RC Sproul 15 Is God willing that any should perish?

In 2004, Real 2 Real Ministries / The Apologetics Group produced a 4-1/2 hour video documentary, Amazing Grace - The History and Theology of Calvinism. It was popular and sold over 30,000 copies. R.C. Sproul's interview was the high point of the series as he succinctly explained the Reformed doctrines of grace. However, some of the interview was cut from the final product. In this series, we present the raw, unvarnished interview with R.C. Sproul in its entirety.

[@SerendipitousProvidence]

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting ANYONE to perish , but everyone to come to repentance . But the day of the Lord will come like a thief." You ask why is everyone not saved then? "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together , as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! " "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him , though he is not far from each one of us ." "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself ." ( Jesus and the Father are one! ) These avenues of thoughts in God does not make sense in your unconditional election. “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” From those God draws ( all men ), WHOEVER comes will be given to Christ. God draws all and those who are willing are given to Him by the Father and they are the elect. Paul had a disciple named Clementine who was well taught and favored and mentioned in the Bible. Do you know what he says? John had a disciple named Polycarp who had a disciple named Irenaeus, do you want to know what he said? In Philippians 4:3 Paul mentions “my fellowlabourers” “in the gospel,” and he names “Clement,” whose name he said was written “in the book of life…” History knows this man, who was Paul’s companion and who was endorsed by the Scriptures themselves, as Clement of Rome. Clement said, “It is therefore in the power of every one, since man has been made possessed of free-will, whether he shall hear us to life, or the demons to destruction.”[7] Clement said that “free-will” was given because “he who is good by his own choice is really good; but he who is made good by another under necessity is not really good, because he is not what he is by his own choice…”[8] Clement also said that the reason a sinner was susceptible to God’s punishment for their disobedience was because a sinner has the ability to obey God. He said, “For no other reason does God punish the sinner either in the present or in the future world, except because He knows that the sinner was able to conquer but neglected to gain the victory.”[9] The reason that a sinner is punishable for sinning, he said, is because a sinner is able not to sin. He said that a sinner is punished, not for his inability but for his negligence. Below from (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 4, chapter 37, paragraphs 1 - 7) 1. This expression [of our Lord], ‘How often would I have gathered thy children together, and thou wouldest not,’ set forth the ancient law of human liberty, because God made man a free [agent] from the beginning, possessing his own power, even as he does his own soul, to obey the behests (ad utendum sententia) of God voluntarily, and not by compulsion of God. For there is no coercion with God, but a good will [towards us] is present with Him continually. And therefore does He give good counsel to all. And in man, as well as in angels, He has placed the power of choice (for angels are rational beings), so that those who had yielded obedience might justly possess what is good, given indeed by God, but preserved by themselves. On the other hand, they who have not obeyed shall, with justice, be not found in possession of the good, and shall receive condign punishment: for God did kindly bestow on them what was good; but they themselves did not diligently keep it, nor deem it something precious, but poured contempt upon His super-eminent goodness. Rejecting therefore the good, and as it were spewing it out, they shall all deservedly incur the just judgment of God

[@smeatonlighthouse4384]

Get yourself a better translation, the translation quoted gives totally the wrong idea.

[@t.w.wright2520]

@@smeatonlighthouse4384 expound on your translation then. I’m not mocking but this should be explored.

[@littlefishbigmountain]

@@smeatonlighthouse4384 Which translation(s) do you recommend?

[@undefined5831]

Romans 9 English Standard Version God's Sovereign Choice 9 I am speaking the truth in Christ-I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit- 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,[a] my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad-in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls- 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory- 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel[c] be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.” Israel's Unbelief 30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness[d] did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

[@twaho]

The simple answer, sproul was a false teacher

[@nachoooooo800]

I appreciate how he handles himself with tact and love, but my main problem with this video and with reformed theology in general is his initial statement, where he calls the possible scriptural interpretation that God loves everyone and desires that ALLwould turn from wickedness and spend eternity with Him “problematic”...

[@joshuatheo1419]

Yes, it's problematic and unbiblical.

[@jdhaole7650]

He says that on the surface, these passages seem problematic for the reformed view.

[@timffoster]

There's nothing wrong with saying that a verse is problematic. It means that it is problematic to understand it against the rest of scripture, ...or against the rest of one's interpretation of scripture. It is not possible to read through the Bible and say "I see no problematic verses." How about 2 Sam 24:1? Deut 28:63? Is 63:17? I could give you a much longer list if you'd like.

[@12111scott]

@@jdhaole7650 and on the flip side that is not mentioned is all the “problematic” verses for non-reformed ie. chosen, predestined, elect, given, loved, hated... I reside more in the reform camp truly for one main reason and that is these things are dealt with in scripture with Calvinist and danced around w Arminians. God is sovereign and it’s ok.

[@petedewitt9123]

It's problematic because we're told clearly in scripture that pharoa, Esau, Judas and others are not God's people and therefore not God's elect. Is it really problematic to say that not all are saved when that's what scripture says?

[@1776iscool]

I think R.C Sproul is a pretty good theologian, but holy cow this is a stretch.

[@rpavich]

Not at all it’s called sound hermeneutics. Every armian that I’ve come across just assumes the text’s meaning based on what they think and never actually deals with anything grammatical syntactical or contextual

[@sheldonbass4238]

I pray for every person who has commented on this thread. I am saddened that such harsh words could be exchanged between souls who all claim to be in Christ. I love the way R.C. Sproul and many other leading theologians of today, even though they disagree on certain points of theology, are able to share their understandings in a spirit of Love. Let's not be so concerned with who is wrong, because we are all sinners-we're all wrong, and God is right. Some scriptures do have ambiguities. But the reality is found in Christ, through faith in Him. I love theology, because I love God, but I know I will still be studying the bible until my last day on earth, because I don't know it all and never will. A wise soul has a humble and teachable spirit. Pride is a nefarious trap, and we'd all do well to pray for one another, out of a pure heart-a heart of love for Christ Jesus and for one another. Blessings.

[@reynaldodavid2913Jo]

Sheldon Bass, You wrote : ''A wise soul has a humble and teachable spirit.'' I agree, If the teacher is God sent.... But what if the teacher embraces the evil doctrine of Calvinism like R C Sproul?

[@bobbyadkins6983]

According to Calvinism, everyone is only doing what they were ordained to do. If you are a Calvinist, how can you find fault with what people do unless you were ordained to? Not asking this in a hateful or insulting way.

[@christopherstroud8621]

@@bobbyadkins6983 We can be ordained to grow. Starting off very confused we grow a little at a time. After a bit we are more understanding of others, a bit more and we learn how to help them, a bit more and we think we are so special God trips us up to show us not to get proud.

[@chriscagle4226]

I think it’s a hot issue because the Calvinist God has ordained people for destruction according to this argument (He ordains by only choosing some for life). So we can argue without being hateful and still do it in love, but if you believe in the Calvinist doctrine, it represents God in a very specific way that might not be initially inferred by the scriptures

[@ReformedSooner24]

@@reynaldodavid2913Jo it can cite more in-context passages of Holy scripture than Arminianism, which is not evil but simply a fallacy, ever can. Now kindly stop trying to derail the peacemaking of the original commenter and keep that nonsense to yourself.

[@bobbyadkins6983]

There's nothing problematic about Peter's statement in 2 Peter 3:9. Nor is 2 Peter 2:1 problematic. Acts 20:28 says that God purchased them with His own blood. It agrees perfectly with 2 Peter 2:1. There are some people who backslide after becoming born again believers. Demas is an example. If he was never truly converted then surely the apostle Paul would have known. Paul gives the reason for his backsliding, because he loved this present world. He didn't say it was because he wasn't part of the elect. It would make no sense to say He bought them if salvation was never available to them. I can see why it's a problem text to those who deny that Jesus died for everyone which goes against clear biblical teaching.

[@PrinceDarius777]

Amén!

[@touchofgrace3217]

Calvinism redefines words like elect as select and predestined as predetermined in order to make them fit Calvin’s doctrine of disgrace so it shouldn’t be surprising that a Calvinist would redefine a passage of scripture in order to make it fit. But it is surprising and sad.

[@ILoveOldTWC]

Yes, and it's heresy and false.

[@truth7416]

This man is problematic”and.pathetic! He is a 5-Point Calvinist and has taught it all his life and then he tries to answer what he knows is sensitive. Well listen to Sprouls teacher and the Calvinist founder say it clearly. Yes god not only doesn't want to save he enjoys and delights in destroying them. ( but R C Sproul in his own mind isn't one of them.....lol) "God arranges all things by his sovereign counsel, in such a way that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death and are to glorify him by their destruction.( John Calvin Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) Sproul then blames god for thinking up the sin and then forcing people and angels to do it. “The devil, and the whole train of the ungodly, are in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how muchsoever they may have planned, move a single finger to perpetrate, unless in so far as he permits, nay unless in so far as he commands, that they are not only bound by his fetters but are even forced to do him service” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17, Paragraph 11) Forget this cult leader! The following is real truth 1 Timothy 2 : 3-6 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. Acts 2 :21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off-.... John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Truth IN Love

[@danieljuarez5243]

The Greek word for “elect” eklektos literally means “select”. The greek word for “predestined” proorizō literally means to “predetermine”

[@danieljuarez5243]

And it’s not “Calvin’s doctrine”. Calvinism came about years after John Calvin died

[@touchofgrace3217]

@@danieljuarez5243 God, before the foundation of the world, elected to justify those who seek to know Him and punish those whose do not, just as He did under the Old Covenant. He did not select which ones who would choose to seek Him. He predestined everyone to seek Him but he did not predetermine who would. Calvinism distorts God’s sovereignty and grossly denies God’s righteousness with its redefinition of those terms.

[@danielszymkowski6856]

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

[@1776iscool]

I guess we should be Catholic then because otherwise that's not happening.

[@jeremyhorne1997]

Well, the Bible clearly says that God is not willing that any should perish. Maybe the problem isn't with the text but the "expert." Only if you hold to the false doctrine of Calvinism is this scripture a "problem."

[@brianc81]

"Well, the Bible clearly says that God is not willing that any should perish" Then none will perish. It's that simple Will Worshipper.

[@1974jrod]

If RC thought that passage was difficult for reformers to deal with, then he should have read 1 Timothy 2: 3 and 4.

[@1920s]

Just as he desires for people to keep His commandments, but they don't. It's not His decretive will that every single solitary person is to be saved.

[@nachoooooo800]

With love as a brother In Christ I’d like to ask: where does scripture mention/explain the concept of God’s hidden/declared will?

[@1974jrod]

@@nachoooooo800 John 6. Explicitly talks about the will of the father.

[@nachoooooo800]

1974jrod Just want to make sure, is God’s revealed will/ declared will the same concept as God’s revealed/secret will? I’ve heard various wording so just want to be sure

[@1974jrod]

@@nachoooooo800 not really understanding what you are saying. Sorry. John 6 explicitly tells us the Will of the Father.

[@CristhianS]

The parallelism with what Jude (1:4) wrote and the latest biblical scholarship, as seen in the newest ESV version (Jude 1:5), demonstrate without doubt that Jesus is the 'despotes'. The term 'agorazo' does not always need to be explicitely followed by terms like 'blood' to denote Christ's redemptive work (1 Cor 6:20 & 7:23, Rev 14:3-4, Gal 3:13 & 4:15). 2 Peter 2:1 does indeed indicate that Christ's death redeemed the evildoers who later denied Him.

[@tomm6167]

"What father holding his little girl’s hand crossing a busy street would ever let it go? The more she pulls, the tighter he squeezes. There is no way she is going anywhere! Is God any different? The argument that a person can choose hell by rejecting God as a result of 'free' will is in effect saying a little girl has more strength than her dad. God has given man a 'measure' of free will, but certainly not to the degree that He would allow him or her to damn themselves forever in torment. Is God less of a parent than we are (Matt. 7:11)?" -- Gerry Beauchemin, _Hope Beyond Hell,_ 2010, pg. 38 People can resist God for longer than a lifetime, but not forever: "And I [Jesus], when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." (John 12:32)

[@tedprice5828]

The atonement must cover all sins, otherwise the curse has not been reversed and there is still unjudged sin roaming the universe.

[@firingallcylinders2949]

The judgement happens in deaths. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. There is no "unjudged sin roaming the universe". Everyone has to answer for their actions, it's not as if some people are going to get away with their sin.

[@tedprice5828]

If your sin has not been atoned for you may question Gods righteousness in condemning you. But if it has been there can be no excuse that you did not avail yourself of it. Old hymn writers write that the curse has been reversed. All this is for Gods purposes and not humanity.

[@smeatonlighthouse4384]

God has not 'willed' it that anyone should perish. End of argument.

[@rhondae8222]

There is no argument. There is only truth in the Word of God (Christ). Although God (Christ) does not will that anyone should perish, that doesn't mean he will save everyone. Christ died for His elect only and, according to Scripture, most people are going to hell. The bible makes it clear that few will enter the narrow gate and be saved, and many will enter the broad gate that leads to hell (Matthew 7:13-14).

[@brianc81]

Except the 'any" are his elect. Peter clearly writes to believers. God is longsuffering towards USWARD (the believers in Christ) and does not 'will' any to perish. Clearly the passage is NOT talking about every individual without exception.

[@theosophicalwanderings7696]

Calvinists complain that Arminians twist passages to fit their view, yet here is a perfect example of a Calvinist doing the same thing. One of many I might add. Also, what does “bought” mean if not redeemed?

[@rpavich]

You were making the Calvinist claim lol. Bought has lots of meanings, it’s not an English word. It’s a Greek word and a translation of a Greek word. If you want to do sound her, you have to ask yourself many questions about the text, who is speaking to who, what is the occasion, what are the words used, and how does the Bible writer use these words. There are lots of things rather than just reading the passage and assuming the meeting based on what you think.

[@WellManNerd]

First sentence(and others throughout) “that problematic statement about God is not willing that any should perish” is not problematic for a sovereign God, only for deterministic thought

[@DavidLopez-bq5en]

From what I’ve looked up in Strongs Concordance and on the internet the Greek work is kyrios. Where did he get this other Greek word?

[@isaacschlipp8169]

0:07 He's referring to 2 Peter 2:1 NASB - But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master (despotes) who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

[@bobbyadkins6983]

It should be indeed a very difficult text for Calvinists.

[@vishalsuresh3637]

@@jumjum151 so God wants to save everyone but cannot, so He punishes the sins of those who He doesn't save alone? That seems like a contradiction

[@vishalsuresh3637]

@@jumjum151In Ephesians, chose us IN HIM doesn't seem to be referring to salvation but service. All of that still doesn't answer the contradiction caused by God only choosing some for salvation but punishing the rest for their sins. Our God is a righteous God. If God only punishes the unelect, isn't He being partial toward them? Also, God desiring all to come to repentance but only choosing some seems to be a great contradiction in calvinist theology. John 12 says that as Christ is lifted up, ALL men are drawn toward Him.

[@kimberleerivera3334]

Not enough room in Heaven?

[@ILoveOldTWC]

Yes it should because it contradicts and decimates (though they won't admit that) their belief system. God doesn't want anybody to go to hell. But He gave man a will, and He didn't create us to be robots. So, many DO go to hell, but they decide that for themselves. God doesn't interfere with it. He does know ultimately the choices people will make, but He doesn't use that knowledge to control man.

[@kimberleerivera3334]

@@vishalsuresh3637 PRAISE OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST! GLORY TO GOD! Calvinism shows what is in "man" --- The same old selfish mind that says --- what the pharisee said to GOD --- "I thank you GOD for not making me like other sinful human beings, "I'm one of the elect!" I'm forgiven --- but the rest of the poor slobs can go to hell. JESUS said HE knew what was (in) "man" and HE did not trust HIMSELF to them. And neither do I.

[@bobfree1226]

There is only one Reason why GOD knowing his creation of people, would SIN (which IS a Transgression against HIS Holy standards)is that HE wanted Free Creatures to share in HIS Love and Worship!!! HOW could he then send all of mankind to everlasting destruction knowing that We are not Gods so we WILL Sin. AS Piper said, if calvanism is correct then GOD is ultimately Responsible!! GOD could have made man without sin and save all of US,but here is where it makes no sense.We would be in a world of automatons,SO God set the TREE so that WE all could see that HE wanted Willing free creatures.We as Humans could not avoid in any way our Sin Nature, So its calvanisms misunderstanding that is in Error.Man is free with GODS Grace to Obey the Gospel or Reject it. And that puts man in Position an man is now responsible for his actions -God is not the author of SIN.Man is free but in bondage to Sin and its penalties. God is still in Control all the way ,but HE gives man a way out of his sinful condition,not by forcing anyone!! NO again thru LOVE in christ Jesus!!

[@robinl6659]

Piper ain’t all that!

[@truth7416]

This man is problematic”and.pathetic! He is a 5-Point Calvinist and has taught it all his life and then he tries to answer what he knows is sensitive. Well listen to Sprouls teacher and the Calvinist founder say it clearly. Yes god not only doesn't want to save he enjoys and delights in destroying them. ( but R C Sproul in his own mind isn't one of them.....lol) "God arranges all things by his sovereign counsel, in such a way that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death and are to glorify him by their destruction.( John Calvin Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) Sproul then blames god for thinking up the sin and then forcing people and angels to do it. “The devil, and the whole train of the ungodly, are in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how muchsoever they may have planned, move a single finger to perpetrate, unless in so far as he permits, nay unless in so far as he commands, that they are not only bound by his fetters but are even forced to do him service” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17, Paragraph 11) Forget this cult leader! The following is real truth 1 Timothy 2 : 3-6 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. Acts 2 :21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off-.... John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Truth IN Love

[@bry440]

explain to me the context and purpose of Romans 9

[@PrinceDarius777]

A great example of how far people are willing to go to dance around the text.

[@JeanmarieRod]

So are you saying that all are saved, based on taking this one verse out of context?

[@zachnichols9044]

No. This is a great example of why it’s important to understand the original greek text. Many times when people translated the original manuscripts into English there wasn’t a 1 for 1 word (meaning the greek word didn’t exist in English), so the translator used the closest thing to it. In this case the English word Lord was used to translate the greek, but some of the original meaning of the text was lost due to translation. (Also that doesn’t mean that the text isn’t trustworthy)

[@rhondae8222]

Christ died for His elect only.

[@rhondae8222]

Dr Sproul is not dancing around the text. He's explaining the meaning of the text.

[@PrinceDarius777]

@@rhondae8222 what are you talking about he admits himself that this text is troublesome for himself and will do anything to insert his theology into the text rather than just accepting the text for what it says.

[@friendlyfire7509]

Heres a question: does Gods sovereignty necessitate conformity?

[@pastordavidberman2091]

so its clear he is trying to explain this away

[@bobbyadkins6983]

Yes He is and he did a very poor job at it I must say.

[@julianmanjarres1998]

@@bobbyadkins6983 because these verses tear Calvinism apart.

[@truth7416]

Galatians 1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! If you talk to a MORMON about their founder Joseph Smith who invented the movement in 1820. If you were to say that it is heresy for Joseph Smith to say that Jesus was just an ordinary man like any man, that then evolved into a god who then created this universe. And he also teaches that all men will evolve to god hood and then create their own universes. They and their wives will then create and populate that universe by their off spring. The first thing they do is...... DEFEND THE FOUNDER!! DEFEND HIS DISCIPLES !! If you talk to a JEHOVAH WITNESS about their founder Charles Taze Russell who invented the movement in 1870. If you were to say that it is heresy for Charles Russell to say that Jesus was really Michael the Arch Angel that came to earth and became Jesus for a period of time and is now back being an Angel. The first thing they do is..... DEFEND THE FOUNDER!! DEFEND HIS DISCIPLES!! If you talk to a MUSLIM about their founder Muhammad who invented the movement in 570 AD. If you were to say that it is heresy Muhammad to say that Jesus was just a minor prophet and not God in the flesh. The first thing they do is.... DEFEND THE FOUNDER!! DEFEND THE HIS DISCIPLES!! If you talk to a CALVINIST about their founder John Calvin who invented the movement in 1536. If you were to say that it is heresy for John Calvin to say Quote "God arranges all things by his sovereign counsel, in such a way that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death and are to glorify him by their destruction.( John Calvin Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) and “The devil, and the whole train of the ungodly, are in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how muchsoever they may have planned, move a single finger to perpetrate, unless in so far as he permits, nay unless in so far as he commands, that they are not only bound by his fetters but are even forced to do him service” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17, Paragraph 11) The first thing they do is .... DEFEND THE FOUNDER!! DEFEND HIS DISCIPLES!! Lets look at the greatest living disciple of Calvinism living today John Piper and what he has to say. QUOTE from is website... "God . . . brings about all things in accordance with his will. In other words, it isn’t just that God manages to turn the evil aspects of our world to good for those who love him; it is rather that he himself brings about these evil aspects for his glory (see Ex. 9:13-16; John 9:3) and his people’s good (see Heb. 12:3-11; James 1:2-4). This includes-as incredible and as unacceptable as it may currently seem-God’s having even brought about the Nazis’ brutality at Birkenau and Auschwitz as well as the terrible killings of Dennis Rader and even the sexual abuse of a young child . . . If you talk to a Christian about their founder The LORD JESUS CHRIST who started the movement before the Universe began. If you were to say that it is heresy to say that Jesus is the Son of God! The Messiah! The saviour of the World! God in the Flesh! The only true God! The Creator! Love! The first thing the Christian would do is.... DEFEND THE CREATOR!! DEFEND HIS DISCIPLES!! They would turn to Gods Word, like: TRUTH IN LOVE

[@sooner1867]

RC was desperate to make the Bible conform to his religion.

[@bry440]

who was Peter writing to in 2 Peter? by all means tell me.

[@hillmac376]

Peter was writing to believers and he told them that God was not willing that any of them should perish.

[@bry440]

amen, it was a rhetorical question for all the free-willers@@hillmac376

[@bry440]

@@hillmac376thank you, someone with common sense

[@brianc81]

@@hillmac376 exactly. Not hard to understand. If God is not willing that any (everyone without exception) should perish, then NONE will perish. The Will Worshipper loves making God into a weak SAVIOUR who can't do anything unless man let's him. This is the damable heresy of SYNERGISM and the strong delusion spoken of in 2 Thess 2:10-15

[@jeredmckenna]

He seems to be bending over backwards to downplay the Good news, instead calling it "problematic". A better answer might be "Yes, how beautiful that God wills that all should be saved! God's love is for everyone, freely offered to everyone. I hope more people come to realize the freedom they have in Christ." boom. easy answer. Biblical, sound, reasonable, positive, etc. Sproul is like I used to be: always feeling like he needs to defend a particular doctrinal ideology rather than rejoice in the salvation of God.

[@lovejoypeaceforever]

"I HAVE CHOSEN THEE, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS"

[@bobbyadkins6983]

Yes, that's what he said to the entire nation of Israel. But what happened to all but a remnant?

[@bobbyadkins6983]

Yes He did. But most rejected Him. He chose them but they kept on turning away from Him. We love Him because He first loved us. But not everyone loves God in return. Jesus loved the rich young ruler but the rich young ruler didn't love Jesus in return. God must make a move towards us first, but then we must respond to Him in the right way willing to surrender to Him.

[@WellManNerd]

Deals with service, not salvation

[@samuelrosenbalm]

The text does not say that they deny the Lord who died for them. It says they deny the Lord who bought them. When Jesus was raised, all power in heaven and earth was given to Him. He is the heir of all things. He owns everything, including every person. He will rule all with a rod of iron. That's not to say He died, and makes intercession, for every person. But that every person, both elect and non-elect, will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, for the Lord to do with them as He will. As it is written, if the Son of man be lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself. Every person, both elect and non-elect, will one day kneel before Him. All are beholden to Him. The earth is His footstool.

[@ljjdcm]

“All” here doesn’t mean all in the sense of every individual person in the whole world, but rather all kinds of people /Individuals within different groups of people throughout the world - confirmation of this is found in the Greek lexicon. God is not willing that any of the elect shall perish, but all the elect will be saved. 3:01

[@stephengorman1025]

All without distinction not all without exception is an argument that does not work no matter how much you appeal to the Greek. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the Sin of the World and if I be lifted up I will draw all people to myself. If the text meant some not all the Greek would have plainly said that. God is patient and kind because he is Love and Love never fails, He will make Mankind in His image. Now that is Good News.

[@brianc81]

@@stephengorman1025 If Christ atoned for and paid the sin debt for every individual without exception, then Hell will be empty! You can't have Christ atoning for every person and yet they go to Hell to die in their sin that Christ atoned for. This is called double jeopardy and makes no sense. The Bible CLEARLY teaches that He shall save his people from their sin (Matt 1:21) and he lays his life down for the SHEEP (not the goats) John 10:11-15, John 10:24-29

[@stephengorman1025]

Firstly what do you mean by hell? Sheol/Hades, Gehenna, Tartarus, The Lake of Fire? The word Hell is not found in the Greek. Secondly what does Paul mean by all in Colossians 1v15-20 and every in Phillipians 2v9-11. There are many more but that's a good place to start. Grace and Peace.

[@brianc81]

@@stephengorman1025 You know exactly what I am talking about. Don't play stupid! The English translation is 'HELL' aka the lake of fire. Universal atonement is damnable heresy and it makes Christ into nothing but a failure. Colossians says ALL things (not people). You can't have an effectual, substitutional atonement for everyone's sin without exception and then have a people die in their sin that Christ atoned for. Jesus CLEARLY said in John 10:11-15 He laid his life down for the sheep. Isaiah 53:10-12 is also CLEAR. "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." This is particular redemption/limited atonement.

[@clelladams2326]

Peter makes a Problematic Statement? This man doesn't believe God says what he means, nor means what he says. It's not Peter, it's the very Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity, God himself who makes this statement. 2 Peter 3:9 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. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. You have to have a man to help you Misunderstand this.

[@villiestephanov984]

Deuter.32:6 is a atonement of the 5th Angel of R. 16:10 for all those of the time in Matthew's 16:26 exchange for His Soul. Their graves so to speak are in Ezekiel 6:14 cemetery :) Who brings forth the Chariot and horse, the army and the power, as our salvation also in the time of trouble. When Isaiah'19:19 reads your tombstone in the day of 17:7, a man will look to his Maker and his eyes will have respect ...

[@DrChrisPM]

Same word that's translated Lord / Master in 2 Peter 2:1 is used to refer to Jesus in Jude 4!!!!

[@MarcoGonzaG]

R.C. Sproul: "that word [despoten] is next to never used with respect to Jesus" Bible: 2 Peter 2.1b "denying even the Master (δεσπότην→despoten) that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction" Jude 1:4b "ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master (δεσπότην→despoten) and Lord (Κύριον→kyrios), Jesus Christ." Literally the only two times that word appears in the NT. I love R.C. Sproul but his analysis is very biased in everything that refers to Calvinismνliterally, the only two t

[@davidmaye6780]

Who are we to understand why God chose some and not others?

[@julianmanjarres1998]

Because it contradicts his expressed desire in the bible for all to be saved, and that he is sad for the lost. This is incompatible with Calvinism

[@losnfjslefn8857]

Because God is filled with far more love than any human, and yet even Paul loved his fellows so much that he expressed his willingness to suffer if it meant they could be saved. If Paul loves his fellow man that much, how much more does God love His creation?

[@rosschenault4227]

I gotta say. I have much material from RC and consider him to be one of my mentors. I’m close to Calvinism but think they go to far and are guilty of overthinking in two areas: regeneration before faith. And limited atonement. But I gotta say- his response was weak on this verse. He also ignored the other verse that God is not willing that any should perish. Here’s what I don’t get about one of the mantras of Calvinists: We have a completely unprecedented event in the cross. Then Calvinists want to overlay statements of silliest truth on top of the event with no scriptural support to do so. They say: “if Christ died die all then all would be saved”. Otherwise God is a failure. Who says? Scripture does not say that. It’s simply a Calvinist platitude. Like I said- it’s not like we have other times to learn from with past sacrifices for the sin of mankind in crucifixion. This is simply asserted and we’re supposed to roll over and concede to it. Why? Yes- we know in the mind of the eternal God He knows who will be true believers and who the elect will be so the atonement for the those who do not repent and believe is not effectual for them. But there’s nothing heretical or unscriptural in principle to take the natural reading of scripture that Christ is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In due time Christ died for the ungodly. If Christ only died for the elect then only the elect were ungodly. John 3:16 which Calvinist go to great lengths to explain away as they do other verses like he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Gif is not the author of confusion. Christ is presented in the Bible as the Savior of mankind. The Savior of the world. Not just the Savior of the elect. ALL are commanded to repent. Therefore in principle ALL can and should repent. Otherwise God is playing word games with us. As I’ve said. I have great restrict for reformer teachers. But as a theological system Calvinism is guilty of theological overthinking and eisegeses. I think the Provisionist view is more in line with Scripture. I’m not an Arminian. It’s clear the gospel is present in scripture to the lost “as if” they should and ought to repent. They are commanded to do so. Once they repent and believe they become part of the body of Christ and therefore the elect. That’s how it works. Whether it fits into our neat little system or not.

[@terryglovier5803]

I pray you haven't decided to ex except the system of Calvinism. Your response shows you don't need their brainwashing just stay with the simplicity of the Word as written with a bunch of word salad as witnessed in this video.

[@rosschenault4227]

@@terryglovier5803 I probably have more materials by RC Sproul and other greet Reformed teachers on my shelf then you do. I’m not anti Calvinist. But it’s not high theology and Sophisticated theological understandings that save people. Some have the capacity for that. I enjoy it myself and went to seminary. But the fact is- it is a persons repentance and trust in Christ finished work on the cross that’s saved them. Whether they’re arena tribesman in New Guinea or an intellectual skeptic who converts to Christianity. It’s child like faith and trust in Christ and his atonement for them that saves them. Not multi point theological systems. Trying to understand God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility might make you a theologian but it won’t make you a saint.

[@timffoster]

Rest assured, RC Sproul is quite familiar with all those other verses in first Timothy 2, 2nd Peter 3, 1st John 2, etc etc etc. In the snippet, he's answering a very very specific question, namely, if limited atonement is true, then what do we make of this verse? All of the other verses about God being willing that all should be saved, or willing that none should perish ... these verses don't come into the specific discussion because if one believes in limited atonement, then one also believes that God elected those who would be saved from before the foundations of the earth, and there is no verse anywhere that suggests or implies that God has elected all people. Quite the opposite, actually. So the verses about "God being willing" properly belong in a discussion about election, and not about limited atonement. His comments about "God purchasing" and not Christ purchasing, however, should be looked into closer. He is factually correct on several points: 1. The Greek word used there is usually associated with God the father, not the Son. 2. There is no mention in this verse of Jesus's blood. This is significant. Especially when we consider that all verses that talk about people who have been purchased with Jesus blood refers specifically to people who have their salvation guaranteed. Jesus's blood is never used in an open-ended fashion about people who may or may not be saved. 3. In the old testament, there are several places where Jesus God the Father talks about having purchase people, yet they rebelled against him and treated him with disrespect. Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32 come to mind. But I'm sure there are others. In these passages the claim is made "I purchased you, and this is how you treat Me??" Peter seems to have this idea in mind when he talks about them "denying the master who bought them" I believe that Motif shows up in Isaiah as well. These people were punished because not only were they not saved, but they never could be saved because they outright denied god, even though they were drafted into Covenant relationship with him by celebrating passover, getting baptized in the red sea, and even being circumcised. Yet their hearts were not with Him. A proper explanation of the concept probably requires a 10-minute video, and not a 4 minute quickie video. As for provisionism, it has many holes. Three of the largest are as follows: - it has a dysfunctional comprehension of the word "election". Eg, it cant explain what an elect Angel is. - proponents of the view, like Dr Leighton Flowers, will pay lip service to the crucifixion being the predestined will of God but then will turn right around and say that it's immoral for God to predestine and plan evil events. Wow! You can't have it both ways. Either Flowers is a poor representative of provisionalism (despite being the loudest proponent), or whoever cobbled together provisionalism simply hasn't thought it through. - God did not send the gospel to entire continents, such as the Western Hemisphere, for 2000 years or more. Hundreds of millions of these pagans reproduced, continued paganism, died, and went to hell without God providing the Gospel to them. What provisions is this? Lots more could be said...

[@rosschenault4227]

@@timffoster I’m sure lots more could be said- because Calvinism dies the death of a thousand qualifications. Limited atonement is false. Many have out our videos to prove this biblically. Kevin Thompson has one called “Limited Atonement Decimated”. Soteriology101 has several as well. Calvinism arises from two faulty and unbiblical premises: 1. Inability. Which is false. Dead in sins does not mean dead like a corpse. 2. A faulty view of what sovereignty means scripturally. For Calvinists it means fatalistic determinism. They try to deny it but that’s what it is. When biblically all it means is God does what He pleases. From these two faulty premises the entire system is built - which makes it a house of cards.

[@ironleatherwood]

RC is not to be trusted.

[@Ken-ur8kt]

frequent high pitch screeches in here. Very hard to listen to

[@1920s]

2 Peter is a letter written to a church of believers, and professing believers. He wants those people in church to come to repentance.

[@1920s]

From the Futon I think you’re right. I’ve been rethinking things.

[@jeremyhorne1997]

When I was first starting out in ministry. I had a pastor tell me to listen to what someone preaches the most and that will indicate who they are. How many times did he just call someone false teachers? Hmmmm. Don't but this garbage, folks. God doesn't arbitrarily pick some to be saved and let the rest go to hell with no hope. And to say that about God is a heretical insult to His perfect nature.

[@robg_]

If God is God, why did he let Satan come into the Garden? I’ll tell you: because God would be an unfair God if he gave us free choice, but then no choices what choice did they have? God spoke to them, and if they didn’t hear anything else but God, what’s the point of free choice? That’s why he let the serpent in God says something, the serpent says something else, and they believe the serpent and choose to disobey God because God is Holy, they had to separate from God in sin and ever since there’s been a war and the war one day will end when every single person on the planet hears about Jesus has the same opportunity as Adam and Eve.

[@christopherstroud8621]

RC quotes 2Peter 3v9 as if we all agreed what it means. But, "God .. is not willing that any should perish." Who are the "any"? Are the any "any" in the world or any in the church? v9 God ... is patient toward you {beloved in Christ to whom this letter is addressed] not wishing that any [of you in the church] should perish. v9 still- that all [of you beloved in Christ] should reach repentance. Even Christians who have set their faces firmly through His grace to obey God will need to repent as they trip up. If this verse is addressed to the church but we take it as addressed to the world I suggest we end up confused. Similarly 1Tim God.... desires all people to be saved, or all types of people to be saved. The types were described in verse 2 as kings and those in high positions.

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

Sorry, Charlie. Any just means any. Not any as in "any member of the Church.' When you start adding words into the God breathed text, you no longer have a God breathed text. Simple. God does not desire that any should perish. He can't so desire that any (and I do mean any) person should perish because doing so would violate God's Nature as defined by Scripture. John the Apostle in his letter (part of the Infallible Word of God) defined God in His Essence as Love. Love is the desire for the Good of the other as other. God is Infinite which means to be without limitations. Thus, St John's Epistle teaches us the simple fact that God wants the Good of All Men without limitation. Yes, The Gospel does warn us that God allows people the freedom to say no to His offer of Eternal Love (a good example of that is found in the story of the Rich Young Man who did not take up Jesus' offer of Eternal Life). Allowing man to freely say no to his free offer of Grace is not the same thing as desiring that any man perish. God does not and can not desire that without violating His own Nature. Further, God can not force men to love Him through "Irrestable Grace without violating logic, but that is a far more subtle argument and will have to wait for a future post. Your Brother in Christ H S

[@christopherstroud8621]

@@hopelessstrlstfan181 HopelessStristfan, Thanks for your reply. You say "Any just means any". Fine that's good but we know that there are different sorts of "any". Any person living in France is not the same group as any under the age of four. Or, any who can swim are not the same group as any who live on planet earth. So "any" refers to a group and that group might be any in the world or it might be a subsection of them. So when we look at "any" it could refer to different groups, how can we be sure which group it is talking about? The word "any" by itself does not tell which group it belongs to. If I said to you "I saw a red" it could be a red bucket, house, car, anything. But if I told you I was looking at new cars and I saw a red then you would know it was a red car. The context tells us what red means. And in 2 Pet 3v9 the context tells us what "any " means. Your brother in Christ CS.

[@christopherstroud8621]

@UCmK1B-nr4GSYYgISlgSo71Q Hi. Thanks. I'm not posting from the US. The specification of "any" in2 Pet3v9 is the context. In the Greek there are no punctuation marks between "patient toward you" and "not wishing that any" they just flow into each other. In Interlinear Greek-English N.T. 3rd edition Baker books the translator has put: "not purposing any [of us] to perish, but all [of us] to repentance to come". i.e. reminding Christians that ongoing repentance is part of the Christian walk. There are lots of things we don't get in the English Bible which are in the Greek.e.g. stephanos and diadema are two sorts of crown in the Greek New Testament. The stephanos was worn by someone winning a race it was leaves woven together and Paul writes we work for a crown that does not perish because this vegetable crown would wilt after a while. The old hymn about "bring forth the royal diadem" was about a crown only worn by royalty. It was made of linen strips tied at the back. One strip if you were king of Upper Egypt and another if you were king of Lower Egypt. In the English language we have only one word "crown" and so in the English N.T. there is only one sort of crown. All this means that the English translation can be different from the Greek and that is what the Interlinear that I mentioned tries to correct. Please don't hate me because I like Greek. CS

[@sponsler]

That is how I heard it too, when he said 'any' it refers to His Own, within the context of whom the letter is addressed. It would have no meaning if it was a letter written to people who wouldn't know about it. It's for Assurance. Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them ("Israel"): 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' " 2 Timothy 2:25 He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

[@2timothy23]

I agree, Christopher. 2 Peter 3:9 has an antecedent for "any" and "all," and it is "us-ward" (in the KJV). And 1 Timothy 2:1-8 is speaking about the exhortation to pray for all men, which is specified in verse 2 as kings and leaders. When we start making "all" to mean all universally without looking at the context, content, and grammar of the verses, we make verses say what they don't say. And I've found that many believers only quote the last part of 2 Peter 3:9 and forget the first part of it or the eight verses that come before it. I find the same problem with Romans 5:8, where the pronoun "us" is referring to believers, but they use it in an evangelistic sense. I understand why they do it, but again, language as context and grammatical rules that shouldn't be ignored to make verses say what we want them to say.

[@AaronShellMusic]

It's amazing how smart one can become and say the dumbest things. This verse is so simple to understand and teach when you let it speak for itself without trying to cram it in a unbiblical view. I wonder if men like these have done more harm then good to the cause of Christ and the reputation of God.

[@richardgarcia3562]

The issue isn’t the text . With respect it’s your theology..

[@dc-wp8oc]

Calvinism is heresy R.C. but now you know the truth.

[@iacoponefurio1915]

Freak show cult member ouy already in a bad place psycho internet expert hahahahaha

[@Qui_Gon_Jinn_76]

The "Elect" is talking about the ones that will be saved during the tribulation. If Calvinism were true then why would Jesus need to die on the cross? Why would Jesus have come in the first place if He had already chosen who He would save. Yes God knows the choice that everyone will make but He still allows us to make that choice. Calvinist believe that the choice is not ours and that we are selected by God. Everything Jesus did would have been pointless if Calvinism were true. Why would anyone even care about right and wrong or living for Jesus if God selected the ones He wanted? Why bother if you believe that? I know this, since I was saved I have only had the desires of God in my heart. I truly love Jesus, and I know in my bones that He was thinking of me on the cross. My heart changed immediately and my eyes were opened. That's what matters. Why overthink the scripture, God did not design it to be this way. So many preachers and others trying to dissect everything in the scriptures to the point that it is making it seem so difficult to belong to Jesus and to know that you belong to Him. I promise you this, if you truly want to serve Him and you truly believe the Gospels, that Jesus died for you and rose from the dead and that He is coming again then baby, you're saved, period. It's not about a sinners prayer or any kind of ceremony, it's about believing. Praise my Almighty God!!!

[@dfischer1709]

Jesus had to die an atonement for sin. The sin of the elect. If man has a part in his salvation God is not sovereign.

[@julianmanjarres1998]

@@dfischer1709 God gave us the free will to make choices. Its pretty simple. We can accept or reject. Ultimately His purposes will be fulfilled. God is only not sovereign if he had to invalidate humans' will by predetermining the exact results of everything. That would be a God so intimidated by his own inability to save that he'd have to force a result. That's not sovereignty, that's insecurity.

[@shakazulu365]

Satan could NOT have twisted scripture as well as Sproul just did.

[@Elmarias777]

...R.C....my brother...I heard a lot of dancing around literary analysis and no exegesis. No real explanation. It is not hard to understand that God purchased everyone with Jesus' blood, and extends His offer of salvation to everyone and the person either places faith in Christ and what He has done for us and receives salvation, or denies Him and remains condemned. In other places he has made it known that he thinks along the lines of "if Christ died die all then all would be saved" when Scripture clearly teaches it is offered to all but all do not accept because many love darkness more than the light, but those who turn to the light are then saved. Once saved, no powers of hell man or angels can pluck us out of His hand, but we are also warned not to wander from the narrow path and to keep the faith, to patiently endure until the end to receive the prize. Meaning, if we confess and then walk away and deny Christ and the Holy Spirit and continue to sin in rebellion, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins. If we blaspheme the Holy Spirit, we commit the unforgivable sin. Very stark warnings which we can over analyze but Christ made it clear that if we deny him, He will deny us. How do we know we are His? If we obey His commandments and Love God with everything we are and love others as ourself. Placing our hopes not in our works but by placing our unwavering trust in Christ. So coming back to the passage in question, those who deny the master who bought them. They possibly at one point believed and walked away, teaching false things in rebellion, or they were still purchased but continued to deny the true master and remain condemned but actively try to lead astray those who do believe. The conflation only occurs if you take Sovereignty as God actively controlling every detail of everything and everyone instead of us actually having choices that matter. Only by adhering to God making a script that cannot be broken rather than actors in the play of life who are given a script to follow for the desired end, but can choose to ad lib whatever they want, either tot he praise of the director or admonishment. Those who adhere to the stipulations of the play will be rewarded by following the conditions, and those who do not were given the penalty ahead of time so they know what will happen if they remain rebellious to the director, so stand condemned already.

[@higiniomorales459]

I get what you saying brother CR S. but, i still disagree with this view on the text. I was an God hating, Christ Jesus rejecting, bible scuffer, hardcore wicked atheist up until the age of 26. If you would've told me back then, that the Lord Jesus Christ died for me, i would've told you, "yeah that nice, now get the hell away from with that Jesus BS". Yet after fighting the convicting and drawing power of the Holy Spirit for nearly 3 month, i gave in, i kneel down and called a pond the Lord, and got saved. I don't care what anyone says, or what the Greek definitions are. I speak English and in my english KJV Bible it says, that Christ Jesus the Lord, God Son died for every Man and Woman, past, present and future. GOD bless and Merry Christmas 2018.

[@wk1810]

"Yet, after fighting the convicting and drawing power of the Holy Spirit for nearly 3 months, I gave in, knelt down, and called upon the Lord, and got saved.". You just confirmed, in your experience, that you were elected to salvation. Comforting thought, isn't it, that God's grace overcame all of your resistance, never once letting up until His Spirit brought you to a humbling need of Christ's salvation? THAT is how much God loves His elect! THAT is why sovereign election is at once, a most beloved and most vilified doctrine. The great comfort and security it gives is immeasurable to those who understand and embrace it. I, for one, will never be persuaded to let it go! And, since you have tasted and know of its sweet, refreshing waters, I encourage you to cherish it as your most treasured gift from the Highest. In His love, a sister.

[@alwaysadawg6488]

It's crazy how, for this guy, a passage that says that God does not want anyone to perish is "problematic".

[@youngsterjoey9038]

it's crazy that you don't understand simple hermeneutics and the context of that passage

[@jayahladas692]

Souls are judged “according to their deeds” in the upcoming Justice Seat of Christ and White Throne Judgment, . That shows that there HAS to be free will, for souls to be responsible for their actions, otherwise having varying degrees of reward or punishment would be impossible. If our actions were predetermined , why have judgment? They would be Kangaroo courts and God would be unjust, which is not possible. If God made us in His image, wouldn’t He pass on free will, also? Hmm.. Think on these things..

[@jayahladas692]

@Ben Jones It sounds good that God would be so loving as to want to save All of his creation, universal reconciliation,, but unfortunately that abrogates his Justice. Jesus delineates the difference: "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. :And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal"- Matthew 25:41,46 Please don't reply with translational differences, etc. I think Every man will be judged according to their deeds, some to everlasting heaven, the majority on the wide road to ??? everlasting punishment, to hell, or spiritual death. "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". - Revelation 20:14-15. This is my unchangeable opinion, I won't be debating.

[@Gratefullybroken]

@Ben Jones does God get everything He desires?

[@paulstalcup3229]

i’ve ask this question in my neighborhood and yet to get a answer maybe someone on here can, what verse in the bible talks about free will

[@littlefishbigmountain]

So…… Is God willing that any should perish?

[@dc-wp8oc]

Not according to any Calvinist. They would rather believe a man than to believe God.

[@lplapuri]

That's whole lot of explanation...I like RC, but he struggled on this one. Very difficult text indeed.

[@stevebosman21]

The doctrine of ‘the Elect’ is very difficult to prove, because those who believe only the elect will be saved, also believe no one knows who the elect are,; only God. So, the Calvinists may well be right, they just cannot prove it, since we all know too little on this side of eternity. I have no need to prove anything to people who love Jesus. We are on the same team. I believe in the doctrine of election on the basis that God looks at everything from eternity. There are no surprises for Him. However, I believe He is not motivated solely by what He knows, but more so by His essence, which is Who He is: Love. Who He is will trump what He knows every time. We may never fully understand His logic for Creation, having full knowledge of the horror sin would bring. Yet, as believers we all have experienced His great love, poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. I don’t believe we were meant to win the argument about His sovereignty. I do believe we are to live in His great love, which He has lavished on us, and to let Him be God, He knows the end from the beginning. That does put everything in perspective. Shalom to you all.

[@eddiesprain8243]

It's difficult to prove because it's not a clear bible doctrine

[@travissharon1536]

The Father bought all, He gave his Son.

[@graham5990]

I am more Calvinistic in my theology, but this is such a sensitive subject. reading through some of these comments you would never think you were watching a Christian video. Some of the debates I have seen between some of you brothers get so nasty and its so unnecessary. People seem to care more about being right and having your "gotcha" moment rather than uplifting/edifying. R.C. Sproul had his theology and debated his own FRIENDS that he disagreed with. It's ok to have theology that does not match lock/step and still have love for a fellow believer. I say we have much more respect and love for one another and present our arguments with much less ignorance/anger and do it with love/edification.

[@twaho]

I hope he repented of his false teachings before he left

[@palabraviva5840]

In Jude verse 4 “despotes” is used clearly for Jesus… Did RC never look into this for himself??? Because it’s right there.. goes to show you we all need to do our homework and not just believe the well known guys… also seems like in Rev 6:10 it’s also used for Jesus… this is really sad and upsetting he should have known where and how despotes is used

[@iacoponefurio1915]

Put down the meth

[@geraldjohnson8871]

*If you want to* *answer to this* *perish-able* *question Go to* *Romans 9:5-9,,13* *Romans **3:22**,29,30*

[@kimberleerivera3334]

JESUS CHRIST TASTED DEATH FOR EVERY MAN! PRAISE OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST! R.C. Sproul, are you denying the ONE WHO bought you?

[@eddiesprain8243]

That verse in Hebrews 2 convinced me that the atonement wasn't limited. Doesn't get any more plain than that unless you are more committed to your systematic than the Bible.

[@rhondae8222]

Praise God (Christ) for the late Dr R.C. Sproul's biblical teachings. 😊

[@palabraviva5840]

Read my response

[@billmartinn9851]

RC Sproul used semantics more than sound , solid, scripture.

[@HardRealist]

"Free will" theology is the view that faith in the Gospel is a matter of personal choice unrelated to the work of God in the heart. Free will believes that nothing is required to cause faith in the Gospel other than a person's choice to believe. This is not the teaching of the Bible. Apart from Adam and Woman (and Christ), no human being has been born with a truly free will. On the contrary, Paul says all men since Adam are born ensalved to sin and cannot choose nor please God by their fallen nature. At the moment the Lord acts to bring faith, the person is born again by the Spirit and is made a slave to Christ. Our prideful nature assumes (and prefers to believe) that we played a part, however small, in our own salvation. We point to our decision to believe in the Gospel as the moment we "chose" Christ, yet the Bible says plainly that He chose us: Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Eph. 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love Eph. 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Eph. 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. The false teaching that salvation is a product of man's "free" will is nothing new within the Church. Even in Paul's day men were confused and misled over the origins of their faith and the manner of salvation. For example, Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth begins with a teaching on the sovereignty of God in choosing believers from among the lessor classes of society to shame the strong and powerful. Paul wrote this chapter to dispell the myth in Corinth that men were coming to faith in the Lord because of their associations with the "right" teacher (i.e., Paul vs. Apollos), which was a type of free will heresy: 1Cor. 1:26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 1Cor. 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 1Cor. 1:28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 1Cor. 1:29 so that no man may boast before God. 1Cor. 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 1Cor. 1:31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” Notice Paul says in v.30 that the believers in Corinth were "in Christ Jesus" (i.e., they were believers) not because of Paul's doing or even their own free will, but by "His doing" they were believers. It was Christ's doing that caused the men in Corinth to accept the Gospel. Their faith was not a result of each man's own will; it came as a matter of God's will.

[@rpavich]

Actually, he didn’t at all, he just followed the text and uses sound hermeneutical principals You have to ask yourself here (as in any passage) who is being addressed? what is the subject? If you don’t do at least that, then you’re just assuming meanings of things, Injecting your own ideas into the text

[@reynaldodavid2913Jo]

I am not a Calvinist, but RC Sproul's explanation of 2nd Peter is not correct.... He said that word Lord in 2 Peter 3:9 does not refer to the Lord Jesus Christ but to God the Father.... Does He mean to say that the Lord Jesus and God the father are not equal in the intent regarding Salvation.... It is a fowl explanation..... The Truth of the matter is Peter was not referring to every person in the world but Only to the Elect.... 1 Peter 1:1-2 (KJV) 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 '''''ELECT''''' according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

[@mitchellthurner5980]

Those darn birds explaining stuff

[@MariusVanWoerden]

This is how Calvin preached the Gospel FREE OFFER OF THE GOSPEL (Calvin's Wisdom p119-120) He calls all men to himself, without a single exception, and gives Christ to all, that we may be illumined by him. When we pray, we ought, according to the rule of charity, to include all. God invites all indiscriminately to salvation through the Gospel, BUT THE INGRATITUDE OF THE WORLD IS THE REASON why this grace, which is equally offered to all, is enjoyed by few. Calvin never preached Double predestination as you can see and put the responsibility by men

[@chrisstevens1156]

You are illogical if you deny double predestination sir

[@MariusVanWoerden]

​ @Chris Stevens that exactly is the problem "Illogical' It is not about logical it is about Scriptural. It is sin and unbelief that prepares one for condemnation. [calvin; He calls all men to himself, without a single exception,] Reprobation (Double Predestination) "...the ground of the discrimination that exists among men is, as Calvin has maintained, the sovereign will of God and that alone. But the ground of the damnation to which the reprobate are consigned is sin and sin alone." - John Murray "Damnation is rendered to the wicked as a matter of debt, justice and desert, whereas the grace given to those who are delivered is free and unmerited, so that the condemned sinner cannot allege that he is unworthy of his punishment, nor the saint vaunt or boast as if he were worthy of his reward. Thus, in the whole course of this procedure, there is no respect of persons.” - Augustine No one is redeemed except through unmerited mercy, and no one is condemned except through merited judgement." - Augustine taken from: www.monergism.com/topics/election/reprobation-double-predestination

[@chrisstevens1156]

@@MariusVanWoerden the answer is illogical. The answer for Sproul should have simply been, yes, God is willing that many should perish because God grants repentance and God decreed before time began to impute depravity to everyone after Adam so that His glory can be shown in the vessels of the reprobate. Only God can save the chosen and the reprobate have no chance. You sir need to be consistent in your theology, I am leaving this theology because the calvinist is not consistent. All is done for His glory so God created people who are predestined to hell for eternity so that His glory can be shown.

[@gwine2nine52]

For there is one mediator between God and ?? Who gave himself a ?? for all Perfect harmony between timothy and peter

[@jellytoast12]

Amazing how he contorts himself into a pretzel over the possibility that God may not want anyone to perish. It's like the very idea that God would love the world and offer salvation to all people is just too much for him to accept. Yet that is what the Bible clearly says.

[@Lessonswithlandon100]

Can't answer the question. Tells you all you need to know.

[@bobbyadkins6983]

It's not God's will for anyone to perish. Salvation is offered to all. Jesus gave the reason why most reject God's plan of salvation so well in John 3:19-20 which is quite different from what Calvinists teach and believe. I'm going to keep believing what Jesus and the Bible teaches.

[@1920s]

What about Judas?

[@bobbyadkins6983]

@@1920s Judas could have repented but chose not to.

[@1920s]

James Adkins Scripture says Judas had to betray Jesus to fulfill scripture.

[@bobbyadkins6983]

@@1920sGod doesn't make mistakes. What he says will happen, according to his foreknowledge, will happen. If Judas would have repented then what was prophesied about him never would have been prophesied about him. You simply don't understand or believe that God is able to predict what someone will do without causing them to do it. Calvinism makes even the devil sound innocent and God guilty. Nothing you say could ever make me believe in Calvinism.

[@1920s]

James Adkins Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. -Luke 22:3 What happened to Judas’ free will?

[@tomhitchcock8195]

It takes a whole view of Scripture to interpret one verse. There are No calvinist verses and Arminian verses. Trinitarian or non Trinitarian verses.

[@bobfree1226]

The Bible teaches that God predetermined people groups (Jews and Gentiles) in Romans 9-11. God has predetermined to offer salvation to these people, and He chooses to save those who repent and believe. But even the "chosen people" were cut off (Rom 11) because they failed to meet the conditions. Theirs was obviously a conditional election. The Holy Spirit influences us, not forces us. By presenting the truth to our minds, the Holy Spirit influences our will. Therefore we know the truth, and the truth shall set us free. Regeneration is through revelation, when the Spirit changes a man’s moral character through the spiritual influence of conviction and instruction. Regeneration is when free will is effectively influenced by the truth; it is the will’s embracing of the truth, or the will’s yielding and obeying the truth (Jn. 6:45, 63; 8:32; 15:3; 17:17; Rom. 2:8; 6:17; 12:2 Acts 9:4-6; 1 Cor. 4:15; Tit. 2:11-12; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Thes. 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:22-23; 4:17; 2 Pet. 1:2-3; 2:20; Jas. 1:18, 21-22). Also considering the following: Christ died for all men (Isa. 45:22; 53:6; 55:1; Eze. 18:30-32; Matt. 23:37; Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 2:10-11; Jn. 1:29; 3:16; Rom. 2:11; 5:15; Heb. 2:9; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; 1 Tim. 2:11; 4:10; Tit. 2:11; Heb. 2:9; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:22; Rev. 3:20), and He died for all specifically because all men have chosen to become sinners of their own free will (Isa. 52:3; 53:6). There is no partiality with God (Rom. 2:11; 2 Pet. 1:17). God wants everyone to repent and be saved (Ps. 145:9; Eze. 18:32; 33:1; Acts 17:30-31; 2 Pet. 3:9). The atonement makes salvation possible and available, it is a gift that God offers to all to accept and receive (Jn. 1:11-12; Lk. 14:16-24; Rom 5:18) through a decision (2 Cor. 5:20) to repent and believe, though many reject God’s gracious offer (Isa. 65:2; Lk. 7:30; 14:16-24; Jn. 1:10-11; Rom. 10:21; 2 Thes. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:17) and resist His grace (Gen. 6:3; Matt. 23:37; Lk. 7:30, 13:34; Acts 7:51). God is trying to save all men (Jn. 3:16, 6:44-45, 12:32; 16:8; Acts 17:30-31, 2 Pet. 3:9). God gives light to all men (Jn. 1:9). God is convicting all men (Jn. 16:8). God is drawing all men (Jn. 6:44-45, 12:32). God is calling all men (Matt. 11:28, 22:9; Lk. 5:32; Acts 17:30; Rev. 22:17). God’s grace has appeared to all men (Rom. 5:15; Tit. 2:11-12). But many are unwilling and refuse (Isa. 30:9; 30:15-16; Jer. 8:5; Eze. 20:7-8; Matt. 11:20-21; 23:37, Mk. 6:6; 7:30; 13:34; 14:17-18; 19:14; 19:27; Lk. 14:16-24 ;Jn. 5:40; Acts 7:51; 17:27; Rev. 2:21).

[@christopherstroud8621]

Adam was not perfect because he did not obey God. God is perfect and He made Adam so Adam must be perfect. In what way was Adam perfect? Adam perfectly fitted into God's perfect plan for His creation. The Father's plan was to send Jesus to fulfil the Law, not Adam. Jesus said He had come to fulfil the Law. Adam as a created being was not given this privilege.

[@bobfree1226]

Your correct that there is no evidence that Adam was somehow a perfect being.However He was sinless up until the time of when He disobeyed GOD.Adams repecussions were then passed on to all, as all men sin in thier Nature.a Sin is a transgression against Gods standards for what is Right.Adam could never fulfill Gods plan,Gods plan all along was Jesus, so that man could be saved thru the Gospel which God gave to the Jews first,yet HE always had the Gentiles included.So i agree with your understanding. By God giving the Gospel showed that GOD did not just choose salvation for just an elect,And if that was So ,there would have been no need for any Gospel or Jesus.the Cross and all else would be a Sham imho.

[@christopherstroud8621]

Bob Free. John 17v2. "that He [Jesus] should give eternal life to as many as You [The Father] have given Him[Jesus]. The Father has given Jesus a fixed number to save. It is His creation; all creation is God's; God determines who will be saved and determines the method of salvation. Luke 22v22 "the Son of Man goes as it has been determined". We don't know what is on the next page of God's plan so life is exciting as we read it. The last page of "Jane Eyre" was written over 100 years ago but we still "discover" it and God's plan was fixed long before and we still have to discover it.

[@bobfree1226]

NOT true at all. GOD gave out the Gospel,so why would HE do that,if HE has already determined who HE will save. Why again would GOD tell us ALL to REPENT.Why send Paul to the pagans in athens if HE already Chose.LIke Dr Brown a former calvanists, and Great Jewish apologist said ,Why would Jesus Plead with many to come to Him if HE already chose. Your mixing up a few scriptures in order to fit that narrative. WHY would we need a Cross or why have jesus brutally murdered if GOD already chose. NO one can understand fully pre-destination and foreknowledge only reserved for GOD. OF Course GOD does the saving but Man can REPENT and come to Christ as GOD commands. the JAILER asked what must i do to be saved? Did Paul say to him well only if your elect!! NO Believe in Jesus an you shall have eternal live. why have the GREAT commision if GOD already chose, an add to that the TERRIBLE and Dreadful doctine of Limited Atonement which btw was Calvins own words.GO ahead and believe that.

[@bobfree1226]

Did God really plan the FALL as most high calvanists believe.did HE decree all things. SCripture says NO. Cause why would GOD set a tree for all to see an test man ,who he Knew would SIn!! GOD wanted free creatures so that HIS love could be understood an there is NO co-ercion. Thats why GOD made us-HE didnt make Robots bottom line.

[@kimberleerivera3334]

Calvinist's ADD A WHILE LOT MORE INTO THE TEXT THAN JUST THAT R.C. SPROUL!

[@truth7416]

This man is problematic”and.pathetic! He is a 5-Point Calvinist and has taught it all his life and then he tries to answer what he knows is sensitive. Well listen to Sprouls teacher and the Calvinist founder say it clearly. Yes god not only doesn't want to save he enjoys and delights in destroying them. ( but R C Sproul in his own mind isn't one of them.....lol) "God arranges all things by his sovereign counsel, in such a way that individuals are born, who are doomed from the womb to certain death and are to glorify him by their destruction.( John Calvin Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 23, Paragraph 6) Sproul then blames god for thinking up the sin and then forcing people and angels to do it. “The devil, and the whole train of the ungodly, are in all directions, held in by the hand of God as with a bridle, so that they can neither conceive any mischief, nor plan what they have conceived, nor how muchsoever they may have planned, move a single finger to perpetrate, unless in so far as he permits, nay unless in so far as he commands, that they are not only bound by his fetters but are even forced to do him service” (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, Book 1, Chapter 17, Paragraph 11) Forget this cult leader! The following is real truth 1 Timothy 2 : 3-6 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. Acts 2 :21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off-.... John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Truth IN Love

[@tannerfrancisco8759]

@@zachnichols9044 that's either a lie or your just making a baseless supposition and are incorrect

[@Terrylb285]

The doctrines of grace are biblically sound . Reformed theology is basic Christianity.

[@eugenejoseph7076]

Is the text referring to Jesus? Wow, indeed, it is problematic! Calvinism is nothing more than a Pretzel theology. Twisting verses in so many turns they become unintelligible!

[@troygodby7450]

He is dancing around, notice how all the sovereign teachers contradict the scriptures or go to the Greek . Is God able to preserve his word or not, is he sovereign enough? Where is it preserved?

[@Sting79]

The passage he refers to was written in Greek so ...

[@troygodby7450]

Nate Keen there is 2 lines of manuscripts ( greek) that differ, but they always use the one that fits thier belief. One has to be right they can't both be so.....

[@Sting79]

Then why did you use going to the Greek as a negative in your original comment?

[@troygodby7450]

Nate Keen because they jump between the 2 using the one convenient to thier thinking. That's why they use KJV then when it contradicts go to some other version which uses the vaticanus and siniaticus not three text us receptis. So what I'm saying is sick to one or the other

[@lowlightpiano7110]

Repent and trust in Jesus. Hes the only way. We deserve Hell because weve sinned. Lied, lusted stolen, etc. But God sent his son to die on the cross and rise out of the grave. We can receive forgiveness from Jesus. Repent and put your trust in him. John 3:16 Romans 3:23❤❤😊❤

[@Gratefullybroken]

How many years has Sproul had to polish this argument? This must be the best he's got on the subject. I'll now tune into something more loving

[@bobfree1226]

Mans will is FREE because God IS Soveriegn ! A GOD Less than Soveriegn could not bestow Human Freedom on his creatures and would be AFRAID to do so!!

[@teemu1381]

Give me one scripture that says man uses "free will" to choose God in salvation? There aren't any!

[@bobfree1226]

,In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. acts 30-17 now twist that one up.

[@bobfree1226]

commands us to REPENT. everywhere all. open your heart.

[@bobfree1226]

give me one scripture that says Irresistable grace.or limited atonement.

[@bobfree1226]

paul also tells the Athenians that God appoints the exact time where all should live an he did that so we might seek and find him.so here we have an abilty to seek. yet paul talks in romans that no man seeks.so you must exegete Romans 9,10,11 an Dr micheal brown on you tube does just that, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZuugX6mYsaUfqc please see this

[@bry440]

all of you arminian scoffers in the comments, let’s see what your hate and gnashing of teeth is coming from. what is it? is it that you’re trying to say you have the power to save yourself by believing, and your belief is the cause of your salvation? let’s go back to the beginning. what created the saving faith in you? Ephesians 2:8. ok, so what is Ephesians all about? it’s about having clarity and comfort that God has predestined you from before the foundation of the world as His beloved (Paul’s language), and His sheep (Jesus’s language). Why does the world of “Christianity” keep fussing about the idea of salvation? I can’t comprehend it. Whoever comes to true belief that Jesus Christ has sacrificed Himself on the cross for themselves will be saved by that sacrifice. Why can’t we all have comfort that God has provided us with salvation even though we were in sin? Why can’t we have comfort that we are His sheep? Why can’t we have comfort that we ourselves were predestined?Do you have an idea of a different God? Is the Gospel not enough for you? Are you spoiled enough to say everyone goes to Heaven, or the sacrifice is there for EVERYONE and deny God’s sovereignty and God’s judgment, saying that Christ died in vain? There are so many on the wide path. You don’t have your eyes set on God. You have it set on trying to defend your own worthless human will, trying to say that God had nothing to do with your salvation. How disgraceful that you try to say that God had nothing to do with the origin of your saving faith. without God’s loving word to us, we wouldn’t have salvation. without God forming people to spread the Gospel to you, you would have never received the Gospel. WAKE UP. JESUS CHRIST IS SALVATION. HE IS GOD. EVERYTHING IN EXISTENCE WAS CREATED THROUGH HIM, INCLUDING OUR SALVATION. NOW, GET OUT OF YOUR OWN HEADS.

[@rolysantos]

Read Matthew 18:10-14. The parable of the lost SHEEP. Jesus chose, from the foundation of the world who HE would save. And THEY (his lost sheep) WILL come to Him. There is NO way that ANY of HIS sheep cannot come to Him. He is not willing that ANY (of "these little ones" His sheep) should perish! Remember, God will forego His judgment for the sake of HIS people. Why was God willing to withhold His hand from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah? Answer: For the sake of any righteous! Why does the farmer in Matthew 13 say He is not willing to pluck up the tares that the ENEMY planted? Answer: For the sake of the WHEAT (the righteous, the elect, the sheep) Read John 17. Jesus has a very specific group of people that HE prays for. He does not pray for the world. Why? Because the elect, the sheep, are HIS and HE WILL SAVE THEM! HE begins a work and HE will complete it! (Philippians 1:6) Jesus did NOT come to turn tares into wheat or goats into sheep. They're ALREADY chosen. They're ALREADY sheep! But they are LOST and must be FOUND! "He came to SEEK .....AND....to SAVE those who are lost" (Luke 19:10) Read John 10:26 If the "Free Will"/Arminian doctrine of salvation were true Jesus would have said this: "You are not my sheep BECAUSE you don't believe." Meaning, IF you would just believe (by your free will) THEN you WOULD BE my sheep! Here's what Jesus ACTUALLY says: "You do not believe *BECAUSE* YOU ARE NOT MY SHEEP!" So the question could be asked: If ULTIMATELY some people believe and some do not believe, WHY didn't the unbelieving ones not believe? Answer: *BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT JESUS' SHEEP* Then it says this: 27 *MY SHEEP* listen to my voice; I know *THEM* and they follow me. 28 I give *THEM* eternal life, and *THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH*; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who *HAS GIVEN THEM TO ME*, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30I and the Father are one.” WHO listens to Jesus' voice? WHO does Jesus give eternal life too? (The same ones HE chooses to reveal the Father to Matthew 11:27) WHO gave them to Jesus? *WHEN DID THE FATHER GIVE THEM TO JESUS?* Read John 17 over and over until you understand this! v2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life *TO THOSE YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM* 6 “I HAVE REVEALED YOU (Matthew 11:27) *TO THOSE WHOM YOU GAVE ME OUT OF THE WORLD* They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for *THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE* in me through their message The ONLY ones Jesus prays for are "THOSE YOU GAVE ME." They're ALREADY chosen (sheep) But many are YET TO HEAR "the message" (the gospel, Jesus' voice) But THEY WILL hear and they WILL COME to Him! People need to understand why a New Covenant was needed in the first place. God found fault with THE PEOPLE! (Hebrews 8:8) People did not obey the law because the COULD NOT obey! "By the works of the law shall NO flesh be justified" So GOD had make salvation possible 100% by electing, calling, quickening (with His word) and KEEPING! THIS is true salvation! ALL OF GOD!

[@silverjajo6542]

It looks like he goes way too far just to please his Calvinism and run from the context

[@Jasonio77]

Way to spin this verse RC. Talk about people “adding to the text”.

[@susiedyck4914]

This is a great example why we trust the Holy Spirit to interpret the word, and not place our faith in men's understanding. He's trying so hard to make the Bible fit into what he believes.

[@bobfree1226]

CHRIST did have enough power to save the sins of ALL rc but many will NOT believe.its not difficult at all.when God says if you would only turn to me. here again god grieves . why would God grieve if he planned it. Makes no sense at all.

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

Bob Free You don't know the mind of God and neither do I. So we prayerfully study the scriptures. Many of us see clearly the doctrines of grace. Therefore we have to look really close at these verses. Those who constantly claim, "It's right there in the text, it's simple!" are usually surface readers who are in danger of never grasping right doctrine because they don't dig. A good example is John 3:16 which most Christians don't get at all.

[@h.y.3457]

The mind of God is not a mystery when it comes to salvation, He desires all to be saved, an all powerful being wouldn’t contradict himself with his own desires. If God desires, then He will do it. Calvinism claims to be biblical but all I see is them cherry picking verses that fit their doctrine while ignoring the human response required for salvation.

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

harryye77 So you're a universalist that believes everyone will be saved? Sorry Jesus said some will go to hell. And if you say you're not a universalist, then you contradict yourself. The fact is that some will not be saved. This idea that God desires all to be saved is strange, considering He hardened pharoah's heart, and then killed him shortly after. Jesus said repeatedly in John 6 that not just anybody could come to Him and not just any would be saved. Only those the Father has chosen to give Him. And the ludicrous notion that Christ died for all means He also died for all those that rejected God before His incarnation, like pharoah is counter intuitive, I think not. No, God will choose a people for Himself as He has always done. He elected Israel and passed over all other nations, and every man that He used, He called and chose. There is no precedent in scripture for God waiting for men to choose Him. Scripture describes man as enemies and haters of God. They killed His only begotten Son who came with salvation, and men would kill Him again today.

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

harryye77 Oh and ps, Calvinists don't ignore any verse, we interpret them with scripture and in context. I do see a lot of ignoring verses that demonstrate God predestined His elect out of the good pleasure of His own will.

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

harryye77 If God desires for all to be saved, then all will be saved. That is the logical conclusion of your argument, even though you didn't follow through with it. Because scripture makes clear that all will not be saved. Further the notion that this means God desires every man who ever lived to be saved would insinuate that He desired all those who had died rejecting Him before Christ's incarnation to be saved as well. That's just asinine. Reformed theology is complete theology keeps scripture consistent and coherent. It is not mere surface reading which leaves doctrine hinging on single isolated verses taken out of context.

[@donhaddix3770]

no ambiguity. none means none, not some. they deny freewill choice. all can, but not all will chose so not all will be saved. he is inventing false arguments.

[@guytruth4907]

Loved RC Sproul... But Calvinism is wrong...and we will all know it in eternity......

[@iacoponefurio1915]

Hahahaha For you it is already too late

[@billmartinn9851]

Yes it's difficult for RC and reformed theology, because it blows Calvanism "out of the water." As does 1John 2:2.

[@DDischner]

This is why I don't subscribe to his way of teaching or his line of reasoning or exegeses. This is a prime example of filtering scripture using "Calvinist-colored-glasses".

[@justindarnellfpv]

Or maybe your view of God and sovereignty is made up by people like Calvin who himself was a horrible person and may have been born again but was not a little Christ. Jesus paid it all for all to come. We’re dead in our sins but not dead physically. We have the choice to chose life it’s all over the Bible how about John 1:12 or John 3:16 or John 12:32 literally you know about God without knowing God and that’s why the struggle is real

[@glassworks4850]

Why is man still responsible even though God is sovereign? 

First, we must understand that the people's heart have turned to evil, wilfully, the moment it received the knowledge of good and evil. From the point of Adam's fall, there was only wickedness of man; and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen 6:5; Universal truth). Which is already worthy of God's eternal judgment. But there is a purpose of Salvation (Gen. 3:15) through a promised seed. Now where does the Good/Godly People like Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses come from if ALL are EVIL? The answer: GOD in His grace Chose some people (in time) from the UNREGENERATE/Ungodly world and set them apart, cleansed them, regenerated them and anointed them to do His will (Isaiah 43). His will is for the Messiah to Come as promised in Genesis 3:15 out of this group of people that He had Chosen (Elect). So am I saying that God is only sovereign among the Elect? What about the non-elect? We must understand that the evil of man is always under God's control (in restriction or permission). He will accomplish His will using both His Elect people and the Ungodly/unregenerate people (Isaiah 14:24-27; Proverbs 21:1). So again, why is Man responsible if the LORD is SOVEREIGN, it's because He knows what's in the hearts of all unregenerate men; EVIL. How does God use evil for his purposes i.e. bring out the Messiah out of the Elect people. SIMPLE: He "Carries out" the desires of man and He Permits/Limits their actions to perfectly reach the ends that He intended from the beginning. Both Unregenerate/ungodly and Elect people cannot do much evil or much good, respectively, to frustrate God's plans (Isaiah 14:24-27; Isaiah 25:1; Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 43:13; Jeremiah 10:23; Proverbs 16:9; Proverbs 19:21; Proverbs 20:24; Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 46:10; Psalms 33:11) Where else can we see the Sovereignty of God in scripture? In Gen. 15 God declared to Abram that His people will be enslaved (v.13) in Egypt. But God will judge their oppressors (v.14). God used Assyria to judge Israel, but after that was finished, Assyria was also judged by God because of their pride and wickedness (Isaiah 10). GOD CARRIED OUT and REVEALED what's in our hearts. So Man is RESPONSIBLE. Disobedience and rebellion were carried out from the disobedient/rebellious heart of man. Evil thoughts and deeds were carried out from an evil heart of man. Rape and adultery were carried out from a lustful heart of man. You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result (Genesis 50:20). 

This very true statement applies even in the case of what we call sinful acts. Like Tamar disguising herself as a prostitute, and tricking Judah to impregnate her with a twin (Perez and Zerah). In similar case, David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had a son (Solomon). Both sinful acts meant for evil, and both are responsible for the sin committed. But God meant it for good. As both of these women are part of the Messianic Genealogy. That’s the Sovereignty of God at work.

[@hlsb4771]

The entire passage is framed in the 3rd and 4th verses.." ...3. Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? ".......therefore it becomes plain that God is not willing that any should perish, ( elect ) so he delays his "coming" .so that all will be saved...God is on his timeline...not mans..........a text without a context is a pretext. Besides, the Armenian's greatest problem is explaining when you are born and with what advantages you have over another. Example: You are born in the USA in 1955 at the beginning of the "Jesus Movement" where there is a bible in every motel room, Billy Graham on T.V. every nite and a church on every corner vs. a person born in Jakarta in 900 A.D...who is most likely to hear the gospel? ......and don't use that old excuse, "...God would know if that person would believe or not." scripture reference? please.......Total and absolute Sovereignty...

[@77ronboy]

I'm going to do something I rarely do, and, for a moment, am putting my Bible down. This can be dangerous, but I wish to share a thought, a thought that does not go against anything in Scripture. If God is not willing that anyone (anyone ever born) should perish, then no one would perish, and we know that is not the case because of the existence of Hell. David writes in Psalms that God in Heaven gets what He wants - period. So, "if" He didn't want anyone at all to perish, then no one would perish. Consequently, the "anyone" cannot apply to every person ever born. Now, pick up your Bibles and so some more study, and I will do the same.

[@robbie12359]

You better start studying because what you just said is the reverse of what the scripture reveals. Christ died for all just like the text says but many in their pride refuse to be humbled. It really is simple.

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

Look I like RC Sproul. RIP. But it is amazing to hear anyone who accepts Sola Scriptura refer to a passage from Scripture as "problematic" especially when he pronounces this passage from Scripture "problematic" precisely because Scripture disagrees with his personal theological opinions. What actually is "problematic" is approaching scripture with preconceived ideas which are in conflict with the Gospel. This quote from Peter's letter states clearly that God is not willing that any man should perish. That is where you should start. Start with Scripture and not Calvinist man-made doctrines that claim God only wants a few man to be saved. There are more options than Calvinism or Arminianism. Molinism for starters. It is only in the West, that Christians get hung up on this issue, and it is due primarily to certain of Augustine's writings that we in the West find ouselves so fixated on these sorts of things.. The ancient Churches of the East are not so fixated on God's Sovereignty vs. man's free-will, nor were the Church fathers in the West prior to Augustine. Just take the Bible at face value. God does permit some man to hold on to their sins and perish Eternally. Christ warned us of that in the 4 Gospels. And as Paul tells us God wants all men to come to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth 1Tim 2:4. By the simple grammatical rules of Koine Greek "all men" must mean all men. The word "all" modifies the word "men." For 1 Tim2:4 to mean what Calvinists claim, the word "sorts" or "categories" would have to be next to the word "all" so "all" could modify that word. That is to say that if Paul meant that God only wants to save "some men from all categories of men" (as Cavinists claim) Paul would then have to have written "God wants all categories of men to be save,". etc. Paul simply never wrote any such thing. You are not practicing Sola Scriptura if you think the clear words of Scripture are problematic and you have to violate simple grammatical rules in order to force an interpretation onto scripture which doesn't appear in the text. Your brother in Christ, H S P.S. It isn't a matter of Calvinism vs Arminiamism. It is a matter of what the Bible says and coming to terms with it. Maybe take a lesson from the ancient Churches of the East and just accept God wants all men to be saved and yet as Christ warns us we will be cast out if we choose our sins over God's narrow path. That is what the Bible says, after all.

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

@Curt Christensen , yes he did pass away. I used to listen to him on the radio in MA back in the 1990's.

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

@Curt Christensen , that is a very poignant question. If RC Sproul was really honest with himself during his life, he would have to have said that he had no way of knowing his Eternal Destiny. By his own system of theology, SProul himself might very well have been one of those "false" Christians Calvinist claim exist based on their interpretation of James' Epistle. Those who SEEMED to be true Christians, but who only had a FALSE faith. Once you open that can of worms in which there is this mysterious thing called a "false faith" by which one who was predestined for Hell can appear to be a Chrisitan, there is no way to prove oneself to be a true Christian. What are you to do, point to your works as evidence your faith is true? That is exactly what a person destined to Hell would do (according to Calvinist views on human nature). Point to his own works and say my works justify me and God must allow me into Heaven , etc. All a Calvinist is left with is a "feeling" that they must have been predestined by God to be one of the elect. Somehow the outspoken Calvinists just always seem to assume they are the elect. There are exceptions like Derek Webb (is that his name, the Calvinist Christian Rocker?) who had doubts and ended up being an atheist. Others who have converted out of Calvinism have spoken about the struggles they had with wondering if they were pre-destined for hell or not. I had a co-worker who struggled with that. There simply is no objective criteria to test if you are a saved Calvinist. In the end, all of Calvinism boils down to just being a promised security which is no true security It is summed in the phrase "All true Christians have an absolute assurance of Eternal Life and I may be one of them." That is no Eternal Security. Objectivelly, that is all Calvinism has to offer. The alternative is just to take the Bible at its word when it teaches God saves all who entrust their lives onto Christ of their own free will. That is where true assurance comes from.. We all know if we have willingly entrusted our lives onto Christ. Although many Calvinist may arrogantly assume they are one of those that God predestined to be elect entirely because of HIs own Hidden purpose and designs, if their doctrine were true, they would really have no way of knowing if they are saved or not because the BIble specifically says no Man knows the Mind of God. It is the difference between believing CHrist when he calls on all who hunger to go to Him or accepting a doctrine that says only the Decree of God has any bearing on whether I am saved or not. So sad. I pray that Sproul is in Heaven. I do think he entrusted his life unto Jesus, but he did do a lot of harm and spread a lot of false things about the Gospel and the beliefs of the majority of the Christian believers in the world.. Only God knows his heart and if he is in Heaven now. I do hope so

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

@Curt Christensen , I agree that there are similarities between Calvinism and Islam. One very surprising similarity is that under Calvin and his influence there arose a version of Christian Sharia law. When Calvin had political influence (I beleive it was in Geneva), moral issues became matters of civil law. Previously, sins were a matter between the sinner and his God rather than a matter for the civil authorities. Calvin changed this and under his system, sin was made into a civil crime as it is in Sharia law. This practice was brought to New England by the Puritans who followed Calvin's example while adding to Calvin's theology. Think of all those public punishments for sin in Colonial New England, etc

[@hopelessstrlstfan181]

@Curt Christensen I think you forgot to put the word "not" in your post. Have a good night. I have to get ready for work. I work night shift EST.

[@reynaldodavid2913Jo]

HopelessStristfan, I am not a Calvinist but in verse 2 Peter 3:9 which says: ''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.''.....Does not refer to every person in the world BUT Only to the Elect of God...... 1 Peter 1:1-2 (KJV) 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 '''''ELECT''''' according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

[@michellepeoplelikeyoumurde8373]

UNFORTUNATE INITIALS

[@dithernessy4118]

One of the most wicked false preachers ever

[@zionred]

Wow, talk about cognitive dissonance.

[@evanu6579]

RC should be wearing spandex when he does gymnastics like that. He’s goes wreck his suit.

[@thomasthellamas9886]

Evan U going*

[@Mario_1611]

Lol. Grammar isn't your strong suit is it?

[@thomasthellamas9886]

suits are for the rich

[@Mario_1611]

Thomas The Llamas Just... No. That's stupid of you to say.

[@thomasthellamas9886]

false

[@robertlulek1634]

Speaking of false teachers, Mr. Sproul, you are a false teacher

[@newtonsghost2982]

read john 3:16. there are many verses besides that.i love sproul, but he is wrong theologically on this.

[@joeiiiful]

blair faulkner. Wow!! What an arrogant statement. Okay, I have read it. Have You? I mean, have you read it without presuppositions? Read the entire chapter, actually go back and read the first two chapters again. Text without context is a pretext for a proof text. "Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God". A dead man cannot believe, he can do nothing unless God the Holy Spirit changes his heart. Only after the heart is changed can a person believe. Read Ephesians 1 and 2 and Romans 9 and 10. A proper hermeneutic is to read what the Bible says (exegesis), not to read into the Bible what you want it to say (eisegesis).

[@evanu6579]

Joseph Mellen You’re exercising eisegesis in the passages you cited. They don’t prove Calvinism at all. You’re reading your doctrine into them. Don’t avoid the context my friend. Take care

[@timclark5898]

He didnt do a very good job on that question....but I believe the answer is found in who is I Peter addressed to? I Peter 1:1 says "To God's Elect." God is not willing that none of the Elect shall perish; and they wont.....because Jesus saves ALL the sheep as He says in John 6 and John 10.

[@timclark5898]

It means that God wants all KINDS of men to be saved; and they will be because the ELECT are chosen from all nations, tribes, and social classes. Its the same word ALL that is used when it says in I Tim 6 that the love of money is a root of ALL KINDS of evil; NOT the love of money is the root of ALL evil.

[@timclark5898]

From the Futon.... I Cor1:26-31 DESTROYS YOUR IGNORANT THEOLOGY THAT GOD WANTS TO SAVE EVERYONE..... "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

[@timclark5898]

FROM the FUTON; I COR 1:26-31 SAYS THAT GOD CHOOSES THE WEAK THINGS TO SHAME THE WISE........GOD CHOOSES! GET IT? WE DONT CHOOSE GOD; HE CHOOSES US! Jesus Christ even told His disciples "YOU DID NOT CHOOSE ME BUT I CHOSE YOU!

[@timclark5898]

2 Peter 2:3:8-9 ...who is I and 2 Peter addressed to? Read I Peter 1:1 It says "TO GOD's ELECT" So what 2 Peter 3:8-9 is saying is that God desires that NONE of the ELECT shall perish....and they won't; because Jesus saves ALL the SHEEP.....which is EXACTLY what He says in John 6:37-39 " ALL those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. " NOTICE THE SAME ALL in 2 Peter 3:8-9 is the same ALL in John 6:37.....

[@timclark5898]

The Greek word in I Tim 2:4 is the same one in I Tim 6 which means ALL KINDS..........What you dont understand about John 3:16 is you forgot to read John 3:1-15......Jesus tells you what it takes for somebody to BECOME a WHOSOEVER. It takes regeneration by the Holy Spirit. So God chooses whom He wants to save; and God regenerates them; causes them to be BORN AGAIN....only THEN can they even see the Kingdom of God and believe unto salvation. You just have ignorance is what your problem is. I am a Baptist....so you lie that I belong to any of those cults.....

[@chadh.5004]

Rc sproul was a heretic. And I hope he repented before he died

[@HardRealist]

"Free will" theology is the view that faith in the Gospel is a matter of personal choice unrelated to the work of God in the heart. Free will believes that nothing is required to cause faith in the Gospel other than a person's choice to believe. This is not the teaching of the Bible. Apart from Adam and Woman (and Christ), no human being has been born with a truly free will. On the contrary, Paul says all men since Adam are born ensalved to sin and cannot choose nor please God by their fallen nature. At the moment the Lord acts to bring faith, the person is born again by the Spirit and is made a slave to Christ. Our prideful nature assumes (and prefers to believe) that we played a part, however small, in our own salvation. We point to our decision to believe in the Gospel as the moment we "chose" Christ, yet the Bible says plainly that He chose us: Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Eph. 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love Eph. 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Eph. 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. The false teaching that salvation is a product of man's "free" will is nothing new within the Church. Even in Paul's day men were confused and misled over the origins of their faith and the manner of salvation. For example, Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth begins with a teaching on the sovereignty of God in choosing believers from among the lessor classes of society to shame the strong and powerful. Paul wrote this chapter to dispell the myth in Corinth that men were coming to faith in the Lord because of their associations with the "right" teacher (i.e., Paul vs. Apollos), which was a type of free will heresy: 1Cor. 1:26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 1Cor. 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 1Cor. 1:28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 1Cor. 1:29 so that no man may boast before God. 1Cor. 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 1Cor. 1:31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” Notice Paul says in v.30 that the believers in Corinth were "in Christ Jesus" (i.e., they were believers) not because of Paul's doing or even their own free will, but by "His doing" they were believers. It was Christ's doing that caused the men in Corinth to accept the Gospel. Their faith was not a result of each man's own will; it came as a matter of God's will.

[@wlh4christ]

The most overrated theologian in modern history.

[@johnjames3908]

The Scripture is very clear that salvation is available to ALL mankind, but those who will refuse the free gift of eternal life, and depend on their works which are like their righteousness. as filthy rags, will go to Hell. The election is always for service, never for salvation.

[@jonanthony1686]

no its not clear about that. actually pretty clear that not everyone is born to be saved. Read ur bible

[@1920s]

What about Judas?

[@ta3p-theannex3project84]

Is this important? move on, do good and go to heaven of you chosen god. 4400 religions pick one and be happy. 😎