Manfred
Active member
In 1 Cor Chapter 2, Paul states that when he first went to Corinth he went there in fear and trembling, having decided to go only with the power of the Spirit.
So he did not use eloquence or fancy words of wisdom when he shared the gospel message with them.
The point being that he did not want to convince the Corinthians that choosing Jesus was the best option for them, for he understood very well that the natural man cannot discern the Spiritual.
Jesus states in John 3 that rebirth is not a natural event, but Spiritual. That which is Spirit is spirit, and that which is flesh is flesh.
Paul writes in Gal 5 that the flesh is in enmity to the Spirit and the Spirit to the flesh.
Our will, is a fleshy fallen thing by which we choose to rebel. Anything we do in the flesh, is in opposition to the Spirit, so even if you think you choose to do well or good, it is not pleasing to God, those so-called righteous works done in the flesh, are as dirty rags to Him.
Free will proponents will have to explain Biblically, how they discerned the Gospel message with their fallen minds, and then make a desision to generate belief with their fallen self will, as the scriptures clearly show it is impossible to discern the gospel message using your fallen flesh, but that the Gospel is Spiritually discerned as per John 3. (If you believe I am twisting scripture the challenge is to prove how I am twisting it, otherwise do not use it as a snarky retort)
From my rebirth experience, a young man approached me while I was reading a book. He shared his testimony with me, and how God had dragged Him out of a life of drug abuse. He shared the Gospel of God's love and pointed to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
In that moment, God revealed this to my Spirit as absolute truth. I remember my flesh still rebelling, but the conviction from God was overwhelming, whilst at the same time I experienced love as I never had before.
God had brought my spirit from death to life. I knew as the Spirit lead me, that I needed to repent and call on the Name of the Lord.
It was only then that my flesh submitted, and when I was babtised, it was in obedience that I publickly acknowledged the death and burial of the old and that God had brought forth the new.
There was no free will choise involved at all in this experience. It was by revelation and by the Spirit of God that I was reborn, and not by mental knowledge or mental assent, which could only result in the self generated dead faith so many tares walk around with.
So he did not use eloquence or fancy words of wisdom when he shared the gospel message with them.
The point being that he did not want to convince the Corinthians that choosing Jesus was the best option for them, for he understood very well that the natural man cannot discern the Spiritual.
Jesus states in John 3 that rebirth is not a natural event, but Spiritual. That which is Spirit is spirit, and that which is flesh is flesh.
Paul writes in Gal 5 that the flesh is in enmity to the Spirit and the Spirit to the flesh.
Our will, is a fleshy fallen thing by which we choose to rebel. Anything we do in the flesh, is in opposition to the Spirit, so even if you think you choose to do well or good, it is not pleasing to God, those so-called righteous works done in the flesh, are as dirty rags to Him.
Free will proponents will have to explain Biblically, how they discerned the Gospel message with their fallen minds, and then make a desision to generate belief with their fallen self will, as the scriptures clearly show it is impossible to discern the gospel message using your fallen flesh, but that the Gospel is Spiritually discerned as per John 3. (If you believe I am twisting scripture the challenge is to prove how I am twisting it, otherwise do not use it as a snarky retort)
From my rebirth experience, a young man approached me while I was reading a book. He shared his testimony with me, and how God had dragged Him out of a life of drug abuse. He shared the Gospel of God's love and pointed to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
In that moment, God revealed this to my Spirit as absolute truth. I remember my flesh still rebelling, but the conviction from God was overwhelming, whilst at the same time I experienced love as I never had before.
God had brought my spirit from death to life. I knew as the Spirit lead me, that I needed to repent and call on the Name of the Lord.
It was only then that my flesh submitted, and when I was babtised, it was in obedience that I publickly acknowledged the death and burial of the old and that God had brought forth the new.
There was no free will choise involved at all in this experience. It was by revelation and by the Spirit of God that I was reborn, and not by mental knowledge or mental assent, which could only result in the self generated dead faith so many tares walk around with.