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Of late, as in, for the past week or so? But guess what, I do not come to City Data all the time. I will likely disappear for months again as I have done over the years. I hope that will be to your liking when it happens.
I'm not suggesting you disappear... I just made a suggestion based on the videos you have been posting.
Billy Graham taught throughout his ministry that WE choose God and that our choice for Christ is what saves us. Of course you are offended that Martin compared Graham to Satan. I suppose you would also be offended that Jesus called Peter (an Apostle) Satan! You do not understand the point of the message. He did not say Billy Graham was an evil man. He is simply pointing out that Billy Graham was loved by the world, he even had his own star on the Hollywood "walk of fame". He drew HUGE crowds of people after himself and then told them that God's plan was a choice between choosing heaven or hell.That is not the gospel. Of course it is what you believe the gospel teaches, but it is not what the scriptures show. I do not listen to every teacher. But I never said I never listened to any person, just that I do not have time to watch ALL the millions of Christian teaching videos on the internet. This was not posted for you, Mike because you are unable to understand the point being made. You do not understand the concept of aionios life that is for the FEW Jesus spoke of. Many are called, but few are chosen for that high calling. I do not expect to be in that number. I would like to be, but I do not know, yet I still trust God with my soul. I do not believe as you do that people pop into heaven when they die. If you read the book of Romans, there is no way you can come away believing that we have free will to "choose salvation" for ourselves or that God grants us salvation based on something we decide. I do think it is presumptuous for Martin to say that Billy Graham was not saved, because it did seem to me that Billy Graham got a vision of the Universal love of God for all in the later years of his life, not to mention, Martin doesn't know what is in a man's heart.
Billy Graham taught throughout his ministry that WE choose God and that our choice for Christ is what saves us. Of course you are offended that Martin compared Graham to Satan. I suppose you would also be offended that Jesus called Peter (an Apostle) Satan! You do not understand the point of the message. He did not say Billy Graham was an evil man. He is simply pointing out that Billy Graham was loved by the world, he even had his own star on the Hollywood "walk of fame". He drew HUGE crowds of people after himself and then told them that God's plan was a choice between choosing heaven or hell. That is not the gospel. Of course it is what you believe the gospel teaches, but it is not what the scriptures show. I do not listen to every teacher. But I never said I never listened to any person, just that I do not have time to watch ALL the millions of Christian teaching videos on the internet. This was not posted for you, Mike because you are unable to understand the point being made. You do not understand the concept of aionios life that is for the FEW Jesus spoke of. Many are called, but few are chosen for that high calling. I do not expect to be in that number. I would like to be, but I do not know, yet I still trust God with my soul. I do not believe as you do that people pop into heaven when they die. If you read the book of Romans, there is no way you can come away believing that we have free will to "choose salvation" for ourselves or that God grants us salvation based on something we decide. I do think it is presumptuous for Martin to say that Billy Graham was not saved, because it did seem to me that Billy Graham got a vision of the Universal love of God for all in the later years of his life, not to mention, Martin doesn't know what is in a man's heart.
I understood the point being made by the person in the video you posted. And he's an idiot.
You misrepresent both Billy Graham and me. What Billy Graham taught throughout his ministry is that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, that there is no other way than by way of the cross. He taught that you must come by faith to the foot of the cross. He taught that it is Jesus who saves. And the proof of that is shown in this video in which the person who uploaded it took excerpts from different Billy Graham crusades at various points in his career and put them in the video. It's a seven minute video. The title of the video is misleading if you don't listen to the video. The point of the video is to refute the claim of those who say that Billy Graham denies Jesus.
You claim or imply that Billy Graham didn't teach the gospel. The following quote from 2014 proves otherwise.
''How do I know God loves you — and how can you know it? Think for a moment about those two days you do attend church — Christmas and Easter. Why are they so important? Christmas is important because it reminds us that God came down from heaven and became a man. Jesus wasn’t just another baby; He was God in human flesh! Easter is important because it reminds us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the dead to give us eternal life. And this is what God did for you! He became a man so you could know what He is like — and He died and rose again so you could be saved.
The Bible’s words are true: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).''
That is the gospel message, and Billy Graham taught it.
Nor did Billy Graham ever teach that you can choose for Christ apart from the gospel message. He taught that you must respond to the gospel message in order to be saved. Yes, you must choose to respond to the gospel. You must choose to come to Christ. What did Jesus Himself say?
Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Since you can choose to come to Jesus you can also choose not to come to Him. The invitation to come to Christ is simply stated in Revelation 22:16.
Rev. 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman;
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, ''If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.'' . . 14] but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.''
The offer of the free gift of eternal life is extended through the gospel message. When the gospel message is given the Holy Spirit convicts the hearer of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). Having heard the gospel message and having understood it, the hearer must make a decision either for or against Jesus. And yes, the issue is, as you put it, ''a choice between choosing heaven or hell.'' The issue is between having an eternal relationship with God or being eternally separated from God. And it depends on whether you come to Jesus or don't come to Him.
God chooses everyone who comes to Him in response to the gospel message. Not everyone wants to come to Him and never will.
You don't believe that the believer goes to heaven when he dies. The Bible clearly shows that he does. I recently went over this on the thread that RomulusXXV posted in his challenge to me - https://www.city-data.com/forum/chris...ing-their.html
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