John for JESUS wrote:
Duh...
Paul was visiting churches in different parts of the world when he wasn't being sent to different prisons.

Mike wrote:
What it does imply is what has been said before, that Republicans are as dumb as Democrats, just for different reasons

John for JESUS wrote:
I think that is a good point, but I also think it is possible that the gospel was heard all over the world in general with some pockets left to hear. If Paul wasn't talking about the gospel, do you still think whatever it was had still gone out into the whole world for people to hear?

John UK wrote:
Mike, it is a wonderful question, and I shall eagerly wait for the reply. It is not wise to be either cold or lukewarm, but red-hot for the Lord, serving him with a whole heart, loving God with all the heart and soul, and to be loving one's neighbour as oneself. Maybe this is what revival preaching is really concerned with, these two things, from which flows all other things. I would love to see revival, have read of it, and seen some small measure of it in times past, but oh for such an outpouring of God's Spirit upon the dry and parched lands, that will effect a recovery of the church to its inheritance in Christ, all aglow with God's love and mercy, and testimonies that cannot be gainsaid.

Pastor Mike wrote:
Five good reasons to quit church:
1. There's no proof God exists
2. The Bible is false
3. It's a scam
4. It's dehumanizing
5. People can take care of themselves

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

B.Rith wrote:
Why yes of course! - it comes from the Bible. Can't you see that?
Try interpreting "sunthapto" especially the "thapto" part.
Also:
"It is quite evident that both words, bapto and baptizo, had other meanings, such as “to wash,” “to bathe,” and to “purify by washing.” The idea of washing or purification gradually became the prominent idea, while that of the manner in which this took place retired more and more into the background. That this purification was sometimes effected by sprinkling, is evident from Num. 8:7; 19:13,18,19,20; Ps. 51:7; Ezek. 36:25; Heb. 9:10. In Judith 12:7 and Mark 7:3,4 we cannot possibly think of dipping."
"Neither is this possible in connection with the following passages of the New Testament: Matt. 3:11; Luke 11:37,38; 12:50; Rom. 6:3; I Cor. 12:13; Heb. 9:10 (cf. verses 13,14,19, 21); I Cor. 10:1,2. Since the word baptizo does not necessarily mean “to immerse,” and because the New Testament does not in any case explicitly assert that baptism took place by immersion, the burden of proof would seem to rest on the Baptists." (L.Berkof)

B.Rith wrote:
And because they used the term "buried" the Baptists applied the method used in European countries, which is to dig a hole and 'dunk' the body into it.
And hey presto the Baptists invented immersion??????????
However Christ was buried in the middle eastern way of cave with a humungous stone rolled in front of it.
So the myth goes on that the poor Baptists couldn't think of a way to copy the cave/stone method and went for the European ground dunking instead. Is that how it happened in 1521 Anabaptist time?
That's Baptist theology for you!!!

John for JESUS wrote:
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (II Timothy 3:2-4 NKJV)
Doesn't that imply they love those sins rather than loving God? They choose those things over loving God which they could also do? Otherwise, why say "rather than"?

John for JESUS wrote:
Like when people are lovers of sin more than lovers of God, so they remain in it by choice.

John for JESUS wrote:
Scriptures teach that Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the world and those in Christ are the ones who have their sins atoned for. God sovereignly lets people decide to trust in Him or not.

John for JESUS wrote:
1) I've always said in Christ to receive atonement for sins because Jesus is our propitiation. He didn't propitiate all people's sins, He is the propitiation. There is a difference.
2) Jesus accomplished the salvation of those who had believed in God up to that point and for those who trust in Jesus thereafter.
3) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2

B.Rith wrote:
And because they used the term "buried" the Baptists applied the method used in European countries, which is to dig a hole and 'dunk' the body into it.
And hey presto the Baptists invented immersion??????????
However Christ was buried in the middle eastern way of cave with a humungous stone rolled in front of it.
So the myth goes on that the poor Baptists couldn't think of a way to copy the cave/stone method and went for the European ground dunking instead. Is that how it happened in 1521 Anabaptist time?
That's Baptist theology for you!!!

John for JESUS wrote:
4) They will be condemned if they haven't trusted in Jesus, who is the propitiation for their sins.

What prayer do you pray for the unsaved? Is there anything that you can ask God to do for them? Are you ever so careful to only ask for stuff that does not involve God violating man's sovereign will?

John for JESUS wrote:
I think it is best to believe what 1 John 2:2 says:

Michael Hranek wrote:
Grace is indeed there in election but it goes so much farther than stopping there, why it even involves such things as driving a tractor trailer with a 44,000 pound load in snow and sub-zero themperatures knowing in such things the presence of the Good Shepherd, Jehovah, as one's refuge and strength a very present help in trouble.
Grace/Mercy affecting all of life not just church on Sunday morning, although it is increasingly needed there, which is a whole other story.

Michael Hranek wrote:
That said, in my case part of it was people in NY and TN both who didn't even know me who prayed and interceeded that God would make Himself real to me and save me, until after about 2 years of their labors in prayer, in the witnesses God brought into my life that I would listen to, who would tell me the Truth of Christ, not the RC nonsense/Tradition I was raised in, in the thorough conviction He brought in my life that I was a guilty hell deserving sinner whom He loved, without any merit on my part, whom He gave His Son to die for, He broke my heart and brought me to wanting to be a real Christian, even though I didn't begin to comprhend all that would mean not a pretend Sunday morning kind and that He saved me May 10th 1980 around 6 or 7 pm and the next morning I knew I had been born again

Michael Hranek wrote:
Duh
"Free will" (people can mean different things by this)
is not all that massive an obstacle to God, or don't you believe/trust in the Sovereignty of God, the truly immeasurable worth of Jesus Christ (and of knowing Him and serving Him) and that nothing is impossible with God?
Or just give a Calvinistic/Reformed/DOG/TULIP/Dhort/WCF lip service to such things?

Michael Hranek wrote:
Dear Duh,
If you really want to know what I pray for my lost loved ones, ask God to burden you to pray and interceed for the lost He wants saved then throw yourself into the Word and find out for your own self, I trust it will be much the same as what I pray and ask Him for, thank you very much.

As explained, I have no problems with prayer or persistent prayer, because the God of the Bible is determined to save the people that he gave to his Son. So when I pray according to his will, I believe he can abase people, open their hearts and bring them to faith.

Michael Hranek wrote:
CV
Tota Scriptura (all of Scripture)
When we speak of prayer we ought not divorce it from the full context of the Bible
How many days did Daniel pray?
Was there spiritual warfare going on?
How about Elijah? How long was the time of drought and after the fire fell did he pray one time and give up before the rain fell?

God is at the mercy of man's will according to your theology.

Prov 21:1
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

John for JESUS wrote:
4) Like a medicine that must be taken to be cured.

On the one hand you insist satisfaction was made for every person, which would mean that God can no longer be angry with anyone, and then you duck and dive (seeing the absurdity of your logic) to then insist that one has to be in Christ to benefit from this satisfaction. How silly!

According to your silly theology (if we dare call it that) God achieved absolutely nothing by the work of Christ. Christ only made something possible. People have to complete the process by saving themselves. God is now impotent to open hearts, to bring conviction etc. lest it jeopardize someone's precious free will. Ha! Beyond belief!

What, if anything, do you pray that God will do for the unconverted, since according to you God cannot violate anyone's will?

Prov 21:1
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.