Nate Green

2 Cor 5:17

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

If you’re serious about Bible study I recommend using the Literal Word app. It shows words from the original languages plus everywhere that word is used. That clarifies what words really mean and improves understanding of short phrases and long passages.

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[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@sola_chad Many walk .. as enemies of the cross of Christ…

who set their minds on earthly things.

For our citizenship is in heaven,

from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ

Ph 3:18-20

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@Firerisk6 Maybe because the focus is on the new Jerusalem, which is mentioned 3x in Revelation?

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@johngacinski @SacrdCowTipping It’s definitely not “preached”. Paul dialogued, διαλέγω, which implies interaction with his hearers, not a hours long monologue, which I think is where the pushback comes from.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@Firerisk6 On my face under the table.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

The servant girl seeing Peter at the fire.

“You also were with Jesus!”

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@dilipkjena A4 We don’t know what any unbelievers response will be to the gospel, and the beauty of this parable is that the sower just scatters seed. He doesn’t know how the soil will respond.

#HealthyFaithChat

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@dilipkjena A3 the point of the parable is more about the soil’s response and less about the nature of the sower, the one who spreads the gospel, who should be each of us.

#HealthyFaithChat

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@dilipkjena A2 Jesus was not unfair.

#HealthyFaithChat

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@dilipkjena A1 morning! Jesus taught the crowds in parables because of the hardness of their hearts (Mt 13:10-13). He explained their meanings to the disciples in private.

#HealthyFaithChat

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

God clearly acts in Saul’s case. In 1 Samuel 10:9, God changes Saul’s heart. Whatever else we say about that, God is the initiator, and He should get the credit. This is not a unique idea in Scripture. Deuteronomy 30:6, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, and Jeremiah 24:7 all speak of God acting upon the heart.
At the same time, Scripture also holds people responsible for the condition of their hearts. God commands people to repent, turn, cleanse themselves, purify their hearts, and even “make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit” in Ezekiel 18:30–32. Jeremiah 4:4 and James 4:8 also speak directly to human responsibility. So God acting on the heart does not remove human responsibility to respond rightly.
The same pattern appears with hardened hearts. The Lord hardens hearts in passages such as Exodus 9:12; 10:20, 27, and Deuteronomy 2:30. But people are also said to harden their own hearts, as Pharaoh does in Exodus 8:15 and 8:32, and as Zedekiah does in 2 Chronicles 36:13. Zechariah 7:12 also says the people made their hearts like flint. So Scripture presents both divine action and human responsibility without treating them as contradictions.
In Saul’s case, the change of heart is closely connected with the Spirit of God. Samuel had already said that the Spirit of the LORD would come upon Saul and that he would be changed into another man (1 Samuel 10:6). Then, when Saul turns to leave Samuel, God changes his heart (1 Samuel 10:9), and shortly afterward the Spirit of God comes upon him mightily (1 Samuel 10:10). This sequence is clearly intentional.
Other passages also connect the Holy Spirit with the heart. Romans 5:5 says that the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 says that God established, anointed, sealed, and gave the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. Galatians 4:6 says that God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. Acts 7:51 also connects resisting the Holy Spirit with being uncircumcised in heart and ears.
So I think the most natural explanation is that God truly changed Saul inwardly, and that this change was connected to the Spirit coming upon him.
Sadly, Saul also shows that receiving a work of God’s Spirit does not mean a person cannot later rebel, harden himself, and turn away. In Saul’s case, the Spirit of the LORD later departs from him (1 Samuel 16:14), and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorizes him. David saw Saul’s fall firsthand, which gives added weight to his prayer in Psalm 51:11: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”
God changing Saul’s heart means God truly acted upon Saul inwardly and graciously empowered him by His Spirit for the role he was being given. God deserves the credit for that change. But Saul’s later life also shows that God’s action did not remove Saul’s responsibility to continue in obedience, humility, and faithfulness. God acts, and man is still responsible to respond rightly. God’s creating a new heart for Saul doesn’t ultimately save him. He throws it away.
John 10:28–29 is sometimes used to argue that if God gives someone a new heart, that person must necessarily remain faithful for life. But that isn’t what John 10 is addressing. Jesus says that no one will snatch His sheep out of His hand or out of the Father’s hand. That speaks to an external force taking Christ’s sheep away against their will. It does not address the question of whether someone can later harden himself, choose sin, or intentionally walk away from God.
In fact, in the same passage, Jesus describes His sheep as those who hear His voice and follow Him. So John 10 should not be used to cancel out the many warnings in Scripture about hardening one’s heart, falling away, or continuing in willful disobedience. Saul is a chilling example: God changed his heart, the Spirit came upon him, and yet Saul later disobeyed, hardened himself, and the Spirit of the LORD departed from him. So whatever John 10 teaches about Christ’s protection from outside forces, it can’t be applied to mean that a person who has received a real work of God can never later turn away in rebellion.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@stevebward @rootcausesleuth No disagreement there.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@writeontheedg3 Imputation isn’t in Scripture because simply…. imputation isn’t in Scripture. It’s not a word that appears in any text.

Texts like Phil 3:8-9 and Isa 61:10 are misunderstood and applied to overwrite the legion of passages that clearly state we will be judged by our deeds.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@writeontheedg3 @rootcausesleuth What do you mean I’m assuming it was effectual? Saul chose sin over God later and the Spirit left him so it clearly wasn’t a permanent change.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@RachaelColby7 A8 Everything. Also the ability and responsibility to use what he has given. While we can do nothing without him, amazingly we will be dressed in our good works (Rev 19:8) and be rewarded for them.

Mind blowing. Praise him!

#healthyfaithchat

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@RachaelColby7 A6 #HealthyFaithChat You can’t do good works outside of faith (the right motive).

Works done outside of faith in Christ aren’t good.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb 11:6

See also the chilling Mt 7:22-23

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@RachaelColby7 A5 #HealthyFaithChat This examining (ἀνακρίνω) theme first appears in chapter 2:14-15 and is what the Bereans are praised for in Acts 17:11. Examining/judging is commendable when done correctly and condemnable when done it a worldly way.

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@RachaelColby7 A4 I don’t think this verse means Paul doesn’t trust his judgment, but that he doesn’t judge himself - he leaves that to the Lord (v5).

The reality that we will all have to give an account to judge Jesus should motivate our every choice.

#HealthyFaithChat

[Nate Green @NateGreen44]

@Firerisk6 God can always save you.

But he may not.

We are called to be faithful into death anyway.

He will be with us in the fire.

What an example!