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Post by CowboysDad on Feb 27, 2016 14:20:04 GMT -6
Do you think this phrase, "counted me faithful," has anything to do with Paul's faithfulness (in acting on his faith--as you put it) or rather that it refers only to God's election of Paul? If the former, then how would you say that Paul had been faithful (had acted on his faith) to have been able to write that God "counted me faithful"? - Daniel
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Post by samuel on Feb 27, 2016 15:00:25 GMT -6
At the bottom of it all, Christ is the giver of gifts to men. Who counted Paul faithful, and made him an apostle. Any response Paul made was counted on his faith, which was not of his own, but that also by a gift of God.
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Post by Mike on Aug 10, 2017 19:19:35 GMT -6
Hi Daniel, The page opened! I think that I would go with JFB on this phrase, "He foreordered and foresaw that I would be faithful to the trust committed to me. Paul’s thanking God for this shows that the merit of his faithfulness was due solely to God’s grace, not to his own natural strength..." Also it is a middle voice, thus; "Putting (θέμενος)" better 'appointing' me into. The participle defines counted me faithful. He counted me faithful in that he appointed, etc". (Vincent) So, imho, the emphasis is that God knowing Paul's future faithfulness, appointed Paul to that ministry. The question of whether or not God caused said faithfulness really doesn't arise here. However the counted being a strengthened form (and a middle voice one and that!)of "led" (ἄγω) seems to be pointing us back to God's grace in that He, himself led Paul into the minstry. God's choice of Paul here for ministry is of a different order from a salvation election. I think that the thrust of the context here is the greatness of the grace of God, in this part specifically that God would & could use a guy who had been such an enemy to be in such a ministry. Paul talks about avoiding silly useless disputes earlier in this text and then he talks about the Law and those who are trying to blend law with Grace. And I see this in context as Paul emphasizing the better way of Grace over that (useless) way of the Law.
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