This was a city that was full of idol worship, which caused Paul’s spirit to be provoked within him. He immediately began by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Resurrection (because he preached to them Jesus and the Resurrection, v.18). In response to the inscription, “To an Unknown god”, Paul used this to tell them about the One True God of the Holy Bible, and the real Hope that there is for all sinners, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verses 26-27, Paul tells these:
“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us”
Paul tells these that they “should seek the Lord”. That is, ζητέω, to “seek after, desire, investigate, to feel the want of”. Then we have the interesting Greek word, “ψηλαφάω”, used, which means, “feel or grope about to find a thing, like a blind man”. Why all of this, if sinners have been “elected to salvation”, and are meant to DO nothing? This is what the Lord Jesus says in Luke 14:24, “Make every effort (strive) to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able”. If the Reformed/Calvinistic teaching is Biblical, then these passages in the Bible will not be there!
Paul goes on to tell these,
“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, “because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by braising Him from the dead.” (30-31)
Paul addresses these words to all those who were listening to him, not some select few, as some wrongly teach. God, says Paul, now demands that ALL humans EVERYWHERE must repent of their sins, because ALL will face the Lord for Judgement some day.
We are told in verse 32, that “some mocked” at the preaching of Paul, and others told him they would hear him again. And some men and women “joined him and believed”, the Gospel. In chapter 28 we read of the encounter that Paul had with some Jews, where it says, “And some believed by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.” (24). Again, it is clear from what the Bible says, that a sinner who hears the Gospel Message, might “believe” in what is preached, while others are not interested. They have a choice, not as some falsely teach, that God chooses their salvation for them! He also “repents and believes” on their behalf! These are perversions of the Gospel Message.
As with the people of Nineveh, who were very wicked and caused great harm to the Jews at that time, yet God in His Great Mercy and Compassion and Love, sent the Prophet Jonah to tell them the Great News of their salvation! Likewise, here in Acts 17, God saws these wretched, lost people who were “given to idol” worship, and sent the Apostle Paul with the Gospel of Hope, so that these could also “repent and believe”, and have eternal life. However, there are always some moaners, like in the time or Jonah, and now with the so called “Reformed”, who see that Greatness of God’s Salvation for the entire human race, do, like Jonah did, say to the Lord at least in their hearts:
“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for bit is better or me to die than to live!” (Jonah 4:1-3)
This so much describes the “Reformed/Calvinist”, who always try to find verses that don’t exist in the Bible, for their favorite flower, the TULIP!
Paul and The Philosophers at Athens
Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by SavedByGrace, Apr 9, 2021.
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SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
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SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
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SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
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and the Lord chooses not to break through that stubbornness for most of us.
It's because we don't have it within us to do as He commands....
repent, forsake our sins and come to Him for reconciliation in and of ourselves.
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Why did they believe?
Does God's word answer that question, SBG?
Yes, it does:
John 6:37-47.
John 6:64-65.
John 8:43-47.
John 10:26-27.
Acts of the Apostles 13:48. -
See my above.
instead of already having made that choice against God in their hearts each and every waking moment, as Romans 1:18-32 and Romans 3:10-18 ( among others ) clearly state.
Also, please see Psalms 10, Psalms 14, and many others that speak from God's perspective.
I know of no one who teaches this, as the Bible tells us that we, as the recipients of His grace, must believe on Christ from the heart ( Romans 10:8-10 )...
God doesn't do the believing and repenting for us as sinners.
He only changes the heart, which brings about all the rest when the word of God is preached and read.
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He was sent to preach the coming wrath of God on a city for its wickedness, and they heard God's word and repented in sackcloth and ashes.
It was not a message of eternal salvation.
and the Scriptures regarding why some believe while others do not, have been covered in great detail.
The "verses" do exist, and they say exactly what they mean and mean exactly what they say.
Why you reject God's word on this matter ( and many others ) I think should be of great concern to you...
and it saddens me that you continue to act as if those very same Scriptures ( that you say don't exist ), don't exist;
They do indeed exist, and what is written are God's words, not man's words.
Those that you call "Reformed" ( at least in many cases ) are only repeating what is found in the text.
How you "interpret" it is up to you, but it really is no more difficult than believing exactly what is written.
I can say in all honesty that that is all that I have done,
and that is why I am where I am today, by His grace and mercy.:) -
SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
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But we are responsible, as a race, to obey our Creator.
Just because we will not listen to Him, does not give us a free pass.
You are completely free to call it nonsense if you wish,
But He will hold us responsible to obey His commands, whether we do so or not.
Again, all one has to do is believe the Scriptures, SBG.
Where do you think I get the information?
It isn't John Calvin, John Knox, Theodore Beza, Martin Bucer, Augustine of Hippo or anyone else, my friend.
It's God's word alone. -
peace to you -
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SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
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SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves
Jesus in Matthew 19
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Is Paul mistaken and Jesus lying?
There are other passages. -
Now, the Bible I use tells us God commanded the Jews to keep the OT Law, knowing no one was able to do that.
Your quote of Jesus telling the Rich young ruler to keep the commandments is a New Testament example of God telling someone to do something that He knew they couldn’t do.
I know it’s hard for you to understand, given whatever Bible you are using, but this proves your statement that it’s “nonsense” that God would demand we do something He knows we are unable to do is....
FALSE
peace to you -
SavedByGrace Well-Known Member
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First: It demonstrates that God, being perfect, demands we also be perfect.
Second: It shows that God, being full of mercy and love and understanding we cannot be perfect without His help, demonstrates His love toward us that while we are yet sinners He made a way, through faith in Jesus Christ, to overcome our own imperfections by being clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ.
That’s what the Bible I use says anyway.
peace to you
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