Posted on 06/04/2013 7:26:39 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans
Amen!
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. (Romans 9:16)
Interesting. I guess God really IS a respector of persons, since he picks and chooses who receives the Holy SPirit.
“Interesting. I guess God really IS a respector of persons, since he picks and chooses who receives the Holy SPirit.”
A respecter of persons suggests that He is picking someone based on their wealth, or other superficial standards:
Jas 2:1-2 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. (2) For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
God, instead, chooses us despite out works and persons:
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Rom 9:11-16 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) (12) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. (13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (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.
He’s pickin and choosin... according to that Henryckson guy.
Heaven or hell...
“He’s pickin and choosin... according to that Henryckson guy.
Heaven or hell...”
According to Jesus Christ. Though, technically, on the part of the unregenerate, all God is doing is passing them by. They need no special push from God to be what they are. When they sin, they sin of their own accord. It is a testament to the evil of man that it is necessary for God to draw us and change our hearts so that we believe.
Rom 3:9-12 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; (10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Regeneration Precedes Faith.....and occurs irrespective of the preached word....
Some have their eyes opened in ways other than the preaching of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul is a good example.
“Regeneration Precedes Faith.....and occurs irrespective of the preached word....”
I’d be careful with phrasing like that, since it seems to put Gospel Preaching out of business. The scripture is clear that faith (which is the gift of the Holy Spirit) comes by hearing the word of God:
Rom_10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Therefore, of those gentiles who were ordained to eternal life, they believed at the preaching of the Apostles.
Act_13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Thus, though they are ordained to believe, the Holy Spirit used the preached words of the Gospel to achieve His purpose. Therefore, we must always be preaching the Gospel, as it is our duty and the plan of God for us to do so.
“Some have their eyes opened in ways other than the preaching of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul is a good example.”
This is a good point. I would say that God can reach out to anyone at any time in His own way to gather His elect. However, I would be wary against saying it in such a way that others are excused for not preaching the Gospel or not being zealous for it. As, at the very least, the usual means is through the preaching of the word.
Though, when I think about it, it would be fair to say that every “usual” conversion is a miraculous work of God, just like Paul’s meeting with Christ on the road to Damascus.
Bryan,
actually it shows the opposite of what you said...If God chooses someone He does so according to His choice irrespective of the individual. Reformed theology implies that man is dead in sin and can not save himself since there is nothing good in him according to Gods perspective. Therefore when God chooses an individual He does knowing this and regenerates them which allows them to exercise saving faith. He will do this for the rich man, the poor man anyone whom He wills. Therefore it has nothing to do with man since by nature we would reject Him. So God is as not a respector of persons but instead chooses whom He disires.
The Gospel of Paul, really, is the Gospel of the whole scripture! Such “anti-Paulines,” as I’ve seen these sorts before, would have to cut out a lot more books than just the Epistles of Paul to be rid of his theology.
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