setst777 said: What Paul is plainly teaching in "1 Corinthians 1:21-25" is that the Gospel is the power of God onto salvation to all who believe (1 Corinthians 1:21), to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile, just as Paul also wrote in "Romans 1:16-17."
You are not paying attention to the context.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (WEB) {{{For}}} [Paul explains his previous statement] you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; 27 but God chose ["chose" not "created"] the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, 29 that no flesh should boast before God.
God the Father has designed the simple Gospel message to appeal to those who are poor, humble, crushed in spirit, and heavy laden, because these are the ones God has chosen to save.
Notice in the Passages I will now quote, that God does not choose to give faith; rather, God's good pleasure and will is to save those who are humble, poor, crushed in spirit, and heavy laden.
God designed the Gospel to appeal to those who are like infants - humble, ready to learn.
Matthew 11:25-26 (WEB) 25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.
Lord Jesus places the responsibility to be humble on each individual.
Matthew 18:3 (WEB) 3 …“Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn [convert] and become as little children [conversion unto total faith in Lord Jesus: John 3:16], you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Luke 18:13-14 (WEB) 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
God's promise is to save the humble, not the proud and arrogant.
Psalms 18:27 (NIV) 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
Psalms 25:8-9 (WEB) Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. 9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
Psalms 34:18 (WEB) 18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
Luke 4:18-19 (EWEB) 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, 19 and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” [Isaiah 61:1-2]
Mathew 11:28 (WEB) Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
God desires every sinner to be saved, but those people who harden their own hearts, God will not save such people.
Romans 2:4-5 ”Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God“
Question: Salvation is guaranteed to who?
Answer: Salvation is a guarantee for those who believe and remain in The faith to the end.
Lord Jesus and all the Apostles never state anywhere in the New Testament that faith is guaranteed by God; rather, just the opposite. Therefore, that is something you made up.
Lord Jesus and His Apostolic Writers all admonished and warned the Christians to remain in the faith to the end to be saved.
Matthew 24:11-13 (WEB) 11 Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray. 12 Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Luke 21:19 (WEB) 19 By your endurance you will win your lives.
Luke 21:34-36 (WEB) 34 “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. 35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. 36 Therefore, be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Paul did not think his own salvation, or that of Timothy, was secure during his earthly ministry unless he endured in the faith to the end.
All the warnings in Scripture to remain faithful to be saved are written to born again Christians.
1 Timothy 4:16 (Writing to Timothy) 16 Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save yourself and those who hear (listen to) you.
1 Corinthians 9:27 (Paul explaining about his own security) 27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected
Rejected: Gk: adokimos: worthless (literally or morally) -- castaway, rejected, reprobate
Strong's Greek: 96. ἀδόκιμος (adokimos) -- failing to pass the test
Philippians 3:10-12 (Paul explaining about his own security) 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
James 1:12 (WEB) 12 Blessed is a person {{{who}}} endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to {{{those who love him.}}} …16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters.
You missed the point. Paul first points out that the gospel is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. He doesn't qualify his statement. He doesn't say "some Jews" and "some Gentiles." Once he sets up his point, he says, "But to those who are called, the gospel is the power and wisdom of God."
You are not paying attention to the context.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (WEB) {{{For}}} [Paul explains his previous statement] you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; 27 but God chose ["chose" not "created"] the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, 29 that no flesh should boast before God.
God the Father has designed the simple Gospel message to appeal to those who are poor, humble, crushed in spirit, and heavy laden, because these are the ones God has chosen to save.
Notice in the Passages I will now quote, that God does not choose to give faith; rather, God's good pleasure and will is to save those who are humble, poor, crushed in spirit, and heavy laden.
God designed the Gospel to appeal to those who are like infants - humble, ready to learn.
Matthew 11:25-26 (WEB) 25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.
Lord Jesus places the responsibility to be humble on each individual.
Matthew 18:3 (WEB) 3 …“Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn [convert] and become as little children [conversion unto total faith in Lord Jesus: John 3:16], you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Luke 18:13-14 (WEB) 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
God's promise is to save the humble, not the proud and arrogant.
Psalms 18:27 (NIV) 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
Psalms 25:8-9 (WEB) Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. 9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
Psalms 34:18 (WEB) 18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
Luke 4:18-19 (EWEB) 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, 19 and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” [Isaiah 61:1-2]
Mathew 11:28 (WEB) Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
God desires every sinner to be saved, but those people who harden their own hearts, God will not save such people.
Romans 2:4-5 ”Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God“
Three Apostles and Jesus himself talk about the guarantee.
Question: Salvation is guaranteed to who?
Answer: Salvation is a guarantee for those who believe and remain in The faith to the end.
Lord Jesus and all the Apostles never state anywhere in the New Testament that faith is guaranteed by God; rather, just the opposite. Therefore, that is something you made up.
Lord Jesus and His Apostolic Writers all admonished and warned the Christians to remain in the faith to the end to be saved.
Matthew 24:11-13 (WEB) 11 Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray. 12 Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Luke 21:19 (WEB) 19 By your endurance you will win your lives.
Luke 21:34-36 (WEB) 34 “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. 35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. 36 Therefore, be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Paul did not think his own salvation, or that of Timothy, was secure during his earthly ministry unless he endured in the faith to the end.
All the warnings in Scripture to remain faithful to be saved are written to born again Christians.
1 Timothy 4:16 (Writing to Timothy) 16 Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save yourself and those who hear (listen to) you.
1 Corinthians 9:27 (Paul explaining about his own security) 27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected
Rejected: Gk: adokimos: worthless (literally or morally) -- castaway, rejected, reprobate
Strong's Greek: 96. ἀδόκιμος (adokimos) -- failing to pass the test
Philippians 3:10-12 (Paul explaining about his own security) 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
James 1:12 (WEB) 12 Blessed is a person {{{who}}} endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to {{{those who love him.}}} …16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters.
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