An Article on free will

Kermos · May 4, 2024

TomL said:
This totally absurd

Your comments are not the word of God

hello

You testify against yourself

Again you ignore much evidence as is typical

e. take up, receive—α. τινὰ someone εἰς into (Wsd 8:18) lit. εἰς τὸ πλοῖον take someone (up) into the boat J 6:21. εἰς οἰκίαν receive someone into one’s house 2J 10. εἰς τὰ ἴδια into his own home J 19:27. Receive someone in the sense of recognizing his authority J 1:12; 5:43a, b; 13:20a, b, c, d

William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature : A Translation and Adaption of the Fourth Revised and Augmented Edition of Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-Deutsches Worterbuch Zu Den Schrift En Des Neuen Testaments Und Der Ubrigen Urchristlichen Literatur (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979), 464.

BADG refuted you mentioning john 1:12 te verse underdiscussion

e. take up, receive—α. τινὰ someone εἰς into (Wsd 8:18) lit. εἰς τὸ πλοῖον take someone (up) into the boat J 6:21. εἰς οἰκίαν receive someone into one’s house 2J 10. εἰς τὰ ἴδια into his own home J 19:27. Receive someone in the sense of recognizing his authority J 1:12; 5:43a, b; 13:20a, b, c, d

as did

(E) To take up with a person, i.e., to receive him as a friend or guest into one’s house or society, equivalent to déchomai (1209), to accept. (1) Generally (John 6:21, “into the boat” [a.t.]; 19:27, “that disciple took her unto his own home”; 2 John 1:10, “receive him not into your house”). Metaphorically of a teacher, to receive, acknowledge, embrace and follow his instructions (John 1:12; 5:43; 13:20; 14:17); of doctrine, to embrace, admit, e.g., the word (Matt. 13:20; Mark 4:16); the witness (John 3:11, 32

Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

he also addresses john 1:12

to receive (person) — to willingly permit access to one’s company. See also παραδέχομαι, προσδέχομαι. Related Topic: Receive.
Jn 5:43 καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετέ με·
Jn 13:20 ὁ λαμβάνων ἄν τινα πέμψω
Jn 13:20 πέμψω ἐμὲ λαμβάνει, ὁ
Jn 13:20 ὁ δὲ ἐμὲ λαμβάνων
Jn 13:20 ὁ δὲ ἐμὲ λαμβάνων λαμβάνει τὸν πέμψαντά με.
Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament (Lexham Research Lexicons; Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).

As usual you ignore context near and far

John 1:12 (KJV 1900) — 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
The verse defines what it is to receive in this context - it is to believe on his name

Compare scripture with scripture

Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

one becomes a child of God by faith in Christ

Scripture use of lambano when used with persons

John 5:43 (KJV 1900) — 43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Matthew 10:14 (KJV 1900) — 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Matthew 10:41 (KJV 1900) — 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

Nope he wrote one receives Christ to be born again

Ignoring context once again you put indwelling before the right to it

John 1:12 (ESV) — 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

The ESV like the KJV defines what it is to receive Christ in this context

and it the one who believes who has the right to be born again (by becoming his child)

Nope he wrote being born again is not by the will of man It is God who must do it

The passage does not say that God gives the belief to them, but gives the new birth to those that believe. Verse 13 does not support total depravity, and indeed, as with many purported proof texts for Calvinism, this passage teaches just the opposite. Moreover, a read through the entirety of John's Gospel reflects that Jesus repeatedly asked people to respond in faith either to his words or his works. And indeed, John wrote the book "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." Everything about this book assumes people have a choice to believe.
Smelley, Hutson. Deconstructing Calvinism: A Biblical Analysis and Refutation (p. 109). Hutson Smelley. Kindle Edition.

1:13 born … of God: This new spiritual birth is not of blood, that is, by physical generation or by parents. Nor is the new birth of the will of the flesh, that is, by personal effort. Neither is the birth of the will of man, that is, something accomplished by human effort. The new birth is the work of God alone. It is a gift to be received (4:10, 14), not a reward achieved by individual effort. The new birth is based on relationship with Christ, not personal position. The relationship, however, proceeds from the position of Christ as the mediator. Christ is life (1:4; 14:6). Those who trust Him are born of God, meaning they are given spiritual life.1

1 Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1311.

The Calvinist misinterprets the apostle’s reference to the “will of the flesh,” by applying it to our hyper-individualized modern soteriological conflict over the nature of man’s free will, while ignoring the obvious Jew/Gentile context of the first century.[3]

Some take the apostle to mean something like, “Man’s libertarian free will has nothing to do with whether or not they will be born of God,” when clearly that is not the issue the apostle is attempting to address.

Instead, it is quite obvious from this context that the three points the apostle John lists here are in reference to the misconceptions of what Israelites perceived as their given covenantal “RIGHTS”[4] as direct descendants of Abraham:

(1 Peter 3:1, 5-6)

not of blood = being a descendant or blood relative of Abraham (Rom. 9:7)

nor of the will of the flesh = being one who “pursued” or “ran after” the law so as to merit righteousness (Rom. 9:31)

nor of the will of man [husband’s will] = by the will of another, such as the will of one’s husband or the patriarchal head, a significant relationship in Jewish custom

The apostle is knocking the legs out from under those Jews who think they have the RIGHT to be God’s child because of who their granddaddy is (blood), their law keeping efforts (fleshly running), or by patriarchal headship (husband’s will). John is not attempting to make a soteriological stance on the nature of man’s free will or responsibility in light of the gospel appeal LCF

The deceptions of your gods, such as your Lord Arndt whose word you take as your own again, do not refute the Truth (John 14:6) except in your heart - the comments of your gods are NOT the Word of God.

"RECEIVE" DEFINITION BY EXAMPLE:

The man received a punch to his face dislocating his septum - not by choice - but in the fury of his assailant's surprise attack.

The pedestrian received a series of traumatic injuries - not by choice - but as a result of the car jumping the curb.

A lover receives a love letter - not by choice - but in gladness.

Receive means a thing that unavoidably came in from a source to a recipient - receive is not a choice like accept - receive just happens.

"RECEIVE" DEFINITION BY DICTIONARY:

1. TRANSITIVE VERB When you receive something, you get it after someone gives it to you or sends it to you. (Collins COBUILD English Usage (c) HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012)

There is a keyword in the definition, which is "after".

The Greek word ἔλαβον (Strong's 2983 - lambano/elabon - to take, receive) lexicon definition is "receive", and the specific instance of ἔλαβον used by the Apostle John in John 1:12 is an active indicative aorist verb in the third person; therefore, the word ἔλαβον conveys the active concept of "joyfully" by the recipient of "receive" with the "receive" being initiated and caused by the the source, not the recipient, but truly God is the cause (John 1:12-13), so John conveys "joyfully receive" is the active meaning for ἔλαβον.

In the Greek lexicon etymology, "to be seized by" is found for ἔλαβον (Strong's 2983 - lambano/elabon - to take, receive).

"RECEIVE" USAGE IN SCRIPTURE:

The Apostle John wrote "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

The Apostle John wrote receiving Christ is a result of being born of God in John 1:12-13.

The Apostle John wrote receiving Christ is not an act of the will of man in John 1:12-13.

The ones who received Christ are the ones "who were born" "of God".

Let's follow John's blessed chain linking these people:

John starts with the full population of the planet "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10) as he builds toward the source of holiness which is "born of God" (John 1:13).
John narrows the population to Israel only "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).
John further narrows the focus to a sub-population of Israel "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12)
John equates the population of "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12) with the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) as he builds toward the source of holiness, that is, "born of God" (John 1:13).
John further equates the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) with the population of "believe in His name" increasing tempo about the source of holiness being"born of God" (John 1:13).
John arrives at the source of holiness for every single one of us saints (holy ones) which is being "born of God" (John 1:13).

John's Good Message narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then further narrowing onward, so we can expand the focus starting with John's primary foundational point moving toward the secondary larger point and then the tertiary broader point and so on.

John's primary foundational point is "born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) which results in John's secondary point of "believe in His name" (John 1:12, John 6:29) and "children of God" (John 1:12, John 3:3-8) and "many as received Him" (John 1:12, John 9) which has implications for John's tertiary point "His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11) which arrives at John's opening, broadest point which is the fact that "born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) does not include everybody in "the world" (John 1:10).

John has the "born of God" as the first and primary position.

Each of these are exactly the same people:

"many as received Him"
"children of God"
"believe in His name"
"born of God"

See that John explicitly excludes "the will of man" as the cause for all of these.

John 1:12-13 shows that you cannot cause yourself to receive Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that God causes people to receive Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that you cannot cause yourself to believe in Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that God causes people to believe in Jesus.

Again, here is the passage:

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

"Peter [said] to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.'" (Acts 2:38-39, this was Peter's response after the people who were pierced to the heart by Peter's proclamation of the Word of God inquired "Brethren, what shall we do" in Acts 2:14-37)

Peter issued the command "think differently from now on" (repent) and the command "be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" and here is where "receive" comes in, "you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" which is an act of God.

The word "receive" means "unavoidably enters"; on the other hand, the word "accept" means "allowed to enter".

The work of "accept" is specifically disallowed in the passage with "nor of the will of man" because man causes not man to be "born of God" nor man causes to "believe in His name", whom are the "children of God", nor man causes to be the "many as received Him" (John 1:12-13).

The grammatical sense of the word "receive" indicates Christ "unavoidably enters" a joyfully receptive person according to the Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) because the Apostle indicates the "born of God" are the ones that God causes to "believe in His name", whom are the "children of God", whom are the ones that God causes to be the "many as received Him" (John 1:12-13).

About "receiving":

Man is not the cause of man receiving Christ (Luke 12:57).

God is the cause of man receiving Christ (John 1:12-13).

We Christians actively in thankfulness receive Christ!

About "believing":

Man is not the cause of man believing in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10).

God is the cause of man believing in Christ (John 6:29).

We Christians joyfully believe in Christ!

All glory to King Jesus reigning on His Throne in the eternal Kingdom of God for His Salvation of man!!! Amen!!!

We Christians receive saving belief/faith from God our Savior (John 1:12-13, John 6:29, Ephesians 2:8-10)!

Your heart makes false statements about God. Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE THE LORD OF MY SALVATION!!!

Johann · May 4, 2024

Kermos said:
The Apostle John wrote "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

Jn 1:12 (KJV) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

received
Mt 10:40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

Mt 18:5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

Col 2:6 As therefore you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,

to them
*Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

*2Co 6:17-18 [17] Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. [18] I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

*Ga 3:26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.

*1Jn 3:1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.

Is 56:5 I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.

Je 3:19 “But I said, ‘How I desire to put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the armies of the nations!’ and I said, ‘You shall call me “My Father”, and shall not turn away from following me.’

Ho 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which can’t be measured or counted; and it will come to pass that, in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’

Ga 4:6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

2Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

even
Jn 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did.

Jn 3:18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.

Jn 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Mt 12:21 In his name, the nations will hope.”

Ac 3:16 By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

1Jn 3:23 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.

1Jn 5:12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
1:12 "But as many as received Him" This shows humanity's part in salvation (cf. John 1:16). Humans must respond to God's offer of grace in Christ (cf. John 3:16; Rom. 3:24; 4:4-5; 6:23; 10:9-13; Eph. 2:8-9). God is certainly sovereign, yet in His sovereignty He has initiated a conditional covenant relationship with fallen humanity. Fallen mankind must repent, believe, obey, and persevere in faith.
This concept of "receiving" is theologically parallel to "believing" and "confessing," which denoted a public profession of faith in Jesus as the Christ (cf. Matt. 10:32; Luke 12:8; John 9:22; 12:42; 1 Tim. 6:12; 1 John 2:23; 4:15). Salvation is a gift that must be received and acknowledged.
Those who "receive" Jesus (1:12) receive the Father who sent Him (cf. John 13:20; Matt. 10:40). Salvation is a personal relationship with the Triune God!

did receive
V-AIA-3P (BSB Morphology)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Lemma: λαμβάνω
Word: did receive
Greek: ἔλαβον
Transliteration: elabon

Behold · May 4, 2024

Free-Will = CHOICE

To CHOOSE is to USE your : Free Will
-
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

New Living Translation
But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then CHOOSE today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

English Standard Version
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, CHOOSE this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Berean Standard Bible
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

King James Bible
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, CHOOSE you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

New King James Version
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

New American Standard Bible
But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, CHOOSE for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

NASB 1995
“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

NASB 1977
“And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Legacy Standard Bible
If it is evil in your sight to serve Yahweh, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

Amplified Bible
If it is unacceptable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Christian Standard Bible
But if it doesn’t please you to worship the LORD, CHOOSE for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.”

American Standard Version
And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve LORD JEHOVAH, choose for yourselves today whom you serve, if the gods that your fathers served at the crossing of the river, or the gods of the Amorites where you dwell in their land, but I and the children of my household, we serve LORD JEHOVAH; he is God!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if it seem not good to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE to yourselves this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods of your fathers that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, among whom ye dwell upon their land: but I and my house will serve the Lord, for he is holy.

synergy · May 4, 2024

Kermos said:
The deceptions of your gods, such as your Lord Arndt whose word you take as your own again, do not refute the Truth (John 14:6) except in your heart - the comments of your gods are NOT the Word of God.

"RECEIVE" DEFINITION BY EXAMPLE:

The man received a punch to his face dislocating his septum - not by choice - but in the fury of his assailant's surprise attack.

The pedestrian received a series of traumatic injuries - not by choice - but as a result of the car jumping the curb.

A lover receives a love letter - not by choice - but in gladness.

Receive means a thing that unavoidably came in from a source to a recipient - receive is not a choice like accept - receive just happens.

"RECEIVE" DEFINITION BY DICTIONARY:

1. TRANSITIVE VERB When you receive something, you get it after someone gives it to you or sends it to you. (Collins COBUILD English Usage (c) HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012)

There is a keyword in the definition, which is "after".

The Greek word ἔλαβον (Strong's 2983 - lambano/elabon - to take, receive) lexicon definition is "receive", and the specific instance of ἔλαβον used by the Apostle John in John 1:12 is an active indicative aorist verb in the third person; therefore, the word ἔλαβον conveys the active concept of "joyfully" by the recipient of "receive" with the "receive" being initiated and caused by the the source, not the recipient, but truly God is the cause (John 1:12-13), so John conveys "joyfully receive" is the active meaning for ἔλαβον.

In the Greek lexicon etymology, "to be seized by" is found for ἔλαβον (Strong's 2983 - lambano/elabon - to take, receive).

"RECEIVE" USAGE IN SCRIPTURE:

The Apostle John wrote "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

The Apostle John wrote receiving Christ is a result of being born of God in John 1:12-13.

The Apostle John wrote receiving Christ is not an act of the will of man in John 1:12-13.

The ones who received Christ are the ones "who were born" "of God".

Let's follow John's blessed chain linking these people:

John starts with the full population of the planet "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10) as he builds toward the source of holiness which is "born of God" (John 1:13).

John narrows the population to Israel only "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).

John further narrows the focus to a sub-population of Israel "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12)

John equates the population of "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12) with the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) as he builds toward the source of holiness, that is, "born of God" (John 1:13).

John further equates the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) with the population of "believe in His name" increasing tempo about the source of holiness being"born of God" (John 1:13).

John arrives at the source of holiness for every single one of us saints (holy ones) which is being "born of God" (John 1:13).

John's Good Message narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then further narrowing onward, so we can expand the focus starting with John's primary foundational point moving toward the secondary larger point and then the tertiary broader point and so on.

John's primary foundational point is "born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) which results in John's secondary point of "believe in His name" (John 1:12, John 6:29) and "children of God" (John 1:12, John 3:3-8) and "many as received Him" (John 1:12, John 9) which has implications for John's tertiary point "His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11) which arrives at John's opening, broadest point which is the fact that "born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) does not include everybody in "the world" (John 1:10).

John has the "born of God" as the first and primary position.

Each of these are exactly the same people:

"many as received Him"

"children of God"

"believe in His name"

"born of God"

See that John explicitly excludes "the will of man" as the cause for all of these.

John 1:12-13 shows that you cannot cause yourself to receive Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that God causes people to receive Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that you cannot cause yourself to believe in Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that God causes people to believe in Jesus.

Again, here is the passage:

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

"Peter [said] to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.'" (Acts 2:38-39, this was Peter's response after the people who were pierced to the heart by Peter's proclamation of the Word of God inquired "Brethren, what shall we do" in Acts 2:14-37)

Peter issued the command "think differently from now on" (repent) and the command "be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" and here is where "receive" comes in, "you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" which is an act of God.

The word "receive" means "unavoidably enters"; on the other hand, the word "accept" means "allowed to enter".

The work of "accept" is specifically disallowed in the passage with "nor of the will of man" because man causes not man to be "born of God" nor man causes to "believe in His name", whom are the "children of God", nor man causes to be the "many as received Him" (John 1:12-13).

The grammatical sense of the word "receive" indicates Christ "unavoidably enters" a joyfully receptive person according to the Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) because the Apostle indicates the "born of God" are the ones that God causes to "believe in His name", whom are the "children of God", whom are the ones that God causes to be the "many as received Him" (John 1:12-13).

About "receiving":

Man is not the cause of man receiving Christ (Luke 12:57).

God is the cause of man receiving Christ (John 1:12-13).

We Christians actively in thankfulness receive Christ!

About "believing":

Man is not the cause of man believing in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10).

God is the cause of man believing in Christ (John 6:29).

We Christians joyfully believe in Christ!

All glory to King Jesus reigning on His Throne in the eternal Kingdom of God for His Salvation of man!!! Amen!!!

We Christians receive saving belief/faith from God our Savior (John 1:12-13, John 6:29, Ephesians 2:8-10)!

Your heart makes false statements about God. Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE THE LORD OF MY SALVATION!!!

The above is a classic case of a deliberate attempt to hijack words and to warp definitions . In this case you're attempting to impose a global "not by choice" clause on the word "receive". This is typical of Calvinists. Let's take Rom 15:7 for example.

(Rom 15:7) Therefore receive (προσλαμβάνεσθε) one another as Christ also received us (προσελάβετο), to the glory of God.

So, because of your dirt poor understanding of the English word "receive", we're to receive (not by choice) one another as Christ received us (not by choice)!?!? Seriously? What happened to Christ's Sovereignty? Looks like you sacrificed it on the altar of your calvinist god. That's why Calvinists Recruiters are always ready to swoop down and recruit those who fail their English Comprehension classes.

Rockson · May 4, 2024

synergy said:
The above is a classic case of a deliberate attempt to hijack words and to warp definitions . In this case you're attempting to impose a global "no choice" clause on the word "receive". This is typical of Calvinists. Let's take Rom 15:7 for example.

(Rom 15:7) Therefore receive (προσλαμβάνεσθε) one another as Christ also received us (προσελάβετο), to the glory of God.

So with your dirt poor understanding of the English word "receive", we're to receive (with no choice) one another as Christ received us (with no choice)!?!? Seriously? What happened to Christ's Sovereignty? Looks like you sacrificed it on the altar of your calvinist god. That's why Calvinists Recruiters are always ready to swoop down and recruit those who fail their English Comprehension classes.

Your rebuttal is a slam dunk success against what that Calvinist had to say.

So what about it our Calvinist friend who had said what they said that receive means NO CHOICE. So when it says we're to receive one another in Christ it's therefore automatic that we will? Of course YOU KNOW that would not be the way of it or the exhortation would never have been given!

So good post Synergy!

synergy · May 4, 2024

Rockson said:
Your rebuttal is a slam dunk success against what that Calvinist had to say.

So what about it our Calvinist friend who had said what they said that receive means NO CHOICE. So when it says we're to receive one another in Christ it's therefore automatic that we will? Of course YOU KNOW that would not be the way of it or the exhortation would never have been given!

So good post Synergy!

I keep saying that the World's greatest Heresy Slayers are our English Comprehension Teachers. Those humble Teachers of ours never get the praise they deserve. There should be a global day dedicated to all Language Teachers across the World.

Kermos · May 4, 2024

The Rogue Tomato said:
"he who practices the Truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God"

Amen. To God be the glory.

Amen and Amen!

"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3).

One Holy Faith, the same faith in every saint! This wonderful faith/belief wrought by the Author and Perfecter of the faith (Hebrews 12:2), by God's grace for God's glory!!!

civic · May 4, 2024

TomL said:
Same old nonsense

The context itself tells you what the meaning is

John 3:3–5 (NASB 2020) — 3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Experience - enter the kingdom of God is the meaning established by context

The kingdom does not come with observation

Luke 17:20 (KJV 1900) — 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

as noted lexicon support such understanding

5. see someth.=experience someth. (Ps 26:13); good days 1 Pt 3:10 (Ps 33:13; τ. βασιλείαν J 3:3 BAGD industry standard lexicon

and cites John 3:3 as carrying such a meaning

5. LN 90.79 experience an event or state, the figurative extension of first entry (Jn 3:36

James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

citing a similar passage

John 3:36 (KJV 1900) — 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

4. to experience: τ. θάνατον, Lk 2:26, He 11:5; ζωήν, Jo 3:36; τ. διαφθοράν, Ac 2:27. A manual Greek lexicon of the New testament

and greek commentary

He cannot see the kingdom of God (οὐ δυναται ἰδειν την βασιλειαν του θεου [ou dunatai idein tēn basileian tou theou]). To participate in it as in Luke 9:27. For this use of ἰδειν [idein] (second aorist active infinitive of ὁραω [horaō]) see John 8:51; Rev. 18:7.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 3:3.

See” (ἰδεῖν aor. act. inf. of ὁράω; a complementary inf. after δύναται) here means “ ‘to experience, encounter, participate in,’ as, e.g., in ‘see death’ (8:51), ‘see life’ (3:36)” (Brown 130

Murray J. Harris, John (Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament; B&H Academic, 2015), 72.

So we have context, scripture from parallel use, scripture contradicting the idea of observation, lexical data and Greek commentary all supporting the idea of experiencing entering into

Sorry that is not the only definition

3708. ὁράω horao, hor-ah´-o; properly, to stare at (compare 3700), i.e. (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear: — behold, perceive, see, take heed.
Strongs

You have no evidence at all to offer, nothing new, and nothing which rebuts what I have posted above

Why you persist in this is hard to see.

Your personal ad hominem is deleted

Amen

civic · May 4, 2024

Rockson said:
Your rebuttal is a slam dunk success against what that Calvinist had to say.

So what about it our Calvinist friend who had said what they said that receive means NO CHOICE. So when it says we're to receive one another in Christ it's therefore automatic that we will? Of course YOU KNOW that would not be the way of it or the exhortation would never have been given!

So good post Synergy!

Amen

civic · May 4, 2024

Kermos said:
Amen and Amen!

"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3).

One Holy Faith, the same faith in every saint! This wonderful faith/belief wrought by the Author and Perfecter of the faith (Hebrews 12:2), by God's grace for God's glory!!!

Another misused and abused passage in Hebrews

I will let this Calvinist theologian teach you a Greek biblical lesson.

The author and finisher of our faith - The word "our" is not in the original here, and obscures the sense. The meaning is, he is the first and the last as an example of faith or of confidence in God - occupying in this, as in all other things, the pre-eminence, and being the most complete model that can be placed before us. The apostle had not enumerated him among those who had been distinguished for their faith, but he now refers to him as above them all; as a case that deserved to stand by itself. It is probable that there is a continuance here of the allusion to the Grecian games which the apostle had commenced in the previous verse. The word "author" - ἀρχηγὸν archēgon - (marg. beginner) - means properly the source, or cause of anything; or one who makes a beginning. It is rendered in Acts 3:15; Acts 5:31, "Prince"; in Hebrews 2:10, "Captain"; and in the place before us, "Author."

It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. The phrase "the beginner of faith," or the leader on of faith, would express the idea. He is at the head of all those who have furnished an example of confidence in God, for he was himself the most illustrious instance of it. The expression, then, does not mean properly that he produces faith in us, or that we believe because he causes us to believe - whatever may be the truth about that - but that he stands at the head as the most eminent example that can be referred to on the subject of faith. We are exhorted to look to him, as if at the Grecian games there was one who stood before the racer who had previously carried away every palm of victory; who had always been triumphant, and with whom there was no one who could be compared. The word "finisher" - τελειωτὴν teleiōtēn - corresponds in meaning with the word "author." It means that he is the completer as well as the beginner; the last as well as the first.Barnes

hope this helps !!!

TomL · May 4, 2024

Kermos said:
The deceptions of your gods, such as your Lord Arndt whose word you take as your own again, do not refute the Truth (John 14:6) except in your heart - the comments of your gods are NOT the Word of God.

"RECEIVE" DEFINITION BY EXAMPLE:

The man received a punch to his face dislocating his septum - not by choice - but in the fury of his assailant's surprise attack.

The pedestrian received a series of traumatic injuries - not by choice - but as a result of the car jumping the curb.

A lover receives a love letter - not by choice - but in gladness.

Receive means a thing that unavoidably came in from a source to a recipient - receive is not a choice like accept - receive just happens.

"RECEIVE" DEFINITION BY DICTIONARY:

1. TRANSITIVE VERB When you receive something, you get it after someone gives it to you or sends it to you. (Collins COBUILD English Usage (c) HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012)

There is a keyword in the definition, which is "after".

The Greek word ἔλαβον (Strong's 2983 - lambano/elabon - to take, receive) lexicon definition is "receive", and the specific instance of ἔλαβον used by the Apostle John in John 1:12 is an active indicative aorist verb in the third person; therefore, the word ἔλαβον conveys the active concept of "joyfully" by the recipient of "receive" with the "receive" being initiated and caused by the the source, not the recipient, but truly God is the cause (John 1:12-13), so John conveys "joyfully receive" is the active meaning for ἔλαβον.

In the Greek lexicon etymology, "to be seized by" is found for ἔλαβον (Strong's 2983 - lambano/elabon - to take, receive).

"RECEIVE" USAGE IN SCRIPTURE:

The Apostle John wrote "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

The Apostle John wrote receiving Christ is a result of being born of God in John 1:12-13.

The Apostle John wrote receiving Christ is not an act of the will of man in John 1:12-13.

The ones who received Christ are the ones "who were born" "of God".

Let's follow John's blessed chain linking these people:

John starts with the full population of the planet "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10) as he builds toward the source of holiness which is "born of God" (John 1:13).

John narrows the population to Israel only "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).

John further narrows the focus to a sub-population of Israel "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12)

John equates the population of "but as many as received Him" (John 1:12) with the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) as he builds toward the source of holiness, that is, "born of God" (John 1:13).

John further equates the population of "children of God" (John 1:12) with the population of "believe in His name" increasing tempo about the source of holiness being"born of God" (John 1:13).

John arrives at the source of holiness for every single one of us saints (holy ones) which is being "born of God" (John 1:13).

John's Good Message narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then he further narrows the focus then further narrowing onward, so we can expand the focus starting with John's primary foundational point moving toward the secondary larger point and then the tertiary broader point and so on.

John's primary foundational point is "born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) which results in John's secondary point of "believe in His name" (John 1:12, John 6:29) and "children of God" (John 1:12, John 3:3-8) and "many as received Him" (John 1:12, John 9) which has implications for John's tertiary point "His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11) which arrives at John's opening, broadest point which is the fact that "born of God" (John 1:13, John 3:3-8) does not include everybody in "the world" (John 1:10).

John has the "born of God" as the first and primary position.

Each of these are exactly the same people:

"many as received Him"

"children of God"

"believe in His name"

"born of God"

See that John explicitly excludes "the will of man" as the cause for all of these.

John 1:12-13 shows that you cannot cause yourself to receive Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that God causes people to receive Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that you cannot cause yourself to believe in Jesus.

John 1:12-13 shows that God causes people to believe in Jesus.

Again, here is the passage:

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).

"Peter [said] to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.'" (Acts 2:38-39, this was Peter's response after the people who were pierced to the heart by Peter's proclamation of the Word of God inquired "Brethren, what shall we do" in Acts 2:14-37)

Peter issued the command "think differently from now on" (repent) and the command "be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" and here is where "receive" comes in, "you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" which is an act of God.

The word "receive" means "unavoidably enters"; on the other hand, the word "accept" means "allowed to enter".

The work of "accept" is specifically disallowed in the passage with "nor of the will of man" because man causes not man to be "born of God" nor man causes to "believe in His name", whom are the "children of God", nor man causes to be the "many as received Him" (John 1:12-13).

The grammatical sense of the word "receive" indicates Christ "unavoidably enters" a joyfully receptive person according to the Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) because the Apostle indicates the "born of God" are the ones that God causes to "believe in His name", whom are the "children of God", whom are the ones that God causes to be the "many as received Him" (John 1:12-13).

About "receiving":

Man is not the cause of man receiving Christ (Luke 12:57).

God is the cause of man receiving Christ (John 1:12-13).

We Christians actively in thankfulness receive Christ!

About "believing":

Man is not the cause of man believing in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10).

God is the cause of man believing in Christ (John 6:29).

We Christians joyfully believe in Christ!

All glory to King Jesus reigning on His Throne in the eternal Kingdom of God for His Salvation of man!!! Amen!!!

We Christians receive saving belief/faith from God our Savior (John 1:12-13, John 6:29, Ephesians 2:8-10)!

Your heart makes false statements about God. Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE THE LORD OF MY SALVATION!!!

Oh give it up

First you ignore context as though you can determine the meaning of receive in John1:12 by appealing to a different context

That is a very basic error

then you ignore a parallel texts speaking of receiving man even Christ in John's gospel

John 4:45 (KJV 1900) — 45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

The Galilaeans received Christ

John 5:43 (KJV 1900) — 43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

John 13:20 (KJV 1900) — 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

then you ignore the lexicons and Greek and Calvinist commentary

https://berean-apologetics.community.forum/threads/an-article-on-free-will.1287/post-76621

but most of all you ignored scripture for the verse itself defines the word

John 1:12 (ESV) — 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

John 1:12 (KJV 1900) — 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 1:12 (LSB) — 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

Further as i argued and you ignored

Your interpretation has men being born again by having Christ indwell them before receiving the right to be born again

receiving the right to become a child of God is to receive the right to be born again

one receiving that right by receiving believing on Christ

TomL · May 4, 2024

civic said:
Amen

Indeed he offers no evidence citing only his opinion and issuing ad hominem

Behold · May 4, 2024

synergy said:
That's why Calvinists Recruiters are always ready to swoop down and recruit those who fail their English Comprehension classes.

Very true.

Ignorance of the Word of God, is DESTRUCTION.... and will get you killed, because you wont understand how to stop the Devil from killing you because you wont understand how to apply the word of God, by FAITH... to access your healing, protection, restoration, and deliverance.

And John Calvin, will get you killed by a disease that the Devil brought to you, or you brought to you by your own words...,. Reader.
And now, being a dumbed down, deceived Calvinist, you BELIEVE you are supposed to be sick, as "whatever happens, is pre-destined".

So, the DEVIL LOVES Calvinism, as He'll give a sickness and then he just laughs as your Calvinism stops you from trusting in God for the Healing.

As How can a deceived Calvinist BELIEVE IN GOD's Healing if they believe its God's Will for them to be Sick.

So, for the DEVIL......>"Calvinism is a win + win".

The Devil loves this concept...."well, its all meant to be"...

Why does He love that?

Because that denies that Jesus can heal you...
That mindset is literally saying...."No Jesus, you can't heal me, as John Calvin told me its all meant to be".

And Reader, if that is true, then WHY would God tell you to Pray??

Even a Calvinist should be able to see that one..

civic · May 4, 2024

synergy said:
The above is a classic case of a deliberate attempt to hijack words and to warp definitions . In this case you're attempting to impose a global "not by choice" clause on the word "receive". This is typical of Calvinists. Let's take Rom 15:7 for example.

(Rom 15:7) Therefore receive (προσλαμβάνεσθε) one another as Christ also received us (προσελάβετο), to the glory of God.

So, because of your dirt poor understanding of the English word "receive", we're to receive (not by choice) one another as Christ received us (not by choice)!?!? Seriously? What happened to Christ's Sovereignty? Looks like you sacrificed it on the altar of your calvinist god. That's why Calvinists Recruiters are always ready to swoop down and recruit those who fail their English Comprehension classes.

looks like God is not sovereign over the church since many things happen outside of His will.

but we know the wolves in sheeps clothing, apostates, deceivers in calvinism are Gods perfect will, even the angel of light and seducing spirits are His perfect will. the ABSURDITY of the doctrines. they were all ordained by Him, for Him , unto Him all by His perfect will and all for His glory. what a crock.

TomL · May 4, 2024

synergy said:
The above is a classic case of a deliberate attempt to hijack words and to warp definitions . In this case you're attempting to impose a global "not by choice" clause on the word "receive". This is typical of Calvinists. Let's take Rom 15:7 for example.

(Rom 15:7) Therefore receive (προσλαμβάνεσθε) one another as Christ also received us (προσελάβετο), to the glory of God.

So, because of your dirt poor understanding of the English word "receive", we're to receive (not by choice) one another as Christ received us (not by choice)!?!? Seriously? What happened to Christ's Sovereignty? Looks like you sacrificed it on the altar of your calvinist god. That's why Calvinists Recruiters are always ready to swoop down and recruit those who fail their English Comprehension classes.

That guy is completely ignorant of greek grammar.

He cites a number of verses with receive in the passive voice

but receive is in the active voice in John 1:12

Go to Parallel Greek

Strong's	Greek	English	Morphology
3745 [e]	ὅσοι hosoi	As many as	RelPro-NMP
1161 [e]	δὲ de	however	Conj
2983 [e]	ἔλαβον elabon	received	V-AIA-3P

it is a verb, active, indicative, third person, plural

active voice

WHAT IS ITS VOICE?

A verb is in the active voice if its subject is active, that is to say if it does the action. All verbs in the active voice end in either “-ω” or “-ώ” (the second one has an accent).

As man is doing the action here

and that guys approach is grammatically defective, but He is just unwilling to accept correction

Kermos · May 4, 2024

TomL said:
Maybe one day I will get to say that of you

I proclaim the One True King Jesus of the Kingdom of God to you, and this beloved King says "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). TomL, your "Maybe one day I will get to say that of you" pretty much indicates that you would need to have the ability to see the One True King Jesus of the Kingdom of God.

TomL said:
In the meantime

here is another commentary on the greek text

29. The Lord deals with the error and the truth in the question which was put to Him. In the one work which God requires of man and man owes to God, all fragmentary and partial works are included. It is a true work as answering to man’s will, but it issues in that which is not a work. This is the work of God, that ye believe on … Comp. 1 John 3:23 (his commandment).
that ye believe (ἵνα πιστεύητε)] The phrase marks not only the simple fact of believing (τὸ πιστεύειν), but the effort directed to and issuing in this belief. Comp. 4:34, note. And again it expresses not the single decisive act (ἵνα πιστεύσητε, 13:19), but the continuous state of faith.
This simple formula contains the complete solution of the relation of faith and works. Faith is the life of works; works are the necessity of faith.

Brooke Foss Westcott and Arthur Westcott, eds., The Gospel according to St. John Introduction and Notes on the Authorized Version (Classic Commentaries on the Greek New Testament; London: J. Murray, 1908), 101.

And by a noted Calvinist

28. The crowd misunderstands the thrust of Jesus’ prohibition. His words ‘Do not work for food that spoils’ (v. 27) did not focus on the nature of work, but on what is or is not an appropriate goal. His point was not that they should attempt some novel form of work, but that merely material notions of blessing are not worth pursuing. They respond by focusing all attention on work: (lit.) ‘What must we do in order to work the works of God?’ The expression ‘the works of God’ does not refer to the works that God performs, but (as in NIV) to the works God requires. Their question therefore resolves into this:Tell us what works God requires, and we will perform them. From John’s perspective, their naivete is formidable. They display no doubt about their intrinsic ability to meet any challenge God may set them;they evince no sensitivity to the fact that eternal life is first and foremost a gift within the purview of theSon of Man (v. 27).29. Jesus sets them straight: The work of God–i.e. what God requires–is faith. This is not faith in the abstract, an existential trust without a coherent object. Rather, they must believe in the one [God] has sent. D.A. Carson - Gospel of John

Maybe you should just give it up

You wrote "In the meantime here is another traditions of men on the greek text", and the traditions of man leads to worship in vain (Matthew 15:9). You love your Calvinistic commentators/traditions of men such as "The work of God–i.e. what God requires–is faith" (TomL/Carson 6:29) because you keep posting them and posting them, yet anyone who deviates from the Word of God is lost. Regardless, you have a astoundingly high error rate with context, TomL.

TomL said:
Instrumental cause of course Just like the verse indicates

John 1:12 (ESV) — 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

1:12 The phrase believe in His name occurs three times in the Gospel of John (1:12; 2:23; 3:18). Name does not refer to the term by which He is called, but to what His name stands for—the Lord is salvation (Ex. 3:14, 15). In this context, the phrase means to believe that Jesus is the Word, the life, and the Light—that is, He is the Christ, the Son of God (20:31). To them He gave the right refers to the legitimate entitlement to the position of children of God. None of us was naturally a child of God. We were by nature children of wrath and condemned apart from Christ. Imagine being a pauper and then being given the right to inherit the riches of a king and the position of royalty. By believing, undeserving sinners can become full members of God’s family.

1:13 born … of God: This new spiritual birth is not of blood, that is, by physical generation or by parents. Nor is the new birth of the will of the flesh, that is, by personal effort. Neither is the birth of the will of man, that is, something accomplished by human effort. The new birth is the work of God alone. It is a gift to be received (4:10, 14), not a reward achieved by individual effort. The new birth is based on relationship with Christ, not personal position. The relationship, however, proceeds from the position of Christ as the mediator. Christ is life (1:4; 14:6). Those who trust Him are born of God, meaning they are given spiritual life.1

1 Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1311.

CHILDREN OF GOD. Persons in this category are only those who of the fallen race are regenerated as a result of faith in Christ1

1 Merrill F. Unger, “Children of God,” ed. R.K. Harrison, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988).

The Means of Regeneration

God regenerates (John 1:13) according to His will (James 1:18) through the Holy Spirit (John 3:5) when a person believes (1:12) the Gospel as revealed in the Word (1 Pet. 1:23).

Ryrie’s basic theology

Regeneration is an act of God, not a cooperative effort between God and man. That is not to say, however, that faith is unnecessary in salvation. It may be suggested that although regeneration and faith are distinct, they occur simultaneously. The two are set side by side in John 1:12–13. In John 1:12, at the moment of receiving Christ (believing), the person becomes a child of God; in John 1:13 it indicates that at that very moment the persons have been born of God. Surely there is a mystery here that surpasses human comprehension.

Moody’s handbook of theology

One becomes a child of God is born again by faith

Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Do you have anything bides your opinion to offer

Regeneration takes one from death to life and the bible is clear this happens upon faith

John 20:31 (KJV 1900) — 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John 5:24–25 (KJV 1900) — 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

John 5:40 (KJV 1900) — 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

John 3:36 (KJV 1900) — 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

scripture does not support you

Again we saw scripture does not support you

Galatians 3:26 (KJV 1900) — 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Nothing in the text states God causes men to receive him

To believe is man's responsibility

to the gentiles it was stated

Acts 16:30–31 (KJV 1900) — 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
to the Jew having crucified Christ

Acts 2:37–38 (KJV 1900) — 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Never were they corrected

Not only do you failure to interpret the context correctly but you ignore the whole council of God

to propagate your false doctrine.

Yet another passage you mishandle trying to justify your theology rather than understanding the text

Don't leave out verse 27

John 6:27 (NASB 2020) — 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

Calvinists tend toward isolating verses from their context do they can read their theology into the text

Kermos said:

The people failed to understand, just like you, that Lord Jesus removed the work of man from saving belief/faith with the Lord’s marvelous sayings of “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (John 6:29).

There you go with your unsupported assumptions

There you go with your unsupported assumptions

The phrase work of God has been defined for us by verse 28

John 6:28 (NASB 2020) — 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?”

In context its meaning is that which God requires of man

Repeating the same failed claims changes nothing

John 6:27 (NASB 2020) — 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

Jesus tells them there is something they must do to obtain the food which last for eternal life

in context it is to believe on him

John 6:35–36 (NASB 2020) — 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty. 36 But I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe.

John 6:28 (NASB 2020) — 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?”

Again this establishes the meaning of the phrase the work of God as that which is required by God

John 6:29 (NASB 2020) — 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Jesus tells them they must believe

John 6:30 (NASB 2020) — 30 So they said to Him, “What then are You doing as a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work are You performing?

The jew understand him to be telling them they must believe.

An understanding confirmed by Christ as per verse 35 above

They must believe

An understanding confirmed by scripture

Acts 16:30–31 (NASB 2020) — 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

even Calvinist commentators agree with this obvious reading

John Calvin: “People who infer from this passage that faith is God’s gift are mistaken, for Christ does not show here what God produces in us, but what God wants and requires from us.” (The Crossway Classic Commentaries: John; Crossway Books; Wheaton, IL; 1994, p.393)

This is the work of God. This is the thing that will be acceptable to God, or which you are to do in order to be saved. Jesus did not tell them they had nothing to do, or that they were to sit down and wait, but that there was a work to perform, and that was a duty that was imperative. It was to believe on the Messiah. This is the work which sinners are to do; and doing this they will be saved, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, Ro. 10:4.11 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Luke & John (ed. Robert Frew; London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 244.

Even the notes to the Geneva bible refute you

Verse 29
5. Men torment themselves in vain when they try to please God without faith.
g. That is, this is the work that God requires, that you believe in me, and therefore he calls them back to faith.

Geneva Bible Notes (1599). (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2003), Jn 6:28–29.

other voices

Believe. Faith is put as a moral act or work. The work of God is to believe. Faith includes all the works which God requires. The Jews’ question contemplates numerous works. Jesus’ answer directs them to one work. Canon Westcott justly observes that “this simple formula contains the complete solution of the relation of faith and works.”11 Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (vol. 2; New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 148–149.

What precisely is it that God waits for us to do, and will be satisfied with our doing? To which Jesus, always ready to meet the sincere inquirer, gives the explicit answer (ver. 29) τοῦτό ἐστι … ἐκεῖνος. If God has sent a messenger it is because there is need of such interposition, and the first duty must be to listen believingly to this messenger.

Marcus Dods, The Gospel of St. John (New York: George H. Doran Company, n.d.), 752.

The meaning is not,—that faith is wrought in us by God, is the work of God; but that the truest way of working the work of God is to believe on Him whom He hath sent.11 Henry Alford, Alford’s Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical Commentary (vol. 1; Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press, 1976), 761.

Mindlessly repeating your view does not negate what the scripture clearly shows

John Calvin: “People who infer from this passage that faith is God’s gift are mistaken, for Christ does not show here what God produces in us, but what God wants and requires from us.” (The Crossway Classic Commentaries: John; Crossway Books; Wheaton, IL; 1994, p.393)

This is the work of God. This is the thing that will be acceptable to God, or which you are to do in order to be saved. Jesus did not tell them they had nothing to do, or that they were to sit down and wait, but that there was a work to perform, and that was a duty that was imperative. It was to believe on the Messiah. This is the work which sinners are to do; and doing this they will be saved, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, Ro. 10:4.11 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Luke & John (ed. Robert Frew; London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 244.

Believe. Faith is put as a moral act or work. The work of God is to believe. Faith includes all the works which God requires. The Jews’ question contemplates numerous works. Jesus’ answer directs them to one work. Canon Westcott justly observes that “this simple formula contains the complete solution of the relation of faith and works.”11 Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (vol. 2; New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 148–149.

The meaning is not,—that faith is wrought in us by God, is the work of God; but that the truest way of working the work of God is to believe on Him whom He hath sent.11 Henry Alford, Alford’s Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical Commentary (vol. 1; Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press, 1976), 761.

Messianic work.

28. τί ποιῶμεν …; What must we do (v. 5) that we may work? Perhaps they understood Him to mean that they must earn what they desire; certainly they see that Christ’s words have a moral meaning; they must do the works required by God. But how?

29. τὸ ἔργον. They probably thought of works of the law, tithes, sacrifices, &c. He tells them of one work, one moral act, from which all the rest derive their value, continuous belief (πιστεύητε, not πιστεύσητε) in Him whom God has sent. Comp. Acts 16:31. On ἵνα and ἀπέστειλεν see on 1:8, 33, 4:47, 17:3.1

1 A. Plummer, The Gospel according to S. John (Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1896), 155.

τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ must not be taken to mean ‘the works which God works,’ but, as in Jer. 48:10 (31:10 LXX): 1 Cor. 15:58, the works well pleasing to God.11 Henry Alford, Alford’s Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical Commentary (vol. 1; Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press, 1976), 760–761.

Ἀπεκρίθη … καὶ εἶπεν 1:21, 50; 2:18. Jesus contrasts the one “work” that God actually requires (τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ)—namely (epex. ἵνα), constant belief (πιστεύητε, pres. subjunc.) in his accredited messenger—with the many “works” the Jews imagined God demanded11 Murray J. Harris, John (Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament; B&H Academic, 2015), 131.

The Lord deals with the error and the truth in the question which was put to Him. In the one work which God requires of man and man owes to God, all fragmentary and partial works are included. It is a true work as answering to man’s will, but it issues in that which is not a work. This is the work of God, that ye believe on … Comp. 1 John 3:23 (his commandment).11 Brooke Foss Westcott and Arthur Westcott, eds., The Gospel according to St. John Introduction and Notes on the Authorized Version (Classic Commentaries on the Greek New Testament; London: J. Murray, 1908), 101.

Yeshua-Jesus is telling them how to receive eternal life. The people then ask Yeshua-Jesus, [57]“What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” The response of the people is referring to how they can work and receive eternal life which is salvation. Yeshua-Jesus sets the record straight by answering, [58]“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” In other words, Yeshua-Jesus tells them that if they want to do the works of God for eternal life then believe in him who God sent. That is the work needed for salvation, believe him, Yeshua-Jesus. Yeshua-Jesus did not tell them that the works of God are only for those who are chosen or elected. Then the people, they want to see a sign so that they can believe in him.

John 6:30 (KJV 1900) — 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee?

Garza, Dr. Al. Calvinism Challenged: How The Hebrew Bible, Jewish Sources, Jesus, The Apostles and Paul Refute Calvinism. . Sefer Press Publishing. Kindle Edition.

But all one need do to see your errolr is consifer

You basically argue one muct receive Christ in the sense of him indwelling to recieve that right

for christ in you is regeneration

So you have therm receiving this before even having the right to

an absolute absurdity you do not address

So you offer nothing but your own opinion and a refusal to be corrected by scripture, lexical data or expert Greek commentary

WOW! That's three posts in a row that you posted something accurate, TomL, congratulations, that "Instrumental cause of course Just like the verse indicates" is marvelous!

You posted "Instrumental cause of course Just like the verse indicates" regarding both of John 1:12 and the following:

According to your Free-willian Prophecy:

if Bob chooses to receive Christ, then God births Bob anew.
if Alice chooses to receive not Christ, then God births not Alice anew.
The conclusion: the causative factor for a person being born of God is whether a person "chooses to receive Christ".

so your posting of "Instrumental cause of course Just like the verse indicates" absolutely affirms that the Free-willian Philosophy results in a person, who chooses to receive Christ, is that person forcing God to cause that person to be born of God.

Whether "Instrumental" instead of "inconsequential" or "Instrumental" instead of "insignificant" or "Instrumental" instead of "incidental" or whatever, it matters not because the post has the word "Instrumental" right where it matters. TomL, your self-will (2 Peter 2:9-10) failed to avoid posting the phrase "Instrumental cause".

There are NO coincidences because Lord and God Jesus Christ is in control, so I acknowledge this One True Almighty God caused you, TomL, to post the very thing that you, TomL, didn't want to post thus showing the folly of the rest of your own post, TomL. Praise be to the Truth (John 14:6)!

According to the Apostle John, first God births man anew as the foundational beginning with:

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him, but as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God
(John 1:10-13)

and John says God expands from birthing man anew into causing man to receive and to believe in the Son whom the Father has sent!

This writing of John's accords with Lord Jesus saying “he who practices the Truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (John 3:21).

continued to post #2,157

Kermos · May 4, 2024

continued from post #2,156

As I look farther into your post, @TomL,, I find you prophesying falsely about the Living God Jesus Christ (1 John 4:1) based on your God Calvin, whose word you take up as your own word not just once but you treasure your God Calvin's word so much that you take up your God Calvin's word twice in your post after you repeated your God Calvin's word again and again and again in a plurality of posts, with "People who infer from this passage that faith is God’s gift are mistaken, for Christ does not show here what God produces in us, but what God wants and requires from us" (the word of Calvinist TomL) against the Word of God “[/b]This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent[/b]” (John 6:29) which arrives at your adulteration “This is the NOT work of God BUT THIS IS THE WORK OF MAN, that you believe in Him whom He has sent[/b]” (the word of Calvinist TomL).

Neither God nor God's messengers states a man controls the belief of the man in order to cause the man to believe in the Son whom the Father has sent in any of the Holy Scripture that you cited or quoted, so your prophecy is false; moreover, all your gods, such as your God Calvin, certainly fail to overturn the Word of God!

For example, in these passages, you conjure up a man-centered belief structure based on the word of man instead of the Word of God, just like you do with John 6:28-29, instead of God's messenger's Righteous response that saving belief be in the hearer:

Acts 16:30–31 (KJV 1900) — 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 2:37–38 (KJV 1900) — 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Both believe and repent are works of God in man, and God's messengers say absolutely nothing different than belief is a work of God.

Repentance Defined

THESE THREE QUESTIONS GET ANSWERED

What is repentance?
Who controls repentance?
How does a person repent?

LINGUISTIC DEFiNITION

Let us dig into the word "repent" which means "think differently afterwards". After we believers are born from above by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3), and in like manner given the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The Greek word metanoeó is the English word "repent" in Matthew 4:17. Let us obtain the definition of "repent".

Repent: think differently afterwards

metanoéō (from 3326 /metá, "changed after being with" and 3539 /noiéō, "think") – properly, "think differently after," "after a change of mind"; to repent (literally, "think differently afterwards") (def from 3340. metanoeó HELPS Word-studies section).

The word "repent" does not mean "I change my mind" as asserted by too many people. Try reciting the words of Jesus, where He is commanding the people in Matthew 4:17, except, first, replace the word "repent" with "I change my mind", then, second, replace the word "repent" with "think differently afterwards". God does not change (Malachi 3:6), so this One True God Jesus commands repent.

Godly sorrow brings "thinking differently afterward" leading to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10, so God's power generates this sorrow within the believers hence God calls it "Godly sorrow" thus illuminating and magnifying sin (Romans 5:20).

FIRST BIBLICAL CiTATION FOR REPENTANCE - A DEEP EXAMINATION

Here is the Christian teaching of 2 Corinthians 7:8-10. The passage (from the NASB which explicitly states that the NASB translators add bracketed words for clarity - so I have no problem removing the bracketed words from the NASB - but this is verbatim from the NASB):

For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it - [for] I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while -
I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to [the point of] repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to [the will of] God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
For the sorrow that is according to [the will] [of] God produces a repentance without regret, [leading] to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Paul wrote a letter that exposed the Corinthian problem, see "I caused you sorrow by my letter" in verse 8.

As Paul writes further (in verse 9), the Apostle narrows the focus with "for you were made sorrowful according to God"; moreover, the Greek of ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ Θεόν agrees with "for you were made sorrowful according to God". "ἐλυπήθητε" means "you grieved"/"you were made sorrowful", and "γὰρ" means "for", and "κατὰ" means "down"/"against"/"according to", and "Θεόν" means "God".

Paul does not leave it there, NO, rather Paul repeats himself in verse 10 to make it clear - in Jewish fashion of repeating a point for emphasis - Paul makes it clear in no uncertain terms "the sorrow that is according to God produces a repentance without regret, to salvation". That is Paul driving the Power of God exclusive role in man's salvation point home!

NOTICE THE KEYWORDS OF "ACCORDING TO GOD".

That sorrow, that repentance, is not of man's conjuring. See the keywords and absolute concept of "according to God"!

The scripture is devoid of "sorrow that is according to your free will" or "your free will to repent" or any indication about such a notion as man's free-will choice toward God.

The Apostle wrote "the sorrow that is according to God produces thinking differently afterward without regret" (2 Corinthians 7:10).

SCRIPTURAL CITATIONS ABOUT THE SOURCE OF REPENTANCE

BIBLE CITATION: Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).

Notice that rebuke of people that despise repentance being from God!

BIBLE CITATION: When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." (Acts 11:18)

See that God grants repentance as testified by the disciples in Acts 11:18.

BIBLE CITATION: with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, (2 Timothy 2:25)

Paul testifies that God grants "thinking different afterwards" in 2 Timothy 2:25.

THE THREE QUESTIONS ANSWERED

God grants repentance into people, as it is written; on the other hand, there is complete absence and silence in scripture for repentance as a work conjured up by man nor by man's "free will" nor "choice" nor "ability".

God grants repentance, and God acts for God's glory! Praise be to the Living God!

The Apostle Paul declared that the faith/belief mentioned in Galatians 3:26 is the work of God with:

by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast for we are His work
(Ephesians 2:8-10)

so Paul says God causes man to believe in the Son whom the Father has sent!

And Paul is in agreement with the Apostle John who says that man's belief/faith is caused by the Father as a result of God birthing man anew with:

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him, but as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God
(John 1:10-13)

so John says God causes man to receive and to believe in the Son whom the Father has sent!

John started very broad in John 1:10 until John finished very narrowly in John 1:13 with God being the cause of "born" (John 1:13) and "believe" (John 1:12) and "children" (John 1:12) and "received" (John 1:12) for every person regenerated by God and this does not include every person in the "world".

And both Apostles are in accord with the Lord Jesus who says man believing in Jesus is the work of Almighty God with:

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent
(John 6:29)

so for any person to claim that man manipulates his own belief to point at Jesus - then that man is anti-truth.

You are out of accord with all these wonderful Holy Scriptures of Ephesians 2:8-10, John 1:10-13, John 3:3-21, and John 6:29 because you believe:

~~He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him, but~~ as many as WORKED THE FIRST STEP TO GRAB HOLY KING Him, to them He ALLOWED THEIR SECOND STEP TO CAUSE THEMSELVES to become children of God, even to those who AS THEIR THIRD STEP CHOSE IN THEIR OWN SELF-WILL TO believe in His name, who were AS THE FOURTH STEP born~~, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but~~ of God BECAUSE OF THE FIRST STEP AND THE THIRD STEP
(the culmination of TomL's heart treasure (Matthew 15:16-19))

And, of John 3:3-21, your spirit prophecies:

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not CAUSE YOURSELF TO believe, how will you CAUSE YOURSELF TO believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven EXCEPT MEN WHO JUDGE RIGHT IN THEIR OWN INITIATIVE TO BELIEVE IN ME AND He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever IS UNBORN OF GOD CHOOSING TO BELIEVE will have BORN THIS UNBORN WHOEVER'S SELF INTO eternal life.
16 For God so loved EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN ALL TIME, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever LOVES THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT CHOOSING TO BELIEVE in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN ALL TIME to judge EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN ALL TIME, but that EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN ALL TIME might be saved through Him. 18 He who FORCED GOD TO CAUSE HIMSELF TO BE BORN AGAIN BECAUSE OF HIS SELF-WILLED BELIEVING in Him is not judged; he who does not CHOOSE TO believe has been judged already, because he has not CHOSEN TO BELIEVE in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN ALL TIME, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 ~~But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.~~”
2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one WHO is NOT born again he can see the kingdom of God.”
4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one WHO is born of water and the Spirit he can enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh AND THIS EVIL FLESH PLEASES GOD, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit OF NO SIGNIFICANCE. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do know EXACTLY where it comes from and EXACTLY where it is going BECAUSE YOUR CHOOSING OF ME CONTROLS YOUR BECOMING BORN OF THE SPIRIT; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
(the word of TomL (no longer the Word of God))

So, your spirit prophecies a very different message than the Holy Spirit this Word of God marvelous sayings:

3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
(John 3:3-21)

You embrace "other voices" (your words) than the Voice of God. You love stranger's voices such as Vincent, Dods, and Alford whose self-willed word is "The meaning is not,—that faith is wrought in us by God, is the work of God; but that the truest way of working the work of God is to believe on Him whom He hath sent." (as preached by TomL, Henry Alford, Alford’s Greek Testament: An Exegetical and Critical Commentary (vol. 1; Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press, 1976), 761), so your Lord Alford tells the lies of the devil about Lord Jesus Christ's pure, clear and precise Voice of God "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29) which, by extension of you taking your Lord Alford's word as your own word, means that you do the same as your idol Alford.

Lord Jesus says "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers" (John 10:1-5).

Your heart's spirit is proven to make false statements about God and man, and your own interpretation is confusion. Free-will is a conjured concept of the traditions of men (Matthew 15:9).

In Truth (John 14:6), the Almighty God is Sovereign (Genesis 1:1) in the affairs of man (Daniel 4:34-35)! PRAISE THE RIGHTEOUS ONE JESUS CHRIST!!!

Johann · May 4, 2024

TomL said:
That guy is completely ignorant of greek grammar.

He cites a number of verses with receive in the passive voice

but receive is in the active voice in John 1:12

Go to Parallel Greek

Strong's Greek English Morphology
3745 [e] ὅσοι
hosoi As many as RelPro-NMP
1161 [e] δὲ
de however Conj
2983 [e] ἔλαβον
elabon received V-AIA-3P

it is a verb, active, indicative, third person, plural

active voice

WHAT IS ITS VOICE?

A verb is in the active voice if its subject is active, that is to say if it does the action. All verbs in the active voice end in either “-ω” or “-ώ” (the second one has an accent).

As man is doing the action here

and that guys approach is grammatically defective, but He is just unwilling to accept correction

The simple verb of the compound παρέλαβον in Joh_1:11. The meaning of the two verbs is substantially the same (so Alford, De Wette, and apparently Meyer), though some recognize a difference, as Milligan and Moulton, who render παρέλαβον accepted, and ἔλαβον received, and say that “the former lays emphasis upon the will that consented (or refused) to receive, while the latter brings before us the possession gained: so that the full meaning is, As many as by accepting Him, received Him.” For the use of the simple verb, see Joh_5:43; Joh_13:20; Joh_19:6.
VWS

Joh 1:12 whoever G3745 pk Nom Pl m hosoi οσοι T1 RelPro-NMP As many as Yet G1161 Conj de δε T2 Conj however obtained G2983 G5627 vi 2Aor Act 3 Pl elabon ελαβον T3 V-AIA-3P received Him G846 pp Acc Sg m auton αυτον T4 PPro-AM3S Him, He-gives G1325 G5656 vi Aor Act 3 Sg edoken εδωκεν T5 V-AIA-3S He gave To-them G846 pp Dat Pl m autois αυτοισ T6 PPro-DM3P to them right G1849 n_ Acc Sg f exousian εξουσιαν T7 N-AFS authority children G5043 n_ Nom Pl n tekna τεκνα T8 N-ANP children Of-god G2316 n_ Gen Sg m theou θεου T9 N-GMS of God To-be-becoming G1096 G5635 vn 2Aor midD genesthai γενεσθαι T10 V-ANM to be, To-the G3588 t_ Dat Pl m tois τοισ T11 Art-DMP to those ones-believing G4100 G5723 vp Pres Act Dat Pl m pisteuousin πιστευουσιν T12 V-PPA-DMP believing Into G1519 Prep eis εισ T13 Prep in The G3588 t_ Acc Sg n to το T14 Art-ANS the Name G3686 n_ Acc Sg n onoma ονομα T15 N-ANS name Of-him G846 pp Gen Sg m autou αυτου T16 PPro-GM3S of Him,
Joh

VOICE
VOICE describes the relationship between the action of the VERB and its SUBJECT.

ACTIVE VOICE was the normal, expected, unemphasized way to assert that the SUBJECT was performing the action of the VERB.

The PASSIVE VOICE means that the SUBJECT was receiving the action of the VERB produced by an outside agent. The outside agent producing the action was indicated in the Greek NT by the following PREPOSITIONS and CASES:
a personal direct agent by hupo with the ABLATIVE CASE (cf. Matt.1:22; Acts 22:30)
a personal intermediate agent by dia with the ABLATIVE CASE (cf. Matt. 1:22)
an impersonal agent usually by en with the INSTRUMENTAL CASE
sometimes either a personal or impersonal agent by the INSTRUMENTAL CASE alone

The MIDDLE VOICE means that the SUBJECT produces the action of the VERB and is also directly involved in the action of the VERB. It is often called the voice of heightened personal interest. This construction emphasized the SUBJECT of the clause or sentence in some way. This construction is not found in English. It has a wide possibility of meanings and translations in Greek. Some examples of the form are:
REFLEXIVE – the direct action of the SUBJECT on itself. Example: Matt. 27:5 "hanged himself."
INTENSIVE – the SUBJECT produces the action for itself. Example: 2 Cor. 11:14 "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
RECIPROCAL – the interplay of two SUBJECTS. Example: Matt. 26:4 "they counseled with one another."

So yes-correct @TomL but go easy on others who are not inclined to study this way-I have done so for years and can see where a commentary is good or not.

TomL · May 4, 2024

Johann said:
The simple verb of the compound παρέλαβον in Joh_1:11. The meaning of the two verbs is substantially the same (so Alford, De Wette, and apparently Meyer), though some recognize a difference, as Milligan and Moulton, who render παρέλαβον accepted, and ἔλαβον received, and say that “the former lays emphasis upon the will that consented (or refused) to receive, while the latter brings before us the possession gained: so that the full meaning is, As many as by accepting Him, received Him.” For the use of the simple verb, see Joh_5:43; Joh_13:20; Joh_19:6.
VWS

Joh 1:12 whoever G3745 pk Nom Pl m hosoi οσοι T1 RelPro-NMP As many as Yet G1161 Conj de δε T2 Conj however obtained G2983 G5627 vi 2Aor Act 3 Pl elabon ελαβον T3 V-AIA-3P received Him G846 pp Acc Sg m auton αυτον T4 PPro-AM3S Him, He-gives G1325 G5656 vi Aor Act 3 Sg edoken εδωκεν T5 V-AIA-3S He gave To-them G846 pp Dat Pl m autois αυτοισ T6 PPro-DM3P to them right G1849 n_ Acc Sg f exousian εξουσιαν T7 N-AFS authority children G5043 n_ Nom Pl n tekna τεκνα T8 N-ANP children Of-god G2316 n_ Gen Sg m theou θεου T9 N-GMS of God To-be-becoming G1096 G5635 vn 2Aor midD genesthai γενεσθαι T10 V-ANM to be, To-the G3588 t_ Dat Pl m tois τοισ T11 Art-DMP to those ones-believing G4100 G5723 vp Pres Act Dat Pl m pisteuousin πιστευουσιν T12 V-PPA-DMP believing Into G1519 Prep eis εισ T13 Prep in The G3588 t_ Acc Sg n to το T14 Art-ANS the Name G3686 n_ Acc Sg n onoma ονομα T15 N-ANS name Of-him G846 pp Gen Sg m autou αυτου T16 PPro-GM3S of Him,
Joh

VOICE
VOICE describes the relationship between the action of the VERB and its SUBJECT.

ACTIVE VOICE was the normal, expected, unemphasized way to assert that the SUBJECT was performing the action of the VERB.

The PASSIVE VOICE means that the SUBJECT was receiving the action of the VERB produced by an outside agent. The outside agent producing the action was indicated in the Greek NT by the following PREPOSITIONS and CASES:
a personal direct agent by hupo with the ABLATIVE CASE (cf. Matt.1:22; Acts 22:30)
a personal intermediate agent by dia with the ABLATIVE CASE (cf. Matt. 1:22)
an impersonal agent usually by en with the INSTRUMENTAL CASE
sometimes either a personal or impersonal agent by the INSTRUMENTAL CASE alone

The MIDDLE VOICE means that the SUBJECT produces the action of the VERB and is also directly involved in the action of the VERB. It is often called the voice of heightened personal interest. This construction emphasized the SUBJECT of the clause or sentence in some way. This construction is not found in English. It has a wide possibility of meanings and translations in Greek. Some examples of the form are:
REFLEXIVE – the direct action of the SUBJECT on itself. Example: Matt. 27:5 "hanged himself."
INTENSIVE – the SUBJECT produces the action for itself. Example: 2 Cor. 11:14 "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
RECIPROCAL – the interplay of two SUBJECTS. Example: Matt. 26:4 "they counseled with one another."

So yes-correct @TomL but go easy on others who are not inclined to study this way-I have done so for years and can see where a commentary is good or not.

It was not just that way. He ignored context, parallel texts, lexicons, Greek and Calvinist commentary, and my argument as well as the grammar.

Johann · May 4, 2024

TomL said:
It was not just that way. He ignored context, lexicons, Greek and Calvinist commentary, and my argument as well as the grammar.

I am aware of that since I follow the conversation between you and him closely-and you are doing a sterling work for the basileia of God.

An Article on free will

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Repentance Defined​

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