In Jonah, Who determined…
1. who was going to be prophet? Jonah 1:1.
Does God offer 6 million+ jews choices/offers to be prophet, only 13 or so saying yes. How many gentiles get to choose by offer to be 'true prophets' from Adam to Franklin Graham? Being a true prophet was never based on being agreeable to God's offers; Jonah didn't determine himself to be a prophet by his choice to an offer, God did.
1a. Why didn't the word of the Lord come directly unto the king of Nineveh himself, Moses got a burning bush, Mary an angel, Saul a blinding light, doubting Thomas a scared hand; God is determining, not Jonah asking or responding to offers.
2. when the messenger was going to be sent? 1:1.
If the word of the Lord came a year/month/week/decade earlier or Later it was up to God to determine when this message was initiated. If the word did not come to Jonah, Jonah would have never gone to anyone. Based on Romans 1 man would NEVER acknowledge God.
3. where the messenger was sent? the recipients, Nineveh? 1:2; (text says the Lord)
Did God say pick among 30 nations that you’d like to choose, or go to all 30 why you are at it leaving it up to Jonah’s free choice? Jonah didn't pick, God did. Was all the other gentile nations holy to God? In fact, God purposefully picked a nation like Nineveh instead of a wicked city of Israel, because Jonah would have be agreeable to that, and would have gone, and would have never been swallowed by a whale, and would never foreshadow Jesus.
4. the blowing of the wind. v.4 (text says the Lord) for a purpose, to ensure Jonah thrown overboard in the 1st place, as God purposed a foreshadowing of Jesus by the whale.
5. outcome of Lots falling on Jonah. v.7 Prov 16:33 OT says repeatedly the Lord does.
6. the location and actions of a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Jonah 1:17 (the Lord prepared)
What if the fish wasn’t there, nor hungry, but absent or scared off;
7. the sheer survival of Jonah in the belly of a whale. (foreshadow Jesus is alive)
8. the length of time Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (foreshadow Jesus)
9. that Jonah would even be thrown into the sea. Jonah 2:3 Jonah himself says God determined this.
10. that the fish would spit Jonah up. Jonah 2:10 the Lord spake unto the fish;
11. that God would even speak to Jonah at all, a second time. Jonah 3:1 (see points 1 and 2)
12. what the message would be? God did. 3:2; God did not give them a Gen 12 covenant, nor Exodus 19 covenant, nor a Israel-like temple, tabernacle, high priest, Day of Atonement, nor a Nahum message of destruction.
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and burial for three days was determined before the foundation of the world. Jesus’ reference to the sign of Jonah Matthew 12:39-41 Matthew 16:4,17 Luke 11:29-32 was not an “hey neat coincidence, we will work this in as an accidental parallel.”
God determined all these 12 things and even more in the material of Jonah, (not man, not Jonah). Calvinists see all this as God’s clear control of all things;
God determined that Jonah would be: #1 resistant, by fact of picking Nineveh not a wayward Jewish city. #2. thrown overboard by wind and by lots #3. swallowed at all #4. survived to live (Christ is alive 3 days later) #5. the time of three days, a foreshadowing of Jesus.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
PRAYER SURVEY
1. WHO OR WHAT TO PRAY FOR
2. HOW TO PRAY JESUS’ WORDS
3. JESUS PRAYING
4. POWER OF PRAYER
5. PRIORITY OF PRAYER
6. PRAYERS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
A. CONTENT
B. TIME OR PRIORITY OF:
C. THE EFFECT
7. PAUL’S PRIORITY
8. PAUL’S URGING
9. PAUL’S LIST OF BENEFITS
.
WHO OR WHAT TO PRAY FOR:
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Lk 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Lk 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Mk 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. Lk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. Lk 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
HOW TO PRAY
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Lk 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
Lk 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Mk 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mk 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Lk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. Lk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
JESUS PRAYING
Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Mat 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Mat 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. Mat 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. Mat 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Mk 14:32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. Mk 14:35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mk 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mk 6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Mk 14:39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
Lk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Lk 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Lk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Lk 9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
Lk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. Lk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Lk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Lk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Lk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Lk 22:45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
Jn 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Jn 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
Jn 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. Jn 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Jn 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
POWER OF PRAYER
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Mk 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER
Lk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Mk 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. Lk 19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Mk 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Lk 20:47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Mk 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Lk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
REQUESTS OF THE PEOPLE
Lk 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
THE PRAYERS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
CONTENT
Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Acts 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye
to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
TIME OR PRIORITY OF:
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Acts 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
Acts 10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Acts 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Acts 10:31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mk; where many were gathered together praying.
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Acts 20:36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
Acts 21:5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.
Acts 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
THE EFFECT
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Acts 28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Acts 22:17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
OTHER Acts 8:34 9:11 28:8 11:5 16:13 23:18 24:4 27:34 1 Jn 5:16
1 Cor 11:4-5 11:13 14:13-15 Rev 5:8 Rev 8:3 Rev 8:4 2 Tim 4:16 1 Th 5:23 Mk 5:17-18, Mk 13:18 Lk 5:3 Lk 5:33 Lk 14:18-19 Lk 16:27 Jn 4:31 2 Cor 13:7
PAUL’S PRIORITY
Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Phil 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Phil 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
1 Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1 Th 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
2 Th 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
2 Tim 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
Phile 1:4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
PAUL’S URGING
Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Rom 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
2 Cor 8:4 Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
1 Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1 Th 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.
2 Th 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
1 Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Heb 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
1 Pet 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
1 Tim 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
Phile 1:22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
Phil 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
PAUL’S LIST OF BENEFITS
1 Cor 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
1 Pet 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Pet 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1 Tim 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
2 Cor 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
2 Cor 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Cor 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
2. HOW TO PRAY JESUS’ WORDS
3. JESUS PRAYING
4. POWER OF PRAYER
5. PRIORITY OF PRAYER
6. PRAYERS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
A. CONTENT
B. TIME OR PRIORITY OF:
C. THE EFFECT
7. PAUL’S PRIORITY
8. PAUL’S URGING
9. PAUL’S LIST OF BENEFITS
.
WHO OR WHAT TO PRAY FOR:
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Lk 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Lk 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Mk 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. Lk 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. Lk 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
HOW TO PRAY
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Lk 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
Lk 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Mk 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mk 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Lk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. Lk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
JESUS PRAYING
Mat 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Mat 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Mat 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. Mat 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. Mat 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Mk 14:32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. Mk 14:35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mk 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mk 6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Mk 14:39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
Lk 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Lk 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Lk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Lk 9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
Lk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. Lk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Lk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Lk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Lk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Lk 22:45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
Jn 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Jn 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
Jn 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. Jn 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Jn 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
POWER OF PRAYER
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Mk 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER
Lk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Mk 11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. Lk 19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Mk 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Lk 20:47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Mk 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Lk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
REQUESTS OF THE PEOPLE
Lk 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
THE PRAYERS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
CONTENT
Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Acts 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye
to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
TIME OR PRIORITY OF:
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Acts 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
Acts 10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
Acts 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Acts 10:31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mk; where many were gathered together praying.
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Acts 20:36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
Acts 21:5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.
Acts 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
THE EFFECT
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Acts 28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Acts 22:17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
OTHER Acts 8:34 9:11 28:8 11:5 16:13 23:18 24:4 27:34 1 Jn 5:16
1 Cor 11:4-5 11:13 14:13-15 Rev 5:8 Rev 8:3 Rev 8:4 2 Tim 4:16 1 Th 5:23 Mk 5:17-18, Mk 13:18 Lk 5:3 Lk 5:33 Lk 14:18-19 Lk 16:27 Jn 4:31 2 Cor 13:7
PAUL’S PRIORITY
Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Phil 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Phil 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
1 Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1 Th 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
2 Th 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
2 Tim 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
Phile 1:4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,
PAUL’S URGING
Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Rom 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
2 Cor 8:4 Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
1 Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1 Th 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.
2 Th 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
1 Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
Heb 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
1 Pet 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
1 Tim 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
Phile 1:22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.
Phil 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
PAUL’S LIST OF BENEFITS
1 Cor 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
1 Pet 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Pet 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
1 Tim 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
2 Cor 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
2 Cor 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Cor 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Free-Will Part 1
A Presentation of my Calvinistic stance concerning “Free-will”
Question 1. Do humans, angels, and God each have an individual will?
Answer 1. Yes, Humans, angels, and God each have an individual will.
Question 2. What is the “will”?
Answer 2. The “will” is the “act of the mind choosing and accomplishing an available option in accordance to and not contrary to the greatest desire and love of his heart and nature at the moment regarding the issue in consideration for what is most pleasing to himself in that specific decision”
Question 3. Is the will of each individual “free”?
Answer 3.
3.1 The will is not free to choose that which is: not known by or provided to the mind,
God can will to constantly see the furthest star from the earth, it can always be provided to His mind. Man cannot will to constantly see the furthest star from the earth, it cannot always be provided to His Mind, for in fact He may not even know which is the furthest star from the earth, being undiscovered. Moses could not choose to fly a 747, such information was not even provided to his mind. (John 9:36, Romans 10:14)
3.2 The will is not free to choose that which is: not provided accurately by the mind,
God can will to see the real Pluto, His mind does always accurately know which is the real Pluto. A unlearned and even learned man cannot will to always see the real Pluto, His mind can be wrong in picking the wrong tiny twinkle, calling it Pluto, but in reality a different body millions of miles from Pluto. It is the exact nature of deception that a person can be confident in his perception, and even so his perception being entirely wrong, being deceived. A crook chooses to disseminate a counterfeit $20, an unsuspecting citizen chooses to accept this $20 when selling his video game. The citizen made a choice, but it was not free, his mind did not have accurate information, and he wanted real currency, but failed to obtain what he was attempting to will and choose, and obtain. His will failed. God can will to never be deceived. Man cannot ‘will’ to never be deceived and he is not free to will so. Man can be, has been, and frequently is deceived.
3.3 The will is not free to choose that which is: not in accordance to their greatest desire and love and most pleasing to the same person.
To suggest man will choose in contradiction to his greatest desire, then it was his greatest desire to contradict his previous greatest desire; To imagine any other reality, is to entertain insanity. A man’s greatest desire is not to randomly amputate his limb and digits, and yet does so anyway based on no reason nor desire to do so, such a will is not free, but insane. A robber says "give me your money or die", the victim may desire for neither to occur, but if he should say, wait walk to me house and I'll also give you my brand new car, then such a decision was his greatest desire. The compulsion to choose between money and life already restrains the freedom of the will when the robber himself is not constrained to give money or lose his life. The robber's greatest desire was to either rob or kill, but not to give and protect, even if the robber was threatened by his gang leader, the robber desired to obey the gang leader and ensure his own safety, than spare the victim from such a stressful demand.
3.4 The will is not free to choose that which is: not in accordance to the person’s own nature;
God can will to maintain His nature to be immutably holy and sinless, and does so by the very fact of His nature being Holy. Man cannot will his nature to be immutably holy and sinless, even if overlooking his past and measuring from this day forward. The nature of a eagle cannot will to live like a squid, the nature of a squid cannot will to live like an eagle. The nature of man cannot will to live like a preserved angel, the nature of a preserved angel cannot will to be incarnate, marry, bear children, die, and be resurrected.
When you make cookies, you determine and choose their nature, they do not choose their nature. You can and have limited their nature, but they cannot limit you nature. You make them upright but without chocolate, their nature is thereby limited and not free to give a chocolate taste no matter how many choices they attempt. God made Adam, God’s will and choice choose Adam’s nature. Adam’s will and choice did not choose his own nature. God made Adam upright, but not omniscient, nor omnipotent, nor immutable, which are not required traits to be considered upright. Adam’s nature was limited and was not free to choose omniscience, omnipotence, immutability. God’s will is confined by His nature, but His nature is Holy. Man’s will is confined by His nature, and His nature is created, and now also fallen, finite, weak, given to death, sin, confusion, among many other limitations. God’s nature is not created and not fallen thus God’s will is truly free. Even when Man had an upright nature he had a created nature, and thereby a limited nature; Now man has also a fallen nature, and limited in a second fashion.
God can will to sustain His nature and character of His own power, mind, and choice. God is not dependent on man or creation to maintain His perfect and eternal holiness, wisdom, power, purity, knowledge, position. Even Man before the Fall could not and did not ‘will’ to sustain His upright nature and character of His own power, mind, and choice. Even before the Fall man’s will was limited to his nature, and he did not have the exact perfect and eternal wisdom, power, knowledge, and position of God. Upright man could not will to 1. Create Hell. 2. throw rebellious angels into Hell. 3. remove rebellious angels from hell. Yet in each case God will so, if it pleased Him to will so. God’s will is truly free. Man’s will is not.
3.5 The will is not free to choose that which is: not within his power and abilities to actually produce the fruition of his choice.
God can will to make the entire universe out of nothing, and call light out of darkness. God is omnipotent, all-powerful, so nothing is outside of His power and ability and in accordance to His own Holy Nature and Character. Man cannot will to make the entire universe out of nothing, nor call light out of darkness. Man even strains and fails to rearrange physical matter into other forms (build a ladder to Pluto), and certainly can do nothing by the mere word of His mouth, as God has willed and done. God’s will is free to accomplish and effect in His own Power that which He wills. Man’s will is not free because He lacks the power and ability to accomplish and effect that which He is trying and attempt to will. God’s will is truly free. Man’s will is not.
The definition of the will includes, “the act of the mind choosing and accomplishing” not merely “the act of the mind knowing” nor “the act of the heart loving and desiring”. Men may know a lot of things, and desire a lot of things, and attempt to accomplish the things they know and love, but yet still fail to accomplish all these things by an act of their choice and will. The mind can know birds fly, The heart can greatly desire to fly like a bird, man can choose to fly like a bird, when man jumps off the ledge he fails to accomplish what his “stated choice” was, and it proves only to be an empty verbal claim. Such empty verbal claims and “verbal choices” are not the definition of a will, nor a free-will.
Jesus made a verbal choice to raise Lazarus from the dead, and Jesus’ will was not merely a verbal assertion, but also an accomplished feat which was enacted by His will; whereas, He willed it to be so according to his mind, desire, to accomplish what was an option for Him. Jesus’ will was free. Men may endlessly make verbal assertions, “I choose to raise Lazarus.” But these assertions are not the definition of the will, they have no power to accomplish the feat they assert, they are only lies or dreams, but not evidences of a will that is free.
3.6 The will is not free to choose that which is: not an option.
The will of man is not free to choose when there is no option. The definition of the will is not merely “choosing” because it also requires that the option be available to choose. God has a will to choose to if to come to earth, if to leave the earth, if to be in flesh, if to die, or a will to reject all of these if they are contrary to His own purpose and nature;
Man does not have a will free to choose if to come to earth, because he did not have an option to determine if he would be created or where he would be created, either in the angelic realm or the earthly realm. Man does not have the will to ascend back into heaven, that is not an option for him. Man does not have a will free to choose to be in flesh, though angels have angelic bodies, and Jesus choose to be made in flesh. Man does not have the option not to die, though Jesus could have opted not to die, he chose to die; Made does not die by mere choice, but by fact of God’s curse which God willed upon disobedient man. Man does not have the option to re-enter the original literal Garden of Eden, God removed that option, though God permitted angels to guard it. (Genesis 3:24).
The will includes the “act of the mind choosing” but when his options are limited, then his will is thereby also limited. God’s options are unlimited, however His choices and will is always in union with His nature and character. Man’s options are limited, not only because his mind, heart, nature, power, and options are limited, but also it is not an option to thwart the decisions of God. God can choose when to resurrect the dead, and that is an option that He can choose and thus His will is free to “act in choosing”. Man cannot choose when to resurrect the dead, that is not an option that He can choose, and thus his will is not free to “act in choosing” for nothing is accomplished in that fruitless choice.
Countless examples can be given, but one for now, Saul was not free to reject the option of a blinding light, Herod was not free to chose the option of getting a blinding light. God was free to choose to enact the option of blinding Saul, and did. God was free to chose to withhold the option of blinding Herod, and did withhold. In each case God had the option, and God was free. In each case men did not have the option, and the men were not free to determine their options.
3.7 The will is not free to choose that which is not: consistent to the previous 6 points as considered in either separate parcels or as a combined whole.
A man’s mind may know, and know accurately, the difference between: a buried dead man and a man resurrected from the dead, but the mind knowing is not sufficient to regard the man’s will as free to resurrect His own dead body, as Jesus stated in John 10. So a free-will is not merely defined as accurate knowledge, but accurate knowledge is at least a requirement.
A man’s heart may greatly desire and love that he resurrect his own dead body by his own power, but the heart greatly desiring and loving is not sufficient to regard the man’s will as free to resurrect His own dead body. So a free-will is not merely defined as a great desire and love, though this is a parcel requirement.
A man’s nature may desire to be immutable and self-sustaining, to be wise like God, to have the exact mind, power, immutability, and position of God, but the nature desiring these things is not sufficient to regard the man’s will as free to sustain or create by himself a nature that is immutable, self-sustaining, with God’s wisdom, power, position, and independence. A man’s nature may be able to bear children, whereas angels do not have such a nature, yet as a whole, this parcel can be prohibited from bearing children when measured in the whole, perhaps it is not an option if she is barren like Sarah or Hannah;
3.8 The will is not to be defined and limited to only and merely what one chooses to “love and trust” in contrast to what one chooses to “hate and distrust”, nor defined by one’s own independent vacillation of those 4 properties; such a definition is inaccurate.
A man can choose to love and trust his own power to resurrect his own dead body, a man can vacillate and “hate and distrust” his own power to resurrect his own dead body. Any such position or change therein, is not the definition of “the will”, but merely a description of either the mind or the heart, since his act of choosing is not “accomplishing” that which he has tried to will. The definition of the will includes, “the act of the mind choosing and accomplishing” not merely “the act of the mind knowing” nor “the act of the heart loving and desiring”. Men may know a lot of things, and desire a lot of things, and vainly attempt to accomplish the things they know and love, but yet still fail to accomplish all these things by an act of their choice and will.
Someone asks, “Is it not an act of the will to choose to admire/love a lady even though she refuses to court and marry you. After all, that was an act of the mind, heart, nature, an available option, choosing and accomplishing to admire. The person was presented with the option to either admire or not admire her, and did not the person choose: I will admire her. or, I will admire Jesus. I will trust Jesus." This inquiry will be addressed in question 8. However, question 8 cannot be understood until all the preceding materials have been presented so please read on and do not skip ahead.
3.9 The will is not free to choose that which is based upon external compulsion of persons and circumstances.
When a teenage girl awakes to find herself being molested who is free? Can she reason and persuade the overpowering man? Can she fight off 3 men? Is it freedom to stay calm and escape mentally? Are the three men exercising a freedom that is restraining her freedom of choice?
When terrorists disguise and hide their intent and overtake a pilot and crash the plane into a building killing over hundreds within one minute, could the recipients choose to call these men prior and persuade them of cancelling their plans? The death of the victim and the death of the muslim martyr were not equal. The victims on fire may be free to relax, instead of seek relief, after all there were four in the fiery furnace who were not singed.
From behind you someone crams high doses of LSD into your blood stream, what free choices when your brain begins hallucinating and stripping you from reality.
A parent picks his one year old up, and the child squirms not wanting to leave, but the parent decides if to put the child into car one, or car two, or into bathtub one, or bathtub two, or into the crib, or old stroller, or new stroller. The child can spit food up, but the parent bought applesauce and banana pudding, the parent purposefully did not give him Chocolate pudding, but rather ate that pudding for himself. What choices were the infant free to make in comparison to the compulsion of the parent, and the liberties granted to the parent.
It is admitted that there are varying levels of compulsion on almost all choices when referring to fallen man; but Jesus never did anything by external compulsion, for everything He did was agreeable to Him and His Father and the purpose they designed. Walking across a street may come to a halt with a bus is driving by, but had the man been walking across a meadow, then his will would never be challenged by the bus. Yet if a man is free to stand in the street, he does not know if the bus will plow him over, or if the bus will screech to a halt. The pedestrian may not know if his choice to stand there accomplished his objective to either die, or intimidate the driver.
The demon possessed were not free to cast out their own demons, and when Jesus cast out the demons the demons were not free to stay, and when demons entered the pig, the pigs were not free to deny the demons their entrance. Four natures were involved: demons, fallen men, animals, and God. Three natures were not free to do what they would choose. One nature was free to do what He would choose over all three.
CONTRASTED DEFINITION, IN WHAT REGARD IS THE WILL FREE 3.9 The will is free to choose that which is: provided by the mind, provide accurately by the mind, in accordance to their greatest desire and love, in accordance to what is most pleasing to the same person, within his power and abilities to actually produce the fruition of his choice, and is an available option. (as this definition considered in parcels and as a whole). Go tell a prisoner in solitary confinement, "See your cell is 7 by 7 foot, you have all the room and freedom to do as you please" as he scorns you then take him to the courtyard, "See this courtyard is 70 by 70 foot, you have all the room and freedom to do as you please" Men in sin have raised their own prison and cannot leave the confines of their hatred for God. If I man were to lock himself in prison and then toss the keys 40 foot over the 3 story balcony he then has no way of escape. Man rebelled in the Garden and death surely came, and Man cannot reverse this death and curse by his own choice.
Question 4. Since the will is not free from, but dependent on the mind, is the mind of fallen man free?
Answer 4. The mind of fallen man is not free, and is in fact corrupt in sin and by sin. Furthermore, the mind of man before the fall was not free. Upright man did not have the full knowledge and wisdom and mind of God.
[Scriptural Evidence will be posted in a separate article, but for now: 2 Cor. 3:14; 2 Cor. 4:4; Ephes. 2:3; Ephes. 4:17; Philip. 3:19; Col. 1:21; 1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Tim. 3:8; Titus 1:15; 1 Cor 2:14; 1 Cor 1:18; John 5:40; John 6:43; John 6:61-65; Romans 1:28; Romans 8:5 Psalm 78, Psalm 106; Rom 6:6-8;2 Tim 2:25 [Col 2:13]; John 8:43-47 (John 10:26-27 ); Gen 6:5; Prov. 14:12; Prov 28:26; Luke 16:29-31; 1 John 4:3-6]
A4.2 The scriptures presentation of man being blind and deaf and dead in sin, destroys the mind’s ability to see, hear, touch, and think, as to take in spiritual information. (search: “blind, deaf” in Scripture)
Question 5. Since the will is not free from, but dependent on the heart (love, desire, affections), is the heart of fallen man free?
Answer 5. The heart of fallen man is not free, and is in fact corrupt in sin and by sin.
[Scriptural Evidence will be posted in a separate article, but for now: THE HEART OF MAN IS CORRUPT. 1 John 4:10; Matth 15:18-19; Mark 7:21-23 Eccles. 9:3; Eccles. 8:11; Jer 17:9 John 3:19; Jere 16:12 ; Rom 3:11 ; Eph 2:1-3 ; Isaiah 53:3; Job 15:14-16; Heb. 3:12; James 1:14, 15; Gen 6-9 Ps 73:3-11 notes. Psa 78 notes Rom 9:16, 19-23 Eph 2:8-9 John 3:3,8; Genesis 6:5 ; Genesis 6:11-13; Genesis 8:21 ; ALSO SEE Ezekiel 44:6-12;
MAN CANNOT CLEANSE HIS OWN HEART. Proverbs 20:9; Psalm 51:10; Psalm 51:2,7,10; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 13:23; Proverbs 28:26 Jeremiah 8:12; Jer 14:10; Luke 16:14; 2 Tim. 3:2-4 ]
Question 6. Since the will is not free from, but depended on one’s nature and being, is the nature and being of fallen man free?
Answer 6. The nature of fallen man is not free, and is in fact corrupt in sin and by sin, and by reality of being a created being. Furthermore, the nature of man before the fall was not free. Upright man did not have the full nature of God. A paper cup can be upright and sinless, but does not have the nature of a steel cup. A paper cup can mutate from its pristine creation and the steel cup not mutate from its pristine creation under the same conditions.
Consider from Romans 1 (though many other texts can be added, the pattern of man's nature:)
20 POINTS…They knew, but had a corrupt mind, corrupt heart, hated God, suppressed truth.
A. Romans 1:18 men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
B. [19] For what can be known about God is plain to them,
C. because God has shown it to them. [20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
D. have been clearly perceived…..ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
E. [21] For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him,
F. but they became futile in their thinking,
G. and their foolish hearts were darkened.
H. [22] Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
J. [25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
K. [28] And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,
L. God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. [29] They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, [30] slanderers,
M. haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31] foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
N. [32] Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
O. John 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
P. Romans 10:18 1 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have….. for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." [19] But I ask, did
2Th 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,
10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; impenitence - the trait of refusing to repent bullheadedness, self-will, stubbornness, obstinacy, obstinance - resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires
Question 7. Since the will is not free from, but dependent on one’s power to accomplish, is fallen man’s power and ability to accomplish free?
Answer 7. The power and ability of fallen man is not free, and is in fact corrupt in sin and by sin, and by reality of being a created finite being. Countless examples could be given, and some have already been stated elsewhere, the point is too obvious. Man does not have the power to raise the dead by his mere word, ascend to heaven, part the
Brief Review: #1 The will of man is not free, being constrained and limited by the mind, heart, nature, power to accomplish; #2 The will is not free, in that none of these which constrain the will are free themselves as examined in their singular condition nor combined condition.
Question 8. Someone asks, “Is it not an act of the will to choose to admire/love a lady even though she refuses to court and marry you. After all, that was an act of the mind, heart, nature, an available option, choosing and accomplishing to admire. The person was presented with the option to either admire or not admire her, and did not the person choose: I will admire her. or, I will admire Jesus. I will trust Jesus."
Answer 8: The above analogy is false and makes several false and inaccurate assumptions.
8.1 It assumes that the man knows, in his mind, the lady. The Bible is clear that mankind does not know God. Romans 10:14, John 9:36). So men in the jungles in 35 A.D. did not have any knowledge of Jesus being born, alive, crucified, buried, resurrected. So their will is not free to choose to love him or trust him since they do not even know Him.
Men in the OT who were steeped daily into the torah, still did not know the God of Israel, despite their construct of a deity who was assigned to
Jere 2:8 (Jere 2:5); Jeremiah 4:22; Jeremiah 9:3; Jeremiah 9:6; Hosea 4:1 Ps 58:3 Isaiah 1:3 John 1:10 John 8:19 John 7:28 John 8:55 John 14:17 John 15:21, 1 Jhn 3:1, john 5:13
8.2 It assumes that man knows in his mind this lady, accurately. The Bible is clear that the Pharisees see and heard Jesus, and had seen and heard of his miracles. In their mind they had information, but not accurate information, they saw him merely as a man, Joseph's son, but not God; They even called him Beelzebub; Mat 16:13....he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" Mat 16:14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. //Matthew 16:16 is not now some secret password we can just educate people about so they too will have the truth revealed, for such an effort is merely flesh and blood, Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit
Luk 4:22 Mat_10:25; Mat_12:24; Mat_12:27; Mar_3:22; Luk_11:15; Luk_11:18; Luk_11:19;
8.3. It assumes that man loves this lady without any bias, prejudice before hand. The Bible is clear that men love darkness, and hate light, and hate God, and hate Jesus without a cause, and hate Jesus' disciples without a cause. Luk 11:23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
8.3b Some ask, "But can a man first hate a woman, then later change his mind and values when new information is presented and then choose to love a woman; or can a man just randomly decide to stop hating and start loving."
Answer 8.3b) There is nothing new to learn about: light, God, Jesus, what the fallen mind perceives about the light, God, and Jesus, has already been presented in sufficient manner to leave men inexcusable. Romans 1 is replete in this. The incarnation and ministry of Jesus is full exposure yet full rejection. Especially considering Joh 21:25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. And even so men crucified him.
And even Jesus said, If I have done wrong, bear witness of that wrong. There is no new information that can be presented. 2 Tim 3:4 ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (Luke 16: 30-31) - And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
The Old Testament is utterly swamped with sufficient evidence presented to the Jews in Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, the evil kings, the divided nation, of constant unbelief and rejection of God and refusal to know Him. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel as many other prophets are saturated with verdicts of people having sufficient exposure yet adamantly rejecting God.
In response to a "random" change from hatred to love, this destroys a notion of free-will, for then the will is not acting according to the mind and heart, but to pure chance, and is literal insanity . At this rate man may just randomly decide to love cutting his limbs and digits off when seconds ago he hated it. Is this how God the Father sent Jesus, how Jesus the Son came, and how the Spirit approaches their attempt to save sinners, that maybe some will just "randomly on their own stop hating me and start loving me."
An evil and adulterous generation seeks signs. (extra info)
8.4 It assumes that a man's nature to a woman's nature can be equated with a man's nature in contrast to God's nature. How many fawns and does have a nature akin to the nature of a tiger to go and brush their torsos in peace and safety? It does not happen, even though another tiger cub can go to his mother in peace and safety since he has the same nature; The fawn and doe are constrained by their nature, though the young tiger cub has a freedom in his nature. The fawn and doe fear the wrath of the tiger and at the bottom of
Jesus is fully man, so He has a human nature, but He is not fallen, and does not have a fallen nature; furthermore, Jesus is fully God, and man has nature that is not divine, man has a nature that is human and also fallen. Now Jesus did not come in wrath like a tiger to a fawn, this is true, but then how all the more warped is the nature of fallen man to still despise an upright man and hate Him without a cause. Jesus did come as Lord, and the nature of fallen man wants to be his own lord. When the president or king of a nation are in your territory and you have notion that they are suggesting you relinquish your throne, your nature shall not entertain the idea when you have already declared yourself an enemy of God, as scripture clearly depicts man.
8.5 It presumes that Jesus is an option to love. Billions of people from 34 A.D. to the present have born and died in distant remote lands and unknown languages without any knowledge of the Bible, Jesus, or the Gospel, they were not presented with an option, their will was not free to love and trust Him. You ask, "But some people are being told, so for some people it is a least an option; Also consider : Mat 13:10-13; (Mat 11:25) (Luk 10:21) Consider the options God did not give to Pharoah, a burning bush, Matth 17 vs. 16, the blinding light at Damascus, etc.; that Doubting Thomas was shown and saw nail prints but not Herod or Pilate.
8.6 It presumes that the said man has not already made a choice to the contrary of loving Christ. Men choose to Crucify Christ and others deny him 3x, not merely once, not merely twice, but three times, and that by accurate prediction by Jesus. Now how was Peter free to overturn Jesus' promise, though Peter acted in his own mind, heart, and nature in truly denying Jesus 3x. Question 8 presumes the man has not already crucified this lady, when He has crucified Jesus. Men may have regrets for prior choices, but few will believe any sincerity or likelihood that a man can crucify a lady, and 5 years later say, "you know now I love her, I really do, I was so wrong."
8.7 It presumes that a man admiring/loving a woman is an accomplishment which is consistent with the Scriptures presentation of how a man is born of God, born of the Spirit, and born again, when the two ideas are not related. If a man accomplishes the choosing of admiring a woman, he simply cannot accomplish his own regeneration by his choice. If a man can accomplish his own regeneration, then he certainly does not need the Holy Spirit to regenerate him. Or, if a man can accomplish his own regeneration by using the Holy Spirit like he uses a can-opener, then what a proud and heretical thought to overpower God the Holy Spirit. Or, if a man can accomplish his own regeneration by submitting to the Holy Spirit as a local surgeon, then man is still left with the glory of securing those services from what he himself accomplished in choosing the right with the ability and power of his own will.
Salvation and Regeneration is not presented in Scripture as what man accomplishes by the services he has employed in choosing the Holy Spirit, choosing Jesus, and choosing God. Such a concept is devoid of the grace of God and the facts of Scripture. If a man accomplishes the choosing of admiration to a lady according to the act of his own will, then this is one thing; but if a man accomplishes a new birth, and salvation by the choosing of admiration to Jesus according this one's own will, then that is another;
Who accomplishes regeneration? The Holy Spirit, not man. How is regeneration accomplished? By the power and choice of the Holy Spirit, not the power and choice of man. On what basis is regeneration accomplished? Solely by the grace of God, not any distinction that man provides (his faith, love, belief) to distinguish himself from another: Will a man say, "I had to distinguish myself" before God regenerated me? If you say "no", then on what basis where you regenerated if not by God's choice and grace and on what basis did God distinguish you from other sinners. If you say "yes" then you devoid of the grace of God.
8.8 The question ignores the testimony of what Scripture says about man's mind, heart, nature, and inability, as introduced in questions 4-7; and further explained in answers 8.1 to 8.7.
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
Joh 9:36 He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"
Rom 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Gen 3:24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
Question 4 (MIND)
2 Cor. 3:14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. (they crucified him!!)
2 Cor. 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Ephes. 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Ephes. 4:17 You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
Philip. 3:19 their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
1 Tim. 6:5 constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth.
2 Tim. 3:8 these men oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
Titus 1:15 to the defiled & unbelieving, nothing is pure; both their minds & consciences are defiled.
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
John 5:40 And you will not come to me, that ye might have life.
John 6:43 Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:61-65 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? [62] Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? [63] It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. [64] But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) [65] And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
Romans 1:28 They did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. [[7] For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Psalm 78, Psalm 106
Rom 6:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
2 Tim 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. [
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. John 8:47 He that is of God hears God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. (John 10:26-27 )
Gen 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Prov. 14:12 There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end there is death.
Prov 28:26 Whoever trusts in his own mind/heart is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
Luke 16:29 Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' 30 He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.' "
1 John 4:3 the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Question 5 (HEART)
1 John 4:10 This is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Matth 15:18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man
Eccles. 9:3 the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Eccles. 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Jere 16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.
Eph 2:1-3 the course of this world…is now at work in the sons of disobedience— [3] We all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Job 15:14-16; Heb. 3:12; James 1:14, 15; Gen 6-9 Ps 73:3-11 notes. Psa 78 notes
Rom 9:16, 19-23 Eph 2:8-9 John 3:3,8
Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:11-13 Genesis 8:21 the Lord said, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. ALSO SEE Ezekiel 44:6-12
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; impenitence - the trait of refusing to repent bullheadedness, self-will, stubbornness, obstinacy, obstinance - resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires
MAN CANNOT CLEANSE HIS OWN HEART
Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:2
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then (neither can) you do good who are accustomed to do evil.
(used last week) Proverbs 28:26 He that trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walks wisely, he shall be delivered.
Jeremiah 8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush.
Jer 14:10 Thus says the Lord concerning this people: "They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them; now he will punish their sins."
Luke 16:14 The Pharisees, were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
2 Tim. 3:2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, 2 Tim. 3:4 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8.1 Do not know God
Jere 2:8 The priests did not say, 'Where is the Lord?' Those who handle the law did not know me;
the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. (Jere 2:5)
Jeremiah 4:22 "For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children;
they have no understanding. They are 'wise'—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not."
Jeremiah 9:3 They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:6 Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.
Hosea 4:1 the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;
Ps 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Isaiah 1:3 The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" Joh 9:36 He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" (John 5 too)
Rom 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Gen 3:24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
John 1:10 He was in the world, the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
John 8:19 Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
John 7:28 you do not know the Father
John 8:55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.
John 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
John 15:21 All these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
1 Jhn 3:1 The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
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