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What about "God so loved the World"? You know, like the entire world?
If only some accept him, that's on them. Salvation is offered to all.
God does not "offer" anyone salvation. He gives it to whom He chooses. The word "love" in John 3:16 is used in a manner consistent with the rest of the New Testament. It means, more or less, to "accept." Case in point, John says in his first epistle we know that we have life because we love the brethren, and that he that hates his brother is a murderer. What does it mean to be a murderer? It means to judge by the law, because the letter killeth (2 Cor 3:6). Murder is not literal here, but spiritual. Jesus said he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword. Do you really think Jesus was speaking in worldly terms here? So, on the other hand, to love one another as you love yourself means not to judge them by the law. So John asks, whoever sees his brother's need and shuts up his bowels of compassion, how does the love of God dwell in him? (1 John 3:17) What he's asking is, he who sees his brother's lack of fleshly righteousness, how does the love of God dwell in him if he does not have compassion, if he does not accept the brother as forgiven even as he is (or claims to be) himself? Riches are used as a metaphor throughout the New Testament for the righteousness that is after the flesh, the "good works" of this world.
I don't know. I tend to side with Boyd. That God knows ALL possibilities of how everything could go but it's up to our free will in the end.
But this is another subject not germane to salvation so it's OK to disagree!
Boyd is not into "The wrath of God" either which I totally agree with him on.
I guess we can only go as far as our brains will take us.
Now you've done it, you son of a gun! You're trying to drag me into quantum physics, where all statistical possibilities are real. All right then, go there! But it makes no difference in the end, because surely this whole multiverse we're talking about must be God's creation. The feeling of free will in this scheme is an illusion - because I really do do everything I can possibly do - - and each me in the multiverse feels himself to be special and unique, because that's the only "me" he knows. Ask me, grace is for all of us.
No? Then what do you call Revelation 22:17 if not an offer, an invitation to eternal life?
Not an invitation to eternal life. It's an invitation to the elect of Christ for the reward (see that it is followed by the word "for" for the warnings that appears in verses 18 and 19). It's already specifically written to those that hear, so that is those who have eternal life already.
Not an invitation to eternal life. It's an invitation to the elect of Christ for the reward (see that it is followed by the word "for" for the warnings that appears in verses 18 and 19). It's already specifically written to those that hear, so that is those who have eternal life already.
It's an invitation to eternal life just as it is when Jesus made the offer to the Samaritan woman in John 4:10-14 - A well of water springing up to eternal life.
It's an invitation to eternal life just as it is when Jesus made the offer to the Samaritan woman in John 4:10-14 - A well of water springing up to eternal life.
No offer there. At least not one that can be refused. John 4:14:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 6:65: And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
John 5:21: For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
No offer there. At least not one that can be refused. John 4:14:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 6:65: And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
John 5:21: For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
Again, it's an offer. All the Samaritan woman had to do was ask and Jesus would have given it to her.
Again, it's an offer. All the Samaritan woman had to do was ask and Jesus would have given it to her.
She did ask. Jesus came to her specifically, and not to someone else. The whole encounter came about by the sovereign foreordination of God. As it's written, Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power
She did ask. Jesus came to her specifically, and not to someone else. The whole encounter came about by the sovereign foreordination of God. As it's written, Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power
He came to her because he knew that she would ask. You must be a Calvinist. But eternal life is given to all who respond to the gospel message with faith in Christ.
He came to her because he knew that she would ask. You must be a Calvinist. But eternal life is given to all who respond to the gospel message with faith in Christ.
I don't follow Calvin. I follow what the Bible very clearly teaches on the subject of election.
Does this sound like He offers salvation indiscriminately to all, which they can freely take or refuse, or rather gives it to whom He will and blinds the rest?
Mathew 13:10-15:
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Romans 9:15-18:
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
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