3/5/21

DID GOD PREDETERMINE THE LOST? by steve finnell

 

https://steve-finnell.blogspot.com/2016/11/

DID GOD PREDETERMINE THE LOST? by steve finnell


Did God predestine which individuals would be lost before the earth was created? No, all those who reject Jesus as the Son of God, all those who deny that God raised Jesus from the dead, and all who refuse to comply with His terms for pardon will be lost. 

Does God force certain men to reject Jesus and be lost? Of course not, men have free-will.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from His power,(NASB)

Who will be lost? Those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. Men have a choice to obey the gospel or reject it.

God does not force men to deny Jesus as Lord and Savior.

God does not force men to deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

God does not force men to deny that Jesus is the Son of God.

God does not force men to claim the baptism is not essential for salvation.

God does not force men to believe that sprinkling water on a person is Christian baptism.

God does not force men to believe that there are other ways to be saved besides the gospel of Jesus Christ.

God does not force men to believe that He individually selects some men to be saved and all others to burn in hell.

God does not force men to become atheists.

God does not force to believe and be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.(NASB)

Men will be lost because they do love the truth. They will not be lost because God chose them as individuals to burn in hell before time began.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.(NASB)

God will send a deluding influence because men refuse to believe the truth. God does not prevent men from believing the truth, it is every man's choice.

The truth is available: Mark 16:16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved...(NASB) John 3:16, Acts 2:38, Romans 10:9, 1 Peter 3:21.

God does not select certain individual to be lost due to no fault of their own nor does God arbitrarily save men against their will.