What makes the difference?

The difference is that it's God's choice. If you want an answer, you have to ask God. "I don't know" is a perfectly legitimate answer from a man, because man doesn't make the choice.

"I don't know" is not a legitimate answer from a man who believes man makes the choice. When man makes the choice, man should know the answer as to why one says "yes" and another says "no".

 

Then you should ask the man who says no. You have your answers from those who said yes.

 

I haven't seen a single answer from those who said yes. Perhaps you can quote them or put them in words we can understand? Quoting John 3:16 is not an answer. All it says is that "whosoever will". It doesn't say WHY one will and another won't.

 

Dale, the Bible isn't silent. Salvation is offered to ALL.

John 12:32
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL men to Myself".
All are drawn, not all accept salvation.

The only answer you are willing to accept is the one that you agree with.

 

Again, you're simply saying that it is offered to all. You are giving no explanation as to why one person accepts it and another rejects it. You don't seem to understand the question, otherwise you'd understand why nobody has answered it.

 

Total Depravity is one of the five points of Calvinism, I disagree with it. Calvinism teaches it mean, a person is spiritually death, he is completely totally off the mark, and dead soul or spirit, not able to reply to God.

First of all, we do agree that we are all have sinned and come short glory of God. We all received sin come from Adam, because he sinned and he died, SO death passed upon us all - Romans 5:12.

We all do fall many times because of our own flesh. But, do not mean that we cannot reply or react to God. We all have brain/mind.

Romans 1:20 says, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are WITHOUT EXCUSE."

It tells us, God manifests us the world, that he created, 'they' is refer to unbelievers, they are no excuse for reject Christ, they KNEW there is God. Even, Indians in North America during 14th Century, KNEW there is God.

Even, all athiests KNEW there is God. In Psalms 14:1 says, "To the chief Musican, A Psalm of David>> 'The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."

The reason why people reject Christ, because they do not want light in their life, they want dark in their own ways, that mean, they do not want God's holy, they want their own pleasure life of sins and stay in their wicked ways. Do, many sinners know there is hell?

Yes. I met many students at college in New York state while myself was student. They told me, heaven is a bore place, have no friends, fussy holy people there. They want go to hell, where their many friends are, have fun party there, and sex with girls, etc. They knew hell is a real place, yet, they make fun talk about heaven and hell, also at God too. Because they do not understand the truth, they are not yet born again, they are still spiritually death.

I do believe that the Holy Spirit did work on unbelievers' hearts while listening to a Christian's witness. But, they are heart hardened against the Holy Spirit, that mean, they are NOT willing to accept the facts and believe it. They refuse to repent, and want to stay in their ways. So, they are remain blind.

Holy Spirit cannot force them to make decision, it is up to them.

Sadly, most of them choice wide road(Matt. 7:13-14) on the way to hell, because they want to enjoy life, good times, wealthy, have job, have security insurance, 401k, house, etc... seems think everything is allright with them. But, they are deceived and fool.

Do not blame on Holy Spirit/Christ for not given salvation to them, are already in hell, because they already MADE their own decision and choice, that is their responsible, not HolySpirit?Christ's!

In Christ
Rev. 22:20 -Amen!

 

I didn't avoid anything, but asked a question to a statement Aresman made. Can you answer it?

 

Bro. Williams said it best that you will only accept the answer you are looking for. Your heart is hardened to the truth.

 

The Bible says that people rejected salvation because they loved other things more than God. They were not willing to let go of themselves and their fleshly desires. The rich young ruler was not willing to give up his riches and power even though the living God was standing right in front of him. The Pharisees were not willing to give up their self righteousness and earthly power.

Jesus said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".

We must all recognize our need for God and our spiritual poverty in order to receive salvation.

As to why the rich ruler valued his posessions more than eternal life, I have no idea. But you're not going to get me to say it was because God did not "choose" him. Jesus told him what he needed to do to have eternal life, therefore the offer was made, but the young ruler refused it.
Maybe Jesus was just messing with his head. He "obviously" had not "chosen" him for salvation since he walked away without it, but for some reason Christ made the offer and He must have meant it because He said "He looked at him and loved him".

I think you need to take your questions to people who have refused to believe the gospel.

I have answered to the best of my ability, but the only answer you will accept is the one that says people reject God because God rejected them and did not enable them to come to Him. I do NOT believe that.

 

I have no problem with your answer as to why people refuse the gospel. I gave scriptural answers as to why people refuse the gospel, so this part of the question has been answered.

But you still haven't provide any reason as to why people accept it. What makes the difference such that they would accept it? You cite one example, saying it's because people are poor in spirit, but that's not an answer. It just begs the next question, which is, "Why is one person poor in spirit, but not another?" What put one person in such a position that he was poor in spirit and desired the gospel?

Did God make that person poor in spirit in order to soften him for the gospel? If not, then how did that person get poor in spirit, but another hardened himself? If so, then that begs the next question, "If God can make one person poor in spirit such that hey'll be attracted to the gospel, why doesn't God make all people poor in spirit?"

 

I chose Him because of the preaching of the Word. I did not and still do not want to go to hell. Did I do the saving? NO! Jesus did.

Why do others not choose God? They are unable to (never heard of Jesus) or they are unwilling to or they just plain don't believe in God.

But here is the clincher: one of our ladies at church has an unsaved step mother. We tried witnessing to her and she sent us away and said that she is not afraid to go to hell.
And I always wonder what that REALLY means? Does she think hell is beer and electric guitars and getting to be with her friends? Did she mean that she thought there was no God, thus no hell and THAT is why she wasn't afraid? Or does she think she's tuff enough for hell?

 

When someone gives an answer to Dale or Npet that those who choose not to serve God is because they loved darkness rather than light. I can understand that answer.

How many can understand the answer, that if someone don't choose to serve God, they love darkness rather than light?

I have no problem whatsoever understanding that.

 

Everyone is poor is spirit until they are reborn. You just have to stop being self-centered long enough to realize it.

God has revealed Himself to all through His creation, so everyone knows there's a God and can even see His character in the things that He has made. Therefore, they have no excuse. Paul says that because some refused to honor Him as God that their hearts were darkened. Leaning on their own wisdom, they actually became fools.

God has given every man a conscience having written the law on their hearts. Again man is without excuse.

Romans 1 makes it plain that the responsibility to accept or reject God falls squarely in the lap of man. God has made the way and offered it to all. A person cannot be held accountable for rejecting God if God never gave him a chance to be saved. If calvinism were true then man would have an excuse, but Paul clearly says that man does NOT have an excuse. God has done His part. The ball is clearly in the court of man to either receive or reject what God has so graciously offered him.

As far as why one accepts the gospel and another doesn't, we could ask other similar questions.
Why is one person more stubborn than another? Even among Christians.

Why does one Christian read the Bible and another doesn't?

Whys does one pray more than another?

Why does one person make wise decisions and another makes stupid ones?

Why don't I believe the calvinistic doctrine? Am I not one of the elect since God has not revealed this to me?

Why, why, why...........

But, it's not because God enabled one and rejected the other.

 

I know of no Arminian or Calvinist who wouldn't say at times, I don't know. Does "I don't know" suddenly invalidates a position. I hope that is not the case.

What would that mean for verses: like Deut.29:29, where the secret things belong to God? What would it do about Rom.11:33f, where the judgments of God are beyond tracing out?

Then even Peter admits that there are some difficulties in the writings of Paul (2 Peter 3:16). Based on these passages it is perfectly ok to say, I don't know at times, without invalidating one's position. IMO

 

It appears to me that in the economy of the Calvinist's world, God made some to believe and some to reject Christ.

But the Bible says that we love Him because He first loved us.

Which would mean in the Calvinist economy that God did NOT love all whom He created since He created MOST for the sole purpose of tormenting them in hell for eternity. And somehow God gets glory for this?

As to the OP, the question has been answered many times in many ways yet the Calvinists refuse to accept that answer and have even been shown to have baited the question. This is just plain deceitful IMO.

 

Why does God choose one and not another? Because He is the potter and we are the clay....... He has the right to do that. Romans 9

Bro. Bob.... a non answer is just that.... a non answer. Why does some love the darkness rather than the light? The answer is not that just some, but all men, love the darkness rather than the light. That is the answer to verse 16 of the 3rd chap. of John. God loved the world in this way, that He gave His only Son........
But this is the judgement, men loved darkness rather than the light.

In context, Jesus said we must be born again. That is the context of John 3. Actually it is the context of all of John.

Don't hold your breath for an answer from the free willies.

 

How can that be true? If everyone is poor in spirit, what would be the point of saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven?" Either Jesus is talking about SOME people and not all, or there wouldn't be any point in saying it is those particular people who have the kingdom of heaven. Furthermore, if it means all people, then Jesus is teaching universalism. Everyone is poor in spirit, all who are poor in spirit have the kingdom of heaven, therefore all people have the kingdom of heaven. Everyone gets saved.

But that's what the Bible says. Don't rail against me on this point - rail against God.

That says the difference between those who come to Jesus and those who don't boils down to whom it has been granted by the Father. Or, as other translations put it, "He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

 

This seems to be Dale's position. It is not mine. I have no problem saying I don't know something, but Dale does not accept that as an answer.

 

That is God's answer, not mine. I just posted it. I am sure He can see you think its a "non answer". Are you saying that "no one" loves God?

We everyone have said, we "don't Know" whats in the mind of one who does not choose God. What else do you want us to say? We do know why "we" chose to believe, and we cannot answer for the unbeliever, we can't get inside of their mind. You are asking us something beyond our knowledge. If everyone had the same mind as we do, then all would be Christians.

Did you make this up Npet; or can you post the scripture of "enabled"?