it never was a mystery to the elect of what fills the hearts of
unbelievers... for believers were once unbelievers themselves.
Eph. 2:1-3
this makes believers well aware of the unbelievers need for pardon
in Christ since light has filled the space which darkness once filled
in them.
the God hater; Atheist and the like who became believers did not
come to be believers by their choice... no, they became believers in
Christ unto salvation by God's choice. Eph. 1:3-14 for example.
not because some good was found in them as a cause for God to choose
them for life... that would be salvation by personal merit; personal
talent... the kind of salvation taught by Fundamentalists where man
gets the glory for the achievement.
the Fundamentalist changes the verse in the subject line around to
suit his position that salvation was his brainchild. he is not saved
by grace but by personal smarts... note the Word of God in this
verse.... first, you have to be " of God " to " hear God. "
the Arminian believes and teaches that first he " hears God "...
" makes his decision for Christ, " which is salvation be works, then
he is " of God ." in other words...
Lazarus resurrects himself from among the dead, then he responds to
Jesus calling for him to come forth.
it's really quite simple to unravel Satan's gospel of good works
which replaces the grace of God. man gets the credit for the doing.
the Savior takes the back seat waiting for man to make the move
towards righteousness, which the Bible says again and again doesn't
reside in man until after God gives him the righteousness of Christ...
" But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom
from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that,
just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."
1 Cor 1:30,31 ( NASB )
notice that the Arminian boasts of his amazing ego when he brags
about how he chose Christ first while the Bible says " by His doing
you are in Christ Jesus "... the Arminian will tell you that you must
first fill the conditions Arminianism sets as goals to achieve to gain
salvation.
once achieved, then and only then can God save you... salvation by
personal achievement... salvation by decision making... salvation by
good works... it all boils down to man getting the glory for the
doing.
thanks be to God in Christ Jesus who saves hardened sinners by grace
so that He gets the glory, not man.
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" and as many as had been appointed to eternal life, believed."
Acts 13:48
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