Featured Concerning Free Will

Agreed. So isn't knowing what that means a priority for believers?

Would you mind explaining to me, in your own words, what being born again means and how that is accomplished in the lives of unbelievers?

Agreed.

John 16:7-9 King James Version

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;


While we are called to preach the Gospel, we are not the Holy Spirit. Only God can do that internal work that brings about repentance unto life.

Did you number every sin you committed and confess them before God when you were saved, Alan? The reality is that you have sinned against God without even knowing you were. All of us have. It is not until we begin to understand God's Will that we begin to understand just how sinful we really are, lol.

Agreed.

Are you trying to make a case for free will? If so, you aren't going to be very successful in that endeavor. The natural man simply cannot perceive nor receive the spiritual things of God.

It's not open for debate:

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 King James Version

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So your argument is this: natural men, despite what the Word of God teaches, can receive and perceive the spiritual truths of God—provided their conviction, faith, and repentance is genuine?

I agree, however, it is God that grants repentance:


Acts 11:13-18 King James Version

13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.


Here are a few things to think about this first Gentile Christian:

1. He didn't seek out God;

2. God sent a messenger of the Gospel to him (Acts 10);

3. He received the Holy Ghost when he believed (was baptized with the Holy Ghost);

4. What he received was a gift (if you have to do something for a "gift" then it is not a gift);

5. It is God that granted the necessary repentance that he might receive eternal life;

Cornelius was a Proselyte to JUdaism, and God saved him out of that religion. That doesn't mean the Covenant of Law was wrong, or bad, or evil, but it was given by God and only meant to be temporary until Christ came and established the New Covenant.

I am not seeing any free will in Cornelius' conversion. For that matter, Peter struggles himself because he is forced to preach the Gospel to a Gentile, and he is apologizing (v.17) to his Jewish brethren for this man being saved! lol

I don't know, I was freely justified through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, by God's grace no less, and it is well with my soul.

Your in the wrong Age: look above where the baptism with repentance is contrasted with the Baptism with the Holy Ghost.

Your demand of repentance on unbelievers is unjust and likely hypocritical unless you think you repented all of your sin before God when you were saved. Egotistical if you think your repentance is righteous before Holy God.

You don't really think you generated your repentance out of your natural mind, do you?


God bless.

 

Its obfuscation from my question. It fails to answer it.

 

Then the final answer is no, the unsaved cannot do any good in God's eyes.

 

No works can satisfy the wages of sin. Romans 6:23.