Unable to Believe the “Foolish” Gospel

[Hopeful 2]

Do you mean,
God doesn't give faith > belief > eternal life
to those who hate Him?

God doesn't give eternal life to those who hate Him.
Having faith in anything, is a choice we make.
Belief is a step we take, based on evidence.

 

[Hopeful 2]

Yes, that's impressive!
How about people who say,
"I tried very hard to believe, but I just cannot."

They are dismissing the evidence.

 

[Who Me]

I never said I learned anything from the internet , especially not forum posts.
What ABBA revealed about the wolves in sheeps clothing is and was completely reliable and in harmony with all Scripture.

The swedish pop group abba is not a source of information about Christianity, useful for illistrations but thats it.

 

[Dougcho]

They are dismissing the evidence.

They probably believe that God exists,
but believing in the "foolish" Gospel
(with Jesus dying on a cross to save them from hell)
is another thing entirely!

 

[Hopeful 2]

They probably believe that God exists,
but believing in the "foolish" Gospel
(with Jesus dying on a cross to save them from hell)
is another thing entirely!

How can they believe in God, if they reject what His Son, Jesus, accomplished for them with His death ?
Islamists believe there is a God, but that won't wash away their sins.

 

[Dougcho]

How can they believe in God, if they reject what His Son, Jesus, accomplished for them with His death ?
Islamists believe there is a God, but that won't wash away their sins.

C'mon! ... are you serious?

 

[Hopeful 2]

C'mon! ... are you serious?

Yes, but which part are you questioning ?

 

[Dougcho]

Yes, but which part are you questioning ?

Thou wrote ...
"How can they believe in God, if they reject what His Son, Jesus,
accomplished for them with His death ?
Islamists believe there is a God, but that won't wash away their sins."

I've studied Islam a lot ...
and it appears they believe in the God of the OT,
even though the Quran has changed some of the OT stories
to make people question the truth of the Bible.

Their big thing is:
Muslims believe Mohamed came as God's last prophet
to set some things straight!
(editor does not allow "mm")

 

[Hopeful 2]

Thou wrote ...
"How can they believe in God, if they reject what His Son, Jesus,
accomplished for them with His death ?
Islamists believe there is a God, but that won't wash away their sins."

I've studied Islam a lot ...
and it appears they believe in the God of the OT,
even though the Quran has changed some of the stories
to make people question the truth of the Bible.

If they believe in God, and the bible is God's word, how can they not believe everything that is written ?
Including what Jesus accomplished on our behalf ?

1. Isaiah 53:5
   But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
2. 1 Peter 2:24
   Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

 

[Dougcho]

If they believe in God, and the bible is God's word, how can they not believe everything that is written ?
Including what Jesus accomplished on our behalf ?

1. Isaiah 53:5
   But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
2. 1 Peter 2:24
   Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

One can easily believe in God, but not believe in (all of) the Bible.
If you cannot see this, then I don't wish to waste any more of your time.

 

[Hopeful 2]

One can easily believe in God, but not believe in (all of) the Bible.
If you cannot see this, then I don't wish to waste any more of your time.

I can't 'see' that.

 

[Fish153]

I see nothing in scripture to validate that idea.
I looked in BibleGateway.com for the words 'soften', with 'heart', and came up with nothing.
Your POV makes it look like it will be God's fault that the "unsoftened" will perish.

Hopeful 2: The word "soften" may not be used exactly. But please see below. Please note that Lydia "worshipped God" but was not saved. She listened to Paul and it says "The Lord opened her heart" so that she attended more carefully to what Paul was saying. She was then baptized after believing the Gospel. All of us are "dead in trespasses and sins"--just as dead as Lazarus was physically. NONE of us can "decide" to be born-again. The Holy Spirit must use the Word of God and touch us. Remember, we are "born of God"---not by human will or desire (See John 1:12-13). God "causes" us to be born-again. "If any man be in Christ he is a new CREATION..." David says in Psalm 51: "CREATE in me a clean heart O God"--he is woefully aware that he cannot change his own heart----the Lord must do it!! Lydia was "religious" but it took the Holy Spirit "opening her heart" for her to be truly regenerated. Please see below:

"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us". (Acts 16: 13-15).

 

[Hopeful 2]

Hopeful 2: The word "soften" may not be used exactly. But please see below. Please note that Lydia "worshipped God" but was not saved. She listened to Paul and it says "The Lord opened her heart" so that she attended more carefully to what Paul was saying. She was then baptized after believing the Gospel. All of us are "dead in trespasses and sins"--just as dead as Lazarus was physically. NONE of us can "decide" to be born-again. The Holy Spirit must use the Word of God and touch us. Remember, we are "born of God"---not by human will or desire (See John 1:12-13). God "causes" us to be born-again. "If any man be in Christ he is a new CREATION..." David says in Psalm 51: "CREATE in me a clean heart O God"--he is woefully aware that he cannot change his own heart----the Lord must do it!! Lydia was "religious" but it took the Holy Spirit "opening her heart" for her to be truly regenerated. Please see below:

"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us". (Acts 16: 13-15).

You are, in essence, saying it will be God's fault that the "unsoftened" will perish.
I can't agree.

 

[follower]

The swedish pop group abba is not a source of information about Christianity, useful for illistrations but thats it.

I never listen to or watch that kind of media.... (sinful).

ABBA is Jesus' Father.

 

[follower]

If they believe in God, and the bible is God's word, how can they not believe everything that is written ?

They reject Jesus.

 

[Hopeful 2]

They reject Jesus.

Rejecting Jesus shows they don't believe in God.

 

[Dougcho]

Lydia "worshipped God" but was not saved. She listened to Paul and it says "The Lord opened her heart" so that she attended more carefully to what Paul was saying. She was then baptized after believing the Gospel. All of us are "dead in trespasses and sins"--just as dead as Lazarus was physically. NONE of us can "decide" to be born-again. The Holy Spirit must use the Word of God and touch us. Remember, we are "born of God"---not by human will or desire (See John 1:12-13). God "causes" us to be born-again.

Unsaved people consider the Gospel to be foolishness
... because of their horrendous spiritual condition, i.e.
they have the inherited sinful nature that everyone is born with,
and they are captives (and slaves) of Satan.
(For those are offended by this, please read your NT and see for yourself.)

 

[Hopeful 2]

Unsaved people consider the Gospel to be foolishness
... because of their horrendous spiritual condition, i.e.
they have the inherited sinful nature that everyone is born with,
and they are captives (and slaves) of Satan.
(For those are offended by this, please read your NT and see for yourself.)

Cornelius didn't think it was foolishness.
Neither did the 3000 at Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost.
They were all unsaved folks who heard the gospel and reacted wisely to it.

 

[Hopeful 2]

How would you know when you had the evidence?

That evidence would be believable !
Men believe others can build machines that fly, when they see a machine fly.
Men believe a medicine can cure, when they see someone cured.
Men believe in God, when they see a work of God.

 

[Dougcho]

Are you equating faith with belief?

When the NT talks about someone having FAITH in Jesus and the Gospel
it must mean that the person also BELIEVES in Jesus and the Gospel.
Several NT verses talk about God giving FAITH in Jesus to a person
... so, this must also mean that he/she BELIEVES in Jesus.

The church teaches ... belief followed by faith ...
where the person chooses to believe, then has faith.

The NT teaches ... faith followed by belief ...
where the person is given faith by God, then has belief.

All of those NT verses that speak of "whoever believes has eternal life"
mean "whoever has been given faith (and believes) has eternal life".