[HarleyD]

I know everything is irrelevant; the woman at the well, the pearl of great price, the man who finds a great treasure, God's gift to the Aaron and Leah. It's all irrelevant.

I said that a gift only becomes a gift in the full sense of "gift" if it is accepted.

And I stated that was nonsense in the context you are putting this in. In the story of the pearl of great value the context is that someone is offered something they will never refuse. Man who fully understand the valuable treasure laid before them will never refuse the gift. That is what the story is about. Our Lord Jesus stated to the woman at the well that if she knew the gift she would desire the gift. If someone offers you $50 billion dollars are you going to say, "I'll get back to you."

Since you feel that accepting Christ is a gift you can refuse I'm still waiting for your response to my question: "When do you believe; before or after the gift of faith?"

1)Faith is a gift of God.

2)Not all men have faith (to choose God-Dion)

2a) Some men have faith (see #1)

3)Therefore God doesn't give faith to all men.

I'll still stick by my logic. I'm not looking for the water wings yet.

[Dionysiusdecordealcis]

Okay, stick by your logic. I'll stick with real logic.

[jo kus]

Man who fully understand the valuable treasure laid before them will never refuse the gift.

If man fully understood the valuable gift being offered, OF COURSE he'd ACCEPT - but it doesn't follow that he'd DO. Our intellects are clouded, AND our will is weakened as a result of original sin. This doesn't change instantly upon our Baptism/Sinner's Prayer. Doesn't Paul discuss the DECISION to be made in Romans 7? Does he always make it? No. You'd think he'd be aware of it - but such is our wounded nature. Knowing is only half the battle. DOING is the other half.

Regards