Then how can we know that the “truth†in the Bible isn’t a deception of Satan? How do we know, even if the Bible is true, that how we understand it isn’t a deception of Satan?
Truth is self evident and is Spirit. The bible only testifies to the Word but is not the Word of itelf. In other words you don't need the bible to know the Truth.
Not a matter of people being able to do nothing but sin like bad little robots, but people caught in the bondage of sin.
There's no difference between bondage and not being able to not sin.
Then Jesus says something that seems totally out of place. Didn’t John just say that these were disciples who believed in his words? But now he has Jesus say:
I didn't write it. I didn't translate it. There are many such apparrant inconsistencies in scripture. As I said, I don't need the bible to know the Truth of Christ. I need only the Holy Spirit that comes in his name.
“Was Saul not blinded and then given sight after scales fell from his eyes and he became Paul.â€
Why do you change the story into something it isn’t? Paul was a Pharisee. He was doing what he was doing because he was a Pharisee. Much like you say certain things because you are a Calvinist.
You certainly are consistent with this calvinist thing, although I am not a Calvinist. I didn't change the story. I was using scripture to point out there is blindness and deception and seeing and Truth; and that these govern a man's reasoning. That is self-evident to me. Either a man sees or he doesn't. I went to God for sight in Jesus' name and He gave it to me. This does not mean I count myself saved. I hope in my salvation and I like hoping. I trust God that He knows what He is doing.
“Read Romans one again. It says God gives some over to a reprobate mind so as to not even consider God. Is this mind seeing the truth?â€
In your view it refers to everyone. But the context doesn’t say that. It refers only to those who knew the truth and then denied it. People who “did not like to retain God in their knowledgeâ€. These people knew God. They knew the truth. Not all know God or the truth. And not all who know God and the truth, then deny it. You are taking Romans 1-3 and giving it a meaning that isn’t there.
FC, Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden and knew Him yet did not glorify Him as God. Notice Romans 1:19 says the things that can be known of God are manifest in them for God has shown it to them. Here Paul is talking about His eternal Godhead. He's saying we knew perfectly well, He is in charge of all things. Yet we did not esteem Him as God. We did not glorify Him as God but were unthankful and became vain. As I've said, we take God for granted. How many here think it is there prerogative to choose to Love God or not? Now look at my apology to God. That we took His holy name and defamed Him by ever thinking He would not have our best interests at heart.
Moreover, you are misunderstanding what I said. Notice when I said all men did this, I meant that Paul was refering to all mankind as a whole and not meant to incude those such as the prophets or Enoch. Paul often says men who did such and such and refering to all. And what did we do? Not esteem God as God. We hold down the Truth of His righteousness in unrighteousness, and regard His providence as our prerogative. Note Romans says we were not thankful and counted ouselves wise and traded in the Truth for a lie, for we traded in the Image of the Holy God for a corruptible one.
Then notice, I said
some were given over to a reprobate mind, not all. You then conflate the two and think I have contradicted myself.
I guess perfect people haven’t much to remember as far as their sins. As for me I sin constantly because I’m still in the process of being conformed to the image of Christ. Haven’t come close yet as near as I can tell. And most of the time I only remember a small percentage of the sins I commit during the day. So I pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.â€
And some are very conformed to the image of Christ. A conformity that even Paul didn’t claim for himself (Phil 3).
And so what? I'm supposed to take this as you meaning to say I am self-righteous? I do not condemn others for their sin FC, in case you havn't noticed. I have over and over included myself in all manner of ignorance that have befallen men. I have said over and over we will all be saved by mercy. I love humility and to think higher of everyone else. Are you jealous of that? You should be.
Adam and Eve didn’t distrust God.
They trusted Satan over God, FC. They therefore by default distrusted God.
When I sin it isn’t because I distrust God. It’s because I walk by the flesh instead of the Spirit.
I agree with this, the flesh is hardwired enmity with God , however sin has no dominion when under grace. If you believe you are righteous or unrighteous because you decide to be, you already distrust God who says righteousness is by faith.
I don't count my sins everyday. They are the same all the time. There is somebody poor homeless and hungry while I have a home and a full belly. Never do I walk away from that realization lest I walk away from God.
I know you think that I’m not even a brother, and surely my experience bears that out to a Calvinist. But I still hope in Christ as my Justification, in spite of your judgment. Because I still believe that your judgment isn’t the judgment of God. For a time I agreed with some Calvinists. And was fooled into thinking I wasn’t saved.
So now comes out the reason for your misplaced angst at me. That's fine with me. Perhaps it is some pennance I must endure for someone I did the same to in the past. I bless you with all my heart FC, and no matter what you think of me, I love you in all sincerity and thank God for you, just the way you are.
FC, Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden and knew Him yet did not esteem Him as God. How I wish I could talk to you in person so I could respond directly to things you say. There are many things I would love to discuss that the format of a forum does not allow.
However I will address as best I can some of them. First and foremost I DO NOT PRESUME THAT YOU ARE NOT A BROTHER. If a thought like that popped into my mind it us not Christ, it is Satanic, and I would recognize it immediately. Why? Because to think that would not be serving the commandment to Love others as I would want to be Loved.
This Truth and the Truth that God is Love and there is no Spirit of Love without Him is all one needs to distinguish Truth from lies. The Truth sets one free from sin through not judging hypocritically and realizing we can only do what is good by grace. So if a man knows to esteem God as the Spirit of Love and as all that is good in man, you will love Him with all your heart mind and soul, and abiding in this Love you will love others as you would want to be Loved. That is all... that is it... So simple a child can understand. One does not need know scripture to know this.
You say the Truth is freedom not from lies but freedom from sin, when every sin performed is perpetrated upon a lie. Under grace sin has no power as it does under the law. So it is that mankind did not esteem God as God because they had a corruptible image of God in their imaginations. Read Romans one again. Please consider if you knew God was Love in your heart, if you could possibly believe you could make a graven image out of a piece of wood and honestly worship it as God? Yet men did do this stupid thing. And quit implying I am a Calvinist. I don't even know what that is.
