Believe...accepting...receiving.

[IceDash]

Every church always love this motto:

"Do you accept Jesus as your personal savior?"

The bible not once has a word: "accept" in it! Where did the church learn this from?

Another interesting question:

Remember the story of the jailer?
The earthquake so strong, everyone escape, the jailer was fear because the jailer's job isn't easy! :thumbdown:

The jailer decide to take his own life by falling down on the sword but Paul and silos warn: "Don't!"

Jailer was so shock and amazing by their tender heart care for this jailer, he ask: "What must I do to know about Jesus?"

You know what Paul said?!?!?

"Believe on jesus and you will be saved, this house and your family"

WHERE THE WORD "ACCEPT JESUS" IN THE BIBLE?!?!?!

[gregoryfl]

Hi Ice,

While not a "biblical term" per se, it can be considered a synonym to "receiving", as that is one of the meanings of "accept." So perhaps one could say, as recorded by John:

To as many as received [accepted] him, to them he gave the right to be tent-additions to the Strong-Yoked-Guide.

Ron

[WhiteWings]

But many recieve things that are forced upon them.
I recieved a tax bill.
I recieved death sentence. Twice  :laughing7:
Etc.

[claypot]

Hey Ice,

I hear ya but I do see we must receive things. I do think we can only receive spiritual things when we are strengthened spiritually.

I do think we are worked upon first and then we accept. This is where the real difference is between orthodox mindsets and what I see.

cp

[jabcat]

Hey Ice,

I hear ya but I do see we must receive things. I do think we can only receive spiritual things when we are strengthened spiritually.

I do think we are worked upon first and then we accept. This is where the real difference is between orthodox mindsets and what I see.

cp

I agree...don't we have to "accept" something/SomeOne (be open(ed) to the possibility), before we "believe on" (act on/place faith in)?  Seems to go together...but again, not always exactly as orthodoxy says it...IMO, we don't do any of that unless God gives us the very faith to do so..it's His doing, not ours.  It's not just a "well, I guess I'll decide to accept Jesus today...all my choice, all my doing, la de da.  I guess I'll let poor Jesus have another soul...He sure is trying hard to help us."

[Average_Bear]

I've noticed this as well - that nowhere are we told to accept Christ and there are no examples of anyone accepting Christ, unless receiving is the same as accepting. My theory is that the modern evangelical movement made this up - probably Billy Graham or his predecessors, along with calling Jesus your "personal" Lord and savior. One possibility is that accept contrasts nicely with reject, so the ET preachers can go off on this "you either must accept Jesus or reject Jesus" "And if you reject Jesus, he will reject you and toss you into the Lake of Fire on Judgment Day"

I find the accept/reject contrast a bit ridiculous. If this is true, then unless you were born a believer, you were "rejecting" Christ before you accepted him. This we means we were all Christ rejecters!! Some have gone as far to say that this is the unforgiveable sin, which would make it impossible for anyone to get saved. From personal experience, I can say I was honestly searching for truth years before believing in Christ - so how can anyone say I was rejecting Christ when I just hadn't found him yet. You couldn't even say that I was ignoring Christ - just that I was ignorant of Christ.

[WhiteWings]

Jesus Himself used words like:
- Blinded
- Misled
- Don't know what they do

That's expressing passively moving away from God instead of actively like the word accepting implies.

[fire walker]

Religious church institutions also imply the same thing in regards to repentance. How many times have you heard it said "repent before it is everlasting too late"? or "repent before you go to hell because after that it is too late"? or just plain "repent repent I say"?
and yet they never say from what.

Not one repents on his own because doing things on your own will and power are works based self righteous fear driven works.

Now Godly sorrow WORKS repentance NOT TO BE REPENTED OF, Now who is it that works repentance? surely not me, Grace is sufficient, the work of the spirit is not the work of man, it is not my job or anyone elses job to do the work of the Holy Spirit, man my preach but only God can open the ears.

It is the same with this "you MUST accept  Christ before it is too late!" the church pounds on their pulpits about before they pass the collection plate, there is no way that anyone can be forced to accept something that they have not yet been able to  see or hear, more harm than good is done in many of these churches by using force, fear, guilt, compliance and etc:, there are just too many things that are in DUE time, that is in Gods good time and not ours, we can niether speed any of this up or slow it down in our own life let alone anyone elses, God is in charge of every man in his own order weather one is impatient or weather one would try to put his due time off until later makes no differance in the end because the flesh profits nothing.

Peace,
Fire Walker

[legoman]

Here is another scriptural witness on what Fire Walker was saying:

Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

It is only by God's kindness that anyone will ever repent.

Legoman

[Dallas]

Hey Ice;

I agree with you about this new form of slavery... the doctrine of acceptance.

Which happenes first the revealing of christ to the person and then they choose?

Absolutley rediculous!!

"You never chose me it is I who have chosen you"
"No one comes to the father except through me"
"No one comes to the son unless the father first draw him"

Is there an acknowledgement of what took place at the revealing absolulety... it is however not up to the person to accept it.

How can a sinner stop being a sinner long enough to realize he needs to accept Christ?!

He can't! That's why God chose us, for our own good because we lacked ability to do so, in Him!

1 Corinthians 1:30 "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus"

Your acceptance is not a pre-requisite!! That is the new circumcision!!! The Christian circumsion, the Christian judgement, not of God!

Or are any of you so vain to think that a man's choice to not accept God can hold back the will of God? That by not choosing a man could render the cross powerless?

How could that be? Is man's will stronger than God's?

Romans 9:16 "So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy."


God did something that included all people, are all people aware of it, no. Were all people included in it yes. No one can exclude themselves from it and no one can include themselves into it. "Saviour of all men especially of believers." When God, not man, reveals the truth to them, by His mercy not by our acceptance, they will believe. Because they now believe they will confess the truth because it was confessed to them!!

(edited for grammer)

[CHB]

Not one repents on his own because doing things on your own will and power are works based self righteous fear driven works.

Hi Fire Walker,

What you said above reminds me of what most call free will.

I am not trying to start a discussion on it, just an observation on my part.  :bigGrin:

CHB

[bobf]

Every church always love this motto:

"Do you accept Jesus as your personal savior?"

The bible not once has a word: "accept" in it! Where did the church learn this from?
....
WHERE THE WORD "ACCEPT JESUS" IN THE BIBLE?!?!?!

You are very astude IceDash!  But actually there is one way that scriputres say we can "receive Jesus"...

• Luke 9:46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

<br>

• Matthew 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

[martincisneros]

2Corinthians 5 says to reconcile yourself to God because He's reconciled Himself to you.

Romans 10 gives the impression of accepting/receiving Christ through acting on the Word that has been preached.  It says that it's a matter of acting on the Word that you've heard rather than some eschatological event.  He says to "say not who shall ascend into heaven, or descend into the deep" quoting Deuteronomy to imply that this isn't something that God does for us, but something we do for ourselves.

In Acts 20 Paul says that he's been preaching among them to repent and believe in Christ and therefore he's innocent of the blood of all men, implying he wouldn't be innocent of the blood of all men if he weren't preaching that.  And again, there's an implication that it's on their shoulders to repent and have faith rather than upon his 'cause he's delivered a faithful testimony.  In saying what he says in this chapter, there's obviously an allusion to Ezekiel and Nehemiah about being a watchman on the wall and God holding His ministers accountable if they don't preach the Word, but if they do preach it and people don't repent then He lays the blame solely on their shoulders for not having repented.

2Timothy 2 says that if you cleanse yourself from the works of the flesh, then you'll be a vessel/pottery fitted to honor rather than a vessel/pottery for common use.

2Corinthians 7 says that we should cleanse ourselves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Ephesians 4 opens by pleading with each of us to walk worthy of the Lord and then the chapter is an outline of how to do that.  More specifically that chapter and the next two after it, but Ephesians 4 is the outline that Paul explains more fully as he leaves that chapter.

In Romans 12, Paul begs us on hands and knees to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and to offer up our bodies a living sacrifice in view of God's mercies.

Romans 6 says to present ourselves to God as alive from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousness.

Mark 4:24 places the responsibility for what we hear on our shoulders and I could go on and on and on.

Obviously Mark 16 says that those that believe are saved and those that don't believe are condemned.  New Testament condemnation is sickness, disease, and death, according to John 3 and 1Corinthians 11, unless one is confronted by the Lord as Thomas, Saul of Tarsus, and Elymas the sorcerer were.

Luke 8:15 says that we bare the fruit of the Word with perseverance.

James 1:21, among other things, says to receive with meekness the engrafted Word which is able to save your souls.

[martincisneros]

Although there is a difference between first fruits and latter fruits, the Bible's emphasis is upon being saved from the wrath to come even if you've got to cut off your hands, feet, eyes, etc, if it would try to separate you from being diligent to the Word of God and to corresponding actions in this life.  God NEEDS all of us believing with Him for the recovery of all.  This whole thing is about the just suffering for the unjust to bring them to God, and that those of us that are spiritual restore those that are overtaken in trespasses and misery lest we also be tempted. 

We're supposed to engage in warfare for the souls of all men, to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ until they gladly cast the whole of their cares upon Him realizing that He cares for them.  No one engaged in warfare entangles himself in the affairs of this life so that he can please his commanding Officer.  The Scriptures I just listed on this thread are how you sign up for active duty.  "4 spiritual laws" pamphlets aren't anti-UR.  They're the most UR thing you can get your hands on because this whole thing is about the recovery of each individual ASAP with absolutely all of His energy which He so powerfully works within us.

[fire walker]

Although there is a difference between first fruits and latter fruits, the Bible's emphasis is upon being saved from the wrath to come even if you've got to cut off your hands, feet, eyes, etc, if it would try to separate you from being diligent to the Word of God and to corresponding actions in this life.  God NEEDS all of us believing with Him for the recovery of all.  This whole thing is about the just suffering for the unjust to bring them to God, and that those of us that are spiritual restore those that are overtaken in trespasses and misery lest we also be tempted. 

We're supposed to engage in warfare for the souls of all men, to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ until they gladly cast the whole of their cares upon Him realizing that He cares for them.  No one engaged in warfare entangles himself in the affairs of this life so that he can please his commanding Officer.  The Scriptures I just listed on this thread are how you sign up for active duty.  "4 spiritual laws" pamphlets aren't anti-UR.  They're the most UR thing you can get your hands on because this whole thing is about the recovery of each individual ASAP with absolutely all of His energy which He so powerfully works within us.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That is true Martin,

As I have said in an earlier reply on this thread it is not us who works these things but him who works these things through us,
we take the glory in nothing, God gets the
glory in all things.  Some may be given to do or minister in ways that the traditional fundamentalists may not even consider to be " of Christ" just because the indvidual is not one of them in their church group, or just because others can't see that now doesn't mean it isn't so.  What did Jesus say to his disciples when they prevented a man from casting out demons just because he was not with them or not given to to do these things exactly as they would? Jesus rebuked them sorely and told them not to prevent anyone from doing the good they would do. There is no formal traditional cookie cutter reputation we are to be of.

Some of the greatest examples of Gods love for us that we are to have for one another that have been worked through someone
has been a one on one ministery dedicated to help one of the least is done for all weather others can see this or not doesn't mean it isn't so. A good example of the point in this message I am posting is Ann Sulivans dedicated working ministery with Helen Keller, or others who have done as much for others we have never in this life seen or heard about, they never the less are Gods love working through man and this very well does satisfy the verses you have quoted above, love for others is not a works, it is a God given gift that is the highest, faith, hope and love, of these three love is the highest, faith and hope without love is  dead.

The question of this post was about accepting or chosing Jesus Christ, it is he who chooses us, also we were chosen in him before the foundation of the world, before we were even here in the world to choose him, he chose us in him.

Peace,
fire Walker

[peacemaker]

Receiving is contrasted with giving of your tithe, an incentive to use the blood more judiciously – killing the children because of their religiosity, now that's insanity!

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice."

peacemaker