Dispensations Discussion Forum – Week 2 – May 5, 2016

[Pastor, Ronald D. Walker]

Dispensations Discussion Forum – Week 2 – May 5, 2016

This is week 2 of Dispensations our discussion question this week focuses on our study of the Dispensation of Innocence.  Remember to answer the question and then respond to two of your classmates.  Really think about this question and search the scriptures to provide support of your answer.

• Can all men be saved if they choose to be?  Is it God’s will that all be saved?  Why then will some be lost and others saved? Prove it from scripture.

Remember to respond to at least two of your classmates.  Also, grammar is important so play close attention to what you are posting.  Read it over before you hit submit.  Blessings

[Monica Harrigan]

Yes, all men can be saved if we choose to be saved. We were all created with an inward nature of right or wrong. Before the fall of man we were created in an age innocence; we were God-Conscious, knowing no sin. After the fall we became Self-Conscious and became knowledgeable of sin; but still have the inward nature of right and wrong. We must choose God, which is life everlasting and not death. One of my favorite Scriptures is Joshua 24:15; “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ad for me and my housr, we will serve the Lord.”

Yes, it is absolutely God’s will that we all be saved. After all, we are His children. He desires the ultimate best for each and everyone of us. During the favorable beginnings of man in innocence, eternal life was one of the benefits that were given freely. Everything was laid out for us. It was all good, there were no burdens. The only requirement was that we be obedient. Genesis 2:17 Man had one job….to “guard the garden”. Genesis 2:15

Some will be lost and some saved based on our “free will”. There are those of us that will use our “free will” to follow God; whereas some will use their “free will” and choose not to follow God. We are all given the opportunity to choose life over death as stated in Jeremiah 21:8; “And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death”.

[Lilly Chalwell]

Monica, you did a great job summarizing it all. I agree with everything you stated, God had given us all a free will to choose right from wrong, and He wishes above all, that we all come into the unity of faith, not willing that any should perish, But the choice is ours.

[Donna Riley]

You know Monica, I don’t know if Adam, before the fall, had a visual example of the consequence of evil, but I sure do know we have seen numerous examples. We have all seen and experience the end results of doing wrong, yet many of us still choose this life style. In this situation I am strictly talking about those in the body of Christ. Is it because it is an easier lifestyle? Is it because it is a comfortable position? The transition is a difficult one. It is not easy to change from one form of thinking and behaving to another or from one form of lifestyle to another, especially when your peers are doing the same thing. This is why when I think about Abraham and uprooting his family to go into the unknown, this required a great amount of faith especially at the age of 75. Being able to choose is a privilege, but that doesn’t mean making the right choice is easy.

[Monica Harrigan]

Donna, Adam not having a visual of consequences would mean he was walking by sight and not by faith. Everything good was laid out for Adam….he was also given a mate made from his ribs. Adam decided not to be obedient and to not trust God. As Pastor Walker stated….he think Adam was longing to eat of the tree of knowledge all along. He was longing and lusting upon it and didn’t protect Eve from thr serpent. Adam should have stood up and intervened on his wife’s behalf in a protective manner. Also, many people want what they shouldn’t have instead on being content with what has been provided.

[Rhonda]

Monica you are correct we should choose God, which is life everlasting and not death. A lot of people go through life without thinking about where they are going to spend the rest of eternity. As believer’s we have a duty to make sure that other’s hear the good news of the gospel.

[Lilly Chalwell]

Most definitely, all men can be saved if they choose to. However, God gave men a free will, Deuteronomy 30:19b. (KJV) stated, I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life that both thou and thy seed may live: We were admonished to choose life, not only for us but our seed also.

Absolutely, it’s God’s will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. God’s plan from the beginning was to fellowship with humanity, however, because Adam transgressed again God’s command, this cause all man to be separated from God. Which denied us the right to fellowship with our Father. Gracefully, God did not leave us in that state, John 3:16 stated, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God always have provision; He sacrificed His only begotten son to establish humanity back into their rightful place in Him, back into fellowship.

Unfortunately, some will choose the right way and some the wrong way. However, we are without excuse as we all have a conscience to know right from wrong, found in 1Timothy 4:2 some will allow their conscience to be seared, overriding the truth, gravitating to do wrong rather than right. This gospel will be preached to everyone before the end of the world so that all will be without excuse.

[Monica Harrigan]

Lilly, I like how you included our “seed”. From generation to generation you can find Christians praying and choosing life for not only themselves but for their children and their children’s children.

It had to have been an awesome experience to be able to fellowship with God in the flesh!! Fellowshiping in the spirit is great….but to be with Him face to face was and will be again an experience like no other.

[Donna Riley]

Lilly, God had different methods or plans throughout the centuries pointing man towards salvation. You would think by now we would have gotten it and by now all would be running to lay themselves at His feet. But, at last, it is not so. Throughout history, man repeated over and over the same pattern of starting off following God’s plan and then changing lanes to end up on the far side. Thank God that He is the type of God He is, a merciful, kind and gracious God. Yes, you are right. He did not leave us in the state of not being able to fellowship with us. Because of His love for us, He came up with a plan. Yes, God always had a plan and it was free for us, but it cost His son everything. Now we have the freedom to fellowship with Him and be with Him forever, this is the end result of making a good choice.

[Rhonda]

Lilly, as you mentioned sin caused Adam and Eve to become separated from God. Sin breaks the fellowship that we have with God, even though we remain his son’s and daughter’s. I am so thankful that we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

[Marita Smith]

Lilly you are absolutely right that we are without excuse, and yes we all have a God conscious mind to know right from wrong. Most times we override the truth and use our freewill to do wrong over and over that our conscience becomes seared and it doesn’t even bother us.

[Donna Riley]

Most definitely all men can be saved if they so choose. “For there is no respect of persons with God,” (Romans 2:11 AKJV). God’s provision of salvation was for all men. The key here is, ‘if they choose.’ One of the characteristics of perfection is the ability to choose or free will. Mankind was created in the likeness and image of God and therefore has the ability to choose. The problem with many not choosing God is their unbelief. For others, it is their love of doing evil. Again, for others, they are pursuing righteousness by works. In John 5:40 NIV, Jesus said, “You refuse to come to me to have life.” Man’s ability to refuse to come to God proves he has the ability to choose. God did not make it confusing for man to choose Him. God made it easy. He created one way, and said this is the way. It is a no brainer.

The Bible plainly states, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth,” (1 Tim. 2:3-4, NIV). God so loved us that He give the ultimate sacrifice, His son, Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16 NIV). God chose us first. He knew we would mess things up and instead of giving up on us, He made a decision to give everything He had even His son’s life just so that we could be reconciled with Him and spend the rest of eternity with Him. He did not want any to be lost, but all to be saved. This is the reason for the dispensations and the fact that not once did He leave us alone. God was always putting people in our lives who would point the way back to Him. God declares, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’ ” (Ezek. 33:11).

Unfortunately, with all the planning and preparation and sacrificing God made, at last, there still will be many who chose not to do things His way. This goes back again to the power of the ability to choose. God does not want robots. God wants us to voluntarily love Him. For those who by choice reject God and His Word due to the hardness of their heart, they will have to suffer the consequences. God said, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people,” (Roman 10:21 NIV). They will be held responsible for their own damnation. On the other hand, those who choose Jesus Christ, they are rewarded with their needs being supplied while here on Earth and to live with Him for all eternity. “Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” (Psalm 23:6).

[Monica Harrigan]

Donna, I agree with you wholeheartedly and would like to add that in addition to unbelief many don’t have trust in God. There are many scriptures where belief and trust go hand in hand. Hebrews 11:6,Psalms 78:22; “Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.”

[Stacy Gregoire]

First, I want to look at what God’s will is in the matter and I believe that it is God’s will that all be saved. His will is His Word and He states clearly in I Timothy 2:1-4, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. There is nothing left after all. II Peter 3:9 goes on to tell us that “9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

That promise is the one that was made in Genesis 3:15 after the fall of Adam. He promised that a redeemer would come to free us from the curse, control and bondage of the enemy. We serve a loving and a forgiving God. He gave His best, His son Jesus, to save all of mankind. Adam’s sin imputed sin to all mankind. The impact of Adam’s sin (the creation), cannot be greater that the impact of Jesus’s sacrifice (the Creator). This is explained in Romans 5:12-21. However, the point is particularly brought home in verse 18. “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

Which brings me to the second question; “Can all men be saved if they choose to be”? The answer is yes. God created man with free will so, like Adam, we can choose to be saved. Deuteronomy 30:19: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” The options are available to us to choose from. However, some will be lost and some will be saved because some will choose to receive the “free gift” and others will refuse to accept the “free gift”.

The other reason that some will be lost is that they will not have received the good news. Acts 4:12 tells us, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Further, “ How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14) So it is our job as believers to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that all men have an opportunity to choose life and be saved.

[Marita Smith]

Stacy you have made a valid point, that God put before us life and death, blessings and curses, he also give us options, and a free will to choose. He is willing that any man should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He loves us so much and wants the best for us, he tells us to choose life.

[Stacy Gregoire]

Lilly, a seared conscience is definitely another reason for men not choosing to be saved. This is like having a hardened heart. There are many out there who scoff at believers when we preach salvation and the Kingdom of God. However, as discussed in class, when that great equalizer, death, comes knocking on their door the first name they call upon to be saved is Jesus. I’ve seen it.

[Lilly Chalwell]

Stacy, I like your analogy, having a seared conscience it’s just like having a hard heart, as one would not let God into he/she life.

[Stacy Gregoire]

Donna, I agree that God does not want us to be robots and that He wants us to voluntarily love Him and that is why He gave us our free will. If we look at it in our own lives we can see why God does this. For example, no woman that I know of wants a husband who is forced to love them. Where is the satisfaction in that? When the force is removed, the person will be gone. That is slavery and that’s Satan’s line of work. We serve a God of love.

[Rhonda]

All men can be saved if they choose to be because salvation is available to all. According to scripture, God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (Timothy 2:4 KJV)

It is God’s will that all be saved but not all men will be saved. Some will be lost and othes saved because from the creation of man, God gave His creation the ability to choose and say either yes or no to Him. It is God’s perfect will that we do not sin, but His permissive will allows us to choose. Ezekiel 18:23, tells us that God doesn’t take pleasure in the death of the wicked and desires that they turn from their wicked ways. The wages of sin is death but it does not have to be because God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God’s prevailing plan for man includes redemption from sin but it was freely given unto all men, but it must be freely received.

[Roxanne Rhymer]

This was good Rhonda.  Yes Ezekiel 18:23 is proof that God does not want anyone to die in sin, but He also did not want robots.   He wanted all men to choose Him and His way of life freely.  He gave us this free gift because God wanted us to freely choose, love and pray to Him!   God’s plan of redemption was to bring His family all together.

[Marita Smith]

Can all men be saved if they to be? Is it God’s will that all be saved? Why then will some be lost and others saved? Prove it from scriptures:

Yes all men can be save if they choose to be save, because God give each and every one of us a freewill. Duet.30:9 gives us all the choice to choose life or death, blessings or curses. God wants us to live and not die eternally, that’s why he encourages us to choose life, but again, the choice is ours to make.

Because of one man; sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death was passed upon all men for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12) God loved us so much he didn’t want us to stay in that sin nature, so he sent his only begotten son Jesus on Calvary’s cross to die for us that we could be reconciled back to him (John 3:16) Jesus made atonement for us by humbling himself unto death, even the death of the cross just for us, that we can stand righteous before him. (Philippians 2:8) In 1Timothy 2:4 it clearly states that it is God’s will that all men be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth. So yes; it’s evident that it’s God will that all be saved.

Some will be lost because of the hardness of their hearts and because of disobedience. For some, because they have not come unto the knowledge of the truth; that Satan has been defeated and Jesus reign God of all Gods, King of all Kings, and Lord of all Lords. For others, they have not been transformed by the renewing of their minds with the word of God that they can know. (Hosea 4;6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they rejected knowledge, so they are still confirmed to this world (Romans 12:2)

Others will be saved because they have accepted the free gift of Jesus. ( Eph. 2:8-9) He spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Peace, Joy, Healing, Prosperity and Freedom (Romans 8:32)  we have benefits in Christ Jesus; how could we not choose life? Jesus came that we can have life and have it more abundantly, eternal life. (John 10:10b) )

 

[Roxanne Rhymer]

Yes, Marita because of disobedience many people have hardened their hearts towards God.  It seems like they would rather stay in their mess than face it head on.  We are to make sure that we keep our conscience clear and free.   I believe that lack of knowledge is another big one.   Many don’t spend enough time in the word to get knowledge and understanding.   They are still choosing to go down the wrong path.  Because the wages of sin is death they have made the wrong choice to follow the way of the Lost.

[Roxanne Rhymer]

• Yes all men can be saved if they chose to be. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve God immediately had to put a plan in place so that his people will not be separated eternally from Him.    See Adam and Eve had a free will just like all of us.  They had the power to follow God’s wishes or go against God.   The unfortunate thing is that they chose to listen to the serpent and fell into sin.    We too can choose to be saved.  God had a plan to redeem His people and it was put into place as soon as they fell.   God decided to send His first begotten to save us and cleanse us from our sins.   We are free to choose Jesus and be saved.

• It is God’s will that all should all receive salvation through Jesus, Christ.  2 Peter 3:9 tells us  “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  God does not want us to perish; he wants us to choose life.     Tim, 2:3-4 states,   “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, <span style=”font-size: 11.6667px; line-height: 21px;”>w</span>ho desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” 

• Some will be lost they simply did not choose to accept the free gift that God had provided for them. They also could have a hardened heart from the sin that they are in.   They may have also allowed the cares of this world to distract them.   Whatever the case they did not accept the trueness of God’s special gift.

[Lilly Chalwell]

Roxanne, We serve an awesome God, who always has the plan to deliver. It is amazing how he took His only begotten son to die on the cross of Calvary for our sin, didn’t know if out of our free will we would receive His Son as our Savior. I’m bless to serve such an amazing God.

[Roxanne Rhymer]

• Yes all men can be saved if they chose to be. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve God immediately had to put a plan in place so that his people will not be separated eternally from Him.    See Adam and Eve had a free will just like all of us.  They had the power to follow God’s wishes or go against God.   The unfortunate thing is that they chose to listen to the serpent and fell into sin.    We too can choose to be saved.  God had a plan to redeem His people and it was put into place as soon as they fell.   God decided to send His first begotten to save us and cleanse us from our sins.   We are free to choose Jesus and be saved.

• It is God’s will that all should all receive salvation through Jesus, Christ.  2 Peter 3:9 tells us  “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  God does not want us to perish; he wants us to choose life.     Tim, 2:3-4 states,   “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”
  

• Some will be lost they simply did not choose to accept the free gift that God had provided for them. They also could have a hardened heart from the sin that they are in.   They may have also allowed the cares of this world to distract them.   Whatever the case they did not accept the trueness of God’s special gift.

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