An Article on free will

[Jim]

Yes, faith and confidence makes the difference.

The difference between just believing and having faith, i.e., believing in, is confidence.

 

[mailmandan]

The difference between just believing and having faith, i.e., believing in, is confidence.

There are people who may believe that Jesus exists and that His death, burial and resurrection "happened" without having faith and confidence in His death, burial and resurrection to fully save them. The demons certainly believe that the death, burial and resurrection of Christ "happened" but they have no faith and confidence in the death, burial and resurrection to save them. So, mere mental assent belief is useless apart from faith, trust, reliance in the gospel.

 

[Jim]

There are people who may believe that Jesus exists and that His death, burial and resurrection "happened" without having faith and confidence in His death, burial and resurrection to fully save them. The demons certainly believe that the death, burial and resurrection of Christ "happened" but they have no faith and confidence in the death, burial and resurrection to save them. So, mere mental assent belief is useless apart from faith, trust, reliance in the gospel.

You continue to make a distinction between mental assent and faith. Faith is mental assent PLUS confidence. The whole problem arises because of the nuance in English of the word faith. There is no actual verb form of the noun faith. The verb form is "to have faith". That nuance does not exist in Greek. In English to have faith is the same as to believe IN. faith is believing in.

 

[brightfame52]

Again, you are believing in Augustinian Gnosticism, not in God's word.

Im believing Pauls writings 2 Cor 4:3-4

 

[Jim]

Im believing Pauls writings 2 Cor 4:3-4

But 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 doesn't say what you say it says. Read the entire passage of verses 1-6.

The clue to what Paul is speaking about is in the verse 5 where he says "ourselves as your servants for Christ's sake" and in verse 8 where he says "shone in our hearts" The "we", the "ourselves", the "our hearts" is Paul and the divinely inspired proclaimers of the gospel, not you. It is they who are letting the light shine out of darkness for all they are speaking to. God is not limiting it. It is only limited by some listening to Paul.

 

[brightfame52]

But 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 doesn't say what you say it says. Read the entire passage of verses 1-6.

The clue to what Paul is speaking about is in the verse 5 where he says "ourselves as your servants for Christ's sake" and in verse 8 where he says "shone in our hearts" The "we", the "ourselves", the "our hearts" is Paul and the divinely inspired proclaimers of the gospel, not you. It is they who are letting the light shine out of darkness for all they are speaking to. God is not limiting it. It is only limited by some listening to Paul.

Yes it says it to me, thats what matters, when Im posting what the Lord shows me out of His word. So again the Gospel is hid to the Lost, and the word hid is in the perfect tense indicating its an once and for all done deal with results to the present.

 

[MTMattie]

The difference between believing something and believing in something is that believing IN something is faith. In Greek to believe in is typically stated as pisteuo en or pisteuo epi. Sometimes when it is obvious that the meaning is to believe in, the en or the epi is omitted.

Believing something is mental assent. Believing in something is mental assent plus trust and confidence, i.e., faith.

If I might interject an analogy that many here would understand.

I believe the Pittsburgh Steelers will be playing football starting in August. I do not have enough faith in them that I can believe they will see the 2026 Super Bowl.

does that clarify or muddle it worse?

 

[Jim]

Yes it says it to me, thats what matters, when Im posting what the Lord shows me out of His word. So again the Gospel is hid to the Lost, and the word hid is in the perfect tense indicating its an once and for all done deal with results to the present.

No, what matters is not what you think it says. God's word is truth. It does not mean something to one and something else to another. You are not an apostle or a prophet that God reveals to you something different than He has revealed to them. The gospel is the good news which presents God's plan of salvation to the world. The gospel is not the power for the saved to understand; rather, the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Believing comes first.

 

[brightfame52]

No, what matters is not what you think it says. God's word is truth. It does not mean something to one and something else to another. You are not an apostle or a prophet that God reveals to you something different than He has revealed to them. The gospel is the good news which presents God's plan of salvation to the world. The gospel is not the power for the saved to understand; rather, the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Believing comes first.

Its the word of God you oppose, not me

 

[Jim]

Its the word of God you oppose, not me

I oppose the words of Calvin and those who, like you, believe as Calvin did. He may have been sincere, but he was wrong and so are you.

 

[brightfame52]

I oppose the words of Calvin and those who, like you, believe as Calvin did. He may have been sincere, but he was wrong and so are you.

You are deceived friend, thinking you oppose calvin, but in all reality you are opposing the Truth of God. May God be pleased to deliver you from deception

 

[Jim]

You are deceived friend, thinking you oppose calvin, but in all reality you are opposing the Truth of God. May God be pleased to deliver you from deception

You are more than deceived. You mock God.

 

[brightfame52]

You are more than deceived. You mock God.

We will see at the Judgment

 

[Jim]

We will see at the Judgment

I don't have to wait for the judgment. I see it now.

 

[brightfame52]

I don't have to wait for the judgment. I see it now.

Well you do have to wait because unfortunately now you are deceived

 

[Jim]

Well you do have to wait because unfortunately now you are deceived

Nah. I don't follow Calvin like you. I follow God.

 

[brightfame52]

Nah. I don't follow Calvin like you. I follow God.

We will see, hopefully God will have mercy on you

 

[Jim]

We will see, hopefully God will have mercy on you

For following God instead of Calvin like you? No doubt at all.

 

[GodsGrace]

@Kermos

Hi Kermos,,,
I've been asking this of the Reformed/Calvinist believers for some time now.

In my post to you, no. 9467, I also asked YOU:

Could you reply please?

Here it is:

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Post 9467


Could you reply to the following please?:

If God is sovereign....in the way that you understand sovereignty....
and God desires that all men be saved:


1 Timothy 2:4
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.


Then WHY aren't all men saved?

Is the NT lying?
Is God unable to save everyone?

 

[civic]

No, what matters is not what you think it says. God's word is truth. It does not mean something to one and something else to another. You are not an apostle or a prophet that God reveals to you something different than He has revealed to them. The gospel is the good news which presents God's plan of salvation to the world. The gospel is not the power for the saved to understand; rather, the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Believing comes first.

Amen