Freewill religion is the Man of Sin !

[JLB]

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 and again - having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 1 Peter 1:23 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 A person is not born again with hearing the Gospel message. A person must call on the Name of the Lord Jesus in order to be saved. Jesus said - I am the way and the truth and the life, mo one comes to the Father except by Me. For all have sinned and come short... 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8-9 JLB

Being born again is not something we do; but what God does in all of His election of grace (Romans 11:5). That is what is meant by God giving them a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26); a new man!

Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Isaiah 43:6-7 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Before God saves a person it is impossible that they will call on Him and seek Him in a way that is pleasing to God.

Romans 3:11-12 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Isaiah 64:6-7 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

The OTHER GOSPEL spoken of in Galatians 1:8-9 pertains to the gospel of works, that all of man's religions preach; that maintains that man, of Himself, can do something to get himself saved. The Gospel Paul preached was the Gospel of Grace by Divine Election (Ephesians 1:3-11); not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).

TGBTG!

God has done all He is going to do.

Now it is up to us individually to either accept or reject the gift He has given us in His Son.

18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. Romans 5:18

The free gift is available to all men. It is up to man to accept this gift by obeying the terms -

6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8


in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Man's free will is what caused sin to enter the world and spread to all mankind.

Man's free will is what has caused the cure for this sin.

It is therefore a mans freewill whether to accept or reject this gift from God.

The only way to be born again is for a man to believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If there were some other way, then why would Jesus have to suffer a gruesome death?

He is the Only Way!


JLB

 

[savedbygrace57]

deb

The Good News is the Gospel of Christ and what He did at the Cross

No its not, the Good News is when what Christ did on the Cross is your Salvation. Eph 1:13

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

God does not send anyone good news of their Salvation if they are lost in their sins, why should He ?

 

[savedbygrace57]

jlb

Now it is up to us individually to either accept or
reject the gift He has given us in His Son.

This is false teaching and works, making Salvation depend upon what a person does. This also leads to boasting !

 

[savedbygrace57]

His Wrath

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

God's wrath remains on them because why........they REJECT THE SON.

God's Wrath remains on them because Christ has not died for their sins and propitiated God on their behalf.

Those Christ died for even while they are rejecting Christ and are His enemies, they still have been reconciled to God, they are not under His Wrath. Rom 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

 

[Deborah13]

jlb

A person is not born again with hearing the Gospel message.

A Person cannot hear the Gospel [spiritually] unless they are already born again ! Jn 8:47

47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

To understand what Jesus is telling I think one must go back and read this verse in context.
They say they are Abraham's children, yet did seek to kill Him, an innocent. They say their father is God and yet they do not believe who He is. If they cared about God they would have known from the prophets, the Psalms, and the Torah who He was, they could recognize Him from the OT. They would have searched the scripture.
But they chose not to because of their own vanity. So we see again that it is God's Word that is the witness of Christ that points one to the Truth. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Why do you ignore what God says as to where faith comes from? The Gospel Message itself gives faith to those who listen to it and really want to know. God will reveal it to them. Nowhere in this scripture does Jesus even allude to anything about God changing their hearts before they could understand by any other method other than doing as Abraham and obeying God, seeking God, listening to His Words.
However, there was Nicodemus who was searching...

 

[Deborah13]

jlb

Now it is up to us individually to either accept or
reject the gift He has given us in His Son.

This is false teaching and works, making Salvation depend upon what a person does. This also leads to boasting !

There is no boasting in oneself when one believes where that faith comes from. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" in this way God gives the faith to believe.
In your theology one must be saved before they can receive the faith to be saved. What?
Eph. 2:8 "By grace, through faith" This is how one receives the gift of salvation. You must have faith first, you must hear from God.

The apostles heard from the mouth of Jesus both while He was on the earth and one Paul after He left the earth. Since then we hear Him by the written Word and those who God calls to witness to us, His disciples, those who believe His Word.

 

[Eugene]

God's Wrath remains on them because Christ has not died for their sins and propitiated God on their behalf.

1 John 2:2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

[Deborah13]

Those Christ died for even while they are rejecting Christ and are His enemies, they still have been reconciled to God, they are not under His Wrath. Rom 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

We are justified by His blood. We are Saved by His life. We are saved because He arose from the dead and continues to Live.

Many people believe that there was a man named Jesus who died on a cross, He said He it did it for their sin. But they don't believe that He rose from the dead, therefore they are not saved by His life. One must believe this and that this too is part of the belief that saves them.
He lives in heaven and He lives in us, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, continuing to sanctify us. In this we must also cooperate or our sanctification will not produce much fruit.

 

[gr8grace]

2 Pet 2:1~~But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

 

[gr8grace]

John 1:29~~The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

29~~The next day {2nd consecutive day},
John {the Herald/Baptizer} sees Jesus coming to him {Matt. 3:17} and said,
"Behold the Lamb of God
Who bears/'lifts up and carries the burden of' {airo}
the sin of the world {ALL sin - for ALL mankind - unlimited atonement}."

 

[gr8grace]

Heb 2:9~~But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

9~~ BUT {in contrast}, having been made 'inferior to'/'lower than' the angels for a brief time {incarnation of Christ}
because of the suffering of death
WE KEEP ON SEEING {blepo} Jesus and Only Jesus
having been crowned with glory and honor
for the purpose that by means of the GRACE from the God
He {Jesus} should taste death 'on behalf of'/'as a substitute' for all {for every human being - Unlimited Atonement}.

 

[gr8grace]

2 Cor 5:14-15~~4 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

14~~We thus discerned
{from the consistent study of doctrine}
that One {Jesus}
died for all . . .
for we are constantly motivated
by the love of Christ.

Note: Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement.

15~~And that He died for all
{repeat of the doctrine} . . .
that they which live
{all of us alive}
should not live unto themselves
{subjectivity}
- to their disadvantage -
but unto Him Who died for them . . .
and rose again.

 

[gr8grace]

Titus 2:11~~For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,( all men have the opportunity to believe, unlimited atonement)

 

[Deborah13]

2 Cor 5:14-15~~4 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf

Excellent gr8grace, thank you.

 

[gr8grace]

1 Tim 4:10~~For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

10~~For because of this {benefit from spiritual exercise},
we {Paul and Timothy} work hard to the point of exhaustion {study and teach} and
we keep on contending {means 'hanging in there tough'} . . . because we have absolute confidence in the Living God . . .
Who keeps on being the Savior of all {pas} men . . .
especially of believers.

 

[gr8grace]

1 Tim 2:6~~who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

6~~Who {Jesus} having given Himself
as a redemptive ransom {from the slave market of sin}
on behalf of all {unlimited atonement}.
HIS {GOD THE FATHER} TESTIMONY given at the proper time.


Note: The doctrine of unlimited atonement means that Christ died for the sins of ALL mankind - believers and unbelievers alike. Then it was solely human volition as to whether or not you would by faith take the salvation solution.}

 

[gr8grace]

1 Tim 2:4~~who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

[God is Sovereign and He CHOOSES first. He chooses "ALL".]
4~~ The One Who
always wills/desires
that all mankind receive salvation
and advance to the epignosis/full knowledge
of doctrine {the truth}.

This is a BIG verse here. God is sovereign and His will must be satisfied first. He "calls" everyone! Now if that was all that mattered, than all would be saved. But, there is another part to the puzzle. He requires that we all accept Him by responding with faith of our own.

Now the verse just does not stop with salvation. It is God's will for all believers to next put their faith in His Word. He wants us to study and learn divine viewpoint and grow spiritually.

 

[gr8grace]

2 Pet 3:9~~The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

9~~The Lord {God the Father}
is not slow/tardy/late
concerning His promise {to you} . . .
as some over-think
to the {false} conclusion
that God is slack/tardy . . .
but in contrast, God keeps on being
patient/ longsuffering toward us {His timing is perfect} . . .
God Himself {on the basis of His character}
does not decree/appoint
that anyone {not even one member of the human race}
to have perished
{last judgment - to receive destruction from the ultimate
source of God} . . .
but in contrast that ALL {entire human race}
should 'make room for'/'have capacity for'/'move toward'
repentance {change of mind about Christ}.



God decrees that ALL mankind be saved - have a change of mind toward Christ. It is man by his free will who chooses to go contrary to the will of God and remain unsaved.}

 

[savedbygrace57]

deb

We are justified by His blood. We are Saved by His life. We are saved because
He arose from the dead and continues to Live.

You evaded my point :

Those Christ died for even while they are rejecting Christ and are His enemies, they still have been reconciled to God, they are not under His Wrath. Rom 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

 

[savedbygrace57]

God's Wrath remains on them because Christ has not died for their sins and propitiated God on their behalf.

1 John 2:2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Ok I agree with that scripture !