Hi Everyone!
I am new to this forum and this is my first time to post. I am just so excited to fellowship with all of you.
As a former member of "christendom", we have always used the "gift" analogy when sharing salvation to "unbelievers". We analogize that salvation is like a gift. That though a gift is given freely it 'requires' some responsibility or effort from the one to whom the gift is given to actually "receive" the gift.
I have been praying and asking God for wisdom about how i can carefully and logically unearth the nonsense of this analogy or understand if it has the correct premises as an analogy of salvation. This is what God willed me to come up with and I really want to hear your comments or feedback if I just made some sense here =):
First I ask the simple question, "what is a gift?"
Definition in my own words:
-a gift has an underlying purpose or intention either good or bad why it is given in the first place.
-a gift has a value, either varying degrees of triviality or significance.
-a gift is free and requires nothing from the receiver.
American Heritage Dictionary:
gift
–noun
1. something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.
God's truths:
1. It is God who constantly wills in me and so whether I refuse or accept a gift, it is caused by God Himself. (Philippians 2:13)
2. God is the perfect giver and teaches all to give. (John 3:16)
3. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. (James 1:17)
4. God gives blessings without adding trouble to it. (Provers 10:22)
Now, I focused on God's truth #4 and looked up for the Hebrew word for "blessing", see my findings below: (The word "blessing" is used in all popular translations including KJV.)
ref:
http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Pro&chapter=10&verse=22hrkb B@rakah
Pronunciation: ber-aw-kaw'
Origin: from 01288
Reference:
PrtSpch: noun feminime
In AV: blessing 61, blessed 3, present 3, liberal 1, pools 1
Count: 69
Definition: 1) blessing
2) (source of) blessing
3) blessing, prosperity
4) blessing, praise of God
5) a gift, present
6) treaty of peace
(see #5- a gift, present)
My conclusion:
Based on God's truths specifically #1, #3 and #4, Dictionary's definition of "gift" and the Hebrew word for "blessing", it seems that yes, it is true that there might be a lot of logical reasons why one person will not perceive a gift as good and why one person will not accept/receive a gift being given (as purported by the analogy), but neither actions could determine the original purpose and intended effect of that gift. And the giver of course must be willing and have sincerely intended good in giving it. Which means if God indeed offers the gift of salvation and I do not accept it, God surely will save me still (even in using this analogy) because neither He intends any "curse" or "consequence" of "not being saved" if I do not accept it.
What do you think?
Thank you all.
oneofthefew