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In 2 Timothy 2:24-25 we read,
a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth…
I have often found Calvinists use texts out of context as proof texts. I've heard some use the mention here that "God . . . will grant . . . repentance" to say that this is proof God gives repentance and faith to whom He will. That is to say, this is asserting that the meaning here is that God gives, without fail and particularly, repentance to whom He will. The individual in such thinking cannot help but repent. God is argued as to being the giver of salvation only to those He grants repentance to.
The Greek verb DIDOMI for "grant" here is more commonly known for "to give" which is why the KJV renders this here "if God peradventure will give them repentance".
DIDOMI is also given us with the word "repentance" in Acts 5:31 and Acts 11:18.
Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 5:31
When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life."
Acts 11:18
If the granting or giving of repentance is meant as per the Calvinist thinking above, then can we also say *with the very same phrase* that God gives repentance to all of Israel (Acts 5:31) or, does God give repentance to all of the Gentiles (Acts 11:18)?
Really?!
Then, no one could or would be lost since all of mankind is represented by either being a Jew or a Gentile.
So, here we see in Acts 5:31 and Acts 11:18 the use of the very same phrase that "God gives repentance". This is not a spanner in the works of the idea of that Calvinist, but worse. The truth is that there are no wheels in that train of thought.
In context of the three passages use of that phrase, we can see that the way is open for Israel, for the Gentiles and for the one hearing a loving (it is, in patience and humility) challenge to his opposite thinking: to all these, the way is open to repent; nothing more.
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There is another verb, CHARIZOMAI, which I have also heard used to say God gives faith to someone in a similar fashion,
For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake
Philippians 1:29
Here, in a context of writing encouragement due to persecution, Paul is saying it is not abnormal for believers to be persecuted. Is he also saying that every believer will be persecuted without fail?
Jesus said, His followers were not to consider it abnormal to be persecuted, Just as He was, so would His disciples.
When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Matthew 10:23-24
But, does this mean every believer will definitely be persecuted?
No, it is just an encouragement to not think it abnormal when suffering comes. Now, it would be an extreme form of thinking, to consider this could mean a believer should want persecution and say (actively) "fly" towards it: you can't do that if you are supposed to *flee* to another city (Jesus said "flee" in Mat.10:23 just quoted above). Equally it is extreme to think every believer will always and should constantly expect to be persecuted. So, the emphasis here is no different to the granting of repentance, the way is open for those who believe to suffer; nothing more.
What we do regularly read in scripture is that it is the person's own responsibility to turn from sin or to prevent its hold on you. From Genesis 4 right to Revelation 16 we read God calling on men as groups and as individuals to repent, or be expected to. It is not something God does for you, but that you do by God's gift of time to do so. Jesus makes this plain when He says,
I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.`
Revelation 2:20-22
God gives time to repent and expects it, just as He did with Jezebel:
I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
Revelation 2:21
God wanted this woman to repent is clear. He did not repent for her. He did not "give it to her".
It was hers to do, but she did not in *the time given for her to repent*: she wasted the gift of open time for her to repent.
So, it is throughout Scripture from Genesis 4:7, when Cain was spoken to take the reins and decide against sin "you should rule over it", and right to the end when men will still refuse to repent in spite of the plagues in Revelation 16:9 & 16:11, they (still) "did not repent". The classic Ezekiel 18 passage shows well that it is up to every man.
The soul who sins shall die.
The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
Ezekiel 18:20-21
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.
Acts 17:30
"For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord God. "Therefore turn and live!"
Ezekiel 18:32
Though spoken of Israel in Ezekiel 18, as we saw above in the 2 passages in Acts, God is into both Israel and the Gentiles to repent. Indeed, God is,
…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
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