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John 6 is a good chapter to start. Comments in blue..
John 6:26-45
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
The unregenerate natural Man does not seek after God. They sought Jesus because of fleshly fulfillment (eating the physical bread and being filled). They did not "believe" from the miracles ..
Romans 3:11
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God
1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Those seeking after God and receiving the things of the Spirit of God must be regenerate by the gift of Faith given by God.
Ephesians 2:8-9
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.
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
The Lord Jesus gives the "meat that endures unto everlasting life" unto those that God the Father has "sealed". The "meat" the world labors for is status, money, material possessions, etc.. The "meat" that Jesus gives believers must be righteousness through His Holy Spirit. The "sealing" of God is both fore-ordained and unconditional.
Ephesians 1:12-14
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The paradigm is hearing, believing, receiving.. The Seal of God is Him telling Us that we are His Child in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
The most significant question.. What might I work the works of God.. Jesus declares the "easy believism" doctrine as many define it. Righteousness is imputed to the believer by their Faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 4,5,9)(Ephesians 2:8-10)
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
The signs already shown weren't enough. Natural Man is still seeking signs, but signs do not create belief. Belief is a gift of God (ephesians 2:8-10).. So those saved can boast of nothing.
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
The Lord Jesus is comparing Himself to the Manna given to the children of Israel in the Wilderness.. He states that He is the true "bread" in that if we eat of Him we shall never die. Eating and drinking of His Sacrifice is equivocated to "believing on" Him. "Eating and drinking" is an ongoing, continuous activity.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
They did not believe. Is it because the COULD NOT BELIEVE or because the CHOSE not to believe? This is the ultimate question.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
A common act demonstrating unbelief is murmuring/complaining, mocking, scorning, deriding etc.. the "fruit" of natural man.
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
So the ultimate question is UNBELIEF a CHOICE of an individual?
So the ultimate question is UNBELIEF a CHOICE of an individual?
Thoughts? comments?
Unbelief, or belief - in any god, or the absence of same - is always a choice.
I most certainly believe in a Creator. Although I cannot truly envision or encapsulate him/her/it, I sure as shinola know there's no resemblance whatsoever with the Abrahamic god.
John 6 is a good chapter to start. Comments in blue..
John 6:26-45
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
The unregenerate natural Man does not seek after God. They sought Jesus because of fleshly fulfillment (eating the physical bread and being filled). They did not "believe" from the miracles ..
Romans 3:11
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God
1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Those seeking after God and receiving the things of the Spirit of God must be regenerate by the gift of Faith given by God.
Ephesians 2:8-9
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.
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
The Lord Jesus gives the "meat that endures unto everlasting life" unto those that God the Father has "sealed". The "meat" the world labors for is status, money, material possessions, etc.. The "meat" that Jesus gives believers must be righteousness through His Holy Spirit. The "sealing" of God is both fore-ordained and unconditional.
Ephesians 1:12-14
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The paradigm is hearing, believing, receiving.. The Seal of God is Him telling Us that we are His Child in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
The most significant question.. What might I work the works of God.. Jesus declares the "easy believism" doctrine as many define it. Righteousness is imputed to the believer by their Faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 4,5,9)(Ephesians 2:8-10)
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
The signs already shown weren't enough. Natural Man is still seeking signs, but signs do not create belief. Belief is a gift of God (ephesians 2:8-10).. So those saved can boast of nothing.
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
The Lord Jesus is comparing Himself to the Manna given to the children of Israel in the Wilderness.. He states that He is the true "bread" in that if we eat of Him we shall never die. Eating and drinking of His Sacrifice is equivocated to "believing on" Him. "Eating and drinking" is an ongoing, continuous activity.
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
They did not believe. Is it because the COULD NOT BELIEVE or because the CHOSE not to believe? This is the ultimate question.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
A common act demonstrating unbelief is murmuring/complaining, mocking, scorning, deriding etc.. the "fruit" of natural man.
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
So the ultimate question is UNBELIEF a CHOICE of an individual?
Thoughts? comments?
Yes. Unbelief is a choice. But one cannot choose unless God grants it.
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