

I know some but not a lot about Calvinism and Arminianism. Maybe it's best if I keep it that way.

You fall into one of the two camps, you just haven't discovered which side you belong to yet.