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What does God see in you?

Maybe not you. But some absolutely would say they did, for several years pre-salvation.
I'm not proud of it, but I was known by my atheist coworkers (and all of them were) as a staunch anti Christian/Bible person. They were shocked, angered and I'd say even felt betrayed when I accepted Jesus. My boss and I had been heading down the path of Buddhism and he didn't react at first but waited about two years to confront me. He angrily entered my office one morning, was yelling at me until I promised him that I would watch a documentary Zeitgeist. For the next ten years I was the focus of gossip and hate, and God brought me through until I left when they forced the Jabs (Covid).

Did I love darkness most of my life, yes.

There is only one way to avoid evil and that is by faith. Faith gives us freedom to stop caving in to our sin nature as we're empowered by Jesus' work.

@Goodboy, you are almost trying to divide good people and evil people like Calvinists do. They claim two groups of people, the elect and non-elect. Many claim that there is an ontological pre-determined salvagable condition - some, like James White go so far as to say that infants may be going to hell when they die. Though I 'get' why you are making an argument that those who prefer darkness have a special evil, I don't think we get to assign motives and we certainly can't claim that we're not as evil.

I can't recall the Bible address at the moment, but there are none who are good, no not one.

I like the way James V. McGee divides people. He says there are two types: the Saints and the Ain'ts.
 
I'm not proud of it, but I was known by my atheist coworkers (and all of them were) as a staunch anti Christian/Bible person. They were shocked, angered and I'd say even felt betrayed when I accepted Jesus. My boss and I had been heading down the path of Buddhism and he didn't react at first but waited about two years to confront me. He angrily entered my office one morning, was yelling at me until I promised him that I would watch a documentary Zeitgeist. For the next ten years I was the focus of gossip and hate, and God brought me through until I left when they forced the Jabs (Covid).

Did I love darkness most of my life, yes.

There is only one way to avoid evil and that is by faith. Faith gives us freedom to stop caving in to our sin nature as we're empowered by Jesus' work.

@Goodboy, you are almost trying to divide good people and evil people like Calvinists do. They claim two groups of people, the elect and non-elect. Many claim that there is an ontological pre-determined salvagable condition - some, like James White go so far as to say that infants may be going to hell when they die. Though I 'get' why you are making an argument that those who prefer darkness have a special evil, I don't think we get to assign motives and we certainly can't claim that we're not as evil.

I can't recall the Bible address at the moment, but there are none who are good, no not one.

I like the way James V. McGee divides people. He says there are two types: the Saints and the Ain'ts.
Well said.

The idea that someone’s heart is so evil that they cant at some point repent goes against multiple scriptures.
 
@Goodboy, you are almost trying to divide good people and evil people like Calvinists do. They claim two groups of people, the elect and non-elect. Many claim that there is an ontological pre-determined salvagable condition - some, like James White go so far as to say that infants may be going to hell when they die. Though I 'get' why you are making an argument that those who prefer darkness have a special evil, I don't think we get to assign motives and we certainly can't claim that we're not as evil.
I am just quoting what the Bible says. If you don't agree, then your argument is with the Bible not with me. :noidea:
I am not the one that said evil people won't come to the light, that is what the Bible says in the verses below.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Check out the thread below that I started, that may help you understand my point. 👍

God Bless! 😊
 
I am just quoting what the Bible says. If you don't agree, then your argument is with the Bible not with me. :noidea:
I am not the one that said evil people won't come to the light, that is what the Bible says in the verses below.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Check out the thread below that I started, that may help you understand my point. 👍

God Bless! 😊
You keep posting these verses, but as I stated earlier, I cant find any commentary that agrees with your views on these verses. All of His church at some time before repenting, are being described in those verses. Frankly, if I agreed with you, there are other verses that would seem to better aline with other than the ones you use.

Believing one is so far gone they could never be saved is denying the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
You keep posting these verses, but as I stated earlier, I cant find any commentary that agrees with your views on these verses. All of His church at some time before repenting, are being described in those verses. Frankly, if I agreed with you, there are other verses that would seem to better aline with other than the ones you use.

Believing one is so far gone they could never be saved is denying the power of the Holy Spirit.
I told you that I am not interested in debating with you. I was just addressing Growing in Grace who addressed me. Why do you keep coming at me for posting a Bible verse. As I said before, you are free to believe whatever you want. I have no need of convincing you of anything. Can we now stop this discussion. :noidea:
 
I told you that I am not interested in debating with you. I was just addressing Growing in Grace who addressed me. Why do you keep coming at me for posting a Bible verse. As I said before, you are free to believe whatever you want. I have no need of convincing you of anything. Can we now stop this discussion. :noidea:
Ok, you certainly dont have to respond directly to my concerns.

I normally dont refer to commentaries when studying scripture, as I felt my views on the scripture you posted were correct. However, since you were insistent about posting them repeatedly, and I in most cases, agree with your posts, especially in regards to salvation, I then felt compelled to seek out other views in commentaries.

Its not a debate, its a discussion with opposing views, and other members will continue to post with their views.

Its not personal brother, just iron sharpening iron.
 
Ok, you certainly dont have to respond directly to my concerns.

I normally dont refer to commentaries when studying scripture, as I felt my views on the scripture you posted were correct. However, since you were insistent about posting them repeatedly, and I in most cases, agree with your posts, especially in regards to salvation, I then felt compelled to seek out other views in commentaries.

Its not a debate, its a discussion with opposing views, and other members will continue to post with their views.

Its not personal brother, just iron sharpening iron.
I stated before before that I did not want to debate this and even gave the reasons why, yet you persist. Do I have to ignore you, so I don't have to see what you post? :noidea:

By the way if you want to post something helpful for the forum, why don't you tell us what the Bibles verses I posted mean?

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
 
I often think this thought. Don't most of us at some time? You know what I am talking about-- Why does God love me?
I have thought this thought on more than one occasion. I know God loves me, and that is hard for me to truly grasp, because I know what my life has been like before, and after salvation. Yet, He does know all, and still loves me. How awesome.
 
I see that now, but it is time to ignore you as you disrespect my request. 😥
Your choice, but I do enjoy having discussions with you because we mostly agree, with an occasional disagreement. I do repect your views, and enjoy the back and forth as you are tenacious in defending your views.

Me, over the years I have tried blocking posts for certain members, but then that makes me even more curious about what they posted, and I unblock them.

I think discussions/debates/opinions make this forum special because it allows us to do so.
 
I often think this thought. Don't most of us at some time? You know what I am talking about-- Why does God love me? What does He see in me? Now, there are many theological answers to this question. But Pastor Jeremy Mattek of Time of Grace, in his usual grace-filled style, offers an encouraging and comforting perspective on this question.

I don’t normally watch linked videos, because I watch several throughout each day. However, I finally did watch this message from someone I never heard of, and thought it was very inspiring.

Thanks for posting this, Im taking it to heart to apply on my Walk.
 
I thought that Jesus referred to all of us as evil.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Yes Jesus does, but my understanding is he means "Evil" in our actions compared to God's "Good".

Those who are evil in their heart, are not attracted to good at all.

Here is an example...
Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Here is another example...
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Notice that the light is referring to Jesus. Those who are evil in their heart love darkness and hate Jesus who is light. This is how the people were during the great flood and also in Sodom. Look at what God said about Lot. He calls him righteous, not evil. God also said there were not enough righteous men in Sodom to save it.

2 Peter 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2 Peter 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)


So apparently all men are not evil, in their heart anyway.
 
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