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Featured OT Saints were Unregenerate yet sought God

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Van, Feb 9, 2022.

  1. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    In another thread, the claim was made that no one seeks God unless drawn by the Father. John 6:44 says no one can come to Me (Christ) unless drawn by the Father. The question then arises, why did the OT Saints have to wait in Abraham's bosom, until the New Covenant was inaugurated? If they had "come to Me" (Christ) they would have been made perfect with the blood of Christ. So under the OT, saints came to "God" but not to the future Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. Thus scripture teaches people can seek God without being drawn to Jesus.

    Can they seek God without God revealing Himself? Of course not. Can anyone be made perfect without being drawn to Christ? Of course not, that is why the OT Saints had to wait to be made perfect. Can people seek God through works rather than faith? Yes, Romans 9. Does that obtain salvation? Nope

    So seeking God, even the God of the OT, does not require being drawn to Christ. But obtaining salvation, eternal life with God, does require not only being drawn (attracted) by the Father, but having their faith, as worthless as it may be, credited by God as righteousness.

    Does God allow people to seek God and put their trust in Christ? Yes, usually, but not always. Romans 11 teaches God does harden the hearts of some people for His purpose. Ditto for Judas who was not allowed to "come to Jesus." (John 6:65).

    In the OT, the promise of the Messiah is there for the believers to believe in. Some of the Apostles were looking for the Messiah so the promise and not the person was known before Christ's public ministry began. And yes "heaven" was promised but the OT saints did not receive that promise, but had to wait until Christ's death. Hebrews 11:39-40.

    Did people seek God before God revealed Himself? Nope

    2 Chronicles 15:4
    “But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.

    2 Chronicles 30:18-20
    For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon

    everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.”

    So the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.


    Therefore we have two absolutely proved cases of OT people seeking God.
     
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  2. SavedByGrace

    SavedByGrace Well-Known Member

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    NOT, in and of themselves! as Romans 3:11 says, "There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God", which is taken from Psalm 14:2, "The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God"

    God MUST take the first step!
     
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  3. Reformed1689

    Reformed1689 Well-Known Member

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    Ignore plain Scripture if you want Van. That is between you and God, but God disagrees with you.
     
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  4. SavedByGrace

    SavedByGrace Well-Known Member

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    there is no point in commenting, if you are not going to show him where the Scriptures disagree with him!
     
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  5. Reformed1689

    Reformed1689 Well-Known Member

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    Done so 1000 times.
     
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  6. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    Van had his own vocab and personal meanings to common words, and historic terms much like a Mormon and L Flowers
     
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  7. AustinC

    AustinC Well-Known Member

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    Scripture answers the OP.

    Deuteronomy 18:15-19
    “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

    John 5:36-47
    But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

    From Adam onward, God's elect have been justified by faith.

    Job 19:25-27
    For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
     
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  8. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Did you not read my post?
     
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  9. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    The first of the Calvinists responds with a post begotten by froth out of foam. (Hat tip to WSC)
     
  10. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Utter falsehood, utter nonsense. People sought God according to scripture, therefore no one seeks God does not mean no one ever seeks God.
     
  11. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Another Calvinist hurling the same false charges, ignoring God's word which says people sought God. This is all they have folks, personal attacks.
     
  12. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Yes, the Messiah was promised in the OT and some trusted in that promise. They gained approval, without being regenerated
    together with Christ until after Christ died. Hebrews 11:39-40

    Yes some do not seek God at any time, but others did seek God as scripture proves.

    Yes, the Second Person of the Trinity existed when Job lived, Not at issue. Yes the Second Person of the Trinity had been chosen to be the Redeemer when Job lived, even before creation. Again, not at issue.

    Thus none of the references answer the OP, but instead provide deflection and diversion.
     
  13. Reformed1689

    Reformed1689 Well-Known Member

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    And here you have it, a clear denial of Scripture.
     
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  14. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    LOL, here you have a clear denial of reading "no one ever seeks" into the text, when the text says some sought God. Utter nonsense
     
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  15. SavedByGrace

    SavedByGrace Well-Known Member

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    bad English grammar! :eek:
     
  16. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Off topic diversion, and a failure to acknowledge the truth of scripture. Obfuscation on display.
     
  17. SavedByGrace

    SavedByGrace Well-Known Member

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    learn correct English before posting in public
     
  18. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Yet another off topic personal attack. Note nothing to refute the OP. No one seeks God does not say no one ever seeks God. Perfect English grammar, thus the so called "expert" is simply hoisting a diversionary false charge to change the subject.
     
  19. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Psalms 78:34
    When He killed them, then they sought Him,
    And they returned and searched diligently for God;

    Verse after verse from God's word says people sought God in various ways. Thus the interpretation that no one ever seeks after God is a bogus as a three dollar bill.


    But will the false teacher come to their senses and repent of their false doctrine? I think not, but I hope so.
     
  20. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Chronicles 15:15
    All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought Him earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

    Verse after verse testifies for truth, but the false teachers say "taint so."

    Had they been "regenerated" before Christ died? Nope, for all those born anew follow Christ as He is the first born of all the born anew creation.
     
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