Unbelief vs Belief ?

[Ben1445]

Perhaps I should have been more clear. Before someone is born anew, he will always use his free will to reject the Gospel; after he is born anew, he is the recipient of a new heart and a new spirit and will use his free will to receive the Gospel.
I hope that clarifies. There are those who believe that the New Birth is not an 'all-at-once' operation, but something that happens in stages. The idea is as follows:

Everyone who is predestined is effectually called by God at some time in their lives. A large congregation may listen to a gospel sermon, but perhaps just one or two are affected by it; or someone may hear a portion of scripture, or perhaps just look at the beauty of nature and it sets him on a train of thought which will eventually lead him to Christ. This is the effectual call (1). It is the first movement of God upon the unconverted Spirit and as such it is entirely sovereign and monergistic. The subject, the unconverted person has no part in it. It may be thought of as the moment of conception of the New Birth, the implantation of spiritual life. It may lead to someone attending church for the first time or buying a Bible.

This call leads to awakening or quickening, when men and women begin to think seriously about the things of God for the first time. Conviction is a further step along the road, when awakened souls come to see themselves as sinners under the just condemnation of God. Now conviction is not just having a bad conscience or a sense of shame- many unsaved people have that. Those who are truly convicted by the Holy Spirit see their sin as God sees it- in all its vileness and wickedness in rebellion against the Creator, and they come to understand the justice of God in sending sinners to hell.

Then, finally, they come to understand from the word of God (whether preached or read) that Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to reconcile them to God and is standing ready to receive them. They repent and believe, whereupon God justifies them (that is, He judicially declares them righteous since Christ has paid the penalty for their sin upon the cross) and glorifies them by seating them with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:9; Col. 3:3).

I used to be a big fan of this idea, but I'm not quite so sure now.

I appreciate the explanation.
It leaves room for questions like what happens to someone who is born again but hasn’t believed were they to be hit by a car or die before they did trust Christ.

 

[Ben1445]

[Eph 2:1 KJV] 1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;

God does the quickening! To God be the Glory!

To me, this is as clear as it can be. A spiritually dead person is DEAD and can only respond to God if God awakens him.

And the rest of people are zombies who you can talk to, hold conversations with teach and learn from but they are dead. They are spiritually dead without Christ. Christ is our life. But they are not dead yet. DEAD Adam still talked with God in the garden after he had sinned and was aware of what was going on.
Cain was never in the garden and he talked with God. He understood what was going on without being born again. Unless you think Cain is a follower of God; you would be the first person I ever met to think that.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

And the rest of people are zombies who you can talk to, hold conversations with teach and learn from but they are dead. They are spiritually dead without Christ. Christ is our life. But they are not dead yet. DEAD Adam still talked with God in the garden after he had sinned and was aware of what was going on.
Cain was never in the garden and he talked with God. He understood what was going on without being born again. Unless you think Cain is a follower of God; you would be the first person I ever met to think that.

They fail to understand. Death is not a ceasing to exist nor is it non-existence. Death is separation, physical death is when the spirit and soul leave the body the body is dead.

James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead"

When the spirit is separated from God it is dead.

Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

As you clearly said: Adam was spiritually dead the moment he sinned, yet he still spoke with God and understood Him. Cain was never born again, yet he conversed with God and comprehended His words. So yes, the spiritually dead are separated from God, but they are not unconscious or unable to hear.

Only the body becomes insensate in death, never the spirit.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I appreciate the explanation.
It leaves room for questions like what happens to someone who is born again but hasn’t believed were they to be hit by a car or die before they did trust Christ.

I think we can leave that to God. if it is true that 'All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,' which it is, then God will look after the details. Matt. 10:29 applies.

 

[Ben1445]

I think we can leave that to God. if it is true that 'All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,' which it is, then God will look after the details. Matt. 10:29 applies.

So there is then no rejection of Christ by those who would be in the category of “regenerate.” And if all will come, then what are we doing persuading men?