In Romans 4:5, belief is something a persons does and is not a work.
Who is responsible?
Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by 37818, Jan 14, 2022.
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Unconditional election of Calvinism and the unconditionl election of universalism are unBiblical.
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There seems to be a mis identification and even definition of elect as the scriptures use the term.
Here is a truth that might help to set the record straight.
In the Old Testament scriptures the elect were those who were born physically into the family of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. I am not guessing about that. It is stated here.
Isa 45:4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
This is a collective unity. This did not mean that all of Jacob were saved but only that they were chosen for the purposes of God and to be his special people.To have his special promises required they be born into this family. These promises do not apply to anyone else.
In the New testament the elect are likewise a collective unity but it is not bound by ethnic properties. It is entered into by a new birth from above. It is spiritual. It is a birth into the family of God. This collective is a new man in Christ Jesus. It is not a new Israel because the old man still exists and he is still unsaved.Only a remnant of ethnic Israelites believed and were born again. All gentile believers are likewise birthed by the Spirit into this family of God.
Here is a truth that the scriptures declares to anyone who will simply believe the words. No man, Jew or gentile, is elected under the promise of the New Testament until and unless he believes the gospel of Jesus Christ. His purpose of this age is to elect and to put into the body of Jesus Christ those who will hear and put their trust in him.
It is not one option among many, it is the only option.
Ac 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
God chooses all those whom the Spirit baptizes into the body of Christ (see 1 Cor 12:13), because he has chosen Christ. Can't anyone see the mavelous wisdom of that? -
Biblically God created man to be resonsible. Unconditional takes responsibility away from man and leaves it completely with God. -
I have a question for you SG.
When God made this command to Noah why didn't Noah inquire what he meant by clean animals?
Ge 7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
Everything we learn about preflood is that there was a way to God through shed blood of the innocent for the guilty. Obviously Noah maintained a relationship with God through blood but he seemed to be the only man who did. -
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SovereignGrace Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
You posted that from Adam until the Law, sin is not imputed(taken into account) when there is no Law. IOW, God doesn’t hold sin against them, seeing the Law wasn’t given from the time of Adam until the time of Moses. So, how was it that God punished the antediluvians when there was no Law given by God to Moses at that time? -
Well, it takes reason to understand the process of election, and it is a process in time. All three members of the God-head are involved. It is a good point. -
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SovereignGrace Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Conditional = merited.
#YouAreMostWelcome -
Explain how you see Romans 5:13-17 justifying unconditional election then, if that is your point. Otherwise it is not the topic here. -
SovereignGrace Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Uncoditonal election places a full responsiblity upon God who will be saved therefore who will perish. -
Belief on Jesus Christ is something that a person does.
But God's word tells us why a person believes:
1) Acts of the Apostles 13:48, because they were ordained to eternal life
2) John 6:29-65, because it is the work of God for someone to believe as well as doing so because it was given to them by the Father to come to Christ,
3) Philippians 1:29, because it is given to someone in the behalf of Christ to believe on Him.
....as well as telling us who will believe and who will not:
1) John 8:43-47, those who are "of God" will hear His words, while those who are not of God will not.
2) John 10:26-27, those who are not "of" Christ's sheep will not believe, while those who are Christ sheep will hear His voice.
in other words, only the elect will believe...and according to Romans 8:29-30 only the foreknown will partake of any of the rest.
This includes being predestinated conformed to the image of God's Son, being called by God, being justified by God, and being glorified by God.
God's choice of the sinner to salvation ( 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, Ephesians 1:4-5 ) is, once again, His choice to make and does not rely on our choices.
It is not of Him who wills, or runs, but of God that shows mercy ( Romans 9:6-24 ). -
SovereignGrace Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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