I chose God..Or God chose me...

[Ritajanice]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

 

[Carbon]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

There sure is.

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Amen. And we never would if God the Holy Spirit did not do his work of regeneration.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

It teaches we cannot choose. We don't even want to, we are born as a dead sinner at enmity with God. Our nature must be changed.

 

[Ritajanice]

There sure is.

Amen. And we never would if God the Holy Spirit did not do his work of regeneration.

It teaches we cannot choose. We don't even want to, we are born as a dead sinner at enmity with God. Our nature must be changed.

In Jesus Name!!.....Amen!!.....All Glory!....Praise! And Honour!....goes to the King of Kings....our saviour the Lord Jesus.....thank you Father God, for showing me your mercy and forgiveness, drawing me to your most precious Son........for without, I would still be in my ignorance of you.

 

[Sereni-tea]

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, Ephesians 1:3-5

There are many similar verses like this so for me, it is clear that He chose me. I am also confident that if it was left to my decision I would never have chosen Him, and if it was left up to me to continue in Him, I would have fallen away a long time ago. So I give thanks and praise to God my Saviour that He holds me firmly in Christ; and because of this I am confident that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).

Charles Spurgeon summed up coming to faith like this:
One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God."

 

[Ritajanice]

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, Ephesians 1:3-5

There are many similar verses like this so for me, it is clear that He chose me. I am also confident that if it was left to my decision I would never have chosen Him, and if it was left up to me to continue in Him, I would have fallen away a long time ago. So I give thanks and praise to God my Saviour that He holds me firmly in Christ; and because of this I am confident that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus (Phil 1:6).

Charles Spurgeon summed up coming to faith like this:
One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God."

Excellent post, Amen!!...

 

[David1701]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

Nobody chooses to be born again. It's a sovereign act of God, whereby he miraculously removes the hostile, unbelieving heart of stone, and replaces it with a soft, willing heart.

 

[Ritajanice]

Nobody chooses to be born again. It's a sovereign act of God, whereby he miraculously removes the hostile, unbelieving heart of stone, and replaces it with a soft, willing heart.

Exactly...how can anyone “ Birth themselves in the Spirit “....impossible....it’s a miraculous act of God....Hallelujah and Praise His Holy Name!!


It’s also imperative that people must know that truth....one must be Born Again to see the Kingdom of God...a spiritual act, which only God can do ,via the Holy Spirit....the second spiritual birth...

Flesh gives birth to flesh.

Spirit gives birth to spirit....the Living word of God.

 

[David1701]

Exactly...how can anyone “ Birth themselves in the Spirit “....impossible....it’s a miraculous act of God....Hallelujah and Praise His Holy Name!!


It’s also imperative that people must know that truth....one must be Born Again to see the Kingdom of God...a spiritual act, which only God can do ,via the Holy Spirit....the second spiritual birth...

Flesh gives birth to flesh.

Spirit gives birth to spirit....the Living word of God.

Amen!

 

[CrowCross]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

John 3:18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

......

John 6:65. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

Acts 16:14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

 

[ReverendRV]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

I am a 5-Point Calvinist, a Monergist...

That being said, the Core of this religious dispute is over the Logical Order of Salvation. Does God choose us First, or do we choose God First?

None of us question whether we choose God; it's obvious that we do, and obvious he chooses us. If we choose the New Birth, Synergism HAS to be true, and God is a respector of persons...

 

[Ritajanice]

I am a 5-Point Calvinist, a Monergist...

That being said, the Core of this religious dispute is over the Logical Order of Salvation. Does God choose us First, or do we choose God First?

None of us question whether we choose God; it's obvious that we do, and obvious he chooses us. If we choose the New Birth, Synergism HAS to be true, and God is a respector of persons...

Jesus must come first, even then God draws us to “ Believe “ in Jesus....I believe God chose us before the foundation of the world and he started drawing us to Jesus from day one of our flesh birth, ....it’s through pain and suffering, I believe he draws us to Jesus...it’s really hard to explain....one thing for sure, God knows exactly what he is doing....we serve a breathtakingly clever and awesome God, I couldn’t possibly understand his ways or thoughts.....I just know what I know about him, which ain’t much........that’s my own belief, of course others are entitled to their own opinion.

 

[Ritajanice]

I am a 5-Point Calvinist, a Monergist...

That being said, the Core of this religious dispute is over the Logical Order of Salvation. Does God choose us First, or do we choose God First?

None of us question whether we choose God; it's obvious that we do, and obvious he chooses us. If we choose the New Birth, Synergism HAS to be true, and God is a respector of persons...

No where in scripture does it say we choose the New Birth...Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Which imo ,is the Holy Spirit.birthing our spirit into his....how AMAZING is that..the live spiritual birth.......a precious gift from God.

 

[ReverendRV]

No where in scripture does it say we choose the New Birth...Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Which imo ,is the Holy Spirit.birthing our spirit into his....how AMAZING is that..the live spiritual birth.......a precious gift from God.

Did you lose your picture?

 

[Carbon]

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

I believe this is the basis of all salvation. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12.

And as long as man is not in Christ, but separate, he receives none of the benefits of Christ's redeeming work.

I mean, how could it be otherwise?
Consider, the vine and the branches. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5.
Without Christ, we can do nothing. The word of God does not teach regeneration to be a decision of man.

 

[Carbon]

Christ himself is the fountain of salvation. It is through him and him alone that we receive all the spiritual blessings. And at the moment of regeneration, the Holy Spirit actualizes the beginning of salvation in God's chosen ones and He establishes the mystical union between Christ and God's chosen ones.

But the ultimate bases for salvation lies in eternity, in the council of redemption which was framed before the foundation of the world. Not in the mystical union which becomes a reality in time.

 

[Carbon]

Another way to consider it.

Every saving grace granted to man throughout history is a gift of our sovereign God's undeserved love. And in God's merciful plan of salvation, Christ occupied the place of central importance. Even in eternity, God did not conceive of salvation apart from Christ. God never intended to endow anyone with salvation irrespective of Christ. Far from it.
I'd say, in Ephesians 1 we are assured that Christians are blessed with every spiritual blessing because God had chosen them in Christ and foreordained them unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.

It seems that in the mind of God, there was an eternal federal union between Christ and all those destined to become heirs of salvation in the course of time.

Can you see it as what Christ promised to do for the people whom the Father gave him in the COR, that the Father chose them for eternal life through Christ?

 

[ChristB4us]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

The "chosen testimony" is referring to His disciples that abide in him and His words to be fruitful.

John 15:1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
As it is; not every saved believer will continue to abide in Him & His words as His disciples; the chosen, as the elect.

John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

It is not a loss of salvation when those left behind are still saved and thus still His servants, but as many are called, few are chosen.

Fortunately, for those wayward saints left behind at the rapture event, they can still love Him since He first loved us.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

That is what every believer can benefit from as having been saved by Him albeit persecution & worry can cause them to be less fruitful as per the examples of the other two grounds for which the seed was received but produced no fruit in the parable of the Sower.

@Carbon @David1701 @Sereni-tea @ReverendRV

 

[civic]

There is so much controversy over these two testimonies from believers

I never chose God, he chose me...I never chose to be birthed in the Spirit.

Thoughts please?

Does the living word of God teach that we can choose to be birthed in the Spirit?

God chose you first by His grace and you responded by choosing to believe in the gospel for your salvation.

 

[Carbon]

God chose you first by His grace and you responded by choosing to believe in the gospel for your salvation.

Hey brother. I understand that is what you believe. However, scripture teaches just the opposite.

But I will ask, how does this choosing take place from a fallen sinner at enmity with God? Thanks.

 

[civic]

Hey brother. I understand that is what you believe. However, scripture teaches just the opposite.

But I will ask, how does this choosing take place from a fallen sinner at enmity with God? Thanks.

God by His grace draws us to Himself, opens up our eyes to see the truth and we respond