Does man seek after God?

[Recovering IFB]

I Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. "
Psalm 105:4 "Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. "
Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. "
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "
2 Chronicles 15:12 "And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; "
Psalm 14:2 "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. "
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. "
Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "
Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. "

yup, God's people seeking God. Makes sense, people who have been redeemed will seek their God.

Maybe Romans 3:11 doesn't mean what you think it means.

Let's see, unregenerate man will not seek God because he is sinful
Rom 3: 10 as it is written:
There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away;
all alike have become useless.
There is no one who does what is good,
not even one.
Why? 1 Cor 2:14 But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

So, he made man that he should seek after him. 

Okay, I guess the verse that says God wanted us to do X negates the verse that plainly says NOBODY does X.

I Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. "
Psalm 105:4 "Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. "
Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. "
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "
2 Chronicles 15:12 "And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; "
Psalm 14:2 "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. "
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. "
Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "
Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. "

Maybe Romans 3:11 doesn't mean what you think it means.

I am not a Calvinist, and AM sympathetic to your quest/query.  But the essence of the Calvinist argument regarding your question here deals with "total inability".  God commands men to do many things, but the Calvinist would say that God's commanding of any given thing does not enable, or give power to the one being commanded to do it, and therefore those who are dead in trespasses and sins fail to heed the commandment because they are spiritually dead.  And until he makes them alive (quickens) they will never be able to fulfill the requirements of the command.  Of course you might ask about the reasonableness of commanding that which God knows is impossible to heed.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

I Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. "
Psalm 105:4 "Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. "
Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. "
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "
2 Chronicles 15:12 "And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; "
Psalm 14:2 "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. "
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. "
Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "
Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. "

yup, God's people seeking God. Makes sense, people who have been redeemed will seek their God.

Rogue Tomato made the claim that NOBODY seeks God. He did not say that Romans 3:11 refers only to the unregenerate.

So you would say the answer to the OP is "yes"?

 

[Recovering IFB]

Rogue Tomato made the claim that NOBODY seeks God. He did not say that Romans 3:11 refers only to the unregenerate.

So you would say the answer to the OP is "yes"?

I would say no, unregenerate man does not seek God,(see verses I posted), believers, OTH, do seek God.

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

I Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. "
Psalm 105:4 "Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. "
Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. "
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "
2 Chronicles 15:12 "And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; "
Psalm 14:2 "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. "
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. "
Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "
Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. "

yup, God's people seeking God. Makes sense, people who have been redeemed will seek their God.

Rogue Tomato made the claim that NOBODY seeks God. He did not say that Romans 3:11 refers only to the unregenerate.

So you would say the answer to the OP is "yes"?

If the Bible says these two things:

1. Seek God. (and all its variations)
2. Nobody seeks God.

Which one tells you if man seeks after God?

 

[Bruh]

No.

 

[Ransom]

Maybe Romans 3:11 doesn't mean what you think it means.

Considering the rest of Paul's litany of Old Testament passages up to verse 18, I'd say verse 11, out of context, is actually an understatement.

 

[Anchor]

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.................................

The record of the very first opportunity fallen man had in "seeking God" is found in Gen. 3:22-24--"And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

In his recently, but completely, spiritually dead condition it is clear that man (Adam/Eve) retained a desire for the life God initially had placed within them (everlasting) and desired for them, the ability to attain what was available, and the motivation to seek it and grasp after it. But seeking everlasting life and overcoming death is not the same as seeking after God.

Through His intervention in keeping them from the tree of life and the provision of the savior, both in Gen. 3, God set the conditions for finding what practically all men seek--life--in finding what no man naturally seeks--God.

It is not in man's fallen nature to seek God ("...there is none that seeketh after God..."). It evidently is in man's fallen nature to seek everlasting life. The quest for life is a de facto seeking after God. The problem is that the spiritually dead, in seeking life, wind up seeking a god for life instead of "...seek[ing] the Lord..." who may be found.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

I Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. "
Psalm 105:4 "Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. "
Psalm 119:2 "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. "
Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "
2 Chronicles 15:12 "And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; "
Psalm 14:2 "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. "
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. "
Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. "
Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. "

yup, God's people seeking God. Makes sense, people who have been redeemed will seek their God.

Rogue Tomato made the claim that NOBODY seeks God. He did not say that Romans 3:11 refers only to the unregenerate.

So you would say the answer to the OP is "yes"?

If the Bible says these two things:

1. Seek God. (and all its variations)
2. Nobody seeks God.

Which one tells you if man seeks after God?

Check the verses again. Somebody out there is seeking God.

 

[TimbauxRioux]

So, if one unregenerate man seeks God, the whole Calvinist system falls through?

Is that the point of the OP?

 

[Recovering IFB]

Check the verses again. Somebody out there is seeking God.

Believers will seek God, they have been enlightened. God has changed their heart. Psalm 119 is obviously about a believer, an unregenerate man does not do theses things:
Psalm 119:1 How happy are those whose way is blameless,
who live according to the Lord’s instruction!
2 Happy are those who keep His decrees
and seek Him with all their heart.
3 They do nothing wrong;
they follow His ways.
4 You have commanded that Your precepts
be diligently kept.
5 If only my ways were committed
to keeping Your statutes!
6 Then I would not be ashamed
when I think about all Your commands.
7 I will praise You with a sincere heart
when I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep Your statutes;
never abandon me.

Psalm 14 is not talking about people seeking God, but actually the opposite
Psalm 14;1 The fool says in his heart, “God does not exist.”
They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.
3 All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Will evildoers never understand?
They consume My people as they consume bread;
they do not call on the Lord.
5 Then they will be filled with terror,
for God is with those who are righteous.
6 You sinners frustrate the plans of the afflicted,
but the Lord is his refuge.
7 Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of His people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be

Jeremiah 29 is talking about his people who were in exile:Jews are shadows of believers
Jeremiah 29:10 10 For this is what the Lord says: “When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place I deported you from.”

None of these verses are talking about an unregenerate man seeking God, they can't, it's impossible.

 

[brainisengaged]

Surely this is the most simplistic and anecdotal addition to the thread....but how does one become a believer, if not by seeking God?  We are encouraged to "seek the LORD while He may be found" and when we are new creatures in Christ we profess ourselves to have found something. Presumably, we were seeking that which we found. In my own case, I sought God. Something was missing, something was lacking. I sensed it was spiritual, so I sought God. Of course His whole thing is to seek and to save that which was lost...so obviously He sought me first. But of course people seek God, is my conclusion based largely upon my own experience. 

 

[The Rogue Tomato]

Surely this is the most simplistic and anecdotal addition to the thread....but how does one become a believer, if not by seeking God?  We are encouraged to "seek the LORD while He may be found" and when we are new creatures in Christ we profess ourselves to have found something. Presumably, we were seeking that which we found. In my own case, I sought God. Something was missing, something was lacking. I sensed it was spiritual, so I sought God. Of course His whole thing is to seek and to save that which was lost...so obviously He sought me first. But of course people seek God, is my conclusion based largely upon my own experience.

So your experience (which I guarantee you don't fully understand) trumps what Scripture plainly says? 

 

[Darkwing Duck]

Surely this is the most simplistic and anecdotal addition to the thread....but how does one become a believer, if not by seeking God?  We are encouraged to "seek the LORD while He may be found" and when we are new creatures in Christ we profess ourselves to have found something. Presumably, we were seeking that which we found. In my own case, I sought God. Something was missing, something was lacking. I sensed it was spiritual, so I sought God. Of course His whole thing is to seek and to save that which was lost...so obviously He sought me first. But of course people seek God, is my conclusion based largely upon my own experience.

So your experience (which I guarantee you don't fully understand) trumps what Scripture plainly says?

He was quoting "what Scripture plainly says".

 

[Darkwing Duck]

Check the verses again. Somebody out there is seeking God.

Believers will seek God, they have been enlightened.
None of these verses are talking about an unregenerate man seeking God, they can't, it's impossible.

So you and Rogue Tomato disagree? Which one is the main Calvinist position? Rogue Tomato will not concede that even believers seek after God.

 

[Recovering IFB]

Check the verses again. Somebody out there is seeking God.

Believers will seek God, they have been enlightened.
None of these verses are talking about an unregenerate man seeking God, they can't, it's impossible.

So you and Rogue Tomato disagree? Which one is the main Calvinist position? Rogue Tomato will not concede that even believers seek after God.

I haven't seen where we disagree, maybe I missed it somewhere
Believers seek God. Can you show me a narrative that where somebody sought God without God initiating it?

Surely this is the most simplistic and anecdotal addition to the thread....but how does one become a believer, if not by seeking God?  We are encouraged to "seek the LORD while He may be found" and when we are new creatures in Christ we profess ourselves to have found something. Presumably, we were seeking that which we found. In my own case, I sought God. Something was missing, something was lacking. I sensed it was spiritual, so I sought God. Of course His whole thing is to seek and to save that which was lost...so sought He sought me first. But of course people seek God, is my conclusion based largely upon my own experience. 

God draws people to himself through different ways. It might happened instantly or may take years, but in the end God does open his believers eyes.

 

[subllibrm]

God draws people to himself through different ways. It might happened instantly or may take years, but in the end God does open his believers eyes.

^ This ^