I lost interest in debating with people a long time ago. I actually even stopped trying to find ways to be more effective in persuading people. I came to a conviction that the Word of God is not something that can be known by the lost; Jesus told the disciples so (Mark 4:11-12), and likewise Paul says so (1Cor 2:6-8). The Word of God is written in parables, such that ordinary person cannot discern its message of God's salvation through faith, not of works (Rom 9:30-32, Heb 4:1-2). Thus, none can discern the Word of God except to them who were given to know (Rom 10:14-15).
Yet many wise men, supposing they are more apt to be able to understand, try to search the message of the word of God and ignore the power of God us the sole giver of understanding His word. Paul clearly said, "...the world by wisdom knew not God..." (1Cor 1:21) While Christ said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." (Matt 11:25) It is only God who gives understanding of His Word, and thus he can chose to reveal it to whomsoever He chooses, even unto babes who are not apt to understand deep things.
What is the implication that God is the sole giver of understanding of His Word? The answer is simple: it is the proof that God is the only one who saves, and that man is not able to save himself by his own will. Salvation comes to us through knowing God. Christ said in his prayer, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) What distinguishes the saved to the lost is the understanding of the godhead (Mark 4:11-12, 2Cor 4:3, Luke 10:22). Man is not able to know the knowledge of godhead on his own. God is the sole giver of the knowledge of the godhead, and He give it only to those who are elect.
The godhead can easily be understood, thus a babe can be able to understand it. The gospel can be known with certainty (2Cor 1:18-20, 2Tim 3:10). Jesus himself said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17) God is not an author of confusion (1Cor 14:33), thus, James wrote, "...the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17) But wisdom that comes from men, as Paul says, "...comes to nought." Thus, any doctrines that leads to confusion is surely not from God.
I find that most part of being discussed in the forum caters to men's wisdom, and thus I find it futile to get involve in the discussion. From time to time, I hear people confess how the doctrines they adhere to do not give them peace of mind; though they have peace adherring unto them. What these adherrents seem not know is that when their wisdom comes to nought, the knowledge of Godhead itself comes to nought; and it thus mean that they have no eternal life, or not saved. Salvation came at the time of Christ because he came to reveal the Godhead. Salvation is gained through having knowledge of the godhead (John 17:3).
And here is how plain the gospel is: The gospel reveals to us the godhead (Rom 1:16-20, 2Cor 4:3-6). The gospel is about the power and wisdom of God; for Christ, who is preached to us through the gospel is unto us the power and the wisdom of God ( 1Cor 1:24). The power and wisdom that shows the certainty of the Christian God as the true God is the power to know the future. God contends,
"9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour." (Isa 43:9-11)
What verifies the certainty of God is of his power to tell us of what is in the future. Such power is the one that certify and give us understanding that the God of Israel is the true God. God also said,
"9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isa 46:9-10)
"21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. 23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." (Isa 41:21-23)
Christ was the prophet that is promised to us for our salvation. And God has sent us prophets prophesying of Christ's coming and of his ministry. And as the disciples come to witnessing the prophecy being fulfilled, they have come to understand the godhead and the certainty of the verity of godhead of the Christian God.
Now, the implication of God being able to tell the future implies that man has no free will; and this is fatal to most beliefs. Most beliefs are in the persuasion that man have a part in directing, or shaping, his future; but that is not what the gospel of Christ teach and preach.
Man has no power to direct his future, thus God challenged, "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." (Isa 41:23)
It is being discussed many times in the forums how God's omniscience eliminates human free will, yet people kept resisting the simple conclusion. Rejecting the conclusion will consequentially lead to misunderstanding the gospel, thus misunderstanding the godhead...and not being saved.
Yet many wise men, supposing they are more apt to be able to understand, try to search the message of the word of God and ignore the power of God us the sole giver of understanding His word. Paul clearly said, "...the world by wisdom knew not God..." (1Cor 1:21) While Christ said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." (Matt 11:25) It is only God who gives understanding of His Word, and thus he can chose to reveal it to whomsoever He chooses, even unto babes who are not apt to understand deep things.
What is the implication that God is the sole giver of understanding of His Word? The answer is simple: it is the proof that God is the only one who saves, and that man is not able to save himself by his own will. Salvation comes to us through knowing God. Christ said in his prayer, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) What distinguishes the saved to the lost is the understanding of the godhead (Mark 4:11-12, 2Cor 4:3, Luke 10:22). Man is not able to know the knowledge of godhead on his own. God is the sole giver of the knowledge of the godhead, and He give it only to those who are elect.
The godhead can easily be understood, thus a babe can be able to understand it. The gospel can be known with certainty (2Cor 1:18-20, 2Tim 3:10). Jesus himself said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17) God is not an author of confusion (1Cor 14:33), thus, James wrote, "...the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." (James 3:17) But wisdom that comes from men, as Paul says, "...comes to nought." Thus, any doctrines that leads to confusion is surely not from God.
I find that most part of being discussed in the forum caters to men's wisdom, and thus I find it futile to get involve in the discussion. From time to time, I hear people confess how the doctrines they adhere to do not give them peace of mind; though they have peace adherring unto them. What these adherrents seem not know is that when their wisdom comes to nought, the knowledge of Godhead itself comes to nought; and it thus mean that they have no eternal life, or not saved. Salvation came at the time of Christ because he came to reveal the Godhead. Salvation is gained through having knowledge of the godhead (John 17:3).
And here is how plain the gospel is: The gospel reveals to us the godhead (Rom 1:16-20, 2Cor 4:3-6). The gospel is about the power and wisdom of God; for Christ, who is preached to us through the gospel is unto us the power and the wisdom of God ( 1Cor 1:24). The power and wisdom that shows the certainty of the Christian God as the true God is the power to know the future. God contends,
"9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. 11I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour." (Isa 43:9-11)
What verifies the certainty of God is of his power to tell us of what is in the future. Such power is the one that certify and give us understanding that the God of Israel is the true God. God also said,
"9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isa 46:9-10)
"21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. 23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." (Isa 41:21-23)
Christ was the prophet that is promised to us for our salvation. And God has sent us prophets prophesying of Christ's coming and of his ministry. And as the disciples come to witnessing the prophecy being fulfilled, they have come to understand the godhead and the certainty of the verity of godhead of the Christian God.
Now, the implication of God being able to tell the future implies that man has no free will; and this is fatal to most beliefs. Most beliefs are in the persuasion that man have a part in directing, or shaping, his future; but that is not what the gospel of Christ teach and preach.
Man has no power to direct his future, thus God challenged, "Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together." (Isa 41:23)
It is being discussed many times in the forums how God's omniscience eliminates human free will, yet people kept resisting the simple conclusion. Rejecting the conclusion will consequentially lead to misunderstanding the gospel, thus misunderstanding the godhead...and not being saved.
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