Why is God patient with sinners in regard to their salvation?

Brother Skandelon,

Hello and happy 4rth.



BROTHER SKANDELON SAID:

And a follow-up to that is why does God "hold out his hands" to rebellious people as if he is pleading with them to come to him as seen in several verses throughout the text (ie Matt. 23:37; Romans 10:21 etc) if He is the one who makes the decision on whether or not they are going to come?

In other words, why continually call people with an ineffectual call when you know they can't respond to it and when your real plan is to call your people with an effectual call anyway? I just don't get that!


ME (BROTHER JOE): Perhaps for the same reason he gave us his holy commandments-so we wouldnt be ignorant of our total inabilility to keep his commandments and our total depravity apart from his quickening grace. Remember Paul stated "by the law is the knowledge of sin." This keeps the sinner both humble and grateful for his salvation.

Please read this passage from Romans 7. I think it is quite relevant to this topic:
" Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
1For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) DWELLETH NO GOOD THING: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7:12-18)

Paul would have not known that no good thing dwelled in him unless God gave his holy law to show him that he is a nothing and cant measure up to it's rigourous requirements. Paul is now humbled, grateful, aware of his own sinfulness, and in awe of God's holiness.

***********************************************************************"Luther here describes as a divine strategy for showing his morally impotent creatures their very impotence:

"If now, God, as a Father, deals with us as with sons, with a view to showing us the impotence of which we are ignorant;or as a faithful physician, with a view to making known to us our disease; or if, to taunt his enemies, who proudly resist His counsel and the laws he has set forth (by which He achieves this end most effectively), He should say, "do," "hear," "keep," or: "if thou shall hear," "if thou art willing," "if thou shalt do"; can it ve fairly concluded from this that therefore we can do these things freely, or else is God mocking us? WHY SHOULD NOT THIS CONCLUSION FOLLOW RATHER: THEREFORE, GOD IS TRYING US, THAT BY HIS LAW HE MAY BRING US TO A KNOWLEDGE OF OUR IMPOTENCE" (Martin Luther , quoted in Sproul's Willing To Believe)********************************************************* Interesting quote by Luther, isnt it?


TAke care,

Brother Joe

[ July 04, 2004, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: BrotherJoe ]

 

Brother Joe, in response to your question, my mother led me to the Lord by asking me if I recognized my need of receiving Jesus and was I ready to accept Christ as my Savior. In my case, I know how old I was and where I received my Savior. The place was Delanson, N.Y.

As far as our neighbors who were about my age in a new residence, they one was a single son who was Catholic and twins, a boy and girl who lived on the other side of our house. They all were attentive to their churches, so my guess, is that they were also Christian in their heart and lives.

One of my personal evangelism involvements is to pass to people my 'business card' with a brief prayer to receive Christ. I tell them if they receive Jesus to Email and let me know of their new found faith.

 

Brother Joe,

I do not think Jesus put a 'spin' on the Gospel when He wrote the truth coming from Matthew 13:4-8. The soil are the different kinds of people or human hearts. Notice, four out of the five classifications of people rejected Jesus and His truth. There is no Irresistible Grace found in these verses, that's for sure.

Find a non-Calvinistic commentary and try to catch their viewpoint.

 

Brother Ray,


Good day and God bless.

BROTHER RAY SAID: Brother Joe, in response to your question, my mother led me to the Lord by asking me if I recognized my need of receiving Jesus and was I ready to accept Christ as my Savior. In my case, I know how old I was and where I received my Savior

ME (BROTHER JOE): Brother Ray your testimony is a delight to hear. What was it that was present in you that caused you to decide to receive Christ that isnt present in those that reject him?

Saved by grace,

Brother Joe