"Act 9:6 KJV
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
It appears God had total disrespect for Saul's free-will, as He did for mine when the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin.
I wonder why Saul didn't refuse to follow the Lord's command?
Perhaps he should have told the Lord he did not want to go into the city and he was free to make his own discussions.
Revelation 3 is a letter to a church. It's not an evangelistic plea from poor Jesus standing out in the cold just waiting for someone to be His BFF. It is a chastisement to a church which has become confident in her riches. It's a promise to those who repent of this sin that fellowship will be restored.
[14] “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
[15] “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! [16] So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. [17] For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. [18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. [19] Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (ESV)
No, I don't think He does. There's something odd about a Good who's dependant on how humans feel or react. But it's always worth considering these kinds of questions.
By our limited understanding, there is "something odd about a God" who would create man knowing man would rebel and He would have to die for us. Also "something odd about a God" who would even mess with creating and dealing with man.
Edna, thanks for sharing.
My statement was intended to be sarcastic.
God never needs mans "permission" to do His will.
His chosen are drawn to Him by His power.
Indeed that is His "sovereign choice"
and the Bible shows it
God does not ask your position to "knock on your door", to evangelize you,
Rev 3 "Behold I STAND at the door and knock".
But instead of "blasting the door open", He calls and waits for the person to choose to either open the door ... or not.
"He came to HIS OWN and His OWN received Him not" John 1:11
It is a "whosoever will" system that God has created by supernaturally "drawing ALL mankind" John 12:32 to Himself and thus enabling that choice to accept or reject the gospel instead of being stuck on 'depraved sinful nature always says reject'
Interesting idea - but the Bible points the other way.
Yes, but Ezekiel 36, obviously written to the nation of Israel, is butchered by Calvinists and applied to present day people. Context, context, context.
Nope! Only good people who love God, whose deeds are good, and who come to the light so that all men might see how good they truly are, can be saved. Those who chose God before He chose them. Now those are the people God wants in His army.