[Mr Rogers]

“The trouble is that people who know this then back away with some twisted logic of mangled doctrine that does not match what they truly know-God has given us everything including our faith.”

God gives us the opportunity to believe. But scripture teaches that men with the opportunity often reject it. Scripture teaches that WE often reject his will for our lives - it is called sin.

Every time we sin, we prove that we can refuse to believe God. But we can only believe because he comes to us and seeks us out.

So yes, we owe everything to him. Including choice.

[HarleyD]

God gives us the opportunity to believe. But scripture teaches that men with the opportunity often reject it.

God gives everyone the opportunity to believe. Yes.

Scripture teaches that men with the opportunity often reject it. No.

Scripture teached that men with the opportunity will always reject it. That is what Romans 1 is all about.

Scripture teaches that WE often reject his will for our lives - it is called sin.

No, scripture teaches that before Christ will are slaves to sin. We will always reject His will. When be become new creatures in Christ old things have passed away and everything become new. We will, for the most part, desire to do His will. We will stumble from time to time and sin. But He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteousness.

Every time we sin, we prove that we can refuse to believe God.

We sin because we are deceived by our own lusts. Non-Christians will continue in their lusts refusing to acknowledge God forever. It isn't that they refuse to believe God. Romans 1 says not only sin but they approve and encourage others to sin. I know it's no longer politically correct, but non-Christians, we are told, are children of the devil.

Christians are new creatures in Christ. We are slaves of righteousness. We will sin from time to time but our sin ISN'T because we don't believe God. Our sin is because we are led by the lusts of our old nature. Christians cannot keep on sinning, simply because of the Holy Spirit in us-not because WE want to be obedient. We are rebellious children whom God is conforming to His image.

1Jn 3:4-10 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

And just to avoid the argument; yes, Christians do sin. John makes this very clear when he states, "If we say we have no sin then the truth is not in us." The difference is that non-Christians practice sin and are children of the devil. Christians do not practice sin but from time to time are led by their lusts. They are children of God.

And as John says, "Little children, let no one deceive you. There's that word again.

[HarleyD]

Exactly what Baptist denomination do you attend if I may ask? Your comments seem far a field from the traditional and many Baptist churches I’ve attended.