The asteriked comments are mine
-------------------------------
Are you sure? While the product may be different, the processes are almost completely identical. The equipment is almost completely identical. This has been demonstrated repeatedly.
**Therefore what happens inside your brain is not a law.
Still no description yet as to what laws we are talking about. There are, however, verifiable patterns of stimulus and response that take place in the brain, and they are common throughout our species, indeed, throughout most of the animal kingdom. Some might derive operational principles, or “laws”, from these.
**It doesn’t necessarily correspond to what happens in mine.
Correspondence is simply a form of interaction. Objects don’t need to interact in order to be subject to the same principles.
**In fact, it can’t be identical with what is inside my mind or brain, because we don’t have the same brain.
They don’t need to share the same atoms in order to respond in like ways to like influences. They are more the same than you may think, though.
**But no one can be satisfied without a rational procedure to follow. The laws of logic cannot be avoided, and the laws of logic cannot be accounted for in the unbelieving worldview.
Bahnsen/Timinator still does not explain where scientific explanations fail to explain the phenomena discussed.
**Therefore the laws of logic are one of the many evidences that without God you can’t prove anything at all.”—paraphrased from Bahnsen v. Stein, p.16.
This is the fallacy of the false dilemma of bifurcation-Two options are given when in reality there are more options.
Honestly, what you are getting at is cognition, as I stated earlier. Bahnsen doesn’t even understand his own argument well enough to state that. Much of the nature of cognition is covered in the article I sent you by Marvin Minsky.
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Deist Weighs In
My Deist buddy asked me to post this:
"Hi all. The Deist here.
I don't have much time, but I can touch on one or two points of bad reasoning being perpetrated here.
First, the issue regarding the Golden Rule. I never used that directly. At the core of my ethical system is respect for the personal sovereignty of others. Timinator keeps screwing that part up when describing my thinking.
Also, the Golden Rule is not, in reality, exclusively a Christian concept. It is an idea that has been acknowledged in many sources before and after the penning of Matthew 7:12. You guys ever heard of parallel development or separate development? It is a common fundamentalist conceit to make the claim that all that is worthy or good was originated within their orthodoxy and therefore pirated from it. Just because Sumerians were using written language to pen the Epic of Gilgamesh 7000 years ago doesn't mean they were ripping off written language from the Chinese, who were doing it 8000 years ago. Great job, Christians, for recognizing the value of treating people with the same courtesies you would like to be treated with! You can now join the ranks of the Hellenist philosophers who had already figured this out!
Moreover, Timinator's description of my ethical system is a giant straw man. Your oversimplification (not to mention misrepresentation) follows:
*A foundation for morality is provided by the simple fact that people desire to be treated properly by others, therefore we should do likewise to others (the Golden Rule).*
While this rather lamely touches on one or two sub-points included in my description, you missed the point entirely- acknowledgment of and respect for the personal sovereignty of others, and managing our lives with that in mind. There is more to it, as well there should be, but this is as much as I can distill down right now.
Also, Alicia, aren't you invoking a pretty egregious straw man yourself with that schmuck about "If the Deist answers something along the lines of blah blah blah..."? Howzabout we stick to the things I actually say, or even just imply?
Here is one for you- religious fundamentalists are the ultimate self-servers. What they call morality is little more than piety to scripture with one end in mind- getting their ultimate reward in heaven. There is nothing altruistic about that.
I wonder just how pious you folks would behave if Christ appeared before you and said "By the way, atonement really is limited, and you have it from me it does not extend to you and there is no way your are getting into heaven. Now here is what I want you to do.....""
"Hi all. The Deist here.
I don't have much time, but I can touch on one or two points of bad reasoning being perpetrated here.
First, the issue regarding the Golden Rule. I never used that directly. At the core of my ethical system is respect for the personal sovereignty of others. Timinator keeps screwing that part up when describing my thinking.
Also, the Golden Rule is not, in reality, exclusively a Christian concept. It is an idea that has been acknowledged in many sources before and after the penning of Matthew 7:12. You guys ever heard of parallel development or separate development? It is a common fundamentalist conceit to make the claim that all that is worthy or good was originated within their orthodoxy and therefore pirated from it. Just because Sumerians were using written language to pen the Epic of Gilgamesh 7000 years ago doesn't mean they were ripping off written language from the Chinese, who were doing it 8000 years ago. Great job, Christians, for recognizing the value of treating people with the same courtesies you would like to be treated with! You can now join the ranks of the Hellenist philosophers who had already figured this out!
Moreover, Timinator's description of my ethical system is a giant straw man. Your oversimplification (not to mention misrepresentation) follows:
*A foundation for morality is provided by the simple fact that people desire to be treated properly by others, therefore we should do likewise to others (the Golden Rule).*
While this rather lamely touches on one or two sub-points included in my description, you missed the point entirely- acknowledgment of and respect for the personal sovereignty of others, and managing our lives with that in mind. There is more to it, as well there should be, but this is as much as I can distill down right now.
Also, Alicia, aren't you invoking a pretty egregious straw man yourself with that schmuck about "If the Deist answers something along the lines of blah blah blah..."? Howzabout we stick to the things I actually say, or even just imply?
Here is one for you- religious fundamentalists are the ultimate self-servers. What they call morality is little more than piety to scripture with one end in mind- getting their ultimate reward in heaven. There is nothing altruistic about that.
I wonder just how pious you folks would behave if Christ appeared before you and said "By the way, atonement really is limited, and you have it from me it does not extend to you and there is no way your are getting into heaven. Now here is what I want you to do.....""
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Is there such a thing as a philosophical justification for Rome's epistemological and judicial structure?
"He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past."-- George Orwell, 1984. Rome's epistemological and judicial structure is a "3-legged stool": magisterium, oral tradition, and written tradition, each connected to and influencing the other. Rome justifies this present structure by asserting that this structure has existed since creation, albeit some aspects in primitive/seed form. (They must rewrite history to make this assertation, but that's another subject.) It is as simple as this.
As an illustration, I asked a PCA convert to Rome if there was a philosophical justification for Rome's epistemological and judicial structure. (This was a nonsensical question in the first place, more on that in a minute.) He said he wasn't sure, but recommended that I read a book on the history of the Popes.(!) That was his justification, and he was 100% dead on (from Rome's point of view) in answering that way.
I finally figured out that the question itself was a non-sequitur by asking "what's the philosophical justification for Presbyterianism?" Its not really a philosophical question so there's not really a philosophical answer. To a Christian who already believed the Bible, I can only justify it theologically from the Bible. To an unbeliever, I would first have to justify the Bible and the Christian God together using Biblical philosophically (the Transcendental Argument for God). If
successful, I could then move on to using the Bible theologically.
The process is exactly the same for Rome. To a Christian, Rome would justify its 3-legged system with the 3 elements of that system. To the unbeliever, they would use one of their forms of philosophy (Anselm, Aquinas, etc.) to justify the Christian God. If successful, they could then move on to justifying their 3-legged structure philosophically.
As an illustration, I asked a PCA convert to Rome if there was a philosophical justification for Rome's epistemological and judicial structure. (This was a nonsensical question in the first place, more on that in a minute.) He said he wasn't sure, but recommended that I read a book on the history of the Popes.(!) That was his justification, and he was 100% dead on (from Rome's point of view) in answering that way.
I finally figured out that the question itself was a non-sequitur by asking "what's the philosophical justification for Presbyterianism?" Its not really a philosophical question so there's not really a philosophical answer. To a Christian who already believed the Bible, I can only justify it theologically from the Bible. To an unbeliever, I would first have to justify the Bible and the Christian God together using Biblical philosophically (the Transcendental Argument for God). If
successful, I could then move on to using the Bible theologically.
The process is exactly the same for Rome. To a Christian, Rome would justify its 3-legged system with the 3 elements of that system. To the unbeliever, they would use one of their forms of philosophy (Anselm, Aquinas, etc.) to justify the Christian God. If successful, they could then move on to justifying their 3-legged structure philosophically.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
A presuppositional apologetic against deism
Deism on ethics: The existence of the universe requires a divine creator. However, since abstract/immaterial entities cannot be verified logically, empirically, or subjectively (i.e. human experience), there exists no means to know who that God is, if He acts, and/or if He has spoken. That said, the existence of a deity is not really required for personal and/or corporate ethics/morality anyway. A foundation for morality is provided by the simple fact that people desire to be treated properly by others, therefore we should do likewise to others (the Golden Rule).
Christian response:
1) This point is really neither here nor there, but I maintain that deism and agnosticism are functionally (if not really) a subset of atheism, so I believe the following argument can be applied to all three perspectives.
2) The term "properly" as used above is an ethical standard which is arbitrarily announced. To illustrate this, what if the way I like to be treated is different from the way you like to be treated, e.g., let's say I require "better" treatment than you do, or what if I'm a masochist (take pleasure in being abused)?
3) Regardless of which ethical standard (e.g. “properly”) the deist desires to use, he is unable to provide a logical means of justification for any ethical standard whatsoever. Here's why. To begin with, the laws of logic that the deist wants to use are abstract/immaterial entities which cannot be verified empirically. (I’m defining “immaterial” here as something not extended in space. Also, there are a few serious problems with empiricism as a philosophy itself, not least of which is that empiricism "is not itself known as the result of empirical testing and evidence.”—Bahnsen, Always Ready, p.187. In short, empiricism refutes itself.) Since empirical verification is not possible, he must base the laws of logic on personal and/or societal convention. However, justification through convention “is not at all acceptable philosophically. If the laws of logic are conventional in nature, then you might have different societies that use different laws of logic.”—Bahnsen v. Stein, p.15.
The deist has claimed that his worldview can account for the laws of morality, but I've shown here that it cannot, therefore, the deist conception of the universe, as currently articulated here, cannot be correct. Apart from a personalistic God who has communicated with men, there is no ground/basis/standard for moral statements; this is the Transcendental argument for the existence of God, more on that below.
4) At this point deism isn’t doing so well, but it actually gets worse for him: “The deist wants to use the laws of logic, but not only can he not account for them himself, he must actually borrow the Christian worldview (which he despises) in his attempt to account for them. This is because in the Christian worldview the laws of logic make sense; there can be abstract/immaterial, universal, absolute, invariant entities, such as the laws of logic. However, it is also the case within the Christian worldview that you cannot contradict yourself, because to do so you’re engaging in the nature of lying, and that’s contrary to the nature of God as we perceive it, and so the laws of logic are something the deist is going to have to explain, or else relinquish using them.
This is the Transcendental argument for the existence of God: without the existence of God, it is impossible to prove anything. And that’s because in an unbelieving worldview you cannot justify/account for laws in general, the laws of thought in particular, and the “laws” of nature cannot account for the fact that human life is more than electrochemical complexes. That is to say, in the unbelieving worldview, there’s really no reason to debate because in the end we cannot empirically verify those laws, so they must of necessity be conventional. All these laws are not really law-like in their nature, they’re just something that happens inside the brain.
But what happens inside your brain is not what happens in my brain. Therefore what happens inside your brain is not a law. It doesn’t necessarily correspond to what happens in mine. In fact, it can’t be identical with what is inside my mind or brain, because we don’t have the same brain.
But no one can be satisfied without a rational procedure to follow. The laws of logic cannot be avoided, and the laws of logic cannot be accounted for in the unbelieving worldview. Therefore the laws of logic are one of the many evidences that without God you can’t prove anything at all.”—paraphrased from Bahnsen v. Stein, p.16.
No philosophy can surmount the Christian worldview, hence the bold proclamation of Paul in 1 Cor.1.19-20: "For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
Christian response:
1) This point is really neither here nor there, but I maintain that deism and agnosticism are functionally (if not really) a subset of atheism, so I believe the following argument can be applied to all three perspectives.
2) The term "properly" as used above is an ethical standard which is arbitrarily announced. To illustrate this, what if the way I like to be treated is different from the way you like to be treated, e.g., let's say I require "better" treatment than you do, or what if I'm a masochist (take pleasure in being abused)?
3) Regardless of which ethical standard (e.g. “properly”) the deist desires to use, he is unable to provide a logical means of justification for any ethical standard whatsoever. Here's why. To begin with, the laws of logic that the deist wants to use are abstract/immaterial entities which cannot be verified empirically. (I’m defining “immaterial” here as something not extended in space. Also, there are a few serious problems with empiricism as a philosophy itself, not least of which is that empiricism "is not itself known as the result of empirical testing and evidence.”—Bahnsen, Always Ready, p.187. In short, empiricism refutes itself.) Since empirical verification is not possible, he must base the laws of logic on personal and/or societal convention. However, justification through convention “is not at all acceptable philosophically. If the laws of logic are conventional in nature, then you might have different societies that use different laws of logic.”—Bahnsen v. Stein, p.15.
The deist has claimed that his worldview can account for the laws of morality, but I've shown here that it cannot, therefore, the deist conception of the universe, as currently articulated here, cannot be correct. Apart from a personalistic God who has communicated with men, there is no ground/basis/standard for moral statements; this is the Transcendental argument for the existence of God, more on that below.
4) At this point deism isn’t doing so well, but it actually gets worse for him: “The deist wants to use the laws of logic, but not only can he not account for them himself, he must actually borrow the Christian worldview (which he despises) in his attempt to account for them. This is because in the Christian worldview the laws of logic make sense; there can be abstract/immaterial, universal, absolute, invariant entities, such as the laws of logic. However, it is also the case within the Christian worldview that you cannot contradict yourself, because to do so you’re engaging in the nature of lying, and that’s contrary to the nature of God as we perceive it, and so the laws of logic are something the deist is going to have to explain, or else relinquish using them.
This is the Transcendental argument for the existence of God: without the existence of God, it is impossible to prove anything. And that’s because in an unbelieving worldview you cannot justify/account for laws in general, the laws of thought in particular, and the “laws” of nature cannot account for the fact that human life is more than electrochemical complexes. That is to say, in the unbelieving worldview, there’s really no reason to debate because in the end we cannot empirically verify those laws, so they must of necessity be conventional. All these laws are not really law-like in their nature, they’re just something that happens inside the brain.
But what happens inside your brain is not what happens in my brain. Therefore what happens inside your brain is not a law. It doesn’t necessarily correspond to what happens in mine. In fact, it can’t be identical with what is inside my mind or brain, because we don’t have the same brain.
But no one can be satisfied without a rational procedure to follow. The laws of logic cannot be avoided, and the laws of logic cannot be accounted for in the unbelieving worldview. Therefore the laws of logic are one of the many evidences that without God you can’t prove anything at all.”—paraphrased from Bahnsen v. Stein, p.16.
No philosophy can surmount the Christian worldview, hence the bold proclamation of Paul in 1 Cor.1.19-20: "For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A gospel presentation
Archaeological and historical research strongly support the claims of Christianity over and against all other religions and worldviews (Islam, Hinduism, Atheism, Secularism, Naturalism, etc.). Therefore, if Jesus was bodily resurrected from the dead, there are a couple things to consider:
1) In John 14.15, Jesus said "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
2) In Matthew 7.21, Jesus said "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (This is one of Jesus' scarier statements.)
From this, we can now logically deduce the following: "You will only enter heaven if you love Jesus." Here is how we arrive at that:
a) Jesus was resurrected from the dead, thus proving that we have to pay attention to everything He said.
b) If you love Jesus you will obey His commands. (John 14.15)
c) Obeying Jesus’ commandments and doing the Father’s will are the same thing, so Jesus is God. (John 14.15, Mt.7.21)
d) So from this we deduce, "You will only enter heaven if you love and obey Jesus."
1) In John 14.15, Jesus said "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
2) In Matthew 7.21, Jesus said "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (This is one of Jesus' scarier statements.)
From this, we can now logically deduce the following: "You will only enter heaven if you love Jesus." Here is how we arrive at that:
a) Jesus was resurrected from the dead, thus proving that we have to pay attention to everything He said.
b) If you love Jesus you will obey His commands. (John 14.15)
c) Obeying Jesus’ commandments and doing the Father’s will are the same thing, so Jesus is God. (John 14.15, Mt.7.21)
d) So from this we deduce, "You will only enter heaven if you love and obey Jesus."
Friday, October 24, 2008
Here I go again...
* America’s “Christian” founding was schizophrenic at best.
* All 12 of the 13 Colonies required Trinitarian test-oaths to hold public office, Rhode Island was the exception. 1642, the inception of Rhode Island’s Desist (non-Trinitarian) government was the beginning of the end ! (the RI colonial charter was granted by the Crown in 1644.)
* The Declaration of Independence contained mention of some generic “God” (not the Trinity), and the Constitution mentions God nowhere (!). This is the first time in Western history that a founding document didn’t mention God. The Founding Fathers were mostly Deists, some were Trinitarians. So America started on a very poorly laid foundation on top of which we have tried our best to lay Trinitarian bricks and mortar.
* The crux of everything is that the foundation was laid poorly due to the Church’s utter failure in disciplining (i.e., excommunicating) Deists like Jefferson and Washington, just like the Church has utterly failed in disciplining men like Ronald Reagan (who never attended the Sabbath Service while in office), Bill Clinton, Pelosi, The Kennedy’s, Biden, Kerry, and Obama.
* The building is now toppling and we are are entering a Socialist / Statist era in America that will make European-style Socialism look like completely neophyte. Only a thoroughly Trinitarian populace and government make for a sustainable nation, all other heathen populaces and govt’s will eventually become Socialist, Statist, and tyrannical.
* Even on the slim chance that McCain wins, God is now teaching us the lesson that the Republican / “Conservative” power-politics experiment has failed, the Kingdom arises from the Church and the home and flows into the government, the Kingdom does now come from top-down power politics, Democrat or Republican.
* So get ready boysies and girlsies, its going to be bad times ahead, but take heart, the Lord has ordained all of it and He is working out His purposes.
* All 12 of the 13 Colonies required Trinitarian test-oaths to hold public office, Rhode Island was the exception. 1642, the inception of Rhode Island’s Desist (non-Trinitarian) government was the beginning of the end ! (the RI colonial charter was granted by the Crown in 1644.)
* The Declaration of Independence contained mention of some generic “God” (not the Trinity), and the Constitution mentions God nowhere (!). This is the first time in Western history that a founding document didn’t mention God. The Founding Fathers were mostly Deists, some were Trinitarians. So America started on a very poorly laid foundation on top of which we have tried our best to lay Trinitarian bricks and mortar.
* The crux of everything is that the foundation was laid poorly due to the Church’s utter failure in disciplining (i.e., excommunicating) Deists like Jefferson and Washington, just like the Church has utterly failed in disciplining men like Ronald Reagan (who never attended the Sabbath Service while in office), Bill Clinton, Pelosi, The Kennedy’s, Biden, Kerry, and Obama.
* The building is now toppling and we are are entering a Socialist / Statist era in America that will make European-style Socialism look like completely neophyte. Only a thoroughly Trinitarian populace and government make for a sustainable nation, all other heathen populaces and govt’s will eventually become Socialist, Statist, and tyrannical.
* Even on the slim chance that McCain wins, God is now teaching us the lesson that the Republican / “Conservative” power-politics experiment has failed, the Kingdom arises from the Church and the home and flows into the government, the Kingdom does now come from top-down power politics, Democrat or Republican.
* So get ready boysies and girlsies, its going to be bad times ahead, but take heart, the Lord has ordained all of it and He is working out His purposes.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
11-point Calvinism v.3 and Key to the Universe
This would be TULIPPPPPBP, okay not all P's at the end but almost.
1) Total Depravity
2) Unconditional Election
3) Limited Atonement
4) Irresistable Grace
5) Perseverance of the Saints
6) Paedobaptism and paedocommunion (almost certainly presupposes a high-church Covenant Renewal Service)
7) Pronomianism (as opposed to antinomianism) and Theonomy
8) Presuppositionalism
9) Partial Preterism and postmillenialism
10) Biblical Theology
11) Piety / devotion
Speaking of half-baked ideas, here’s one for you. Being the pattern-seeking creatures that we are, the St.Malachy’s and Art Bell's and Hadel's of the world are always looking for patterns to kind of tell us what’s going on. So here’s a pattern I just came up with, kind of an Indiana Jones key to the universe-type thing, so here goes:
1) Worldview, images the Father, the Creator of the world: This is partial-preterist postmillenialism, there are plenty of good books out there on this subject
2) Worship, images the Son: Focuses on the the warfare that occurs during Lords’ Supper, the best book on this right now is “The Lord's Service: The Grace of Covenant Renewal Worship” by Jeff Meyers
3) Walk, images the Holy Spirit: This is devotion / piety / godliness, Gen.5.24: "Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." The best book Ive seen on this is The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges, which Im currently reading.
10-point calvinism
10-point calvinist
10 point calvinism
10 point calvinist
1) Total Depravity
2) Unconditional Election
3) Limited Atonement
4) Irresistable Grace
5) Perseverance of the Saints
6) Paedobaptism and paedocommunion (almost certainly presupposes a high-church Covenant Renewal Service)
7) Pronomianism (as opposed to antinomianism) and Theonomy
8) Presuppositionalism
9) Partial Preterism and postmillenialism
10) Biblical Theology
11) Piety / devotion
Speaking of half-baked ideas, here’s one for you. Being the pattern-seeking creatures that we are, the St.Malachy’s and Art Bell's and Hadel's of the world are always looking for patterns to kind of tell us what’s going on. So here’s a pattern I just came up with, kind of an Indiana Jones key to the universe-type thing, so here goes:
1) Worldview, images the Father, the Creator of the world: This is partial-preterist postmillenialism, there are plenty of good books out there on this subject
2) Worship, images the Son: Focuses on the the warfare that occurs during Lords’ Supper, the best book on this right now is “The Lord's Service: The Grace of Covenant Renewal Worship” by Jeff Meyers
3) Walk, images the Holy Spirit: This is devotion / piety / godliness, Gen.5.24: "Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." The best book Ive seen on this is The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges, which Im currently reading.
10-point calvinism
10-point calvinist
10 point calvinism
10 point calvinist
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Divine Sovereignty verses
I wanted to take a step back and attempt to explain the Church’s historic / traditional position on some of the elements of the the basis for our faith, so I’ve put together a list of verses on divine sovereignty, preordination, predestination, and the radical depravity of man.
I ask that you not skim over these quickly, but rather try to find a quiet moment and read each one of them and meditate on the glory, majesty, and mystery of God in Christ. I say mystery because our finite human minds cannot fully comprehend ourselves (our inability, sin, etc.) let alone how God’s rules the universe: Is.55.8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” After the Resurrection we will see all this more clearly, but for the time being we must place our whole trust His Word and not doubt it, 1 Cor.13.12b: “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” I can attest that the teachings below from God’s Word have altered my understanding of reality and changed the course of my life in a very very powerful way.
I have categorized these verses and put them in order, hope you find this helpful.
Man’s radical depravity and inability to choose God
Gen.6.5: The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen.8.21: And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
Num.15.37-39: The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 39And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
Job.15.14-16: 14 What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous? Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight; how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!
Ps.14.1-3: The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Ps.51.5: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Is.53.6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jer.10.14: Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
Jer.13.23: Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Jer.17.9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Mt.7.11: If you then, who are 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!
Jn.2.24: But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people
Jn.15.5: I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Rom.1.18-28: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their
thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Rom.3.9-18: What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Rom.7.18-20: For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Rom.8.7: For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Rom.9.10-24: And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 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 his call—she was told,"The older will serve the younger." As it is written,"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses,"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 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." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 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?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? 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, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
Eph.2.8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 Cor.2.14: The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor.12.3: Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
2 Cor.3.5: Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God
2 Cor.4.3: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
2 Tim.3.8: Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
Tit.3.4-5: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
God chooses us
Gen.18.19: “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
Ex.33.19: And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Ps.65.4: Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
Jn.3.27: John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
Jn.6.37-39: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
Jn.6.44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Jn.6.64-65: “But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
Jn.10.25-28: Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Jn.15.16: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Acts.13.17: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
1 Thes.1.4-5: For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
2 Thes.2.13: But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
God controls all reality
Ps.33.13-15: The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
Ps.139.5-6: You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
RSB commentary: v.5--The Lord sets his limits around the Psalmists actions. "lay Your hand" means to guide him in life.
Ps.140.8: Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot or they will be exalted! Selah'' It is God Who grants or denies the desires of the wicked.
Prv.16.9: The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
Is.45.7: I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am YHWH, who does all these things.
Amos.3.6: Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless YHWH has done it?
Mt.10.29-31: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Jn.1.12-13: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Acts.16.14: One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
Heb.1.3: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
God’s preordination and predestination
Job.14.5: 5Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass
Ps.139.16: Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Acts.4.27-28: for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
Acts.13.48: And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts.17.26: And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place
Rom.8.28-30: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Eph.1.3-12: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
1 Pet.2.8-9: and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Jud.1.4: For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Gen.6.5
Gen.8.21
Gen.18.19
Ex.33.19
Num.15.37-39
Job.14.5
Job.15.14-16
Ps.14.1-3
Ps.33.13-15
Ps.51.5
Ps.65.4
Ps.139.5-6
Ps.139.16
Ps.140.8
Prv.16.9
Is.45.7
Is.53.6
Is.55.8-9
Amos.3.6
Jer.10.14
Jer.13.23
Jer.17.9
Mt.7.11
Mt.10.29-31
Jn.1.12-13
Jn.2.24
Jn.3.27
Jn.6.37-39
Jn.6.44
Jn.6.64-65
Jn.10.25-28
Jn.15.5
Jn.15.16
Acts.4.27-28
Acts.13.17
Acts.13.48
Acts.16.14
Acts.17.26
Rom.1.18-28
Rom.3.9-18
Rom.7.18-20
Rom.8.7
Rom.8.28-30
Rom.9.10-24
1 Cor.2.14
1 Cor.12.3
2 Cor.3.5
2 Cor.4.3
Eph.1.3-12
Eph.2.8-9
1 Thes.1.4-5
2 Thes.2.13
2 Tim.3.8
Tit.3.4-5
Heb.1.3
1 Pet.2.8-9
Jud.1.4
I ask that you not skim over these quickly, but rather try to find a quiet moment and read each one of them and meditate on the glory, majesty, and mystery of God in Christ. I say mystery because our finite human minds cannot fully comprehend ourselves (our inability, sin, etc.) let alone how God’s rules the universe: Is.55.8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” After the Resurrection we will see all this more clearly, but for the time being we must place our whole trust His Word and not doubt it, 1 Cor.13.12b: “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” I can attest that the teachings below from God’s Word have altered my understanding of reality and changed the course of my life in a very very powerful way.
I have categorized these verses and put them in order, hope you find this helpful.
Man’s radical depravity and inability to choose God
Gen.6.5: The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen.8.21: And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
Num.15.37-39: The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. 39And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
Job.15.14-16: 14 What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous? Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight; how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!
Ps.14.1-3: The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Ps.51.5: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Is.53.6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jer.10.14: Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
Jer.13.23: Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
Jer.17.9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Mt.7.11: If you then, who are 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!
Jn.2.24: But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people
Jn.15.5: I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Rom.1.18-28: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their
thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Rom.3.9-18: What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." The venom of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Rom.7.18-20: For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Rom.8.7: For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
Rom.9.10-24: And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 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 his call—she was told,"The older will serve the younger." As it is written,"Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses,"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 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." So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 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?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? 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, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
Eph.2.8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
1 Cor.2.14: The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Cor.12.3: Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
2 Cor.3.5: Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God
2 Cor.4.3: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing.
2 Tim.3.8: Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
Tit.3.4-5: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
God chooses us
Gen.18.19: “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him."
Ex.33.19: And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Ps.65.4: Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
Jn.3.27: John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
Jn.6.37-39: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
Jn.6.44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
Jn.6.64-65: “But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
Jn.10.25-28: Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Jn.15.16: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Acts.13.17: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.
1 Thes.1.4-5: For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
2 Thes.2.13: But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
God controls all reality
Ps.33.13-15: The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
Ps.139.5-6: You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
RSB commentary: v.5--The Lord sets his limits around the Psalmists actions. "lay Your hand" means to guide him in life.
Ps.140.8: Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot or they will be exalted! Selah'' It is God Who grants or denies the desires of the wicked.
Prv.16.9: The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.
Is.45.7: I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am YHWH, who does all these things.
Amos.3.6: Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless YHWH has done it?
Mt.10.29-31: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Jn.1.12-13: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Acts.16.14: One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.
Heb.1.3: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
God’s preordination and predestination
Job.14.5: 5Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass
Ps.139.16: Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.
Acts.4.27-28: for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
Acts.13.48: And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts.17.26: And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place
Rom.8.28-30: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Eph.1.3-12: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
1 Pet.2.8-9: and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Jud.1.4: For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Gen.6.5
Gen.8.21
Gen.18.19
Ex.33.19
Num.15.37-39
Job.14.5
Job.15.14-16
Ps.14.1-3
Ps.33.13-15
Ps.51.5
Ps.65.4
Ps.139.5-6
Ps.139.16
Ps.140.8
Prv.16.9
Is.45.7
Is.53.6
Is.55.8-9
Amos.3.6
Jer.10.14
Jer.13.23
Jer.17.9
Mt.7.11
Mt.10.29-31
Jn.1.12-13
Jn.2.24
Jn.3.27
Jn.6.37-39
Jn.6.44
Jn.6.64-65
Jn.10.25-28
Jn.15.5
Jn.15.16
Acts.4.27-28
Acts.13.17
Acts.13.48
Acts.16.14
Acts.17.26
Rom.1.18-28
Rom.3.9-18
Rom.7.18-20
Rom.8.7
Rom.8.28-30
Rom.9.10-24
1 Cor.2.14
1 Cor.12.3
2 Cor.3.5
2 Cor.4.3
Eph.1.3-12
Eph.2.8-9
1 Thes.1.4-5
2 Thes.2.13
2 Tim.3.8
Tit.3.4-5
Heb.1.3
1 Pet.2.8-9
Jud.1.4
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