Jesus Chooses Us

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GracePeace

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To be honest, I had never heard of monergism, so I had to look it up…
Wiki defines it as….
”Monergism derives from the Greek monos (sole) and ergon (work) and refers to a single source acting alone. In Christian theology, it primarily denotes the belief that God is the sole agent in human salvation. This view, known as "divine monergism," is characteristic of Calvinist and Augustinian soteriology.”


LOL…. half your luck! I just had cataract surgery….so writing a bit one eyed at the moment…..:bigCeeze

Enjoy….
I have noticed after I get out my skin is itchy.
Before, I used a sauna often, but it broke.
(It was $750, but this one works just as good at $200.)
I never got itchy after using the sauna before.
However, once, after eating organic strawberries, I got itchy.
I know it is the pesticides. In the sauna, you sweat that poison out.
When you get out, if you've still got some, it gets stuck "in transit".
You get itchy.

God found me completely drowning in perdition, going my own way into darkness and destruction, and dragged me up out onto the boat. I contributed nothing to my salvation. He happened to me.
 
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Aunty Jane

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I have noticed after I get out my skin is itchy.
Before, I used a sauna often, but it broke.
(It was $750, but this one works just as good at $200.)
I never got itchy after using the sauna before.
However, once, after eating organic strawberries, I got itchy.
I know it is the pesticides. In the sauna, you sweat that poison out.
When you get out, if you've still got some, it gets stuck "in transit".
You get itchy.
Strange that “organic“ strawberries made you itchy? Perhaps they were not as organic as they claimed?
Or perhaps you have an allergy to strawberries? My nephew does, and he has reactions to other natural things as well.
God found me completely drowning in perdition, going my own way into darkness and destruction, and dragged me up out onto the boat. I contributed nothing to my salvation. He happened to me.
I have heard many people say things like this…..and yet when I ask who it is that they choose to worship with after such an experience, I find them in many different denominations in Christendom, and I have to wonder if God gives us his truth to people with different beliefs and expectations? This doesn’t seem to fit 1 Cor 1:10….does God speak with a forked tongue? I believe it’s the other fellow who does that…..:IDK:

What are we to make of this?
 
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GracePeace

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Strange that “organic“ strawberries made you itchy? Perhaps they were not as organic as they claimed?
Or perhaps you have an allergy to strawberries? My nephew does, and he has reactions to other natural things as well.
I've heard that, in some cases (eg, potatoes), farmers refuse to eat "organic" foods they grow, because they MUST use certain substances on them--but even in cases where they don't "have to", they are allowed to use synthetic substances--so they grow three crops, so they can eat something (conventional, organic, personal use).
I have heard many people say things like this…..and yet when I ask who it is that they choose to worship with after such an experience, I find them in many different denominations in Christendom, and I have to wonder if God gives us his truth to people with different beliefs and expectations? This doesn’t seem to fit 1 Cor 1:10….does God speak with a forked tongue? I believe it’s the other fellow who does that…..:IDK:

What are we to make of this?
Jesus chose me, I didn't choose Jesus.
I know it's a hard truth to accept, but it's not about us, it's all about God, from start to finish. This is all about God, not us. We did not choose God. The fruit of accepting God's Word on such matters is humility and peace.
 

Aunty Jane

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I've heard that, in some cases (eg, potatoes), farmers refuse to eat "organic" foods they grow, because they MUST use certain substances on them--but even in cases where they don't "have to", they are allowed to use synthetic substances--so they grow three crops, so they can eat something (conventional, organic, personal use).
I didn’t know that....but, sadly it doesn’t surprise me...the “food” industry is dictated to, just like everything else. I wonder if it’s the same in Australia? Nothing in this world is as it appears to be.
Jesus chose me, I didn't choose Jesus.
I know it's a hard truth to accept, but it's not about us, it's all about God, from start to finish. This is all about God, not us. We did not choose God. The fruit of accepting God's Word on such matters is humility and peace.
I kinda got the same feeling, but it was only in hindsight that I saw God’s hand in my life....so many times I could have got myself into trouble as a teen, but was always prevented somehow.
I know that I was searching for meaning to our existence, but never found that the churches could explain it logically. None of it made sense....and I could see the hypocrisy in the church, the clergy, as well as the members of the congregation who seemed to pick their Christianity up at the door, and leave it there on their way out....

I knew there was a God because creation taught me that, even when I was studying evolution to see if it held the answers I was looking for....the design in the natural world screamed of a designer....but it wasn’t until I started to study the Bible, apart from church theology, that I got excited.

Unfolding before my eyes was what I had been searching for!......the truth! From Genesis I learned why God put us mortal humans on this carefully prepared planet, providing for our every need and giving us meaningful work to do.

Paradise didn’t mean sitting around doing nothing all day, but there was an assignment for the human race.
We were to “fill the earth” with our children and “subdue” the land outside the garden, spreading the boundaries of paradise until the whole world looked like the garden of Eden. There was no mention of going to heaven because we were given “heaven on earth” to be our permanent home. There would have been no aging, sickness, disability or death in that world....the one we are programmed to live in. So everything in this world is the exact opposite of the life we should be living.

A derailment took place because one spirit son of God thought too much of himself and wanted worship for himself. His fellow angels were his equal in power so he could not become a god to them, but the new humans?.....a lower creation with limited power and intelligence...these would fit his purpose nicely, so he planned his attack, not a kidnapping exactly but an enticement to disobedience, aimed at the woman first (the newest and least experienced of the pair) and this started a domino effect that separated them from God and eventually resulted in success as he planned. What he underestimated was God’s response.

The first thing God did was to evict the humans from the garden to cursed ground outside...barring the way to “the tree of life”. No longer free to access that tree and live forever (Gen 3:22-24) or the delicious fruit in the garden, they now had to cultivate the soil to produce grain and make “bread”....but the ground was now cursed and so little would grow for a lot of effort. We can only imagine the realisation of where their disobedience was taking them...yet there was only quiet resignation....not a word of remorse was said.

But this was not a permanent situation, because God had planned a rescue mission for the children that these two would produce in “filling the earth” with their now defective offspring. Such was the power of sin that within one generation a premeditated murderer was produced! The humans experienced death for the first time among their own kind.

Learning about God’s solution to the fall was so exciting that I could hardly wait to get all my questions answered....using Genesis as a basis to begin my journey, I discovered so many things that the church was missing, corrupted over centuries of introduced man-made doctrines, that just muddied the waters and caused confusion as men took others after themselves and carved up the Christian Faith to the point that Jesus would not recognize any of them. (Matt 7:21-23)

I cannot tell you what the truth did for me.....it’s just as Jesus said....

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”. . . . “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36 ESV)

I felt the shackles fall off and release me from the doctrines that were ingrained in me from childhood....the ones that never made any sense to me.

The “church” you see in the world today is a million miles away from the one Jesus and his apostles started....but it was all foretold. An apostasy was going to take place and it happened gradually, over centuries, right under our collective noses.
We have a bumper crop of “weeds” in the world pretending to be “wheat”.
Who rules this world? (1 John 5:19) And why did God allow him to. (Luke 4:5-7)

My questions kept coming but so did the answers.....solid Bible based answers that all fit into one “big picture”.

God’s spirit unites his people...it doesn’t divide them. Disunity is what the devil created....the master of deception who can make what is black look white.

Genuine seekers will find what they are looking for, but it will not be found in obvious places.
 
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Fred J

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Recently, I've become convinced of my need to focus more on the "doctrines of grace", as they are called--eg, "Jesus chose me, I didn't choose Jesus"--and I wanted to maybe discuss these things, and hopefully not really argue.
Let's begin with this,

"Your sins are forgiven, sin no more, or something worse shall happen to you."

"Be ye perfect as your FATHER in Heaven is perfect."

"Many are called but only a few are chosen."

'The path is narrow and the way is hard, for only a few will make it."


To be 'chosen', one must be like the 13 Apostles and the life they lived finishing the race.

To be 'called', are those besides the 12 disciples, who became 'followers' of Christ and were there in the day of Pentecost.

Excluding Matthias who that same day replaced Judas becoming the 12 as 'chosen'.

Next as the 'called' church, is one 'hot' or 'cold', or rather 'lukewarm' to be 'spit out' by Christ already?

Shalom in the name of Lord Jesus Christ
 

GracePeace

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Let's begin with this,

"Your sins are forgiven, sin no more, or something worse shall happen to you."

"Be ye perfect as your FATHER in Heaven is perfect."

"Many are called but only a few are chosen."

'The path is narrow and the way is hard, for only a few will make it."


To be 'chosen', one must be like the 13 Apostles and the life they lived finishing the race.

To be 'called', are those besides the 12 disciples, who became 'followers' of Christ and were there in the day of Pentecost.

Excluding Matthias who that same day replaced Judas becoming the 12 as 'chosen'.

Next as the 'called' church, is one 'hot' or 'cold', or rather 'lukewarm' to be 'spit out' by Christ already?

Shalom in the name of Lord Jesus Christ
You're not a Monergist, are you?
 

Fred J

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You're not a Monergist, are you?
am a born again from above and 'seen' the Kingdom of GOD.

am too born of water and of the Holy Ghost, and 'entered' the Kingdom of GOD.

am furthermore discipled in the All Scripture = Holy Bible (2Timothy3:16&17)

am called to be a 'hearer' and 'doer', and 'abider' in the teaching of Christ in the New Testament, the New Covenant GOD given and made with HIS church.

What's bothering you, if i may?
 

GracePeace

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am a born again from above and 'seen' the Kingdom of GOD.

am too born of water and of the Holy Ghost, and 'entered' the Kingdom of GOD.

am furthermore discipled in the All Scripture = Holy Bible (2Timothy3:16&17)

am called to be a 'hearer' and 'doer', and 'abider' in the teaching of Christ in the New Testament, the New Covenant GOD given and made with HIS church.

What's bothering you, if i may?
I've been saying I wanted to discuss with Monergists--and in the reply, I said I didn't want to argue, and, since you're not a Monergist, and your reply indicates you want to disagree (argue) about the topic, I'm really not interested.
 
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Fred J

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I've been saying I wanted to discuss with Monergists--and in the reply, I said I didn't want to argue, and, since you're not a Monergist, and your reply indicates you want to disagree (argue) about the topic, I'm really not interested.
This is Bible Study Forum and the Holy Bible conflicts with the doctrine and believe of the Monergists who's truly not born again.

How can the spirit of truth and the spirit of error have anything in common, even able to correspond without an argument?

Possible, but both will be going around in circles and back, and finish nowhere at the end.

That's why scripturally Master Jesus said, "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

Basically similarly we have had 'conflict of interest' here, and would want to leave you with your own agenda.
 
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David Lamb

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This is Bible Study Forum and the Holy Bible conflicts with the doctrne and believe of the Monergists who's truly not born again.
Just to save misunderstanding, do you mean that all who are monergists, in other words, those who believe that salvation is God's work, are "truly not born again?" Or did you rather mean that there are some people who call themselves monergists who are not really born again?
 
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Lambano

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Well, I wanted to discuss with some people who were acquainted with "Monergism"--not that I agree with all of "Calvinism", or all of the "doctrines of grace", but my hope was/is that in discussing the topic I would/will be edified by some of those ideas (even if I didn't accept all of them wholesale).
What potential pitfalls do you see in Monergism that you will need to avoid?
 
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amigo de christo

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Before, I thought, "If I love other people, I will tell them about Jesus"; now, I know that I cannot love other people, only Jesus can create love for people in me, and I should aim to abide in Him by believing His Good News, then He will glorify Himself, and that will draw others into fellowship with Him (if my life doesn't draw others into fellowship with Him, it is fruitless--yet, I cannot draw others into fellowship with Him if I myself am not there, so the best thing I can do is remain in fellowship with Him).
That be the key all right . to remain in fellowship WITH HIM .
SO TELL ME
can we walk and have fellowship in and with d arkness and with CHRIST . NO.
can we sit at the table of darkness and light . NO
LIGHT does not find or try and see what darkness has in COMMON WITH IT .
LIGHT EXPOSES DARKNESS .
LET us remember that well before any desires to run to a table of compromise
that has done all to try and blend the darkness in with THE LIGHT .
NO MORE INTERFAITH
NO MORE ecumincal whoredomes
 

GracePeace

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That be the key all right . to remain in fellowship WITH HIM .
SO TELL ME
can we walk and have fellowship in and with d arkness and with CHRIST . NO.
can we sit at the table of darkness and light . NO
LIGHT does not find or try and see what darkness has in COMMON WITH IT .
LIGHT EXPOSES DARKNESS .
LET us remember that well before any desires to run to a table of compromise
that has done all to try and blend the darkness in with THE LIGHT .
NO MORE INTERFAITH
NO MORE ecumincal whoredomes
Ecumenism is not the topic.
 

GodsGrace

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I wanted to discuss what the doctrines of grace are, to be edified, not argue about them.
So you want confirmation...
NOT
Discussion.

BUT
what if there's no such thing as THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE in the bible?

What would there be edification about?
Incorrect theology?

Incorrect theology cannot be edified.
 
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GodsGrace

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I don't want to debate with dissenters, I would like to discuss with Monergists so I can be edified.

I can further explain later but now I'm in a mini sauna lol
I'm sorry GracePeace...
I'm just finding this attitude of yours funny.

Did you know that some forums have special sections for ONLY those of like denomination.
A safe zone, if you will.
Like, for instance, a sub-forum named CALVINISM.
It's for Calvinists ONLY so they could edify themselves and speak between themselves with no conflicting conversation.

These sub-forums are not very active.
Know why?
The members get BORED with each other.
Very soon they're back on the other sub-forums....

and so it goes.
 
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GodsGrace

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One of the most difficult doctrines regarding God's Sovereign grace it 'limited atonement'. It's very difficult for some to accept that God, in His written Word, clearly says that not all of mankind shall be eternally saved. God says that some will remain in darkness and unbelief their whole life and at the judgment will have part in the lake of fire that is the second death. This alone proves 'limited atonement' in that not all of mankind will be eternally saved.

The argument put forward is that the gift of eternal life is 'offered' to every human and the choice to be saved or remain in darkness is decided according to man's free will choice. Is this a valid argument? My response is that God does not 'offer' to eternally save man. Rather He 'gives' eternal life to whosoever believes the gospel. The message about Christ is 'offered' without exception to all of humanity, and through the message heard according to grace through the imputation of faith, whosoever believes is eternally saved in Christ alone.

Mark 16:15 (KJV) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The truth according to the Bible is that from the fall man lost the ability to freely choose God. Because since the fall none will seek for God because the natural man does not desire to have God or anyone else to rule over them.

Romans 3:10-11 (KJV) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

I for one find this doctrine to be very comforting. It brings much peace to know that God will eternally save us according to His will and not my own. If eternal life were left for me to choose Him, I would never be eternally secure in my salvation.

This is only one point; it should be sufficient to start the discussion.
You said this above:

I for one find this doctrine to be very comforting. It brings much peace to know that God will eternally save us according to His will and not my own. If eternal life were left for me to choose Him, I would never be eternally secure in my salvation.


Since you believe God has chosen YOU for salvation....
and you have nothing to do with this choosing....

HOW do you know for sure that you are saved?
 

GodsGrace

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This is Bible Study Forum and the Holy Bible conflicts with the doctrine and believe of the Monergists who's truly not born again.

How can the spirit of truth and the spirit of error have anything in common, even able to correspond without an argument?

Possible, but both will be going around in circles and back, and finish nowhere at the end.

That's why scripturally Master Jesus said, "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

Basically similarly we have had 'conflict of interest' here, and would want to leave you with your own agenda.
Thanks for pointing this out Fred J.
GracePeace is a good member here.
It should be known that all threads are open.
However, yes, this thread is inactive because the OP is not following the general idea.
Maybe it's better this way.
 

GracePeace

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So you want confirmation...
NOT
Discussion.

BUT
what if there's no such thing as THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE in the bible?

What would there be edification about?
Incorrect theology?

Incorrect theology cannot be edified.
Why would I want to debate it when I already know the other side? I want to learn about the Monergistic side.