Featured Is there some or is it none, no one or someone?

None of the verses of John 1 refute freedom of choice.

 

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (KJV)

Jesus Himself declares the free will of man in salvation - that's good enough for me.

 

". . . ye are saved through faith . . . ." -- Ephesians 2:8.

 

Oh, now I see the problem with your question.

Take out the double negative and ask your question again. I'll do it for you and save the time.

Does John 1 clearly state that people do not have the ability to believe in Jesus? No

or

Does John 1 clearly state that people do have the ability to believe in Jesus? No

 

I am not saying that, and that you well know.

She did not save herself any more than the blind man healed himself in Mark 10:52, "And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." (KJV)

Nor, the woman in Matthew 9:22, "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." (KJV)

Jesus was saying that her faith was the instrument of receiving her salvation, just as their faith was the instrument of receiving their healing. This same instrument of faith is available to all. It is a matter of choice.

The Bible is clear that the child of God is to "walk by faith" (II Corinthians 5:7). The Bible is also clear that "as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." (Colossians 2:6) (KJV)

How did we receive Christ? By faith. How are we to walk in Christ? By faith. Both are choices we make.

You have to change (or ignore) a lot of Scripture and redefine a lot of words to believe otherwise.

 

Faith is because of a truth. Or should be. The gift of faith should not be confused with faith as a result of truth (Romans 10:17-18; John 17:17),

 

Confession is a work, as is the rite of immersion (Mark 16:16) or praying for salvation (Romans 10:13-14).

 

Pastor_Bob,

Scripture does not present it as determining the ...MEANS...God has a perfect plan to redeem the elect sheep in Union with the seed.
There is no potential means conditioned upon man or his will ,which would be counter-scriptural.

[He choose to do so through the sacrifice of His own dear Son.]

Not just a sacrifice but a Covenant death on behalf of the foreknown sheep

[He has set the conditions of that salvation as our repentance (from sin) toward God and faith (in that sacrifice) toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).]

What you describe here are not conditions that acquire salvation, but the results of the work of the Spirit of God.

Where we differ is that I believe that He extends this invitation to all mankind freely and has not predetermined man's eternal destiny independent of man's free will.

The gospel goes out to all who hear the word preached.
However, God has indeed predestined all of the elect to be justified , sanctified, and fully glorified and conformed to the Image of the Son.

[He has, however, predetermined man's eternal destiny based upon man's free will. ]

Clearly unbiblical. In an attempt to deny what is clearly taught, you go into such error.Jn1:13
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
[He has predetermined that all who accept the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour will be saved (John 1:12).]

It does not teach that at all, that's why the previously mentioned verse 13 explains that what you said is not possible.

[He has predetermined that all who reject His merciful and gracious offer of salvation will not be saved (John 3:18).]

No, sorry...all men are born in sinful rebellion and children of wrath unless God saves them.

 

Not at all. Choosing to follow God's principles and precepts which result in uprightness, is clearly establishing an imputed righteousness and not at all establishing one's own.

It is not innate but it is certainly obtainable. It is nothing more than simple obedience to God's Word.

Salvation is not attained by expressions of righteousness. No amount of righteousness is sufficient. It is solely based upon grace through faith.

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You're missing the point. The emphasis is not on righteousness; the emphasis is on faith. The Gentiles exercised faith in the teaching of the Apostles and it resulted in righteousness. The Jew were attempting to attain righteousness by the law without faith. The choice is clear again, one may choose faith or choose works.

Therein lies your problem...it is not "we Gentiles;" it was "those Gentiles" to whom Paul and Peter were preaching. This is not describing the human nature of all mankind; it is simply making the distinction between the Jew and Gentile of whom Paul had personal knowledge. It wasn't the two races as a whole.

What can I say other than you have badly misapplied this passage?

According to the Word of God, it can: Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (KJV)

You're still trying to turn this into a works-based salvation. No degree of righteousness is sufficient to save us apart from faith.

 

I wanted to add some scripture with my statement above:

Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. (KJV)

Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. (KJV)

Acts 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. (KJV)

Lydia was already worshipping God as a lost lady. She was seeking God. She was seeking the truth. When Paul preached the Word of God to her, God opened her heart even more and gave her more light so that she "attended" or gave heed to (believed) what Paul was saying. Consequently, she was saved that day. It wasn't any righteousness on her part that saved her, rather her faith in the gospel.

 

I agree. Do those to whom it appears foolish make a conscious choice not to believe the teaching/preaching? Do those to whom it does not appear foolish make a conscious choice to believe the teaching/preaching? If the hearer has no choice in the matter, what is the purpose of the speaking?

You and I are in agreement here. We differ because I believe that the Holy Spirit visits every man, woman, boy, and girl and "opens their heart" to the gospel at some point. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11 KJV). It is at that moment they choose to believe or not to believe. If they believe, God gives them more light.

Absolutely.

 

Appeared does not mean everyone chooses to hear. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

 

I agree; but, it means that everyone has the opportunity to choose to hear.

Satan may have blinded the eyes of the lost, but "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world."

John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. (KJV)

 

Jesus did not declare the free will of man anywhere.
Repentance and faith are gifts of God given at regeneration.
Once given we do exercise them,and thank God for so great a salvation.