Is salvation available for anyone who desires it?

I think the following verses after the rich man left sad imply he was not saved.

Mat 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "I assure you: It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!
Mat 19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

 

Yes, there is. Now if we could find someone who desires it. "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die". Everybody wants salvation, but not at the cost of their sin. Something's got to change that. </font>[/QUOTE]You are right.

Joh 12:32 As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to Myself."

 

These verses are talking about entering the Kingdom, not spiritual salvation! Only a saved person can enter, but he's not guaranteed that just because he's saved.

 

These verses are talking about entering the Kingdom, not spiritual salvation! Only a saved person can enter, but he's not guaranteed that just because he's saved. </font>[/QUOTE]While I agree that "Kingdom of God" is not always referring to salvation, here it is in context.

Mat 19:25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, "Then who can be saved?"

 

Correct, while not totally impossible (nothing is impossible with God), Jesus was using the example of a camel going through the eye of a needle. If He was not using the RYR as an example of "near impossible", I don't know what is impossible. The RYR left at that point not saved. The Bible does not say whether he was saved or not at a future date. I can only go by the fact he was not saved when he left. My guess is if he found a way for a camel to go through a needle, he may be.

 

Anyone, rich or poor, is spiritually saved the same way: Believe on the Lord Jesus.

Selling all that you own and giving it to the poor is works.

Are you claiming that the rich man could have been saved by works?

 

We had a whole thread on this already. Go back and read that.

 

Is who claiming that, me? No way! Jesus was not insinuating a "works" salvation. He told the rich man to sell all he had and then follow Him. You can't serve both God and money, for where your treasure is your heart follows. Jesus knew that he had been relying on works, but what He wanted was his heart.

 

It Is surely true that we are all ignorant, only about different things.

 

To the shock of the arminian crowd, calvinism in fact teaches that yes, salvation IS available to all that desire it (however, there is a genuine desire for God, and a false pretensive desire).
The question then becomes, from whence does this desire come? No one can "choose" that which they do not "desire". The Gospel is repulsive to the reprobate. And no one can "believe", that does not believe. How can you, "soul winner", convince someone to believe that which they do not believe? Only God can send His Spirit into our hearts. It is an act of God. It is the greatest miracle.

 

Is who claiming that, me? No way! Jesus was not insinuating a "works" salvation. He told the rich man to sell all he had and then follow Him. You can't serve both God and money, for where your treasure is your heart follows. Jesus knew that he had been relying on works, but what He wanted was his heart. </font>[/QUOTE]Following comes after you are in the family; it is not a way to get into the family.

Following has to do with works. It has to do with justification. It has to do with ruling and reigning.

 

This view puts you very firmly in the Catholic camp. Justification is our being declared righteous in God's court of law. According to Paul in Romans 4, we are justified by faith, not following (which would be a work).

Jesus' point about following was that you need to understand what you are getting into before you get into it. Too often we want to backdoor people. "If we can just get them to pray the prayer, we can talk about discipleship later." That's not gospel preaching. The gospel involves forsaking all to follow Him. We do this by faith (read Hebrews 11).

 

This view puts you very firmly in the Catholic camp. Justification is our being declared righteous in God's court of law. According to Paul in Romans 4, we are justified by faith, not following (which would be a work).

Jesus' point about following was that you need to understand what you are getting into before you get into it. Too often we want to backdoor people. "If we can just get them to pray the prayer, we can talk about discipleship later." That's not gospel preaching. The gospel involves forsaking all to follow Him. We do this by faith (read Hebrews 11). [/QB]</font>[/QUOTE]See, we do agree on some things.

 

I knew if we worked long enough, we'd find something!

 

Believing that following is necessary for salvation is a salvation by works. I reject that notion utterly as being anti-scriptural.

 

yes