The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Who does the believing and repenting?

I do appreciate all your replies, but are differences is in how God deals with man and what he expects of man.If man was not exposed to the gospel and wooing of the Holy Spirit, man would never choose God on his own. This much we agree on.

Where we differ is when a sinner is confronted with the gospel and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. You state all those who do respond in some way to the gospel, will come to Christ and ultimately be saved. This act you call regeneration. But if this were true, which it isn't, then all men who fell under the conviction of the gospel and the Holy Spirit would receive Christ and be saved.

But the New Testament simply does not teach this. Especially concerning the parable of the sower. The seed is the word of God and the soil is the hearts of men. Some receive the word of God and produce fruits of their salvation, while others, the cares of this life swallow up their commitment and so the believer falls by the wayside.

As I stated before, King Agrippa heard the word of God and partially accepted it, but would not make that full commitment. There was a silversmith named Demas who once was a companion of Paul, who went back into the world and forsook the faith. The point is all these individuals truly believed what Paul said, but CHOSE NOT to follow Christ in the long run. They could not do this if they didn't have the power of free choice in their being.Otherwise Demas would never have followed Paul to begin with and then decide not to.

To say a man is born totally evil and cannot do anything good is false. Unsaved people give to religious charities all the time. What is true that a sinner cannot be regenerated until he or she is exposed to the gospel and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. But all who are convicted do not continue and all who are convicted do not commit their life to Christ. There have been hundreds of people in life who fall into this category. Some love their personal pleasures and WILL NOT give them up. Whether it is sex, alcohol, drugs,or whatever vice. They surely believe, but won't COMMIT.

Our difference is not that God has chosen a people for himself, for he has. But rather God has chosen a people who have of their own volition, when convicted by the gospel and Holy Spirit, submitted THEIR WILL to him.