Does God Love You Personally?

[Grace Accepted]

No one is saved before they are saved.

No such thing. Just because God knows who will believe and obey, it doesn't mean a person doesn't have to first.

We have to go by what the scriptures say, not by what others say.

I believe that those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

From our mortal fallible position in time, we are saved when He saves us, but from his infallible, immortal, omnipotent position, we have been saved from the very beginning. I believe that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.

I don't believe that God was arbitrary about who was saved and who wasn't but He definitely is omnipotent and can see all-time at once in my opinion.

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ Isiah 46:10

 

[God's Truth]

Sorry for butting in to your discussion but I feel like your comments here demand we ask this question of you

What happens when someone comes along that can explain to YOU the truth better than you can explain it to them? I think this is one of many places humility comes into the picture. So what do you do when someone wants to explain a deeper truth to you?

A deeper truth than the truth? No such thing. As for the humility you speak of, you want to tell me you have given up a false denomination you have spent over 24 years practicing? I had to admit my Catholic life wasn't God's truth, and then in my search for Him I had to repent of another false denomination I got into. I had to give up family and friends and admit my studies in it were all not truth. Some people have never done it once, let alone twice. So you asked me a question and I have answered you. I have passed your test of humility. Have you ever done that? So why are you and others here teaching their beliefs? I am doing it more kindly than most, and you don't like my confidence in the Lord that I speak?

 

[Legroom]

Although it should not be a surprise, it always comes as one when someone espousing a way to "get" saved cannot tell you if they are saved or not. Even more surprising is that some of them cannot even utter or type the words, "God loves me personally."

What is your testimony? Does God Love You?

If so in what ways has He demonstrated His love to you personally?

Of course, God loves me, he's, my Father. God loved Lucifer, that's why he gave him a chance to repent.

 

[7thMoon]

I believe that those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

From our mortal fallible position in time, we are saved when He saves us, but from his infallible, immortal, omnipotent position, we have been saved from the very beginning. I believe that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.

I don't believe that God was arbitrary about who was saved and who wasn't but He definitely is omnipotent and can see all-time at once in my opinion.

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ Isiah 46:10

What, you don't believe in Open Theism?

 

[God's Truth]

I believe that those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,

The scriptures tell us that it is the Jews He foreknew. Paul is explaining that God did not cut off all the Jews forever, but that they too were in the predestined plan of salvation through Jesus.

in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called,

See that? Paul saying the Jews were also called.

and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

From our mortal fallible position in time, we are saved when He saves us, but from his infallible, immortal, omnipotent position, we have been saved from the very beginning.

No. We are not saved before we are saved.

I believe that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.

He chose the plan before He created anything. The plan for salvation to be through Jesus was the plan before anything was made.
Jesus tells us how to be saved, and after being saved, we still have to obey, it is why we are warned, because it is that important to do what God says. He is love, and if you don't do what He says, then you step out of love.

 

[Grace Accepted]

You are thinking of Paul, correct? Paul had to do what Jesus said to to do get saved. Paul was not saved by faith alone.

Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.​

In my view, Acts 9:6 happened after God saved Paul. I don't believe that Paul could have understood the Lord unless as a lost man of the flesh. None of Paul's cohorts understood a thing Jesus was saying to Paul. However, I understand that there is nothing that says directly either way so it is open to interpretation. For me, Paul's words in Corinthians that state a natural man cannot understand spiritual things supports my understanding of this incident.

It is true that some people like Paul's and Silas' jailer were specifically instructed to repent and be baptized some were not. An example would be the dying thief on the cross. also, there is no record of most of the disciple's baptisms, however; I think it is safe to assume they were.

 

[Grace Accepted]

The scriptures tell us that it is the Jews He foreknew. Paul is explaining that God did not cut off all the Jews forever, but that they too were in the predestined plan of salvation through Jesus.

That could be, but I believe it refers to spiritual Isreal which includes all of God's children.

So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus. Gal 3:28

No. We are not saved before we are saved.

I respect your beliefs on this even though I do not share them. It is something we will all be instructed on soon enough.

He chose the plan before He created anything. The plan for salvation to be through Jesus was the plan before anything was made.
Jesus tells us how to be saved, and after being saved, we still have to obey, it is why we are warned, because it is that important to do what God says. He is love, and if you don't do what He says, then you step out of love.

I do not believe in open theology, but for those that do, I can see why they do.

 

[God's Truth]

In my view, Acts 9:6 happened after God saved Paul.

Look at it more carefully, and listen to yourself more carefully too. Did Jesus say, "Paul, you believe now, good, you are saved? No, Jesus didn't say that, so you shouldn't say it either. Know what I mean? Be careful to just believe what is written without leaning to the left or to the right or going beyond what is written.

I don't believe that Paul could have understood the Lord unless as a lost man of the flesh.

A lost person must hear the directions and then actually follow the directions.

None of Paul's cohorts understood a thing Jesus was saying to Paul. However, I understand that there is nothing that says directly either way so it is open to interpretation.

No way is it open for interpretation. We are not to do that with the scriptures. We are warned not to do that with the scriptures.
Paul finally believes that Jesus is really the truth. He asks what shall he do, and Jesus tells him where to go to find out what he has to do.
We must believe the word, and the word says it plainly.

For me, Paul's words in Corinthians that state a natural man cannot understand spiritual things supports my understanding of this incident.

The natural man is about a man only concerned about pleasing his flesh. That is about a man who won't even consider what Jesus says because it would mean giving up the sins of the flesh.

It is true that some people like Paul's and Silas' jailer were specifically instructed to repent and be baptized some were not. An example would be the dying thief on the cross.

The thief on the cross confess and repented of his sins on the cross.

also, there is no record of most of the disciple's baptisms,

What? John the baptizer prepared the way. That means he had the people repent of their sins before Jesus could come to them.

Isaiah 59:20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.

Malachi 3:1"Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple--the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight--see, He is coming," says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 3:3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.'"

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: "Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

however; I think it is safe to assume they were.

Well it isn't just an assumption, because, for instance, the Pharisees and teachers of the law rejected John's baptism of repentance of sins...and they are the ones who didn't receive understanding either. We have to obey to receive understanding. We are told to repent of our sins.

 

[7thMoon]

I do not believe in open theology, but for those that do, I can see why they do.

But they don't believe God is omniscient.

 

[Grace Accepted]

What, you don't believe in Open Theism?

"Though omniscient, God does not know what we will freely do in the future." This statement gives me whiplash. It contradicts itself.

 

[7thMoon]

"Though omniscient, God does not know what we will freely do in the future." This statement gives me whiplash. It contradicts itself.

I have even heard omniscience and justness of God is impossible without the trinity doctrine. The criteria is the 2-3 witnesses.

 

[Grace Accepted]

Look at it more carefully, and listen to yourself more carefully too. Did Jesus say, "Paul, you believe now, good, you are saved? No, Jesus didn't say that, so you shouldn't say it either. Know what I mean? Be careful to just believe what is written without leaning to the left or to the right or going beyond what is written.

I believe that the words of the bible must be given meaning and this either happens by our own logic or by the Holy Spirit. As I submit to the Holy Spirit He grants understanding of the text. A good example would be when the text says that Jesus instructs a person with a wicked hand that causes him to sin to cut it off. I do not understand that literally. I do not believe that Jesus was saying that our body parts can cause us to sin and amputation is the cure. I go beyond the written word by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.

A lost person must hear the directions and then actually follow the directions.

According to Paul the natural man cannot hear or understand the things of God. I accept that.

No way is it open for interpretation. We are not to do that with the scriptures. We are warned not to do that with the scriptures.
Paul finally believes that Jesus is really the truth. He asks what shall he do, and Jesus tells him where to go to find out what he has to do.
We must believe the word, and the word says it plainly.

It is unavoidable. There was a strange religious sect that crawled around on the floor, drooling and wearing diapers because the texts said that Jesus said unless you become like little children you can't enter the kingdom of God. I certainly believe that you interpret that passage differently than they do. But you can see how they came to behave that way in their zeal to obey Jesus.

Did God repent that He had made man? If He did, what implications does that have for who God is, and how does that impact the doctrine of omnipotence? I certainly can't argue that He didn't but I also realize that that doesn't jibe with, Is 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

The natural man is about a man only concerned about pleasing his flesh. That is about a man who won't even consider what Jesus says because it would mean giving up the sins of the flesh.

Yes, that is the natural man in a nutshell and we are all born that way. In Adam, all have died. You interpret the text as "won't" but the text actually says, "can't." This is a prime example of how we all interpret the scriptures.

The thief on the cross confess and repented of his sins on the cross.

That is probably true, however; there is no record of Him doing so. This is another example of how we interpret scriptures and go beyond the text.

What? John the baptizer prepared the way. That means he had the people repent of their sins before Jesus could come to them.

Since the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, I believe that the Holy Spirit had been striving with the souls of the men and women who John Baptized long before John started preaching.

Isaiah 59:20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.

I believe that they repented because they were convicted by The Holy Spirit.

Malachi 3:1"Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple--the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight--see, He is coming," says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 3:3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.'"

Isaiah 40:3 A voice of one calling: "Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

Well, it isn't just an assumption, because, for instance, the Pharisees and teachers of the law rejected John's baptism of repentance of sins...and they are the ones who didn't receive understanding either. We have to obey to receive understanding. We are told to repent of our sins.

They rejected the Holy Spirit from the foundation of the world.