There is no question in normal circles of the body of Christ, can man respond to the word of God, Can he believe as fallen man?
No it has been a common continual proclamation on this site, that should never come up or have never come up if one is hearing the word of God. That statement runs totally contrary to the word of God.
You will hear and see in the word of God where mankind was not willing and obedient to the word of God. This is a phrase that should be in the forefront of every believer's life.
The most common example of not be willing and hearing is in what some call interpretation, which would fall under the what the bible calls the traditions of men, the way of Cain.
Dealing specifically with the topic of who will be saved, is very clear to the hearer and doer of the word of God.
The man in hell was there because he would not hear the word of the prophets, the promise of God for redemption in Jesus
This principle is discussed in this setting:
Lk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Lk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Lk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man�s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Lk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham�s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Lk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Lk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Lk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Lk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Lk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father�s house:
Lk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Lk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Lk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Lk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
LK 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
Jesus taught this principle in the parable of the sower
and he made it abundantly clear as to why man would not hear, and would not see the truth. The answer is just as it was revealed in the garden all the problems started when the word of God was put down and Eve listened to the word of satan and then believed them, her response should have been no, for God hath said do not eat of the tree, her response was based on the word of satan and the result was spiritual death separation from God. This precept is what the bible terms faith, always complete in man's action to word's. in this example Eve responded to the words of satan, (fear) and the action, response to fear, always is sin, then unbelief.
The answer to the non hearing and seeing. is here, as well as thru out the word of God: Lk 16:3-23
Jesus also confirms this truth in the parable of the sower, who will be converted to God, Mt 13:15, Mk 4:12.
The warning from Jesus is to take heed to what you hear, for the words will produce life or death according to what you hear and accept.
After the fall you can see where two brother's had heard the word of God, Gen 4:1
One man pleased God
One man did not
The issue is not did he hear, the issue is that once he heard he decided to do as he willed instead of doing the will of God.
In hearing the word of God and then doing it your joy will be made full.
God says no. So what your are saying is twisting scripture to fit you belief in your cult.
The fallen sinner has no understanding, moral ability or inclination to believe prior to the new birth.
1 Cor 2:14
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned
Fallen Man has a mind at enmity with God; loves darkness, hates the light and does not have the Holy Spirit. "There is no one who seeks God" Rom 3:10-11 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
To desire and seek God prior to the new birth is an impossible supposition.
Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands--
12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
