JM Wrote:
God supplies the way and the means in which folks get saved, sometimes the way and the means are via discussion, if I share the Gospel with a sinner and they respond God has called that individual.
To illustrate, people are like kegs of black power and the Gospel is a match. The preacher walks around tossing matches into the barrels not knowing which barrel contains black power. There does come a point where tossing matches becomes vain, and we find this point in Scripture and are told not to cast pearls before swine and the whole idea of Biblical separation kicks in. AV and I both take time off this forum and I believe it is because of this teaching. (I could be wrong and often am.)
That's a good illistration. Sometimes it seems pointless. I guess I resent having to sometimes repond to what I know will be fruitless discussions just to protect people who may be led astray. It does take away from productive discussions.
DavidDavid Wrote:
I don't think studing what history says is meaningless, it may be meaningless tot he christian, because the NT has many so many problems that it can't answer. History teaches you the truth
1 Corinthians 1:18-29 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God,
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; And the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, That no flesh should glory in His presence.
1 corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Matthew 16:24-25 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple
John 12:24-25 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
David, it starts with repenting, meaning a change of mind. You must let go of self and trust in Christ. That's why it pleases God, because you need to first know that you are helpless and hopeless without Him. That's what is meant by "deny self". You can't know a lot of the answers you are seeking until you put your faith in Christ. Repent and believe.
God bless
Dave
