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Remember he asked me to explicate the issue I was having with reconciling the two--I am not able to arrive at a firm conclusion, so I'm not asserting there is or isn't a free lunch. Also, I could imagine someone arguing that it isn't a free lunch because God paid a high price in order to give...

In John's Gospel, there was a free lunch (Jn 6) lol

OK Remember, I am soliciting peoples' opinions on how to reconcile the two, so, since you don't see a need to reconcile the two, and have no answers to that effect, how were you hoping to help? If eternal life hinges exclusively on believing in Christ, that happens in a single moment, and you...

Abraham didn't do that, he found how both seemingly mutually exclusive propositions told to him could be true.

Thanks

It is my request for this thread. I have had so many threads where I've been open to all the Scriptures being discussed, but, here, I'm wanting to focus only on John's Gospel. It is my request for this thread. Would you please entertain me?

What I would not want to happen (as a result of your reply) would be that a conversation would begin, citing many other books in the NT, not just John's Gospel, along with flaming, etc. I do hope to stick to the question in the OP ("If you've struggled with reconciling the two, what were your...

@BarneyFife Some examples of people who were approved of (in John's Gospel) both believed and did good (in John's Gospel, "doing good" is being sent by Jesus and seeking His glory (Jn 3:30; 4:34; 6:57; 7:18)) : 1. the King's official believed, and he went, and testified about Jesus to his...

Abraham, our father, also, mentioned in John's Gospel, was faced with affirming two seemingly mutually exclusive propositions from God (if you recall), so at least I don't have to feel like the issue I'm facing is outside the realm of orthodox faith in God.

The question I asked (that you're responding to here) was about whether or not I had understood you on how you reconciled the ideas/verses from John mentioned in the OP. It looks l had misunderstood you on how you reconcile the two sides. I'm not looking for a breakdown of how you understand...

Well, I'm specifically asking about the verses shared in the OP (ie, not about "salvation" in general), and soliciting others' findings if/when they have sought to reconcile them. It's entirely possible, however, you will argue "there's no issue"; I can accept that as an answer, but that would...

1. It's a perfectly understandable and acceptable answer to just say "It's just paradoxical--we're not God, we're mere men, so we may end up confused when God speaks." 2. I think part of my answer is in understanding that God is not in a default angry disposition toward me in the meantime...

One thing I think we should settle on--I don't think we disagree on this point--is that the works should not be burdensome, as John says.

I appreciate it. Well, here's the thing : in the OP, I mentioned verses that seem to hinge eternal life on two seemingly mutually exclusive things. One says if you believe you will have eternal life, the other says if you do the things God wants you will have eternal life. It may be that you...

In the OP, verses were cited about how eternal life is said to be by faith alone, then, other verses were cited that show eternal life is by works. Are you saying you agree eternal life is faith alone, and it is by works, also, and your reconciliation of the two is that "The Holy Spirit makes...

Thank you. So, would you say that your way of reconciling the two would be that "Yes, you have eternal life when you believe, but, also, once you believe, then you must also do the things that Jesus says, and, in that way, you are simply retaining the eternal life you already have by faith"?

Your idea is not the idea of the OP. If you have an idea for an OP, then post your idea, make a thread of your own. As for me, my idea was to ask others for their findings. I was curious. It wasn't necessarily a challenge to others' findings (though I do probe them afterwards), I am genuinely...

I had already had my own ideas, but I was looking for others' ideas, so that it might help me.

The OP asks you to share your personal findings, NOT tell me a method whereby I might find the answer. I want YOUR answer. You're saying "believe the whole Bible". Well, no one would disagree. Even if I accepted "Believe the whole Bible" answer, fine, I'm asking you what you found when you read...

How am I making things harder than they have to be? Either share your findings, or move on. It's that simple. When you read these things, if you found them to be in conflict (superficially), as I have, what was your resolution to them?