God has given to every person the capacity for free will...
Now granted, the inclinations of an unregenerated person are in a certain direction...as are the inclinations of a regenerated person in the opposite direction.
The fear of the Lord keeps the regenerated person from crossing the line over into damnation if the inclination to obey and follow and believe in the Lord doesn't.
If someone doesn't have the fear of the Lord, then their faith may be only lukewarm, nominal, or shallow...mere mental assent to the tenets of the gospel.
And if someone doesn't have the fear of the Lord, they may indeed cross the line over into unbelief and damnation...see Luke 8:13.
Likewise, someone who does not know the Lord, when drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit...this is not regeneration. When drawn to Christ by the Holy Ghost, they have a choice to make...they are given the ability to make a choice that is not hindered by the fleshly or demonic...and also the Holy Spirit is wooing them so that it is not very likely that they would make a choice to reject Christ...but some do for whatever reason. Maybe the invitation is public and they are too ashamed to admit that they are a sinner in need of a Saviour. Maybe there is someone among their family or friends that would ostracize them if they made a commitment to Christ. In such situations, I believe that God is the God of second chances...if someone rejected salvation the first time for reasons like what I have mentioned, the Lord is merciful and may (I am not saying that He absolutely will) give them another chance to receive Him later.
A person has his whole life to make a decision for Christ. Now of course, we know that time and chance happens to everything and we do not know what a day may bring forth (Proverbs 27:1, Ecclesiastes 9:11).
Gen 6:3, And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
I find that in some circles of Calvinism, they teach that we cannot choose God, i.e. we cannot repent; because if God did not choose you then you can do nothing to enter into the kingdom...even if you desire to go to heaven the Lord has shut you out.
Jesus, on the other hand, said the following:
Jhn 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
This is contrary to the idea in Calvinism that we do not choose God but God chooses us...and that therefore if God did not choose us it is not possible that we should choose Him.
The verse in question seems to me to be saying that, even if God did not choose me (a hypothetical situation), that I can choose God and He will receive me into His kingdom...He will in no wise cast me out.
I will agree with Calvinism in this...that if God is not drawing a man to Christ, he cannot come to Him...but I would contend that Jesus said that if He were lifted up from the earth He would draw all men unto Himself.
So then, everyone will have an opportunity within their lifetime to either receive or reject Christ...and I would say that it may be a limited door of opportunity. If they reject Him in those moments when God is helping them to make a decision...well, I have doubts as to whether the Lord will help them a second time, although He might. It is written,
2Co 6:1, We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2Co 6:2, (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
That word succour means to help. God helps you to receive Him in the day of salvation.
When is that day? The Bible says it is "now" whether you are reading this today or whether you are not reading this tomorrow...God is helping you to receive Christ in the ever-present now. Tomorrow at this time you will look at your watch and the time will be now. 24 days from now, you will be eating breakfast, and the time will be now. Whatever moment it is that you are hearing the gospel and considering Christ's claims, the time in that moment is now in that moment...and the Holy Spirit will be helping you to make a decision.
But consider that the Lord may only draw people to His kingdom at specific moments in their lives, such as the now of when the gospel is being presented to you today. You may not be presented with the gospel message tomorrow, and in that moment, the time will not be now, for the now that God was speaking to you about was this present moment, in which you are being presented with the gospel message today.
Jesus died for you on the Cross approximately 2,000 years ago; and He is risen from the dead. He died for your sins: He is risen to prove that the work of taking the penalty for your sins was accomplished on the Cross. You need only receive the gospel message today by asking Jesus Christ of Nazareth to come into your heart and be your Lord and Saviour.
Two scriptures (and then I'll shut up):
Rom 10:8, But what saith it <the righteousness which is by faith>? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12, For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Hos 14:2, Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
Now granted, the inclinations of an unregenerated person are in a certain direction...as are the inclinations of a regenerated person in the opposite direction.
The fear of the Lord keeps the regenerated person from crossing the line over into damnation if the inclination to obey and follow and believe in the Lord doesn't.
If someone doesn't have the fear of the Lord, then their faith may be only lukewarm, nominal, or shallow...mere mental assent to the tenets of the gospel.
And if someone doesn't have the fear of the Lord, they may indeed cross the line over into unbelief and damnation...see Luke 8:13.
Likewise, someone who does not know the Lord, when drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit...this is not regeneration. When drawn to Christ by the Holy Ghost, they have a choice to make...they are given the ability to make a choice that is not hindered by the fleshly or demonic...and also the Holy Spirit is wooing them so that it is not very likely that they would make a choice to reject Christ...but some do for whatever reason. Maybe the invitation is public and they are too ashamed to admit that they are a sinner in need of a Saviour. Maybe there is someone among their family or friends that would ostracize them if they made a commitment to Christ. In such situations, I believe that God is the God of second chances...if someone rejected salvation the first time for reasons like what I have mentioned, the Lord is merciful and may (I am not saying that He absolutely will) give them another chance to receive Him later.
A person has his whole life to make a decision for Christ. Now of course, we know that time and chance happens to everything and we do not know what a day may bring forth (Proverbs 27:1, Ecclesiastes 9:11).
Gen 6:3, And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
I find that in some circles of Calvinism, they teach that we cannot choose God, i.e. we cannot repent; because if God did not choose you then you can do nothing to enter into the kingdom...even if you desire to go to heaven the Lord has shut you out.
Jesus, on the other hand, said the following:
Jhn 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
This is contrary to the idea in Calvinism that we do not choose God but God chooses us...and that therefore if God did not choose us it is not possible that we should choose Him.
The verse in question seems to me to be saying that, even if God did not choose me (a hypothetical situation), that I can choose God and He will receive me into His kingdom...He will in no wise cast me out.
I will agree with Calvinism in this...that if God is not drawing a man to Christ, he cannot come to Him...but I would contend that Jesus said that if He were lifted up from the earth He would draw all men unto Himself.
So then, everyone will have an opportunity within their lifetime to either receive or reject Christ...and I would say that it may be a limited door of opportunity. If they reject Him in those moments when God is helping them to make a decision...well, I have doubts as to whether the Lord will help them a second time, although He might. It is written,
2Co 6:1, We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2Co 6:2, (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
That word succour means to help. God helps you to receive Him in the day of salvation.
When is that day? The Bible says it is "now" whether you are reading this today or whether you are not reading this tomorrow...God is helping you to receive Christ in the ever-present now. Tomorrow at this time you will look at your watch and the time will be now. 24 days from now, you will be eating breakfast, and the time will be now. Whatever moment it is that you are hearing the gospel and considering Christ's claims, the time in that moment is now in that moment...and the Holy Spirit will be helping you to make a decision.
But consider that the Lord may only draw people to His kingdom at specific moments in their lives, such as the now of when the gospel is being presented to you today. You may not be presented with the gospel message tomorrow, and in that moment, the time will not be now, for the now that God was speaking to you about was this present moment, in which you are being presented with the gospel message today.
Jesus died for you on the Cross approximately 2,000 years ago; and He is risen from the dead. He died for your sins: He is risen to prove that the work of taking the penalty for your sins was accomplished on the Cross. You need only receive the gospel message today by asking Jesus Christ of Nazareth to come into your heart and be your Lord and Saviour.
Two scriptures (and then I'll shut up):
Rom 10:8, But what saith it <the righteousness which is by faith>? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12, For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Hos 14:2, Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
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