Locked into hell...

>

 

Locked into hell...

Tik Tok video

My paraphrase from the Tik Tok video in italics...

1. Did the demons make a bad decision to reject God? 

Yes.

God is the author of life, and the author of meaningful, peaceful, joyful, life, beyond just mere existence. For any finite creation, opposing God is a bad decision. Anything with goodness that God has created is a finite version, in a limited sense (not divine) of his infinite goodness. Humanity and fallen angels are tainted through likely separate falls, while God's obedient angels, although finite, are not tainted by any kind of fall.

2. Demons are you suffering because you rejected God?

Yes.

Don Stewart: Where does Satan presently live?- Blue Letter Bible

Cited

There are those who believe that Satan is presently bound in the pit. The Bible does say that he will be there some day. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut it, and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time (Revelation 20:1-3).

There are various biblical debates on the present context of where Satanic beings operate. It is difficult from metaphorical, eschatological, biblical language, for example in Revelation 20, to solve this issue conclusively. It seems to me that Satan and at least some of his demons are suffering in opposition to God, while working within spiritual realms to influence humanity against the biblical, Kingdom of God.

I have read and heard from Reformed and Evangelical theological perspectives, that human beings do not have the ability to simply intellectually believe in the gospel, as do satanic/demonic beings. From my theological perspective, satanic beings and obedient angels are within the spiritual realm and have direct access to things human beings do not. But, exactly how this works is not biblically, clearly explained. Humanity does not know God and about God in the supernatural realm as do these supernatural beings. The taint of evil within these demonic beings/fallen angels seemingly makes them fit only for damnation to God (Revelation 20 and the lake of fire). There is biblically, no salvation option for fallen angels. However, with the elect, God regenerates those he chooses (Ephesians 1, Romans 9) through the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, to be saved members of the Kingdom of God.

However, even as unregenerate persons have not experienced the spiritual realms as have finite angelic beings; clearly for one example, not all scholarship is from regenerate believers. There are non-Christian scholars that can properly understand New Testament writings and theology without having saving faith.

It seems to me, for the unregenerate, it is more likely that the gospel sounds like it could be true, than actual belief in the God of the gospel is taking place. But in the end there is no real trusting belief in the Lord.

3. Demon/fallen angel would you change your decision to reject God, if you could?

No

Their nature as opposed to God is locked in. This will keep them ontologically (nature and existence) opposing God, even if at least some of these entities might intellectually acknowledge rejecting God as a bad decision. Whatever type of free will demonic/fallen angels have, it works within a corrupted  nature that is locked in rejecting God.

Locked into hell...

Cited

Summary 

Satan presently dwells in the heavenly realm. The Bible teaches that he does have access to the LORD. Whether he has already been thrown out of heaven or whether this judgment is still future is an area in which Bible students disagree.

---

Regeneration

Titus 3

Wednesday, September 06, 2017 Titus 3: 5-7: Regeneration

Edited 

'by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit' from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) 

Bible Hub: παλιγγενεσία, ας, ἡ 

Strong's 3824

Strong's Concordance paliggenesia: regeneration, renewal 

Original Word: παλιγγενεσία, ας, ἡ 

Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine 

Transliteration: paliggenesia 

Phonetic Spelling: (pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah) 

Short Definition: a new birth, regeneration 

Definition: a new birth, regeneration, renewal.

From Titus 3: 5 The main text of Strong's presents: Spiritual rebirth (figurative), spiritual regeneration (figurative). (72). Greek scholar Bauer documents this as: The rebirth of the redeemed person. (606). The regeneration and rebirth via the Holy Spirit. (606).

John 3

Again from my PhD, Herman Bavinck (1918)(2006) equates the term regeneration with rebirth. Bavinck (1918)(2006: 46). In the Gospel of John 3, Jesus Christ does not literally speak of a person being born a second time, but literally insists that a person be reborn and spiritually transformed from above.

Bible Hub: John 3

John 3: 3

γεννηθῇ be born

ἄνωθεν from above

Bible Hub: 1080 

Strong's 1080

Strong's Concordance gennaó: to beget, to bring forth 

Original Word: γεννάω 

Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: gennaó 

Phonetic Spelling: (ghen-nah'-o) 

Definition: to beget, to bring forth Usage: I beget (of the male), (of the female) I bring forth, give birth to.

Bible Hub: 509 

Strong's 509

Strong's Concordance anóthen: from above 

Original Word: ἄνωθεν 

Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: anóthen 

Phonetic Spelling: (an'-o-then) 

Definition: from above 

Usage: (a) from above, from heaven, (b) from the beginning, from their origin (source), from of old, (c) again, anew.

1 Peter 1

Bible Hub: 1 Peter 1: 3

ἀναγεννήσας having begotten again

Bible Hub: 313

Strong's 313

Strong's Concordance anagennaó: to beget again 

Original Word: ἀναγεννάω 

Part of Speech: Verb 

Transliteration: anagennaó 

Phonetic Spelling: (an-ag-en-nah'-o) 

Definition: to beget again 

Usage: I beget again, beget into a new life.

The website lists this as aorist, participle, active, and nominative, masculine, singular.

Bauer documents ἀναγεννάω (page 51), defined as beget again, be born again, figurative of spiritual rebirth of Christians. (51). This is the context of 1 Peter 1: 3,  born again. (51).

Biblically and theologically, the new birth, to beget again, being born again equates to regeneration. 

As human beings need to be regenerated by God to be saved, this means that those that God does not regenerate are not saved. In the Tik Tok video, the priest states it is human beings' own fault (outside of Christ) they are damned. As secondary causes they embrace a rejection of God in sin and evil. However, God is still the primary cause in their damnation, but with holy motives.

Bibliography

Don Stewart: Blue Letter Bible 

Don Stewart has written over twenty books on the subject of evidences for the Christian faith. These include, The Basic Bible Study Series, You Be the Judge, 10 Reasons To Trust the Bible, and The Coming Temple. In the last fifteen years, he has spoken in over thirty countries proclaiming the message that the Christian faith is both reasonable and intelligent.

BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press. 

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

BAVINCK, HERMAN (1918)(2006) Reformed Dogmatics Volume 3: Sin and Salvation in Christ, John Bolt (gen.ed.), Translated by John Vriend, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html 

CALVIN, JOHN (1540)(1973) Romans and Thessalonians, Translated by Ross Mackenzie, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1550)(1978) Concerning Scandals, Translated by John W. Fraser, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1552)(1995) Acts, Translated by Watermark, Nottingham, Crossway Books.

CALVIN, JOHN (1553)(1952) Job, Translated by Leroy Nixon, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

CALVIN, JOHN (1554)(1965) Genesis, Translated by John King, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust. 

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It? Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

FRANCE, R.T. (2001) Matthew, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans.

HOCKING, DAVID (2014) The Book of Revelation, Tustin, California, HFT Publications.

KIERKEGAARD, SOREN (1847-1848)(1955)(1966) On Authority and Revelation, Translated by Walter Lowrie, New York, Harper and Row, Publishers, Incorporated. 

KIERKEGAARD, SOREN (1848-1849)(1961) Christian Discourses & The Lilies of the Field and The Birds of the Air & Three Discourses at The Communion on Fridays, Translated by Walter Lowrie, New York, Oxford University Press. 

MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996) The Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MURRAY, JOHN (1937-1966)(1977) Collected Writings of John Murray, Vol. 2: Select Lectures in Systematic Theology, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust. 

MURRAY, RUSSELL NORMAN (2003) The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives, Bangor, Wales, Bangor University.

http://drrnm.blogspot.com/2006/01/

MURRAY, RUSSELL NORMAN (2010) Theodicy and Practical Theology, Lampeter, The University of Wales. Trinity Saint David.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OxFb7ysR475AqpQkLvxEgYgwLAQISzdn/view

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Pickering, Ontario, Welch Publishing Company. 

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

For me the PhD was like a train, and if anything was in my way I would run it over: However, God in his sovereignty placed some things on the track...

CN Rail photo 

I reason that God wanted me to complete a PhD...

I will admit, that for me the PhD was like a train, and if anything was in my way I would run it over. However, God in his sovereignty placed some things on the track...

Sinners v Saints

Sinners v Saints

Photo: Facebook, winter

Re: Mark 2 16-17 - 11 14 22 from You Tube, below

Pastor Courson is generally right here. 

Philosophically, I will however, opine that there are certainly some sinners, outside of the salvation of Jesus Christ, that know they are sinners. They would not believe that they are saints. For example, an organized crime, killer and thug.

I would also opine that within the salvation of Jesus Christ, there are some that downplay their sinfulness, too much. They are regenerate (Titus 3, John 3, 1 Peter 1), but fail to really embrace the depth of his/her sinful nature, consciousness, desires, will, acts/actions.

But again, Pastor Courson is basically right here. I will add that theologically, those in Jesus Christ are saved by grace (alone) through faith (alone) in the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ (alone).

Ephesians 2 from the New American Standard Bible (NASB)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [l]this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:8 (l) this salvation

The Apostle Paul states that the righteousness of God has been revealed (Romans 1). The atoning and resurrection, gospel work of Jesus Christ applied, provides salvation and legal justification by grace through faith (alone). In particular, within Reformed theology, Romans reasons that those in Jesus Christ, receive God's righteousness. The righteousness of Jesus Christ, infinite God and perfect man. 

Human good works and the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament law could not guarantee human righteousness and therefore could not justify (Romans 4). Abraham too was justified as righteous by faith, not works. (Romans 4). Those in Jesus Christ receive the imputed righteousness (Romans 1-2, 3) of Jesus Christ and therefore are legally justified by God. This is instead of facing God's wrath and through Christ's death on the cross, human sin is atoned for. This leads to everlasting life and a sanctification (setting apart in holiness) (Romans 6-8) of the sinful human nature toward the perfect human nature of Jesus Christ. To be completed at resurrection (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 20-22). 

Salvation (justification, sanctification, my add) is by grace through faith, not works, and human beings can do nothing to merit God's acceptance. Sanctification (6-8) is to increase obedience in the Lord. (263). Sin should be diminished, not promoted. 

Romans 6: 22 

English Standard Version (ESV)

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

New American Standard Bible 

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 

---

There are two kinds of people

The regenerate (Sinners/Saints saved)

The non-regenerate (Sinners unsaved)

I opine that those lacking the mental capacity to embrace sin, are not embracing the sinful deeds of Revelation 20 (NASB). For deceased children and those who are persons that are mentally deficient, it can be deduced that since they do not arrive at a reasonably competent point of consciously rejecting God, and reasonable understanding of the punishment for this rebellion, they may be regenerated by God and included within the culminated Kingdom of God after death. I would view this as reasonable speculation. Biblically persons appear to be judged for sins, which result from a sinful nature, and not for the sinful nature itself. 

In Revelation 20:12, those persons who are thrown into the lake of fire are judged for their deeds, and therefore persons are judged for deeds and not nature. Although the nature must be perfect through the eventual resurrected state (1 Corinthians 15). Mounce states here that no one is so important to be immune from judgment, and no one is so unimportant to make judgment inappropriate. Mounce (1990: 365). A non-regenerated child or mentally deficient person would still have a corrupt nature unacceptable for God’s presence, but I speculate that a certain mental capacity is required to be everlastingly punished for sinful deeds.

   

BARCLAY, WILLIAM (1976) The Letters of James and Peter, Philadelphia, The Westminster Press. 

BRUCE, F.F. (1987) Romans, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

CAIRD, GEORGE B. (1977) Paul's Letters from Prison Paperback, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

COLLINS, G.N.M. (1996) ‘Infant Salvation’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.   

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring The New Testament, Wheaton, Crossway Books. 

FEE, GORDON D. (1987) The First Epistle To The Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

FOULKES, FRANCIS (1989) Ephesians, Grand Rapids, Inter-Varsity Press.

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press. 

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

HARPUR, GEORGE (1986) Ephesians in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

MARSH, PAUL, W. (1986) ‘1 Corinthians’, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.

NUTE, ALAN G. (1986) in 'Titus', The International Bible Commentary, F.F. Bruce, General Editor, Grand Rapids, Zondervan/Marshall Pickering. 

SHORT, STEPHEN S. (1986) ‘Mark’, in F.F. Bruce (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Job: Non-exhaustive on Zoom Bible Study VI: God wills all things

Job: Non-exhaustive on Zoom Bible Study VI

Photo: Lapland Finland, Take Me To Travel, Facebook

Preface

Work is pleased with my task completion, but as it is mainly training on the computer in the back office, my eyes are tired.

I did attend the online, Zoom, Job class week.

I am in full agreement with the professor, that God wills all things. My example, referenced text below.

Job 38: 1-40: 2

Clines explains that Yahweh (God, my add), displays his divine wisdom and omnipotence (all powerful, my add). (545). This is to have Job 'leave off his attempt to understand what is happening to him.' (345). Clines opines that God wants Job to reconsider what he already knows about the world God has made. (345).

New American Standard Bible: NASB

Job 40: 2

40 Then the Lord said to Job, 2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? 

Let him who rebukes God [l]give an answer.” 

[l] Job 40:2 Lit answer it

Philosophical theology & Philosophy of Religion

Human beings are in this present realm, finite and sinful.

God is infinite, eternal and omnipotent. God’s biblical, sovereign, providential control over his creation from Genesis to Revelation, and particularly within the book  of Job, demonstrates that God does will all things, whether directly willing or allowing, It could also be stated that God wills all things within divine perfect will or permissible will. This can also be reasoned in a parallel way within premises and conclusions via theistic, philosophy of religion. Reasoning God as the first and primary cause of all things, while allowing for secondary causes within compatibilism (God's sovereignty is compatible with the limited free will, via nature, of secondary, contingent, rational beings). God as first and primary cause, is necessary/of necessity.

Blackburn writes that a proposition is necessary, if it could not have been false.(257). Admittedly, someone can and will always disagree with any provided proposition. But, I agree with the definition here from secular, British, philosopher Blackburn. Further he writes that the necessary, what is of necessity, is true is all possible worlds. (257).

It could be reasoned contingent beings do not have to exist. Contingent beings 'could have failed to exist'. They 'must be caused to exist by some another being'. Quinn (1996: 609). If God’s plans for humanity are contingent, because he could have done otherwise, the fact these contingent plans come from a necessary being would still have them supersede the plans and needs of the contingent.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

BRUCE, F.F. (1986) ‘Revelation’, in F.F. Bruce (gen.ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/ Zondervan. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html

CALVIN, JOHN (1540)(1973) Romans and Thessalonians, Translated by Ross Mackenzie, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

CALVIN, JOHN (1550)(1978) Concerning Scandals, Translated by John W. Fraser, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

CALVIN, JOHN (1552)(1995) Acts, Translated by Watermark, Nottingham, Crossway Books.  

CALVIN, JOHN (1553)(1952) Job, Translated by Leroy Nixon, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.  

CALVIN, JOHN (1554)(1965) Genesis, Translated by John King, Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust.

CLINES, DAVID J. A. (1986) Job, The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

CLINES, DAVID J. A. (1986) Proverbs, The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

DUNNETT, WALTER M. (2001) Exploring The New Testament, Wheaton, Crossway Books.

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

FEE, GORDON D. AND DOUGLAS STUART (1982) How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 

FEE, GORDON (1987) The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press. 

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg (gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books. 

GRIFFIN, DAVID RAY (1976) God, Power, and Evil, Philadelphia, The Westminster Press.   

GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.

HUGHES, PHILIP, EDGCUMBE (1990) A Commentary On The Epistle To The Hebrews, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

QUINN, PHILIP L. (1996) 'Philosophy of Religion' , in Robert Audi (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.