Oh, and there have been quite a few answers to those questions already. But I see some are a bit dodgy. A few are even outright illogical rationalizations.

So prepare to be challenged if you plan on nipping someone else's homework. I'm going over those as well.

-PJ

"Trake: Your lofty convictions are another blemish on the rump of congregational sectarianism." -Tumbler 5/15/07

Aren't the flowers beautiful? 

"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...

Your right, this guy is good. I thought I knew the bible, but I had no idea God advocated killing people that worked on Sunday or that girls that had sex before marriage should be killed as well.

You, botg, TM and candance know the Bible better than most, does God really say those things?

Thanks Mighty. I see we're getting closer to the heart of it now.

MM: Mat 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..."

The Bible tells us much about seekers. First, God has
commanded that all people seek him (Is. 55:6; Matt.
7:7). However, the person that seeks God seeks his name
(Ps. 83:16), his face (Ps. 105:4), and his strength (1
Chr. 16:11). A seeker pursues God's word (Is. 34:16),
his commandments (1 Chr. 28:8), and his precepts (Ps.
119:45). People are to seek the kingdom of God, his
righteousness (Matt. 6:33), his honor (John 5:44), and
his city (Heb. 13:14). The seekers of God are to look
for the Christ (Mal. 3:1) and his justification (Gal.
2:16,17). A true seeker seeks diligently (Heb 11:6),
earnestly (Job 8:5), and with all his heart and soul
(Deut. 4:29). If a seeker does all these things, the
question is: Does a non-Christian do these things? -h/t David Block

[Now, the contrast. . .]

An unbeliever is also described in detail in the
Bible. An unbeliever is dead in trespasses and sins, a
son of disobedience and a child of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3).
Their hearts are deceitful and wicked (Jer. 17:9) and
their minds are enmity against God (Romans 8:7,8). In
fact, they are conceived in iniquity (Ps. 51:5) and go
astray as soon as they are born (Ps. 58:3). They love
their darkness (John 3:19-21) and they won't receive the
things of God because, to them, they are foolishness (1
Cor. 2:14). Are we to believe that these people seek
God? -h/t David Block

- In the passage you quoted MM, who is Jesus addressing, believers or
non-believers? This passage is part of the wider scope of the sermon on
the mount, which includes Matt 5:11-16. So who then is Jesus teaching?
Who is this sermon for?

- I notice you cited only a partial verse there. Did you include the
promise attached to that very same verse? How then do we have access to
these things that "shall be added unto" us if we're not first allowed access to the Kingdom to begin with?

- The above verse is mostly referring to the daily physical
worries/needs of Matt 6:19-34. But in John 6:64-66, many of His
followers abandon Jesus. Why? They were "seeking" Him too, right? In
that same chapter in John they sought to be fed by Him "always" and
they were certainly following/seeking Him as well, right? So then why
didn't Christ follow through as you interpret Matt 6:33? (see John 6:65
for answer)

- Is the prayer of 6:9-13 a prayer given to the unregenerate? Same sermon.

MM: Mat 7:8 "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to whom that knocketh it shall be opened."

This one also applies to what was already covered above. It is also a
part of the same sermon as above. Look at the connecting verses 8-11.
This is a guarantee. But you yourself clearly stated MM, that you do
not know man's heart; only God does. Who are those who "ask" the Father
in verse 11? Is it the unregenerate? How can we even obtain something
Holy to give indiscriminately in verse 6, or even fulfill the Law and
the Prophets in v.12 here, if we are not His in the first place?

MM: Acts 17:27 "That they [all nations of men] should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him..."

This is the general call. A true Christian does not give up the call of
the gospel for the sake of the elect only. Do you believe everyone who
hears the gospel will 100% obey it? How about if you sugar-coat it
enough, or package it up real neat? How about if we take the gospel and
make it look worldly, and then bait-and-switch the pagan? Will that
work? Is our gospel based on a doctrine of pragmatism?

The answer to all of that is no. You yourself admitted MM, that you do
not know man's heart. Neither do I. That's the beginning of
understanding the theology I follow. Just like the Matthew passage
above, you need to ask yourself who's POV you're reading in this
passage. This is Paul, and this time he's addressing the Areopagus (non-believing Gentiles).

Then why does he tell them to "seek"? Will God require something from
someone that they do not have the ability to do in the first place? But
that's the argument of the Semi-Pelagian! That's the argument that
someone can at least partially merit or work their way into heaven with
God's "assistance" and not utter dependence. It appeals to human pride.
In reality though, we are telling all men to "repent" and "seek" when
God knows the hearts of those who will and those who won't.

So then we also are guilty of asking something from someone
that does not have the ability to do so in the first place! How to
solve that little mess. . .hmm?

But in reality, there is none. Romans 1:18-32 covers this. We are all
inexcusable for what little knowledge of God we have already. The truth
is we are all born in rebellion to God. I have said before that even if
God saved no one ever in the history of mankind and allowed the entire
world to die eternally in their sin. . .He would be no less just. God
would be totally fair to do this.

Yet John 3:8 states those born of the Spirit are born by a Spirit that moves wherever and upon whomever He wills. Mercy and Grace are not justice, but neither are they unjust. <-- Not a contradiction.

MM: Rev 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door I will come in to him..."

And "he who has ears to hear, let him hear." Once again, is this
written for believers or non-believers? This IMO, is one of the most
mishandled verses in the Bible. Look who He's talking to! This church
has literally closed Christ off from fellowship with them. What was
their error in v.17? What is the door in v.20? It's clearly not the
"door of one man's heart" as the tracts might tell you, though the
element of a deceitful heart is in play.

But is it to the unbelieving pagan in the street? Who are the members
of Laodicea? If you attended their church, I'm sure they would all
readily claim they were Christians. But it's like you said MM, you do
not know the hearts of men.

MM: So if man is so incapable of seeking God, why does Jesus constantly insist on that very thing? Need to see more of the book?

I think I did enough of that on my own. I'd answer that if Jesus
insists on that very thing, we are all without excuse in regards to our
guilt in not seeking after God, but the ability to actually do so was
lost in Eden. Therefore the urge to "seek" is a welcome to fellowship
for believers and a warning to non-believers who will be held
accountable.

The book of Jude states that Enoch preached the same gospel of
repentance way back in the time of Noah, but was God somehow cruel or
unfair that he would send a prophet, but save only about 8 or 9 in the
entire world?

But then MM, I think the very heart of the matter is whether or not we
agree on the definition of the gospel. I'm wondering if your gospel is
different from mine.

- Is it a merit-based gospel that says something like, "Follow these
prescribed laws and ordinances of the faith, and you will have access
to the Kingdom." (?)

- Is it a gospel that says something like, "Pray this prayer, reach
out to God, step forward, and He'll take care of 99% or so of the rest,
and then you will have access to the Kingdom." (?)

- Or is it a gospel that says "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at
hand. Rely 100% upon His mercy, His grace, and surrender your will to
Him. For you may be within a single heartbeat away from facing His
judgement, where you will be found completely ineffective, blind,
naked, and spiritually dead before the Holy One, unless you have a
substitue to stand in the face of His Holy wrath!" (?)

Hehe, where'd everyone go?

-PJ

"Trake: Your lofty convictions are another blemish on the rump of congregational sectarianism." -Tumbler 5/15/07