The Gospel

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FHII

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Who determines what "rejecting Christ" signifies or entails? A rejection of our organized religion perhaps?

Or is it a person who claims to follow Jesus but refuses to humble themselves so as to obey Christ to say...love your enemies or bless those who curse us. A religious stance that claims Christ as saviour will invariably deny the actual Christ by their works.

For example...a person who does violence to another is rejecting Christ. Jesus did not come to kill but to save.

So what kind of rejection are we talking about?
Sorry... I am not goi g to bother with overly philosophical questions that only stir up controversy. When you come up to the answers to your own questions get back to me.
 

Anthony D'Arienzo

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Many perish only because they do not obey the Gospel, not because God elects them to perish. That would be absurd, unbiblical, and contrary to the Gospel: But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? (Rom 10:16)

And the passage you quoted is about false professors, who do not know Christ internally and experientially, and are therefore not know of Him.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

And what is the will of the Father? To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive everlasting life: And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40)
Many perish because they're already dead in sin that's the default condition of all mankind as conceived dead and Adam.
When you quote John 6:40 those who are coming to Jesus are the ones given to him by the father as in John 6:37 all that the father gives to me shall come to me him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out for I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the Father's will that all he has given me I should lose nothing but raise them up against the last night it's a covenant transaction
 

CoreIssue

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John 6:29
[29] Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Swing it however you want: this is the work of God, that you ‘accept’ Him whom He has sent.

Man does nothing to earn grace? But we claim ‘man’ does earn it by acceptance. So how do they who reject, earn hell? By works? It is a serious question...one I struggle with?

Acceptance, repentance and asking are not work.

You cannot flip-flop from works of man to works of God and equate them.

We do not work for salvation.

We receive it as a gift but it requires repent first.
 

CoreIssue

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Many perish because they're already dead in sin that's the default condition of all mankind as conceived dead and Adam.
When you quote John 6:40 those who are coming to Jesus are the ones given to him by the father as in John 6:37 all that the father gives to me shall come to me him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out for I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the Father's will that all he has given me I should lose nothing but raise them up against the last night it's a covenant transaction

Those who seek Christ are the ones the father gives to Christ.

What Does the Bible Say About Seeking God?

79 Verses
 

amadeus

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It is a popular religious fable that a sacrifice has to be "accepted" in order to work. It's more like...what are you going to do now! There's far too much self-congratulatory rhetoric based on a survival instinct self-preservational acceptance of a seeming way to get away with being a sinner. And to make things worse it would seem to gve license to judge other people who are in many cases doing better than we are.

God will have mercy on whom He wills...not who we feel less prejudicial towards.

What we need to do now, is head in the direction of perfection:

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt 5:48
 

CoreIssue

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Who determines what "rejecting Christ" signifies or entails? A rejection of our organized religion perhaps?

Or is it a person who claims to follow Jesus but refuses to humble themselves so as to obey Christ to say...love your enemies or bless those who curse us. A religious stance that claims Christ as saviour will invariably deny the actual Christ by their works.

For example...a person who does violence to another is rejecting Christ. Jesus did not come to kill but to save.

So what kind of rejection are we talking about?

Rejection is saying no to Christ's offer of salvation.

Following another Christ than the biblical one.

Don't confuse the signs of one who has rejected Christ as the action of rejecting Christ.
 

CoreIssue

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As familiar a chapter as Romans 3 says so, indeed:

"There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." (v.11)

This brings up the issue of how cults do what I call shopping cart theology and picks versus they believe say what they want said.

Not saying you do, but it is good example.

The context the chapter is Jews and law keeping.

You have to go to the all chapter and read the conclusion to see that it is saying under law all are hopelessly condemned and no one seeks God.

But under the gospel everyone can see God and everyone can be saved.

This brings up the issue of how cults do what I call shopping cart theology and picks versus they believe say what they want said.

Not saying you do, but it is good example.

The context the chapter is Jews and law keeping.

You have to go to the all chapter and read the conclusion to see that it is saying under law all are hopelessly condemned and no one seeks God.

But under the gospel everyone can see God and everyone can be saved.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Same with this claim.

Anthony D'Arienzo said:
Men do not seek God because they love sin
They are bound by sin.jn8

It does not say that. It says all sin but we can escape sin through salvation in Jesus Christ.
 

farouk

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This brings up the issue of how cults do what I call shopping cart theology and picks versus they believe say what they want said.

Not saying you do, but it is good example.

The context the chapter is Jews and law keeping.

You have to go to the all chapter and read the conclusion to see that it is saying under law all are hopelessly condemned and no one seeks God.

But under the gospel everyone can see God and everyone can be saved.

This brings up the issue of how cults do what I call shopping cart theology and picks versus they believe say what they want said.

Not saying you do, but it is good example.

The context the chapter is Jews and law keeping.

You have to go to the all chapter and read the conclusion to see that it is saying under law all are hopelessly condemned and no one seeks God.

But under the gospel everyone can see God and everyone can be saved.



Same with this claim.



It does not say that. It says all sin but we can escape sin through salvation in Jesus Christ.
None seek after God; therefore: 'By grace are ye saved through faith' (Ephesians 2.8).
 
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charity

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1 Cor 15:1-4
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
NKJV

That Christ died FOR OUR SINS.

It is not what man does. It is all about what Christ did. He died to pay for the sins of ALL MANKIND. The gospel is simple. It is not what man does to save him/her self. It is ALL about what Jesus (GOD) did on the cross.

But like the Jews who rejected Jesus as their Messiah and King, if a person does not believe (have faith in) that Jesus has paid for their sins then that person can not claim what He did on the cross for them. They, like the Jews, reject His work on the cross and wish to substitute their own works. Just as Cain did.
'Forasmuch as ye know
that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest in these last times for you,
Who by Him do believe in God,
That raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory;
that your faith and hope might be in God.'

(1 Peter 1:18-21)

Hello @H. Richard,

How wonderful God's Word is, what a joy it is to ponder on it, and let it's truth sink into our consciousness; for it makes the heart of the believer rejoice in God. That is the desired outcome, isn't it? That we should be occupied with God, in Christ Jesus.

* We were born from above by the operation of the Word of God, both written and Living.

'It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
But there are some of you that believe not.
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not,
and who should betray Him.'

(John 6:63-64)

* Yes, Christ died for our sins. To take sin's penalty upon Himself and die in our place, as the ultimate sin-offering: as typified in the Old Testament.

May His Name be praised!

In Christ Jesus
Christ
 
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Dave L

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But you have to repent and submit to Christ in free will to become a slave to him.
Slaves do not choose to be slaves. They are at the mercy of the owner. You are either a slave of Satan, or a slave of Christ.

“And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26) (KJV 1900)
 
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charity

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Slaves do not choose to be slaves. They are at the mercy of the owner. You are either a slave of Satan, or a slave of Christ.

“And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26) (KJV 1900)
'Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow-citizens with the saints,
and of the household of God;... '

(Eph 2:19)

Hello @Dave L,

A Bond-slave does choose to be a slave of his master: for he when given his freedom, chooses to enter the service of his master once more, and becomes his slave out of love. This is what Paul refers to himself as - a Bond-slave ('doulos' G1401 - Rom. 1:1).

* That is the service by which the believer serves His Lord. He serves as a Son, and not a servant.

Praise God!

In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
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charity

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'Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
.. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
.... But made Himself of no reputation,
...... and took upon him the form of
a servant, (doulos = bond-slave)
........ and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man,
.. He humbled Himself,
.... and became obedient unto death,
...... even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him,
.. and given Him a name which is above every name:
.... That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
...... of things in heaven,
........ and things in earth,
.......... and things under the earth;
............ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
.............. to the glory of God the Father.'

(Philippians 2:5-11)

Praise God!
 

charity

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Slaves do not choose to be slaves. They are at the mercy of the owner. You are either a slave of Satan, or a slave of Christ.

“And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26) (KJV 1900)
'But foolish and unlearned questions avoid,
knowing that they do gender strifes.
And the servant (doulos = bond-slave) of the Lord
.. must not strive;
.... but be gentle unto all men,
...... apt to teach, patient,
........ in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves;
if God peradventure will give them repentance
to the acknowledging of the truth;
and that they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil,
who are taken captive by
him at his will.'
(2 Timothy 2:23)

Hello @Dave L,

Looking at the verse you quote from 2 Timothy (above), those taken captive are they who are in opposition to the truth. It is an intriguing little verse, especially the last words, 'taken captive by him at his will'. In the margin of my Bible it says that the pronouns 'him' and 'his' do not have the same reference: the 1st refers to the 'servant' and the 2nd to 'God', and the meaning of the passage is, that the devil stirs up those he has ensnared to oppose, lest God should give them repentance, and lest, having been taken captive by God's servant, they should escape the snare, to do the will of God.

I believe These were not necessarily unbelievers: but those who were standing opposed to truth within the assembly, by foolish and unlearned questions, and vain and profane babblings - as the context of the chapter shows. By so doing they were doing the devils work, it was a snare of Satan, preventing them from repenting and doing the will of such as Timothy, who sought to instruct them to the will of God.

In Christ Jesus
Chris
 
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Dave L

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'Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow-citizens with the saints,
and of the household of God;... '

(Eph 2:19)

Hello @Dave L,

A Bond-slave does choose to be a slave of his master: for he when given his freedom, chooses to enter the service of his master once more, and becomes his slave out of love. This is what Paul refers to himself as - a Bond-slave ('doulos' G1401 - Rom. 1:1).

* That is the service by which the believer serves His Lord. He serves as a Son, and not a servant.

Praise God!

In Christ Jesus
Chris
Slave = bondage not free will.