James 4:8 is a principle set up by God only after the result of salvation! Jesus said, "No man can come to me, except the Father draw him". John. 6:44
God promises:
- Thread starter Robert Gwin
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Bob Estey
Well-Known Member
I think from the beginning of time, the Lord has tried to lead everyone on earth to heaven.
Best understand that Jun, you are 100% correct Jesus did say that, but if he meant it literally, then whose fault is it if one is executed by God sir? Time will certainly reveal if God is a loving God or not. That is why I have stated repeatedly, you have to take the Bible as a whole. It interprets itself, when questionable verses like that one come up.
'And this is the confidence that we have in Him,
that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:
And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.'
(1 John 5:14-15)
Hello @Robert Gwin,
Looking at this verse and the word, 'confidence', I notice that this word is used four times altogether in the letter you are referencing. In 1 John 2:28, 3:21 & 5:14, and in 4:17 where it is translated, 'boldness'.
'And now, little children, abide in Him;
that, when He shall appear,
we may have confidence,
and not be ashamed before Him
at His coming.'
(1John 2:28)
'Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,
then have we confidence toward God.'
(1John 3:21)
'And this is the confidence that we have in Him,
that, if we ask any thing according to His will,
He heareth us:'
(1John 5:14)
'Herein is our love made perfect,
that we may have boldness
in the day of judgment:
because as He is,
so are we in this world.'
(1John 4:17)
* He also uses this Greek word nine times in his gospel, translated, 'openly', 'boldly', 'plainly', 'freely', 'boldness', and 'confidence'.
* When we have confidence that we are doing the will of God, we can be confident, and speak freely and boldly, with great plainness of speech. That is how our Lord spoke, which caused the people who heard him to hear with amazement, for he spoke plainly, and authoritatively, not as the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 7:29, Mark 1:22): for our Lord only spoke the words that His Father gave Him to speak, and confessed that His words were not His own, but the Father's:-
'Believest thou not that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me?
the words that I speak unto you
I speak not of Myself:
but the Father that dwelleth in Me,
He doeth the works.'
(John14:10 )
'It is the spirit that quickeneth;
the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit,
and they are life.'
John 6:63
* As to your question regarding what we can ask of God, in the sure knowledge that we are asking according to His will? Surely a knowledge of His word will give the necessary guidance concerning what is in accordance with His will.
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
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'I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks,
be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.'
(1Timothy 2:1-4)
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks,
be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.'
(1Timothy 2:1-4)
'Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And He that searcheth the hearts
knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because He maketh intercession for the saints
according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to His purpose.'
(Romans 8:26-28)
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And He that searcheth the hearts
knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because He maketh intercession for the saints
according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to His purpose.'
(Romans 8:26-28)
You have a very poor understanding of salvation!!! Salvation belongs to God alone. He is sovereign. Man, in and of himself, cannot save himself! If God does not intervene in a man's life, man can NEVER save himself nor will he become saved, no matter what he does!
When Jesus said, "no man can come to me" He is actually saying, "no man has the power to come to Him."
Salvation is a gift. Ephesians 2:8
One more lesson: Man is executed by God BECAUSE he is a sinner!
I agree fully Chris, however I would like you to explain how you understand this passage you posted please.
I do agree that many have no idea what salvation is sir, but I think I have a pretty good grasp on it. We definitely agree that salvation is a gift, the gift of everlasting life. If you believe differs from that, what do you believe salvation is Jun?
'To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation.'
(2 Cor. 5:19)
Hello Robert,
This verse (above) says much the same. I do not seek to know what it means, I simply believe what is said.
Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
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I beg to differ. You do NOT have a good grasp on salvation as evidenced by the commentaries you have written in these forums about the spiritual things of God.
If you agree that the salvation of God is a gift, then you should know that this gift is only given to a person God desires to save. In fact, God did this in eternity past before the foundation of the world, [Ephesians 1:3-6; Romans 8:29-30].
If one does not see to understand, what is the point? You surely have an understanding of what it means to you maam. How was God in Christ? Into how many renderings is the word en translated, and how does it apply in that verse for understanding with the Bible as a whole?
Jehovah desires everyone to be saved Jun, and I mostly do as well, I guess I am not quite as loving as Him sir, but here is His inspired words about that: 2pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
More understandably:
(2 Peter 3:9) . . .Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.
'To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto Himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation.'
(2 Cor. 5:19)
Hello @Robert Gwin,
God tells me in His word, WHAT He has done, WHY He has done it, and through WHOM: He has also told me HOW. For 'God was in Christ' - God is spirit, and He was IN Christ, both performing the works and providing the words, and thereby 'reconciling the world unto Himself'. He took upon Himself the form of a man (Philippians 2:6-7), that He may perform the role of Kinsman Redeemer, both unto His People Israel, and to the world at large.
'For I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and that He shall stand at the latter day
upon the earth:'
(Job19:25)
Praise God!
In Christ Jesus
Chris
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Johann
Well-Known Member
Rom_8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom_12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom_15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
1Co_1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
1Co_4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
1Co_14:25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
2Co_1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
2Co_6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co_8:5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
2Co_10:13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
2Co_12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
Gal_1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Eph_1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Eph_6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Php_2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Col_1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
Col_4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
1Th_4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th_5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
We can have a understanding of what the will of God is by reading these portions.
Subject heading:- God's Promises
'Having made known unto us the mystery of His will,
according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself:
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times
He might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth;
even in Him:'
(Eph 1:9)
Hello Robert,
The verse (above) tells us what God's will is, which will be accomplished in the fulness of times, Praise God!
Anything which is in accordance with the furtherance of that purpose would be in accord with His will. Yet, as Paul discovered on his walk with God, He proposed to do something, which God intervened to prevent on more than one occasion. 'Man proposes, but God disposes'. We can ask God for whatever we feel is appropriate, but He will respond in accord with His will.
In Christ Jesus
Chris
Hi Chris, God is a spirit very true, and He resided in heaven when Jesus was on earth. The Greek word en is translated many different ways, but remember Jesus stated very clearly these words: Lu 22:42 saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. That is the way that God was in Christ, as Jesus did His will, and not his own, although it should be his own, since we are all striving to do God's will ourselves Mat 7:21
Wow Chris that is a great Scripture maam, and Jesus said the whole law was summed up by what he quoted in Mat 22:37-40, but I believe that verse takes it one step further and sums up the entire Bible. That is exactly God's will for sure. We are so much closer for the next step of that prophecy to be fulfilled.
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