CONVICTION...

[Eventide]

The Apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear as to when a person is regenerated.. and placed into the body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit of God.. and it is after that person trusts in Christ, after hearing the gospel of their salvation, and after they believe... THEN God seals them with the Holy Spirit of promise...

This is when a believer is baptized into that one body by the same Spirit.. it is then that they become a member of that one body, His body, the body of Christ.

The Spirit of God convicts the world of these enormous truths concerning sin and its only cure... the righteousness of Christ alone, and of the judgment which has already come, as which comes upon all men at death.. for it is appointed unto men to die, and then judgment pertaining to what we have done while we lived.

IMO it all seems absolutely pointless for all these things to be experienced and relative to all of us, and then have it all come down to God regenerating some so that they will believe, and leave the others condemned without affording them that same crossroad... seek to save our life and lose it.. or lose it for Him and save it..

 

[childeye]

The Apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear as to when a person is regenerated.. and placed into the body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit of God.. and it is after that person trusts in Christ, after hearing the gospel of their salvation, and after they believe... THEN God seals them with the Holy Spirit of promise...

This is when a believer is baptized into that one body by the same Spirit.. it is then that they become a member of that one body, His body, the body of Christ.

The Spirit of God convicts the world of these enormous truths concerning sin and its only cure... the righteousness of Christ alone, and of the judgment which has already come, as which comes upon all men at death.. for it is appointed unto men to die, and then judgment pertaining to what we have done while we lived.

IMO it all seems absolutely pointless for all these things to be experienced and relative to all of us, and then have it all come down to God regenerating some so that they will believe, and leave the others condemned without affording them that same crossroad... seek to save our life and lose it.. or lose it for Him and save it..

Well said eventide. You are succinct and right on point. So to address this point I would say it is not pointless if God wants men to know that it was not by their selfwill or anything a man could claim as his doing, but by Him and His mercy alone that we are saved. Since we all have received the same condemnation according to the law it cannot be said that God is not fair unless he lets all of us perish. Which is essentially what you are saying if you believe all men should have equal opportunity to salvation. But this defeats the point, if each man has an equal chance according to his own selfwill.

I would empathize however with your spirit of intercession for all men and that hope remains that both God's desires be served and yet all men be saved. For it is a good hope that all men can come to the realization that it was not our self will that saves us. I note that the Gospel was preached to the dead so death does not necessarily preclude salvation if one dies in unbelief.

Otherwise I must believe that whoever perishes, must have never have had anything worthwhile in God's perfect judgment, even if it is to point out that only God's Spirit makes us worthwhile. Perhaps flesh is just like the rubber of the tires of our cars and we want to be more than that.

 

[Eventide]

I would say it is not pointless if God wants men to know that it was not by their selfwill or anything a man could claim as his doing, but by Him and His mercy alone that we are saved.

Yeah, perhaps God let's multitudes perish while choosing some for no reason so that those He chooses know that they didn't have freewill..

Yeah, maybe that's it... lol

 

[childeye]

=glorydaz;584609]Living in the flesh is not a lie, it's a plain fact.

Man is body, soul, and spirit....three in one, just like God.
The soul is who we are, our mind and heart.
By sheer will-power, man can control his body, but when our spirit is not in unison with the Spirit of God, our mind does not seek to please God but the flesh. That's why we're said to live and walk in the flesh before we're saved.

I agree completely, So why is it wrong to say one who does not have the Truth has a lie? If Light is not there is there not darkness? Even when a man deceives himself is he not lying to himself? To serve the flesh in lieu of God is walking in deception. All sin is attributed by Jesus and Paul to Satan when they say that all who sin are the children of Satan and that all who have the Spirit of Christ do not sin. Christ says the Truth will set you free from the slavery of sin. Hence the absence of Truth must be the cause of sin. Please acknowledge the semantics in play here. I am not saying that it is a lie that our bodies are made of flesh, I am saying we are tempted through that flesh to sin, and that there is a Truth that defeats that temptation.

I certainly understand where you're coming from, but we're commanded to repent and believe.

That's even because we are headed the wrong direction through unbelief which is not indicative of a freewill.

We're told to seek and to come.

How does one seek what they do not believe in? They must be given sight to see and ears to hear. It cannot be denied that God has hidden wisdom from some for that is why they could not see the Christ and therefore crucified him.

None of this would be necessary if it wasn't something required of us.

Please excuse the semantics, but nothing would be required if we were already presently "free" in our wills while in unbelief. God does not tell righteous people not to sin. Nor does He tell believers to repent.

It's the exact same thing as when He tells us to obey. Surely you don't believe God does the obeying for us?

In so many words, yes. For if Love lives in us by grace through faith, then "obedience" to the Gospel is to believe this, so as not to lose that which makes us righteous on the inside. To put it another way, a man who is a child of God, born of the Spirit of the Eternal Truth, does not need to be told to obey, nor does he need commandments so as to read what is the righteous way. For the child of God does these things by nature even as God does. Once again I need to point out how semantics play out here concerning the term obedience.

To be even more clear, one who has not been born of the Holy Spirit has no Truth in him even as Satan has no Truth in him. While Satan in his deception of pride, not willing to admit his ignorance, is content to believe his will is perfectly free and does not esteem the need for God, those who truly humble themselves acknowledge that their wills are not free without God's Truth. And this humbling can only take place by recognizing that God is even the piece of Himself given to us from the very beginning, hence he is the light that lighteth every man. Read the parable of the eyes are the lamps of the soul, it is all there. In Light of this, yes it is God that causes us to obey God and it is Satan in us that refuses to acknowledge this.

Even believers filled with the Spirit will disobey God sometimes. If not, why does He say He chastens us? There are some things God requires of man.

God does require some things from mankind, although it cannot be ascertained that all men have the same abilities to comply which God would know. I can only speak for myself and cannot assume all men are like me. For if Cain would be able to be Abel and Abel Cain, then some other outside reason is behind why they made different offerings and scripture identifies sin at the door for Cain but never specifies whether Abel ever had the same identical encounter. Moreover sin entered in through Adam and so whatever happens after that was the product of an antecedent event. It is telling however that Cain gave his offering out of a self seeking glory rather than for the interests of the recipient which identifies the deception through which sin has power. For Cain took the rejection of his offering personally and this is why jealousy occurred and Cain slew his brother.

These are things we either choose to do or we can choose to disobey Him.

To me this is a completely frivolous conclusion lost in semantics contradictly counting both obedience and disobedience to God as freedom. Subsequently this statement does not acknowledge any powers behind or over a person differentiating why a person chooses one way or the other, but rather claims power over both light and dark. One is led to believe through such inept reasoning that simply because we can close our eyes we can make the light go away and by opening them we can have light, sort of like since Satan can step on a bug or not he has the power over life and death. Truth be told he has, or rather had, only the power of death and likewise so also under the Old Testament did we have only the power to die, only the power to sin apart from God. And this is what the Old Testament was meant to prove. Consequently God was ever true from the beginning when He said, "the day you eat of that fruit you shall surely die.

Therefore if the light be taken away there is only darkness no matter how much we grope with our eyes wide open so as to make the ability to open our eyes worthless. Likewise it cannot be said we can choose to obey God when we cannot even see without Him. Consequently Jesus cleverly uses the term blindness to describe our condition wherein we think we see but are in fact blind. And Jesus equates the cure to such blindness as the Holy Spirit of Truth, although it is apparant that some will yet lose the sight they gained if they once again count the Truth as their prerogative to ignore and no doubt they will even declare it their freewill given by god for their god is Satan.

Hence I preach that to obey God is God's gift of a freewill and should be cherished as such, recognizing that to count disobedience to God as an option, is not a freewill but is Satan's vanity and sin and therefore an enslaved will.

 

[childeye]

=Eventide;584734]Yeah, perhaps God let's multitudes perish while choosing some for no reason so that those He chooses know that they didn't have freewill..

Yeah, maybe that's it... lol

As this is the cause of Christ's intercession so that people do not perish and is the purpose of the Gospel, I don't see this as a laughing matter. Jesus died for us so that he may have the right to intercede on our behalf. So in love, I admonish you to not make light of it.

 

[glorydaz]

As mentioned, I think that conviction is often misunderstood for regeneration. This thread turning into another 'freewill' topic seems to testify to that end..

What would be the point of the Spirit of God convicting (or convincing) the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment... if He must then regenerate a person in order to believe the truth about sin, righteousness, and judgment ?

The Spirit of God doesn't regenerate a person so that they can believe.. He convicts a person so that they can believe..

Conviction is based upon evidence, and who could possibly estimate the endless ways in which the Spirit of God reveals these things to men..?

If the scriptures tell us plainly that He is that true light which lighteth every man that comes into the world.. and the Spirit of God testifies of Christ, and is sent into the world to testify of these things.. then why do some believe that He has only revealed Himself to them and not all men ?

"The Spirit of God doesn't regenerate a person so that they can believe.. He convicts a person so that they can believe.."

Those are words of wisdom, Eventide.

 

[glorydaz]

Well said eventide. You are succinct and right on point. So to address this point I would say it is not pointless if God wants men to know that it was not by their selfwill or anything a man could claim as his doing, but by Him and His mercy alone that we are saved. Since we all have received the same condemnation according to the law it cannot be said that God is not fair unless he lets all of us perish. Which is essentially what you are saying if you believe all men should have equal opportunity to salvation. But this defeats the point, if each man has an equal chance according to his own selfwill.

I would empathize however with your spirit of intercession for all men and that hope remains that both God's desires be served and yet all men be saved. For it is a good hope that all men can come to the realization that it was not our self will that saves us. I note that the Gospel was preached to the dead so death does not necessarily preclude salvation if one dies in unbelief.

Otherwise I must believe that whoever perishes, must have never have had anything worthwhile in God's perfect judgment, even if it is to point out that only God's Spirit makes us worthwhile. Perhaps flesh is just like the rubber of the tires of our cars and we want to be more than that.

Where in the world do you come up with these strange ideas?

Search the scripture and see if what you preach is true.
Where are your references?

BTW....People can't be saved after they're dead.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 

[jasoncran]

childeye that is one wierd way of looking at our flesh, and btw that isnt and cant mean the literal human body.

 

[Eventide]

"The Spirit of God doesn't regenerate a person so that they can believe.. He convicts a person so that they can believe.."

Those are words of wisdom, Eventide.

And yet so many in Christendom are being taught that they are regenerated in order to believe.. basically so they can say that God chose them imo..

Just another 'special' case..

 

[Eventide]

As this is the cause of Christ's intercession so that people do not perish and is the purpose of the Gospel, I don't see this as a laughing matter.

I don't see the gospel as a laughing matter either, just your opinion that God's purpose would be so that man can't say they have freewill... now that imo is a laughing matter.

No worries for you, God chose you right... you're all set..

 

[childeye]

=glorydaz;584881]Where in the world do you come up with these strange ideas?

Search the scripture and see if what you preach is true.
Where are your references?

To what "strange ideas" are you refering?
I am simply saying men do not choose God by a freewill, but because there is something that is a Godly Love that recognizes the Christ which causes one to believe, and that is predetermined and is not according to anything we will to exist. The cause being so that no flesh may glory. Moreover I am saying that through intercession there is the hope that God will reveal Himself to those we intercede for. Relevant scriptures:
1 Corinthians 1:27-30

King James Version (KJV)



27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Matthew 11:25

King James Version (KJV)


25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Ephesians 1:17-18

King James Version (KJV)



17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 2:3-5

King James Version (KJV)



3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 2:8

King James Version (KJV)


8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Romans 6:17

King James Version (KJV)


17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 9:11

King James Version (KJV)


11(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth
Romans 9:16

King James Version (KJV)


16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
John 6:65

King James Version (KJV)


65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Matthew 13:11

King James Version (KJV)


11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

King James Version (KJV)


1 Timothy 2


1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 2:25

King James Version (KJV)


25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Romans 8:20

King James Version (KJV)


20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

BTW....People can't be saved after they're dead.

Pertaining to the Gospel being preached to the dead:
1 Peter 3:19

King James Version (KJV)


19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1 Peter 4:6

King James Version (KJV)


6For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

 

[childeye]

childeye that is one wierd way of looking at our flesh, and btw that isnt and cant mean the literal human body.

Jesus said that tree that is dead wood and does not give forth good fruit is only good for the fire. Paul said God could make vessels of both honor and glory out of the same clay. I presume that clay is the flesh. Moreover Isaiah says there is a mountain of flesh that in the days after these days we will go and visit as a testimony of what happened because men disobeyed God. I would say the flesh is this corporeal and temporal existence.

 

[childeye]

I don't see the gospel as a laughing matter either, just your opinion that God's purpose would be so that man can't say they have freewill... now that imo is a laughing matter.

No worries for you, God chose you right... you're all set..

If the vanity of Satan is that he has the right to disregard God the Creator as the source of his righteous attributes, and take glory through belief that it is the result of something he chooses to do or not do, then God has every reason to prove otherwise so as to destroy the works of Satan.

 

[glorydaz]

And yet so many in Christendom are being taught that they are regenerated in order to believe.. basically so they can say that God chose them imo..

Just another 'special' case..

When, in fact, he chose us (believers - church) as a peculiar people. This is what "set apart" is referring to.
We clearly see the progression. A nation, a house, a people for an inheritance, a covenant, children of the promise, and of FAITH.

But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

A holy nation....a peculiar people.

For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

A house.

And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

A people for an inheritance.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness:

A covenant.

I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Our lineage.

O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

Here we are...chosen from the beginning.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Of the faith...of faithful Abraham.

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

 

[childeye]

=glorydaz;585181]When, in fact, he chose us (believers - church) as a peculiar people. This is what "set apart" is referring to.
We clearly see the progression. A nation, a house, a people for an inheritance, a covenant, children of the promise, and of FAITH.



A holy nation....a peculiar people.



A house.


A people for an inheritance.



A covenant.


Our lineage.


Here we are...chosen from the beginning.


Of the faith...of faithful Abraham.

Amen to all of this, and Glory be to God.

 

[glorydaz]

If the vanity of Satan is that he has the right to disregard God the Creator as the source of his righteous attributes, and take glory through belief that is something he chooses to do or not do, then God has every reason to prove otherwise so as to destroy the works of Satan.

You give satan more power than he has.

It's a shame to give credit to satan for something that God, Himself, ordained....that man choose freely.

He didn't choose us individually, He chose us in the faith...a holy nation a peculiar people - His body, the church.

 

[childeye]

=glorydaz;585189]You give satan more power than he has.

The only power I concede to Satan is to lie and usurp the Truth.

It's a shame to give credit to satan for something that God, Himself, ordained....that man choose freely.

As I said before, for a man to choose freely he cannot be deceived. Therefore the Truth sets one free. Jesus said it, not me. You will do the works of your Father. Jesus said it not me. I shall have mercy upon whom I will have mercy and I will harden whom I will harden. God said it, not me. God therefore is the light of man. He does not leave us in darkness only by the grace of His presence according to His mercy. Man's sin and His granting repentance is proof of this. You give too much power to men. To be gullible and corruptible is not an ability, but a disability.

He didn't choose us individually, He chose us in the faith...a holy nation a peculiar people - His body, the church.

Can't say I can agree since scripture say the members of Christ's body were all written in the book of life before they ever existed. Those whose names were not written in the book of life all followed the lie of the anti-christ. You do not give God enough power as in omnipresent and therefore declaring the end from the beginning. As such it is not for me to say He does not choose us individually and we save ourselves individually. Determinism vs. freewill, one is saying we decided and the other is saying God sifted.

 

[childeye]

Yeah, perhaps God let's multitudes perish while choosing some for no reason so that those He chooses know that they didn't have freewill..

Yeah, maybe that's it... lol

There is something a person has, that allows them to believe in the Christ. This something is what Jesus is refering to when he says "for whosoever hath":
Matthew 13:11-12

King James Version (KJV)



11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

I believe it is the Love of God, so it cannot be ours to freely decide for there were some who were given to see the mysteries of heaven and some who were not. We only decide whether we believe that. This is evidence that God is Love. We choose to believe this as a testimony to the Spirit of God. That Love is not from man's deliberation, but from His Spirit that moves us to do righteousness. We shouldn't just assume everyone has this Love at their own behest for this does not recognize God is Love. Subjectively, we may say we can turn it away. That does not mean we decided to have the Love that believes in the Christ. I don't believe we can stop loving in some degree unless God let's us go. That's why Jesus says But whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

This proves Love moves man and man in what is refered to as a freewill thinks he chooses not to move himself to believe whenever he wants to, yet he cannot muster the Love to believe in the Christ. Subjectively a man might say I let Him go according to my freewill. Still vanity persists against that one truth that without Godly Love you cannot believe in the Christ. That is why God is long suffering toward us, because of our vanity. The Truth is if a man despises love he has no love. Therefore he who has no Love despises Love and he can't choose to have it. I don't call it freewill. I call it ignorance begetting pride and vanity even because there is a Truth that sets free from this ignorance that God is longsuffering with.

 

[glorydaz]

The only power I concede to Satan is to lie and usurp the Truth.


As I said before, for a man to choose freely he cannot be deceived. Therefore the Truth sets one free. Jesus said it, not me. You will do the works of your Father. Jesus said it not me. I shall have mercy upon whom I will have mercy and I will harden whom I will harden. God said it, not me. God therefore is the light of man. He does not leave us in darkness only by the grace of His presence according to His mercy. Man's sin and His granting repentance is proof of this. You give too much power to men. To be gullible and corruptible is not an ability, but a disability.

As you can see, God gives all power to man to choose life. At least read and consider what the Word actually says.

10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. We see a big "IF" that shows clearly the possibility to do what God says.

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. "It is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off." Clearly shown in the conscience of man...no deception there, anywhere.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? We don't need to go anywhere to hear and do it.

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? same

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. God is near - everything about Him is written in our conscience. (Rom. 1)

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; It's set before us...good and evil (conscience) life and death.

16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. The promise if we obey.

17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; Man's choice to turn away..

18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. Impending judgment if we choose to turn away.

19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: A RECORD IN HEAVEN that God has set before us life and death. Obviously the ability to choose is on record.

20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. The Promise.

Can't say I can agree since scripture say the members of Christ's body were all written in the book of life before they ever existed. Those whose names were not written in the book of life all followed the lie of the anti-christ. You do not give God enough power as in omnipresent and therefore declaring the end from the beginning. As such it is not for me to say He does not choose us individually and we save ourselves individually. Determinism vs. freewill, one is saying we decided and the other is saying God sifted.

Actually, members of the body aren't written in the book of life until they become members of the body....are saved by grace through faith. The overcomers...those born of God. Does God have foreknowledge of who will come, certainly. He's God.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

God sifts alright...on the Day of the Lord. The wheat from the chaff. Determinism is not even found in the Word of God. Believers are the peculiar people, the holy nation, the body of Christ. It isn't complicated and shouldn't be complicated by the musings of men.

God foreknew who would come. He predestined that those who would answer His call would be conformed to the image of His Son...just as we are being conformed right now. These are the believers. Those who have answered His call to come. "Come unto me all you who labor....." Those He also justified by faith, and will glorify in the future.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

 

[Eventide]

There is something a person has, that allows them to believe in the Christ. This something is what Jesus is refering to when he says "for whosoever hath":

Yes, we know you're special, that God allows you to believe and not others.. and that God's purpose would be so that men can't say that they have freewill.

That about says it all right there.. lol

I'd bet that you also believe that you don't sin..