Robert,
Thank you for your two posts. I would like to say before addressing them, you never really answer my question. Robert, you even say yourself, "Indeed Pharaoh's heart was hardened by God but please note that Pharaoh hardened his own heart also according to.... ". Why is the hardening mentioned, either way? No point to it, according to your interpretation of scripture. By your own definition we are hardened inherently, never having the ability to make a good decision. Hardening would never need to be mentioned. You must use reason here as God asks us too in his Holy Word.
Robert, please! You are an intelligent man and have a love for our Lord. Think about it! God would not have to harden Pharoah's heart, nor Pharaoh have to harden his own heart. It would be useless!!!! Your interpretation makes God's hardening useless and makes his word wasteful in this matter. And we both know that can't be true! But I see our conversation in this matter is fruitless, so I will go on. May I suggest to pray about it!
Your post mentions....
Romans 7:18;
" For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
Romans 8:8;
" Ro 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. "
"So Steve for you to say that we in our flesh can make some " good " decision you are saying that Gods Word is not true."
NO, I am not saying that God's word is not true! God forbid it! The gift of salvation is not within us, it is a gift of God. We choose to accept it or reject it. This scripture does not mean what you say it does, that we can not make a good decision and accept God's gift of salvation. You are using this scripture out of context. But I will not explain your error, I will let God show you your error using his Holy Word.......
Mark 9: 23
"`If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Luke 7:50
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
John 3;14-15
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
John 5:24
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:40
For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 6:47
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
John 11:25 -26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Acts 2:21
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Acts 16:30-31
He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."
Romans 10:4
Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:12-13
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 *
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:12
and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
1 Timothy 2 1:4
I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
1 John 5:5
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:10
Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
You say we are chosen, and because we are chosen, we will have faith! You also say, if you are not chosen, you can not have faith. Why would we have scripture which talks about us believing, or us calling on the name of the Lord and being saved? Having faith would just be a result of predestination, and no choice of believing or not believing, rejecting or not rejecting, or calling on the name of the Lord would need to be involved. Those things would not determine if you were saved. Only predestination would! If our choice was solely preordained without us having any free will to choose, why bother having this scripture? What would it be for? Are you saying this is senseless or useless scripture? Your belief would have scripture only talking about predestination alone, because that is all that is necessary. Everything to do with salvation would follow, regardless of what anyone would do or say.
Can't you see, all this scripture is meaningless without free will to choose whether to have faith or not!
Please prayerfully reflect on the following scripture:
Ephesians 1:4-14
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. AND YOU ALSO were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
2 Thessalonians 2:13
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit AND through belief in the truth.
Psalm 145:17-19
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
This scripture show us a two sides. A choice on both sides. Its clear...
Sorry for my lengthiness. But I hope you see God's truth in it....
God Bless,
Steve
|
