The Word of God (Scripture)

[Mr. M]

2 minutes ago, David1701 said:

I was saved through reading the gospel of Luke; however, it was not a decision of my flesh that saved me, but the power of the living God, who miraculously made me born again, while I was reading, granting me repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Sounds like you were hungry and seeking. Wasn't the first time you

heard of Jesus though, was it? I suspect a seed had been planted by

the spoken word. Love the Gospel of Luke! It would make a great musical!

Day by day....O dear Lord, three things I pray...

[David1701]

4 hours ago, Rosie1jack2pauline3 said:

Amen!! Amen!! Amen!!.i don’t understand why this member is allowed to falsely teach that , you must only read the Bible to be birthed in the Spirit ...when clearly that is NOT God’s word!!.....

Yes indeed; it takes the Lord himself to work in us, and not only us reading, or hearing, the word of God, for us to be saved.

James 1:17,18 (KJV)

 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
  18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 

1 Thess. 1:4,5 (KJV)

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
  5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

[David1701]

3 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

Sounds like you were hungry and seeking. Wasn't the first time you

heard of Jesus though, was it? I suspect a seed had been planted by

the spoken word. Love the Gospel of Luke! It would make a great musical!

Day by day....O dear Lord, three things I pray...

I was in a sorry state.  I realised that many of my attitudes were very wrong, and had discovered, by experience, that I could make little improvement to what was in my heart.  I was thoroughly miserable.  It was as if I were in a dark dungeon, and the limit of my ability was to move my stool and bed around the prison cell.

I'd been to Edinburgh University, studying Biology (they taught evolution); but, I'd come to an awareness that molecules-to-man evolution was impossible, and that there must be a God (essentially, because of irreducible complexity).

I tried self-improvement books, to little avail.  Then I realised that I needed help from outside myself.  I started reading, alternately, a book on witchcraft (the real thing, not fiction) and a Gideon's New Testament that I'd been given years before, at school.

Gradually, I found that the witchcraft book was not what I was looking for, but I was fascinated by Jesus.  He was like no-one I'd ever met or heard about (I wasn't brought up as a Christian).  He was holy, loving, kind, truthful and firm.  He was uncomfortably confrontational, yet deeply caring.

I put down the witchcraft book, and kept reading only the gospel of Luke.  I realised that I'd broken God's law, and must be in trouble with God (I didn't know just how much trouble!); so I kept reading, hoping to find the solution.

I was still in my state of unbelief, reading the gospel of Luke, but only understanding the outward things, nothing spiritual, when I reached Luke 23:34.

Luke 23:34 (KJV)  34 ¶ Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Suddenly, when I read the part in bold, I KNEW, beyond any doubt, that Jesus had died for me, on the cross, taking my sin and punishment upon him (I'd not known this even the moment before).  It was as if a bright light had been turned on inside me (I now know that this was God making me born again, but I didn't even know the phrase then).  I was overwhelmed with sorrow for my sin and love for Jesus.  I kept on saying that I was sorry for my sin, with many tears, asking his forgiveness, and that I loved Jesus and wanted to follow him all my days.

Charles Wesley summed up my experience exactly, in his great hymn, "And Can It Be", verse 4.

"Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee."

I remember once, in a church service, that the pastor asked who knew what this verse was talking about.  I was very saddened, when only a few hands went up.

There are, sad to say, many people, who think that they are saved, when all they have is a fleshly decision and some religion. 

[Selah7]

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

- Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)

It’s by GRACE (not faith).

 

 

[David1701]

2 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Okay but just remember,if you will- what the ":Study" is about...    It's really not about Calvin,not about being Born again but about studying the Scriptures which can lead to certain points we see in other doctrines- but in a Study Group we do our best to stay on Topic....

It's pretty hard not to bring up a Calvinistic point when the Study is showing something completely opposite- that debate can be rehashed in another " Calvinism" thread.... Let's focus on the Scriptures,It's much better than focusing on anyone's opinions,right?❤️❤️❤️

The doctrines of grace are the gospel.  There is one poster who wants to call these "Calvinism"; but, they are simply what the Bible says about how salvation works.

Let's leave Calvin out of it, and study what the Bible says, in context, not merely walls of texts without proper exposition, or out-of context proof texts, as one poster likes to do, which is not Bible study at all.

[David1701]

4 minutes ago, Selah7 said:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

- Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)

It’s by GRACE (not faith).

 

 

Salvation is by grace, through faith.  It is this (the whole thing - salvation-by-grace-through-faith) that is the gift of God.

[Selah7]

The way I understand it, anyone who comes to the Lord will be saved.  But some have been predestined (chosen) to salvation before the foundation of the world to carry out some special purpose in God’s plan.  An example would be Jeremiah and Paul.  Others have been given free will to choose Jesus Christ upon hearing the Gospel.  We’re all His sheep. 

 

[Selah7]

1 minute ago, David1701 said:

Salvation is by grace, through faith.  It is this (the whole thing - salvation-by-grace-through-faith) that is the gift of God.

Yes.

[Mr. M]

34 minutes ago, David1701 said:

I remember once, in a church service, that the pastor asked who knew what this verse was talking about.  I was very saddened, when only a few hands went up.

Thanks for sharing your testimony brother. If I listed the topics I delved into

during my time away from the Lord it would be a litany of shame. I used to 

mockingly tell Christians on my submarine when in the Navy that I was a 

"Daoist Christian". Now, I don't even know what the heck I meant by that,

just practicing being stupid. Definitely something special when you find the

Lord in those dark places. He never let go, even when I went far from Him.

James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[David1701]

5 minutes ago, Selah7 said:

The way I understand it, anyone who comes to the Lord will be saved.  But some have been predestined (chosen) to salvation before the foundation of the world to carry out some special purpose in God’s plan.  An example would be Jeremiah and Paul.  Others have been given free will to choose Jesus Christ upon hearing the Gospel.  We’re all His sheep. 

 

Christians are all His sheep.  There are also many who are not saved yet, who are Jesus' sheep (although they will be saved, in God's timing); but, there are many who are not Jesus' sheep.

John 10:24-28 (KJV)

 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
  25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 
  26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 
  27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
  28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 

Edited January 24, 2023 by David1701