The ability of the Unbeliever

[AJ]

The spiritual ability of the Unbeliever - while in the State of Sin and Carnality?


1.  A 'lost person' CAN NOT see or enter the kingdom of God - by his own ability and choosing.
John 3:3-5 – In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.


2. A 'lost person' CAN NOT come to Jesus Christ for salvation – by his own ability and freewill.
John 6:44 – 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:65 – 65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."


3. A 'lost person' CAN NOT become free of sin -  by his own ability and determination.
John 8:31-36 – 31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.


4. A 'lost person' CAN NOT hear what Jesus says.
John 8:43-47 – 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."


5. A 'lost person' CAN NOT bear good fruit.
John 15:4-5 – 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.


6. A 'lost person' CAN NOT help himself spiritually.
Romans 5:6 – 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.


7. A 'lost person' CAN NOT submit to God's law.
Romans 8:5-7 NASB – 5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so....


8. A 'lost person' CAN NOT please God.
Romans 8:8 NASB – 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
(Compare Hebrews 11:6)


9. A 'lost person' CAN NOT understand things that come from God's Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:14 – 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.


10. A 'lost person' CAN NOT see the light of the gospel.
2 Corinthians 4:4 – 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


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[peacemaker]

If they call, should we tell them to get lost?

[Raggedy Anne]

AJ -

I understand this, but I'm wondering what your purpose in posting these things is. 
It seems to me that our hearing and seeing ability is a progressive thing (known as sanctification), so who is to say how lost or how found anyone actually is at their given stage of spiritual development.  It is not as if I suddenly knew everything on a particular given day.    Therefore, we should strive to be patient with one another.

Anne

[peacemaker]

It seems to me that our hearing and seeing ability is a progressive thing, so who is to say how lost or how found anyone actually is at their given stage of spiritual development. 

"We should strive to LOVE one another."

Sanctify your hearts  :HeartThrob:  AMEN!

[Nicolás]

I found this 10 Items particularly useful.

Most christians say that those who never heard about the Gospel are "without excuse", quoting (out of CONTEXT) Romans 1:20
and that if they really desire with all their hearts to serve a God, He will manifest to them somehow.
This verses prove them wrong, especially those in item 2.

Thanks AJ

[jabcat]

To love them, to pray for them, and to tell them;

"...if you acknowledge with your mouth Yesu as the Master, and have faith in your heart that God has awakened Him from among the dead, you will be saved."  Romans 10:9

and, "whosever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved".  Romans 10:13

-------------

"...have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some."  I Corinthians 9:22.

[rosered]

  Good Job AJ ,
  :thumbsup:   To speak of heavenly things  in a  tongue / language
  is not something  your born  with  , you are  born again so to speak ... hee hee
 
to me its very symbolic  and it  was NOT something known , it was taught by the Holy Spirit   to each and everyone born of God  though the Son/WORD incorruptible seed.. 

Jhn 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and you  believe/obey  not, how shall you believe/obey , if I tell you [of] heavenly things? 

[jabcat]

  Good Job AJ ,
  :thumbsup:   To speak of heavenly things  in a  tongue / language
  is not something  your born  with  , you are  born again so to speak ... hee hee
 
to me its very symbolic  and it  was NOT something known , it was taught by the Holy Spirit   to each and everyone born of God  though the Son/WORD incorruptible seed.. 

Jhn 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and you  believe/obey  not, how shall you believe/obey , if I tell you [of] heavenly things? 

Thanks rose for speaking the scriptures.   :thumbsup:

[rosered]

  Good Job AJ ,
  :thumbsup:   To speak of heavenly things  in a  tongue / language
  is not something  your born  with  , you are  born again so to speak ... hee hee
 
to me its very symbolic  and it  was NOT something known , it was taught by the Holy Spirit   to each and everyone born of God  though the Son/WORD incorruptible seed.. 

Jhn 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and you  believe/obey  not, how shall you believe/obey , if I tell you [of] heavenly things? 

Thanks rose for speaking the scriptures.   :thumbsup:

:boyheart:  Thank you James for loving them as much as I do  :thumbsup:

  means alot bro .. :HeartThrob:  rose

[jabcat]

I'll add, you speak them in love and with the Spirit.  Thank you.

[Gab]

I don't disagree with those ten points, but I'm not really sure what point is being made by stating them - is this in response to adherents to ET, or is it admonishing unbelievers, or...?

[peacemaker]

I don't disagree with those ten points, but I'm not really sure what point is being made by stating them - is this in response to adherents to ET, or is it admonishing unbelievers, or...?

Nor do I, but the Spirit does not dwell in the duality of the mind, lost/found, right/wrong, good/evil, rather the divine influence of the Spirit is that which works in the human heart; renewing the mind.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Thus, are we not to strive for the higher principle in this life?

The odds are 99 to 1 that the answer is yes, with love!