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Hebrews 11 the Faith Heroes

Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by revmwc, Oct 27, 2016.

  1. revmwc

    revmwc Well-Known Member

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    6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

    God rewards those who seek Him! So who seeks him, we see verses 1-3,
    1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
    2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
    3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

    A pastor friend of mine explained these verses like this. When he was a young boy and would attend family reunions the ladies would cook steaks and place them in a dish smothered with gravy. The dish would be given to the men first, then the women and finally the children. When the children received it they would usually be nothing but gravy. But he knew in his heart that when he grew into adulthood and as a man he would receive the meat. The gravy was the substance of the meat and he had faith that when he grew into adulthood he would receive the meat. Faith in Christ is the same on earth we hope for heaven and being with Christ but with Faith we believe we will be with Him in Heaven.

    When we seek him we are rewarded.
    Let's look at what God says about seeking Him.
    Deut. 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
    now the Jews are still in thince they are scattered in the world today, but when they are going through Great Tribulation, we see verse 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
    In the latter days and for those of us who are Pre-Trib and Pre-Mil we know this is the Tribulation and see in Revelation Israel seeks Christ and Returns to Him.
    King David's advice to his son in 1 Chronicles 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
    Seek Him that is seek after God and He will be found.
    Then we see 2 Chronicles 15:2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
    If and maybe you will and maybe you won't, but if you seek Him HE will be found.
    Want to be blessed than Psalm 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
    Seek him with your whole heart.

    All who seek Him will find Him, Enoch sought Him and was Translated, he did not see death and he was taken Body, Soul and Spirit by God. Just as the believers of this age will be taken that is translated without seeing death.

    How are we to seek Him? Calvin says this "

    Now Scripture assigns this as the right way, — that a man, prostrate in himself, and smitten with the conviction that he deserves eternal death, and in selfdespair, is to flee to Christ as the only asylum for salvation. Nowhere certainly can we find that we are to bring to God any merits of works to put us in a state of favor with him. Then he who understands that this is the only right way of seeking God, will be freed from every difficulty on the subject; for reward refers not to the worthiness or value of works but to faith"

    A man must prostate himself, but be smitten by conviction and that conviction comes from the Holy Spirit! The that person is to flee to Christ notice Calvin doesn't say God makes them flee to Him or that God has given them that Faith, God brings upon them conviction.

    Matthew Henry:

    Those who would find God in these ways of his must seek him diligently they must seek early, earnestly, and perseveringly. Then shall they seek him, and find him, if they seek him with all their heart and when once they have found him, as their reconciled God, they will never repent the pains they have spent in seeking after him.

    Notice he says they must seek Him not that He comes seeking them and God is found through Christ of Whom WE are to Call upon Him for Salvation, according to Paul when he told the Philippian jailer to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 10:13 Call upon the Lord Jesus.
     
  2. percho

    percho Well-Known Member
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    So what do we do with Romans 3:11?

    NKJV There is none who understands;
    There is none who seeks after God.


    Matt 3:17
    And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

    In reality was God pleased by any man born of woman other than Jesus?

    I personally believe those words above in bold were spoken, relative to what preceded, prior to being spoken, that is, the Son's learned obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. Pictured by, he suffered him, coming straightway up out of the water, the Spirit as of a dove on him.

    I personally believe that to have been, the faith of Christ. Without faith it is impossible to please him. Gal 3:23,25 before the coming of the faith & the faith having come, verses.
     
    #2 percho, Oct 27, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2016
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