Cheryl Schatz

Peter, I see that you have commented while I was trying to finish answering your first comment. I will address your second comment now. You responded to my comment about Paul finding mercy because he acted ignorantly and in unbelief: But this is in direct contradiction of your previous statement. Paul came to Jesus without having been one who was given to Jesus by the Father. Similarly, your example here of the centurion seem to work against what you previously said. Not at all. You are confused because you have a view in mind that is not what I believe. There is no contradiction. Paul did not come to Christ because he was a believer. He received mercy in spite of being an unbeliever, because Paul was not sinning with a “high hand”. That is a concept when you know the truth but deliberately go against it. It is sinning with your eyes wide open and rebellion. Paul was not that way. He did not commit murder because he knew the truth. He acted in unbelief not by suppressing the truth. Here is what I mean: Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, There are those who suppress the truth that they know and these ones do not receive mercy. The Jews act with knowledge but they sinned because they suppressed the truth. In Matt. 27:62-66 these Jews called Jesus a liar and they made it very clear that they understood that Jesus had told them that He would rise from the dead: Matthew 27:62–66 62 Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ 64 “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone. The Jews knowing the truth of what Jesus said, covered up the truth and sinned with a “high hand”: Matthew 28:11–15 11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14“ And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day. So while those who believe the word of the Father are promised to be given to the Son, there are those who do not believe the Father, not because they suppress the truth, but because they have been deceived in their unbelief. Paul was among these and Paul received God’s mercy as an example of the worst sinner and God’s perfect patience with those who have not yet believed. 1 Timothy 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. You wrote: I am confused. In these cases, you have people coming to faith without first “belonging to the Father”. Which was my point… Paul explained why he as a Jew, and one blinded by unbelief, received mercy. We must believe Paul that mercy can be given to those who are unbelievers not because they know the truth, but because they are unbelievers through being deceived. Paul gives another great example of mercy given to another one who was deceived by the lie. 1 Timothy 2:13–14 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Eve’s fall into sin was not because she was sinning with knowledge, but because she had been fully and completely deceived. I will make one last comment to complete my response.